365 Days in Aspen

12 Months

12-monthsAs we look at the impending new year, it's imperative to reflect on the opportunities for learning, growth and improvement from the past twelve months. 

Twelve months ago I could have never envisioned my life today. What a difference a year makes. A year, and a lot of guts. 

As they say in skiing, "no guts, no glory." 

I'm not sure what the "glory" is supposed to be, but there is immense satisfaction in stepping out on that cliff and taking the leap. 

On some level, I think we all strive for some form of recognition or admiration from others. For me, the most surprising achievement has been the oohs and ahhs I've gotten from people when I tell people that I gave away all my possessions to charity (except a few boxes and what I could fit in my car) and moved to a place I hadn't visited in 19 years and didn't know a soul. Oddly, that has garnered more admiration than writing seven books and holding a patent for my invention! 

Espeically surprising considering it was not that difficult a decision to make. Yes, the logistics were exhausting and filled with overwhelming challenges, but for some reason that just spurred me on more; like a gale-force wind behind my back pushing me west. 

So – to answer the question. What can I do today that I wasn't capapble of 12 months ago? Well, considering that a year ago I was deathly ill with the poisoning from the Costco tuna fish and literally didn't think I would live through 2016, the answer is quite dramatic. By this time last year (after months of slowly being poisoned day after day), I could barely walk up a flight of stairs. Now I'm walking up mountains in the snow, I'd say that's a pretty big one. Internally, I've changed even more. Yes, the devastating results of the election and the fears of what's to come have impacted me profoundly, but I just keep going back to my 3-Part Plan: 

  1. Find safety 
  2. Enjoy life as much as you can, while you can
  3. Make a difference however you can