Deary Me...

You might laugh at me (yourself) for saying this, but - I'm proud of you. The past 12 months might not have been exactly what you expected but you grew up a lot and really reflected on what is truly important to you. It wasn't easy for you to give something up in order to gain something else but you did it and you know you made the right decision. It's important to live in the is and not the was.

Instead of living - and wallowing - in the drama, you looked at it with an open mind and asked yourself where it comes from. You tried to eliminate it and hopefully you're not going to have to go down that path again. You're trying to be smarter with money - what money you have at the moment, you poor little pauper - and you're trying to create a new year, a new career and a new you.

So what if you don't have absolutely everything you thought you'd have by the time you hit 25? You've got your health, your family, your friends and a man who loves you more than words can describe. That's pretty successful in a lot of people's eyes. You've realised that, despite the growing up you may have done over the past year, you don't want to become old before you're time. You're still learning every day. Learn to be old and wise by being young and crazy.

You travelled to the other side of the world on your own. You overcame hurdles. You worked on a farm and castrated a young bull. You had a redback spider crawl across your hand. You held a 6ft python. You willingly went on a boat cruise through crocodile infested waters. You created a lifetime of memories. There's plenty of time left to do everything else on your list. And if you don't do it, you haven't failed. It's just a bunch of achievements you put together on a list.

You even stopped straightening your hair as often and learned to LOVE your curls. You danced more, sang more (albeit very badly), probably drank a bit more but hey...so what.

You lost someone whom you and everyone else around you loved. But like everything else, you will eventually move on. You'll never forget him but you will carry on with life.

You are more you now than you have ever been. Run where the music takes you in 2011. You will be fine.

Love...me xox