2014 -- Let's Do It!

The last few days of every year, I usually try to reflect and take stock of the all the things that happened in the previous year -- the good, the bad, the glory.

The last few days of 2013 were no exception. I thought about all the things that took place in 2013 -- the things that made me proud, the things that made me worry, the things that made me grow.

I wrote the "best of 2013" post with all those things in mind, but, as I was writing the post, I didn't find myself excited about the post until the very end. Until I hit the publish button.

It was as if hitting the publish button symbolized that I made it through, that I survived all the things that took place in 2013.

It took me awhile to understand the depth and the meaning of that post. I mean, I know that I'm blessed and I know that I've been through a lot and I know that I've survived a lot.

I also know that 2013 was a year of tremendous growth and tremendous progress for me. But that's precisely it. That's the thing about progress -- it's messy. There are a lot of ups and downs and twists and turns. And success isn't linear. There are setbacks. Lots of them. There's a lot that happens behind the success -- there are tears and fears and moments of self-doubt. There are mountains to be climbed and battles to be won and problems to be solved.

But there's also sweet, sweet victory when you push pass the hell that you go through.

There's progress. And as messy as progress can be, it's a beautiful thing.

I have never been looking forward to a new year as I am now.

2014.

Let's do the damn thing!