An Intro: 365 days that count - Day 1

First and foremost.....HAPPY NEW YEAR! We welcomed 2017 in with a bang here in Cape Town, the first of many exciting adventures this year is sure to hold.

I for one have been waiting with baited breath for this new year. Those of you aware of the principles of Numerology might already know that this year is the long anticipated "One" year of the next nine year cycle in our lives (2+0+1+7=10, 1+0=1). It brings with it new
opportunities, fresh starts, a time of change and growth. 2016 being the last in it's cycle of nine, sent us all the challenges we needed (if didn't always want) in order to be ready and free to face this new beginning.

I don't know many people who found 2016 easy, for me personally it was by far the hardest yet most rewarding year of my life.

I went into it on the back of a giant tumor, multiple complications and 5 operations, spent 2 months recovering in India, qualified as a yoga instructor, went in and out of business,
overcame another tumor, went through IVF and egg freezing, put on and lost about 15kgs, connected with some new beautiful souls, learnt the hard truth that not everyone has one, nurtured special relationships, let some go and found my way back to others. (The full story of my health troubles is the first on my blog titled, "A year ago I survived and started living")

I've also spent more time with my family and friends than I have in years, found my
spirituality, learnt to love and accept myself and give my spirit permission to shine.

I've been challenged and pushed to my limits in every way, but through these tests I've grown, taking baby steps towards my authentic truth and realizing all the love I'm blessed with every day.

It's been a whirlwind and I'm glad it's over but I'm grateful for all that it brought and taught me and I'm beyond excited to continue growing and learning and loving on this wonderful
journey we call life in 2017.

More than anything, I've been taught the importance of being present, living each moment to the fullest and taking nothing for granted.

I'm sure many of you can relate to the feeling that days, weeks, months and even sometimes years seem to slip through your grasp without really registering. Yes, we get lots done but did we really live and enjoy life in each moment? The last few years have flown by, SO much has happened and although I know the concept of being "in control" is a delusion I still want to feel involved in my life and present enough to enjoy or learn from each moment and not let another one slip past me unnoticed.

So I've decided that every day for the next 365 I will capture those moments that challenge, inspire, teach or thrill me. I'm going to make every day worth remembering.

It could be a few lines or just a picture, I'm not giving myself any rules other than I'm going to capture something about each day. That's it. I hope that it will not only help me stay present and grateful but that perhaps it could serve as a reminder of how the little things in life really do matter, and that small every day joys are as much of a gift as the large milestones we set and then sometimes spend way too much time chastising ourselves over for not achieving
exactly as we'd set out to.

Life never works out precisely the way we'd planned, that's part of the beauty of it, what keeps it exciting. Our only job is to do some good with the cards we're given whilst trying to be the best versions of ourselves along the way.

There is so much joy, so much light and so much love in the people and places around us, it's up to us to find it and in doing so make the choice to see the good in every situation, at the very least there is always a silver lining.

So much about our lives and how we enjoy them is in our perception; so smell the roses, see the glass half full, laugh a little louder, love a little more deeply and live as if you only have one life.

That's my Day 1 (albeit a day late), spent reflecting on all the wonderful sources of light in my life, from friends and family to my special animal companions; there is no shortage of love in my home right now. The dogs are chilling, the parrots are outside in the aviary happily squawking away and Mouse the cat is pretending she doesn't care about any of us whilst
following me around. It's a new year and I'm a happy camper. I hope it made you take a
second to think about all the good we sometimes take for granted and maybe just maybe
inspire you to take a little bit more responsibility, in your own way, for how much you love life, despite how hard it can sometimes be.

Wishing each and every one of you love, light, happiness and abundance. xxxx

@daisyd