Goodbye. Hello.

There's been a lot of chatter calling 2016 a very bad year. Granted, some very bad things did happen, but for me personally, it was a great year. I've been ruminating on this blog post for several weeks, and have whittled down a year full of incredible personal and professional blessings to my top 5. Drumroll, please:

5. Kicking my business into high gear with the help of an unbelievably talented team of experts. Working with those whom you respect and admire is a gift.

4. Sitting on the beach in Maui and smoking cigars with my husband. And we don't even smoke. But there was something about that experience that I'll carry with me forever.

3. Rekindling a relationship with a long-lost family member.

2. Spending a week in Costa Rica doing nothing but yoga, laughing, eating, and jumping in the waves with some of the most amazing women (and a few guys) I know.

1. Knowing that my family is happy, healthy and safe.

But, here we are in 2017, and to be honest, I'm nervous about a few things. One of the first rules of business is to check your political bias at the door, but I can't help it. I'm nervous about Trump, his administration, and our future. I'm also nervous about North Korea. I'd be lying if I didn't admit that these fears have kept me up a night or two. BUT, I'm an optimist, and so I plan to focus on the positive. So, here are the top 5 things I'm looking forward to in 2017:

5. Breathing a big, huge sigh of relief that comes with the realization that I was wrong about my above-stated fears.

4. Drinking less wine. Because I love wine more than wine loves me. My love affair with wine feels a lot like my high school relationship. Unfortunately.

3. Work. Many of the clients that I work with have some really amazing goals and projects planned for 2017. And I get to be part of it. That is an incredible honor, and I can't wait to see how high they soar.

2. Watching my family spread their wings this year. My husband's career is really taking off, and he is doing some pretty incredible things. My sister is going to be embarking on a grand adventure. My brother is in a good place with his job. My son is a teenager and with that, every day presents something new and often unexpected. I get to be their biggest cheerleader.

1. Holding my family and friends very (very, VERY) close.

And with that, I bid you all health, happiness and success in 2017.

Author's note: I'm also REALLY excited about the return of The Blacklist and House of Cards, but am OCD enough to need things balanced. So, after careful consideration, these have been omitted from the list.