Reflecting Back On 2017–Good And The Bad

With the year coming to an end, I want to remember all the good and learn from the bad. Reflecting back on the year gone by, I smile, and I know it was a good one.

Reflecting back, 2017 has been a year of blessings. They all are, don’t you think? We are all blessed, no matter what we are going through, because there could always be more burden put upon us.

I am taking a moment to pause and reflect upon 2017 to appreciate the good, change the blah and look the bad in the eyes.

Every new year, we start out with goals and resolutions. Some years, we meet the goals. Most resolutions–not so much.

To be completely honest, only once in my life have I met a resolution head-on, kicking it in it’s calendar-behind. Only once. (That’s many unresolved resolutions!)

Most resolutions I make have something to do with eating better, losing weight or mastering fitness goals.

In 2018, I am going to make goals by the quarter, in hopes to accomplish them, step by step.

This upcoming year, I suggest we all stop trying to please others all the time. Be you. Be more of you and make 2018 work in your favor.  Be the boss.  Be the one.  Be you.

“You, yourself, more than anyone, deserve your love and affection.” -Buddha

When I say stop pleasing others, I do not mean be selfish.  I simply want you to please yourself and take time to grow within yourself.  Then, and only then, you can give to others freely, once you are happy with who you are.

The Good

This year started in one of my favorite cities, with my favorite people.  We traveled with our twenty-somethings to New York City to end 2016 and begin 2017.  It was a great trip with the kids, full of great memories.

How could a new year be bad if you begin in NYC?

Perhaps we should spend all the New Years Eves in New York? Because I look back on 2017, I smile.

We also traveled to Boulder and Denver with our kids, in 2017. Family vacations are always wonderful.  Family vacations, with your twenty-somethings, are exceptionally wonderful–no fussing, no fighting and no crying and whining!  Just wine-ing!

Take time this week to review, reflect and count your blessings, as well as remembering  the negatives of 2017.

How did you learn?  How did you grow?  Did you overcome the obstacle?

Before you raise your toast to the new year, ponder backwards, reflecting back on 2017.

Reflecting back, not dwelling, will help you put your best foot forward, in 2018, in all areas of your life–business, relationships, health, family and personal growth.

Reflection As A Writer

This year was a great year for me, as a writer. In 2017, being published, in print magazines, three times.

2017 had me published in Holl and Lane Magazine twice and Modern Texas Living Magazine once. This is huge for me, as a writer, but also as a late-in-life writer. I am proud and I like to tell my story because I want people to know whatever the dream–go for it, whatever the goal—do it! If I can carry out this thing I do and love, so can you! So, can you!

In the spring, I was also asked to submit quotes to a planner made in the UK. When I sent my favorite inspirational quotes in to be considered, Kirsten wrote back telling me she wanted my quotes ––dedra davis writes quotes! What?

What an honor it is to have five of my quotes, from my blogs and my articles, in the 2018 Hello Day Planner.

In January, I stopped writing regularly for the small Waco newspaper and magazine I began writing for.  I happily wrote regularly for the small Waco publications for three years.  When I began submitting to other publications, I realized the creative writing, the inspirational writing, made me happier and more fulfilled. So, I stretched higher by submitting to bigger magazines. I did that scary thing. I put myself out there. I took a chance-on myself and it paid off.
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I have a motto of “Over the Edge”. These are my three words. These words keep me from standing still. These words keep me moving forward and keep me scared. Scared is good when it comes to dreaming because if you are not scared, you are comfortable. Being comfortable will get you nowhere when it comes to your goals.

I ponder back, remembering when I did not write, when I did not follow my dreams. I was comfortable. I was stagnant.

Don’t be stagnant and if you are, let 2018 be your year. Let it be the year that scares you!

This year, I also became a regular contributing writer for Waco Moms Blog.  This blog is for moms, for women and for Wacoans. I write two blogs a month about Waco, being a mom or inspiration.

Also, being blessed to write several guest posts on other blogs I love and admire and be published in Taylor Magazine, an online magazine from London, this year topped them all!

Yes, 2018 was a great year for me professionally.  My best writing year to date!

Personal Reflections

Thinking back, it was a blessed year personally, as well.

In April, my husband and I bought a house we now happily call home. We moved into Waco, from a small town 20 minutes away. We live “in town” now and we are so happy to be here. We love the house, love the neighborhood and our neighbors. My heart is here with my husband and our three dogs. This has been a dream-turned-reality that seemed a long time coming.

All good dreams take a bit, right? Otherwise, you wouldn’t appreciate them.

We also celebrated our thirtieth wedding anniversary, in July. It is hard to believe we said our “I dos” so many years ago. It seems as though we should still be young and newly married.

The Bad

While most of 2017 was dreamy, we all have our share of bad. After all, this is no fairytale. Life is no rose garden. There are no guarantees in life. These things that cause us to pray, keep us strong. Keep us praying.

We will be strong, we will pray, and we will grow and be better for it. We do what we have to do. We pray, we listen and we fight.  Together, in 2018, we will win this battle like we have survived all other battles in our married life. Together, we are strong.

Reflecting on the negative is as important as reflecting on the positive. This is vital in moving forward to the next year.

In retrospect, 2017 was a blessed year.  There were far more sunny days than rainy and that makes for a prosperous garden.

I don’t want to live in the past, but this would be a good year if I needed to.

Moving Forward To 2018

This week, we will ring out the old year and celebrate the new, with family and a toast.  We will wish for bright days ahead, health and happiness.

I hope for you a prosperous new year, a happy and blessed 2018.

love and blessings~dd

In retrospect, 2017 was a blessed year. There were far more sunny days than rainy and that makes for a prosperous garden. #dedradaviswrites Share on X

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