So today I begin a new venture in personal growth! I have to keep it short and sweet as family dinner awaits so I want to share this image I came across.

This resonated with me, so I figures this is a good a place as any to start something new. This past year I set a resolution for myself to 'focus on me'. It sounded selfish at first but I recognized that I wasn't happy and I needed to do something about it. The Cole's Notes version of the year: Had a great time planning the twins' first birthday. Started a new business. Lost excess weight, exercising, and started feeling good about my body again. Committed to becoming a vegetarian. Started achieving success in my business when faced with a decision to walk away from it and start something new! Talk about nerve racking and stressful! I prayed about it, discussed it with my husband, and together we decided to go for it.

Incidentally these decisions led to a LOT of stress and a strained relationship. We sought help to get us through the hurdle and I'm FOREVER grateful we did. I love my husband so much. Found out I've been struggling with dysthymia depression (which explained SOOOOO MUCH!), reconnected with friends whom I had been (in my head at least) distanced from, and was blessed with a friend showing me how I played a small but significant role in helping her get her life turned around. Ever since then, things have been right on track for reconnecting with myself and those around me and each and ever day I feel so completely filled with love and appreciation for all my life has been blessed with.

Of course life is all roses and lollipops. There are plenty of days when the last thing I want to do is parent, or make food, or at the end of the day, work my business. But in my reflection early in the year, I realized I have achieved my past 5 year plan and I had no clue what I was going to do from here on out! I needed a plan! That's where my new business fit in so perfectly. I've allowed myself to dream again, and what achieving my dreams would look like. That vision is absolutely worth working for and making sacrifices for!

Well today I am so more more connected with who I am as a person and what my true values are in life. I used to be heavily filled with self doubt, easily influenced by other people's opinions and unhappy because I felt I was living a life that was 'okay' but  not what I truly wanted for myself. We get so many opinions pressed upon us as we grow up, it's a rare few who are able to fight off those influences, believe 100% in themselves, and never give up dreaming. I have a tremendous admiration for those people and I never considered myself in their league.  Today I feel surrounded by like minded people and in Chicago I had a light-bulb moment, where I realized everything I have truly wanted in my life, I've achieved! I had never looked at it that way before so I found myself suddenly filled with confidence! 

No matter what other people say or think, I'm going to live the life I design for myself and my family. I choose to be happy. I choose to give. I choose to have faith. I choose to love in abundance. I choose to be true to me and my dreams <3