A NEW YEAR

This will be my first blog post of the year 2018 and in fact the first blog post I have ever written in my life :) This year for me is all about taking action, being the #change I want to see in the world and in myself, and being #courageous to step into the life I have always dreamed of. 2017 marked a year of #transformation, learning to set my #bounderies, stand strong in my beliefs, let go of things that didn't serve me and settling fully into my truths.

On New Years Eve Willow, my mini aussie puppy, and I skied 10 miles into one of my favorite places on Earth, Brooks Lake Lodge #brookslakelodge, to spend the evening with my sister Jessica and her husband Rocky. We left a little late on that evening so I could catch the rising of the moon over the pinnacles. It was about 8 degrees as we trecked up the pass to the lodge. Willow's little paws were cold as she pranced between my skis and the snow banks. I was moving at a swift pace mosty uphill so I was drenched in sweat. There is nothing more peaceful and harmonious than the moment between the sunset and the moonrise. The cliffs around me were kissed with a light peach hue and the world around us enveloped in a blue dim light.

The almost full moon peeked over the pinnacles casting a golden moonshine on our trail. This was heaven and the closest feeling I could imagine to pure presence and peace. When the moon rose, it felt like a royal entrance into the world. There was a hush and silence that occurred while nature gazed and awaited this incredible moment with reverence. Willow and I paused to honor this moment and soak up the incredible energy around us. I felt truly #grateful that I lived in such an incredible place where I could witness this grandeur.

Smoke billowed from the chimney of the lodge and blankets of snow draped off the sides of the roof almost meeting the ground. The christmas tree lights glowed from inside the window and little log cabins sat tucked away in caves of snow. This was a magical winter wonderland. This was home! I settled into my cozy log room inside the lodge and soaked my chilled bones and tired muscles in a hot shower to ready for the eve before my new year.

Each year my sister and her band, Jessica Camilla O'Neal and the Neversweat Players, are hired to entertain New Years Eve in the Great Hall of the lodge for the guests. I was honored that she asked me to sing with them this year. I hadn't rehearsed with them and didn't even know if I knew any of the songs but just felt excited to be singing with my sister again. I stepped into the Great Hall Dining room set infront of a huge open fireplace. The fire crackled behind me and the smells of pine and wood smoke filled the air. Memories and meloncholy filled my heart as we sang old western songs reminding me of my father, his legacy, the ranch, my cowgirl heritage, and the sweet harmonies of singing with my sisters. Tears streamed down my cheecks as I allowed those memories to envelope me as if I were right back in those days of wrangling horses, cookouts, pack trips, campfires, and a more simpler life. I missed my dad but felt his presence around us even catching a glimpse of him rocking side to side, his hat cocked to the right and a kind proud twinkle in his eye watching his girls sing.

We rang in the New Year singing "Auld Lang Syne" laughing so hard at our hamony mishaps of the evening and reveling in the company of each other. It was the most fun and enchanting New Year I could remember.

I woke early the next morning feeling invigorated and inspired for the new year. The crisp blue sky outside my window and mountain vew made for a perfect sanctuary for my morning meditation. #Gratitude filled my heart and a knowing that this year was going to be different and NEW! I grabbed my journal and nustled up by the fire to reflect

on my past year and the one to come. Although the last year had been one of extreme growth and hardship, I realized it was preparing and making way for the new to enter. I had been setting the foundation for the life I wanted and the ground for me to step into my most authentic self.

This blog is a part of me stepping into that self. I have had an innate fear of writing and especially of sharing it, yet had this desire to share my truths, my feelings, my beliefs, my talents, and my knowledge with the world. So here I go.....

“Here’s to…The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.” – Apple Inc