2017 has been a strange year and I know a lot of you will agree with me on this one. Things didn't go according to plan, situations escalated, changes that were supposed to make it better backfired and my health declined.
But don't get me wrong, it wasn't ALL that bad. We got to visit Alcatraz and Grand Canyon West for the first time, found art in unexpected places, changed our diet and made healthier choices that led us to discovering unusual recipes, and found a way to cope through it all. 
We're hours away from a new year in the calendar. It's that time we start drafting our goals and resolutions. We all agree that they are important, however, most of us fall short of carrying on with them for more than a few months. I'm embarrassed to admit that I am part of that group as well and I want out. But in order to be successful, I need to do a few things. 
So, in this new year, I vow to...

With the holiday season in full swing by now, it is really hard to keep a stress-free mind. It takes us more time and effort to keep things under control and keep a positive attitude. It certainly doesn't mean that you or I should give up though. In fact, trying to reduce stress and be more calm are key to a happy life. And speaking of that, this is also the time that most of us are drafting our resolutions for the new year.
If meditating is not on your list just yet, I urge you to add it asap. Here's why: ​

The holidays are fast-approaching and the panic is starting to settle in for the most of us. There's long lists of things to do and buy and no matter how many times we tell ourselves that next year we will plan better and do this or that ahead of time, somehow we find ourselves, once again,  rushing to find those "perfect" gifts for our friends and family. 
I hate gift-shopping. There, I've said it. But to be fair, it's stressful and there's a lot of pressure to "get it right". 
Thankfully, me and my family worked out a "habit" of sending each other lists of things we want/need to avoid receiving things that will end up either returned or unused - we like to be practical. 
However, if you don't have a list and are a bit overwhelmed at the thought, I got you covered. I've curated a list of the things I'd like to receive, in hopes of inspiring you to move away from gifting just for the sake of it, and heading towards giving experiences or more thoughtful gifts, in general. So, here's what I'd like: