I still hold value to that my life’s experiences, be it positive, negative (or really negative), create, and shape exactly who I am today.

I started another journey around the sun last week with the celebration of my day of birth, and it always seems to be the time I look back on the year that passed, and the years that came before it.

There has been a lot of great things that have happened. A lot of amazing people have come into my life, and I’ve been given the relief of all the terrible people in my life kindly taking a door and going. I’ve been given some fantastic opportunities pesonally, and professionally. I’ve gotten to adventure and experience a lot of really, really, great, and exciting things/momements. I’d be days and days listing all of these great things in my life.

There would also be equally as many, if not a bit more days it would take to list off the terrible. Those really terrible people. Abusive relationships. Dangerous addicts. Deaths from suicide, drugs, illness. More funerals for friends than I can count on hands and feet. More funerals than I can count on my hands long before I lost my first family member, a great-grandparent, to age. Sexual assault. Even at one point, my life being in literal danger. None of it is pretty.

But, they have shaped me just as much as the good has.

And all of it, regarldless, I have to embrace as I stop trying to just push down the bad parts, and bottle them up, as I work through it all in my adult years — because I can’t do a damn thing to change any of it.

It is part of my story, and that’s okay.

The moment you realize it is okay is the moment it all changes. The moment you feel different. Better. Lighter.

This past year, looking over the bad bits with my health, there were a lot of completely awesome bits.

I crushed a watermelon with my legs. I shattered my bench personal record of all time. I rocked my best squat personal record of all time.

And I finally, in working through the bad bits of the deep, dark past, realized why the deadlift was kicking my ass. Once I did that, everything unlocked, and it’s been on an upward trend towards my pre-baby personal best with that lift.

I’m running fast again. And, I’ve even run two 5ks. Looking at adding a third before the year is over.

Forever a student, I’ve launched myself back into more furthering education in my specialized coaching field.

I was given an opportunity that leaves you “Oh, my, gosh, is this really happening?!” in writing for an idol of mine.

Because my schedule is flexible, my son and I were able to have our beach day, every single week from May, until just over a week ago. Sometimes we were even able to go two or three times a week. We took my kayak out on the smaller ponds in the area. We were able to explore all over. Have adventures as he calls them.

We traveled to one of our favorite places to see penguins, fishies, seals, gorillas, and more.

We made use of our passports.

And, I met some strong, compassionate, and amazing people that I now hold tightly in my circle.

Each year, life gets better and better.

Each year, I feel more whole, more complete.

Each year, I grow more (personally, and muscles – couldn’t help myself with that last one).

Each year is different.

And that’s what makes life so perfect.