So the 1st of January in the brand new 2018th year has come and gone!

It is a bit strange thinking about it, because every year I imagine being so excited for New Year's, and wanting very much to do something spectacular to ring in another year where the human race successfully survived without starting some all out apocalypse. Well, sort of. On many levels, I can see how that statement wasn't totally true due to some extremely surprising and unprecedented moments that occurred, especially within the U.S...government...*cough cough*

But really! All of us here somehow pulled through and I am rooting for all of you pure good souls out there who can continue to improve this Earth in your special ways and bring your light. I found that as the minutes ticked closer and closer to 12, I was starting to stress a bit and find myself unprepared to start a new year, because so much happened in 2017 that it felt as if I needed to still live in it. I may or may not have ducked out to hide by myself as 12 o clock rolled around just so I could think and be a bit sad over saying farewell to an extremely hard, eye opening, freeing, and educating year. In fact, if I am not the only one in that boat, then I say that it would be a healthy way to go about continuing to grow and revamp our lives for 2018.

Recently I came across a post by a really inspiring Instagramer who talked about having days of equality where she would let herself be really sad or angry or panicked, because that brought balance and the chance for her to choose happiness after letting the full cycle of emotions pass through. It was really wise words, and I applied the same to embracing this new year. If I have learned anything from 2017, it was that I absolutely have to let my emotions and feelings play out, without trying to influence the pathway or try to stifle certain ones. It is the fastest way for me to heal and grow through experiences that happen, while also providing surprising clarity to the meaning behind why I may be feeling a certain way. So it was hard to say goodbye to the experiences of 2017 that I clung to as some sort of lifejacket, while I find a sense of peace and real happiness realizing how much I have ahead of me this year in regards to living life to the truest form of "Jessi".

So here we are, and here I am in writing this post about the new year after taking a week to actually think through what that means to me. I don't know if I will ever feel like I really belong in this world (and not as if I was born in the wrong universe or something), but I truly want to experience more of this life and the obscure joys that it can bring. Such as finding those little dives and drives that make me feel as if I really did travel to another world, taking more time to connect with strangers, friends, and family, and making sure I get my booty traveling and reaching outside of my comfort zone to push myself in ways that I never imagined. To be more specific, if I have any rock climbing buddies out there who happen across this post, no matter how much I may argue and wittingly talk you out of it, MAKE ME GET OUT AND CLIMB SOME ROCKS! It will be good for me. I promise. Even though I will seethe with embarrassment and hate it in the moment:)

Cheers to 2018 my lovely readers! Stay true to you.

Sincerely,

Jessi Hope

p.s. I wanted to post a video of my year in review but I realized that I did not do a great job at taking enough videos and pictures!:/ So that will definitely be one of my goals for this year.