First and foremost I’d like to take a moment to reflect on someone we lost earlier this week, Carrie Fisher aka Princess Leia. I know a lot of people who are crushed by her passing and she is a legend. She was more than just Princess Leia and I’m sure a lot of people can agree with that. May she rest in peace with all of the other talented people who were taken from us in 2016.
1. Going back to the Dark Side aka going back to brown hair
See what I did there? I kind of kept the Star Wars theme going. Anyway, 2016 was the year I went to the dark side. I went back to my roots and I’m super happy I did it. I needed a change and I feel like my spirits were lifted once I did this. I loved the blonde hair but I was just itching for something different. I also shared this picture in particular because it was one of the first ones taken outside of my apartment. This is the garage door to my apartment and it’s been almost a year that I’ve lived there. I must say I do love being out on my own, I feel more like an adult. Yes, the bills suck because now my dream of paying off my student loans in a decent time period have been put on hold, but that’s ok! It’s worth it, and I mean I’m 29, I couldn’t live with mom and dad forever although it wasn’t that bad, I didn’t really have any complaints, except the fact that now I’m in charge of when I want to clean haha!
2. 3rd Blogiversary
Y’all, my blog turned 3 this year! A whopping three years old! I’m so happy that I started blogging again back in 2013 because it has been my creative outlet and has been what got me out of my shell. I’ve worked with so many different brands and met so many awesome people that will become friends for a lifetime. I’m so proud of this little piece of cyber world that has brought me joy and brought inspiration to others. Thank you for everyone who has been a loyal follower or who just started following, or who is reading my blog for the first time. Without y’all this blog would not be possible!
3. Welcoming Zero
I welcomed this little nugget into the family this year. What a fun ride it’s been with her. She is one of the most hyper and goofy dogs of all time. She is nowhere near her stereotype of a pitbull being aggressive and nasty. Actually, her sister (Lilly the puggle) is the aggressive one. She’s the one that growls at Zero and fights with her when she’s not in the mood to play haha.
4. Welcoming the WRX
Even though the reason why I bought this car was bad, I’m glad I was able to turn that negative into a positive. I was involved in an accident (not my fault thank god) back in September and this time around my Volvo couldn’t withstand the impact of the accident and unfortunately she was totaled. I was so upset and furious at the same time but then I found this car. I fell in love instantly. I’m still really nervous when cars are behind me and I still have flashbacks but I’ve been learning to overcome them by telling myself the car that I was in served it’s purpose and that a car is built to protect you.
5. Weight Loss
One of my biggest accomplishments this year was losing 41lbs. I am so incredibly proud of myself and so happy because I actually feel better health wise and have way more energy. Not to mention my confidence is back! On top of that I’ve also become a coach! Since I had such a great experience and I wouldn’t have been able to do it without my coach I decided I wanted to help others reach their goals too. My coach was one of my biggest motivators and I want to help someone the way she helped me.
**I wanted to take a quick moment to thank all of the bloggers and brands that have worked with me over the past year. Thanks to you I’ve experienced more with my blog and grown. I’ve reached larger audiences through features, I was on The Chew, and I got to try new products some of which I actually continued to use. Last year I said 2015 was a good year for my blog, but I must say I think 2016 has topped 2015 significantly. Thank you to all of you who come here to read my blog or are stopping by for the first time. If it wasn’t for people like you, my blog would not be possible. I would like to extend warm wishes and Happy New Year to all of you and your families. I wish you nothing but success, wealth, happiness, love, and above all good health!
Linking up with:
You looked great as a blonde but I am biased for brown hair ;). Great round-up – loved all of your picks. Your dog is adorable! Happy New Year 🙂
Sarah Bell
Trendy & Tidy
Great job on your weight loss! I got into my best shape in years this year too and am feeling great about 2017. Happy new year!
Happy New Years Eve!
What a great year for you! And congratulations on your weight loss! I know how it feels to lose a bunch of weight and finally feel much better because you're healthier!
Sarah at MeetTheShaneyfelts