Dear 2018

Dear 2018,

Thank you for being both the worst + greatest year of my life thus far.

You started me off with a huge bang, one that completely knocked me upside down. One I thought would almost kill me. I faced heartbreak like never before & trauma I thought I’d never recover from. I felt loneliness & darkness I thought would eat me whole. I experienced more pain then I have in a lifetime. I was presented with test after test after test after test which made me emotionally, physically, and mentally exhausted. I felt lost, confused, and hopeless. I cried enough tears to fill an ocean. I thought life was punishing me but later I would learn that it was gifting me with the greatest blessing of all- strength, growth, & transformation.

Even though I experienced the lowest of lows, I also experienced some of the greatest moments of my life. I graduated from college and officially became a Nutritional Scientist, graduated my 200 hr yoga teacher training from my favorite yoga studio ever, and took 3 different online courses to expand my knowledge in topics I was greatly interested in. I got surprised with 3rd row tickets to a concert with all of my favorite Latin artists & went to Coachella and saw some of my favorite artists of all time with my best friend. I traveled to 4 different countries, created a healthy menu for a beautiful resort in Puerto Vallarta, was interviewed on two separate podcasts for my first time, taught my first yoga class, and created my first ever wellness events. I started working for Doterra, got a new part-time job that pushed me out of my comfort zone, & worked with a ton of brands that I genuinely am super passionate about. One of my closest friends gave birth to the most perfect baby girl. I moved out of my parents house for the first time and made the most beautiful home for myself with the greatest roommates a girl could ask for. I made a ton of new, beautiful friendships that I will cherish for a lifetime. I revamped my website, started making my own custom essential oil blends, got my first ever tattoo, and cut my hair super short for the first time ever. I became closer than ever to God & the spiritual side of myself and learned so much about the magic that lives within us all. I tried my first kundalini class and my first sound bath ever! I read a ton of books for pleasure, which I wasn’t able to do while I was in college. I educated myself on the power of manifestation & the law of attraction and brought so many beautiful things into my life. I experienced some of the most magical moments of my whole life and made memories that I’ll cherish forever.

2018, thank you for teaching me some of the greatest lessons of my life. I learned that heartbreak can’t kill you, and if anything, it is necessary in order to make you stronger. I learned the meaning of true love, and that you’ll never know if someone is truly meant for you until you let them go. I learned that there are some connections in this lifetime that are too magical and too rare to be defined by human terms. I learned that your life won’t make sense to anyone else but you, and that’s okay. I learned the importance of having healthy boundaries, and that YOU are completely in charge of how others treat you. I learned that you can love someone with all of your heart but that you always need to love yourself more. I finally learned how to be truly happy on my own. I learned that everything you see in your outer world is simply a reflection of your inner world. I learned that I’m the co-creator of my reality, and if I don’t like something in my life I’m responsible for changing it. I learned that the way people treat you is just a reflection of how you treat yourself and how you think you deserve to be treated. I learned that fear is imaginary and so is faith, so you might as well choose to live life through faith instead of fear. I learned that lasting happiness only comes from within, and that you will always be unhappy until you understand this. I learned that you will never have any control over your life, no matter how hard you try, so you might as well let go. I learned how important it is to TRUST in God and the plan that he has for you. I learned that only when you surrender can you receive all of the beautiful & unexpected blessings that God has for you. I learned to put God before myself. I learned that sometimes what you want isn’t what you need. I learned that change is inevitable and that there is no point in fighting it; it is our only constant. I learned how to truly live in the present moment for the first time in my life. I learned that the most simple things in life make me the happiest- the warm touch of the sun, the sound of birds chirping, the magical synchronicities you experience when you’re in tune with the universe, an unexpected kiss from someone that makes your heart melt, a magical yoga class, & the feeling of being truly happy and whole from within. I learned that remaining soft & humble in such a cruel world is beautiful. I learned that no feeling is a bad feeling, and that we must completely feel in order to heal. I learned that you’re not what has happened to you, you’re how you choose to overcome it. I learned not to give a sh**t about what others think of me. I learned that the TRUE meaning and purpose of being on this planet is simply to return to unconditional love, and that nothing else really matters. I learned that we won’t ever receive the love we deserve from someone else until we completely learn to love ourselves. I learned that listening to your intuition is an art that takes continuous practice, but that it’s necessary in order to live our life with the least amount of suffering. I learned that we have all the answers we need within ourselves, we just need to learn how to listen. I learned that God is always looking out for us and leading us towards the life of our wildest dreams, even when it doesn’t seem like it. I learned that there is SO DAMN MUCH to be thankful for, and the more you are thankful for what you have now the more God will bless you with. I learned that absolutely everything can change in just one year. Most importantly, I learned that through the greatest pain comes the greatest transformation, and that light can’t exist without darkness.

Thank you 2018 for being the most insane, transformative, healing, and magical year of my life. I wanted you to end so badly, but now that you’re ending I’ll miss you. I will forever be grateful for you and will remember you forever. Sorry to say this to you, but I know 2019 will be even better!! 😉

xoxo

Rach