It was October 2012 and I was sitting at a small table in the over-cluttered kitchen of a tarot card reader in Lawrence, Mass. I went on the recommendation of a few people and I was not disappointed. I was with my best friend, and she paid for both of us to have our cards read in celebration of my birthday. It was certainly a different experience. Now, you may or may not believe in astrology, or cards, of numbers, or any of that alternative stuff, but I believe there is something to all of it. I mean, this card reader lady was pretty spot on with me. The greatest thing that Lucia gave me that day was HOPE. At that time I was in a transition point in my life. She helped me to become comfortable with the path I was on and gave me hope that the future would turn out okay, as it usually does. She told me that by June of 2013 I would be in a very good spot in life. She did give me some details, and, she was uncannily accurate…2013 turned out to be a pretty great year.

Below is a list of some of the things that made 2013 so great. This new year, 2014, is going to be even better. As I get older, wiser, and have the ability to learn from mistakes I have made, I find it more and more important to reflect on years past. We must not get caught up in history, because that will hold us back, but we must be able to pick out the good times as well as the not-so-good, and take the lessons with us into the future. Applying those lessons learned is the most difficult part of it all.

1. Confidence and growth at work. Work and everything that comes with work is not easy, but it makes life so much better. When I am not working, I enjoy my time off, but look forward to getting back into it. I have matured as a coach and trainer and have delved deeper into the world of CrossFit and strength and conditioning. It’s exciting.
2. Expansion of The Fort and our community. There is nothing quite like The Fort CrossFit community. When we expanded the gym in May, we had an army of helpers all weekend. That new space has enabled us to grow our community even more. It’s amazing to look around and see the growth.
3. One Very Special Guy. I don’t really have to say much here. He knows who he is.
4. My BFF. My best friend is living in Ecuador at the moment. She has lived all over the world. When she left, back in March, I felt sad but I also knew that travel, adventure, and working to help others are things that help my friend grow. She lied to me for months about coming home for Christmas this year – she said she wouldn’t be be home and would be in Peru. Turns out she had planned to be home the entire time. The surprise was ruined when I ran into her in Hannaford the Saturday before Christmas. It was one of the best surprises I’ve ever had.
5. Training hard and becoming a much better athlete. Over the last year or so, I increased the volume and intensity of my training. I became a more focused athlete and made huge gains. For the first time, I truly had to “do work” for what I wanted. I’m still learning and deciding how much work I want to continue to do. I am amazed by what the human body can do with dedicated time and effort.
6. Learning more about finances. This might not seem like a big deal, but this year I taught myself a lot about finances. I read and asked other people lots of questions. I evaluated my money situation and I am more aware of a personal budget and much more concerned about the future and saving. Money seems to cause a lot of stress in life and as a long-term goal I am determined to not let it get the best of me. This was my first step.

While I am not a fan of making New Years resolutions, I am a fan of reflecting on my life. This is a practice that is consistent, not just part of the new year tradition. I think that it just means a little bit more in the new year, since it feels a little like a fresh start. We can put it all behind us and move forward with a renewed sense of ourselves. I think that’s called growth…? Anyway, cheers to a healthy and happy 2014. My best wishes to you and yours.