7 for SEVEN [x7]

I hope you are having the most fantastic December of your life! But if you aren’t and it’s just a regular December…that’s cool too. You may have noticed that things have been extremely quiet on the blog for a while…124 days of quiet to be exact. What was supposed to be a short break to revamp the look of the blog and work on better content for you ended up being a four-month long hiatus. Because…Life Happens.

I love my blog. I love writing and I have missed this space and my blogging community. A lot! I appreciate you for still reading and still supporting my little patch of internet. That said, I am super-SUPER-excited to share with you all the brand new content (articles, tips, rituals and all the good stuff in the Inspiration Library) I’ve been working on all this time to help make 2016 the best year of our lives.

Things will kick-off on January 01st, with my One Word reveal for 2016, the new direction of the blog and a giveaway. Be sure to subscribe, so that you NEVER MISS A POST!

I know it’s been a while but in this space on this day of the week…

…every Monday, we post seven positives from the previous seven days of the week as a reminder of what we have so that the week starts out on an upswing. There is much truth in the belief that happy people attract good things, so it is important to start the week out right. Sometimes it’s the more grand, but other times, it’s the simple things.~ Key + Arrow

7 for Seven originated at Key + Arrow ; I adopted the practice and for the last two years it has impacted my life in many positive ways. My 7 this week is a bit of a cheat, because I am actually doing a SEVEN X SEVEN gratitude post! Bear with me as I am super grateful for:

2015 has been an amazing year full of challenges, successes, plenty change and mad personal growth. I am grateful for all the love (in all the forms it took) in my life, the new places I’ve been to, the great food I’ve tried and all the good coffee I’ve had.

My biggest lesson this year has been: Obstacles Are Good. And I am grateful for every last one of them. I’m a better, stronger, more beautiful me because of them.

And the other 48 things I’m grateful for are:

• Being single and knowing that I am Loved
• Blissing out on a good book, scented candles and a cozy bed
• Attending my first blogging conference
• Getting lost on a road trip
• Cloudless skies
• Dinner dates with my Cohort of Awesome
• Riding a horse for the first time
• Walking around London by myself
• Seeing snow for the first time
• Blue moons
• The stone-cold pack of weirdos I call my Family
• Sonograms of my nephew
• Getting wet in the rain
• Walking around the Manhattan by myself
• Good Coffee
• Watching my favourite Christmas movies (Love Actually Home Alone and Elf…in that order)
• Dark Chocolate
• Memories of my mother
• Pixar Movies
• Love!
• The kindness of strangers
• Meeting a fellow Trini on the train in Queens through a random turn of events…and then hearing his whole life story
• Waking up before my alarm
• Seeing God’s hand working in my life
• All the obstacles I faced in 2015.
• Thai food
• Your Order Has Been Shipped. Best. Email. Ever.
• Homemade Tiramisu
• Fresh pasta
• Personal trainers who are really sadists in sweat pants
• Pain au chocolat
• My sister
• Cuddles just before sunrise
• Living on an island in the sun
• Air-conditioning. Because I live on an island in the blazing hot sun
• Being able to afford to travel
• My brother
• Coconut water…and jelly
• Taking the perfect selfie…the first time
• Binge-watching an entire season of OITNB in one sitting
• Adele
• Coming home to a made bed
• One Republic
• Reconnecting with old friends
• Meeting my Blogger Crush
• A manager who supports me
• Gratitude lists
• You!

I’m already making my 2016 lists…and checking them twice. But as 2015 slips quietly into 2016…my gift to myself is being fully present to the present. *see what I did there?* And my hope is that you allow yourself the space to do the same.

So, slow down. Take a deep breath. Take in all that is happening around you. We made it baby!

I hope that by continuing to pay attention to the little things, the mundane details that make up all the blessings in my life and by sowing the seeds of faith and gratitude, I can truly carry with me and reap the rewards of “positivity + balance + bliss” throughout the day and well into the New Year ahead.

Thank you for reading, I appreciate you! This is me blowing some glitter and confetti on you because you’re super blessed to have received the gift of another 86,400 seconds today, to spend any way you desire.

Make those seconds count!

I love hearing from you…what are you grateful today? What made you smile? Feel free to share below!