A Bulgarian pastry wheel with wishes for the new year.

Happy new year!

I was back in Frankfurt for new year’s eve (my first since I moved here), and spent it with people from Bulgaria, Brazil, France, Mexico and Germany. Whew. There were a lot of traditions going on (I brought a kale salad, which I proclaimed was a California tradition).

I spent new year’s day as I do every year: noting the top things I was proud of and the top things I want to accomplish (and this year I added places I want to go).

I also went back and looked at my year–my monthly reflections and planning, blog posts, and pictures.

• I visited 12 countries this year outside of the US and Germany, and 15 different cities–the majority on my own (favorite city: Mykonos)
• I set a goal to read 12 books and I surpassed that by 2 (favorite book: The Nightingale)
• I met people from all over the world
• I ate carrot cake in every major city in Europe
• I worked the hardest I had ever worked in my professional life and grew immensely because of it
• I continued to work toward developing my yoga practice, and was accepted into a teacher training program that starts in June (stay tuned!)

I realized the worst things that happened to me this year were that my bike was stolen and I didn’t get asked out on a second date (the guy was a loser in retrospect).

If those are the worst things, I’d have to say life is pretty good.

I am aware that I am living my best life and I don’t take one day for granted.