I debated blogging this, but I will. Because, well, it's 2010 in New Zealand and this year I'm making changes. To my business, lifestyle, and personal life. If you've known me long enough, I'm all about K.I.R.…Keeping It Real. And as much as I want to preach from the pulpit, I should probably be sitting in the pew.

A few years ago, I battled depression. My mom relapsed with brain cancer, I hated law school, and I felt lost. It was such a dark period of my life and I looked like a broken vase to anyone who knew me well. On the outside, I was calm and collected and smiled too wide. I'm totally okay, the glimmer in my eye told the world, but on the inside I was crumbling.

I'm happy to say I've come a long way from that point, but there are still times when I slip back into dark crevices that seem to never go away. In 2010 I've promised to make note of my happiness. To stop time and remind myself of just how beautiful life is. Because it is. Beautiful.

During my time here in New Zealand, I've stopped myself and whispered, In this moment…I am happy. It's far too easy to let the gravity of a time slip pass. In light of this, I'm stopping myself–my crazy, spinning world–to remind me of how happiness feels. It feels like a strong wind. It feels like dark chocolate ice cream. It feels like the palm of JD's hand. It feels beautiful.

The photo above was taken by Amy Wenzel in the quaint area of Arrowtown, New Zealand. After eating lunch at The Stables, we lounged in the sun for a bit and soaked in life. It's official, I think I'm going to move here when I retire! 🙂