Photo taken at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA – in front of one of a Mark Rothko painting.

Dear BlueBoots,

First of all, I want to tell 2017-you that I’m proud of you, and I love you. This past year you took on many new opportunities. You seized the moment – the NOW – made many NEW connections. You tried your best to be a positive force to inspire your friends and family to be WELL and find out what that means for them. You shared what was on your heart, meaningful things and ideas. You got excited about helping people – remember that feeling of the full-balloon heart rising up from your belly to your lips, and how it shapes smiles that twinkle from your eyes? You weren’t afraid to ASK; even though you got rejected many times, don’t you dare forget how many times people said YES.

This year, I hope that you continue to bring people together. You have a chance to BE the person you want to be. Not just a chance, you have the right, and the power to BE the person you want to be. I hope you meet YOURBESTSELF, and that you recognize her even if she is shy at making her entrance. Usher her in, bring her in and get to know HER.

Laugh, ALOT. The feeling of laughter should dazzle you and fill you with hope of all that you have to offer and that fireball of intuition that links you with so many.

When you get caught in a mire of I’m-not-good-enough discouragement, I hope you remember to be GENTLE, as gentle with yourself as you are with a close friend who arrives with tears or a freshly-hardening shell over wounds.

Have more adventures! Remember your BEST SELF loves to bring the best of every age to life in the present. Take care of your intrinsically JOYFUL heart, cultivate inner strength, the kind that glows and keeps you and those around you warm.

Initially I selected JOY as the word of the year, but this year is going to be a transition and JOY needs some support.

The first couple of weeks of January brought COURAGE and BRAVERY up in my heart as well. Use JOY as the spark of that warm strength, and carry it with you, proudly, with BRAVERY, and there – see that glow – you have it – a shield of COURAGE. In a couple of months, you are going to end 7 years of your professional education, and you have no idea what the next 7 will bring. In one sense, this is scary, but also a little exhilarating. Will you continue a slow evolution, transformation? Is it time to reinvent and give the stage over to a fresh self that maybe hasn’t had the chance to come out? It is OK to not know. You will be fine, but I think you will be more than just fine.

You are here to THRIVE, not just to survive the winter. Your spring is coming soon. Remember your faith that brought you here to this day and how you have always been cared for in a million, unseen ways.

So, go out there, you courageous, beautiful person! You got this!

Love always.

Dear Reader – will you join me and write a #lettertomyself? It can be personal, a sacred letter to yourself, or you can share it. If this inspires you, please do share it using the sharing buttons below. As always, I like to hear from you all, so you are welcome to comment below or send me a message here.