Broken hearts are a dangerous thing. They don’t heal quickly. There’s no medicine or quick fix. (Well, tequila but that just leaves you with a bad headache and a broken heart) You can’t describe the ache, and frankly the only sanctuary is sleep. When you can actually fall asleep. They make you bitter and urge you to bite back. They make you sad. They make you angry. They make you numb. They can change who you are if you let them. But you know what? While it might not seem like it at the time, broken hearts teach us things. They unveil strength you didn’t realize you had. They show you that you can endure. Though painful, they’re opportunities to really focus on yourself. And at the end of the day, they show you that there is sunshine after the cloudiest days. So the next time you find yourself broken, cry. Hurt. Let John Mayer serenade you with Dreaming of Broken Heart as you sip on wine and declare all romantic comedies to be unrealistic and unfair. But while you do that, know that your next love awaits. And that one day while you’re waiting for the barista to finish making your latte, you might look up and find yourself staring into the kind eyes of a boy with a nice smile who just wants a chance to take you to dinner.

Its crazy how 365 days can go by in what seems like the blink of an eye. Here we are, ready to face a new year in just a number of hours. I’ve never been one for the New Year’s hype –resolutions, recaps, predictions, raging –any of it, really. But I always pause to reflect on the past year, and 2011 has proven to be particularly worth mentioning. When I think back on 2011, one word comes to mind: renewal.

I found myself broken when I should have been healed. I struggled until it dawned on me: I was allowing myself to be miserable when I didn’t have to be. There was more to be had than late night phone calls filled full of lingering feelings and second thoughts. I almost wondered how I even got there in the first place. From that second on, 2011 was about getting back to who I was and getting rid of the unnecessary negativity that had been weighing me down. I made it a goal to focus on the positive. To forgive and accept. To recognize my will power and intuition as two very functioning tools. To treat others as I would like to be treated. To bite my tongue and let karma do her job. To help those in need and give back. I became lighter, and I feel better than I have in a long time. I know I sound like a G. damn self-help book, but don’t gag just yet. I think what I learned is that we all face times where we become completely unraveled. These moments present us with the most opportunity. Opportunity to get up after being stripped bare and start writing the next chapter. Maybe I’ve never been into New Year’s because in the end, our lives aren’t marked by years, but by moments. We may not always have a say in how they come upon us, but we have complete say in how they are shaped. Something to keep in your back pocket. Here’s to 2011 & a healthy, happy 2012.

Love her!