I kicked off my 2012 with 14-days of walking on sunshine. It was the most fantastic gift I gave myself—a 14-day cruise from Sydney, Australia to exotic, spectacular islands in the South Pacific Paradise. On board the gigantic Holland America Volendam ship, I simply did not sun-tan, but learned and enriched myself in the company of the international renowned author and speaker in the field of self-development Dr. Wayne Dyer who conducted a workshop for “Mastering The Art of Manifestation.” I also attended another workshop on board, “Movers and Shakers – Speak, Write, Promote” conducted by Hay House CEO Tracy Reid and famous best selling author Cheryl Richardson.

Gratitude at its highest level. Just when I thought the past year was amazing, adding years to my life just gets better and better.

When I appreciate the past and the present, I get excited to move towards my future. Which is why I took the time to recollect the highlights of my 2011—precious experiences that I will carry with me on my best year yet.

Love is family.

• Last year, my mother turned 76. And so I went home to my beloved Philippines to celebrate her birthday, enjoy time with my eldest daughter, and spend New Year’s day in Matabungkay beach where I used to sell mangoes as a child.
• As a birthday tour for myself, my husband and I went to Philippine historical sites such as Corregidor Island, Roxas Boulevard, American Cemetery, Luneta Park, and hiked Sagada Mountain Province.
• Back in Canada, our home was filled with our lovely children again – Catherine, Mish and my “foster” Korean son Tom who are all grown up and are now in their 20s. We had picnic on the beach, lovely walks, prepared dinner together just like before, and we all shared our joys and heart’s dreams and desires. We bonded and a few days later went back on our chosen paths again. Though empty nested, love filled my heart.

World travel is a memory investment.

• I visited Seoul, Korea for the fifth time to connect with Tom’s family. Tom lived with us in Canada for 6 years while studying. He is serving in the Korean army until this spring. I miss my “adopted” son!
• And then for the second time, I went to Colombia and experienced the South American culture even with my little Spanish. The highlight of this trip was attending the Ayahuasca Ceremony which is led by a local “shaman” or native priest. He made us drink an exotic potion from the medicinal plant ayahuasca, believed to be a sacred plant that promotes soul and physical healing.
• Oh Europe! Who would have thought that this girl who used to sell mangoes for pennies will travel Europe’s best destinations? For four weeks, I explored the rich European culture hopping from Switzerland, Germany, France, Amsterdam, and England and had an amazing time on a small budget. Thanks to “Couchsurfing” I was introduced to a network of kind and friendly individual hosts who opened their homes for fellow CouchSurfing (CS) members. Imagine experiencing and exchanging rich cultures simply by hosting other CS members in your home. Before I left Europe, I reconnected with a school mate from the Philippines whom I haven’t seen for 27 years! Jojo now has a lovely family of her own, lives in Geneva and a home in Annecy, France where we stayed for few days. We had the greatest time remembering our college years cherishing how far we have come from those days that we were cleaning and scrubbing floors and toilets in La Concordia College.
• Hot and Sunny Arizona! We finished the year with a warm climate when we went for an 8-day getaway in Arizona, USA with our friends Neil and Rosie. Although Ted was sick with flu, we managed to do the most out of it. As soon as he felt better, we hiked up the mountainous and scenic desserts of Mesa and the Apache trail.

No one is old to learn a new sport.

• Who says winter is boring? I spent two weeks in the winter paradise of Whistler Blackcomb, home of the 2010 Winter Olympics, where I learned to snowboard. Snowboarding is not like skiing, it is much harder for newbies like me but thrilling, and it was worth the pain!
• I also ziplined on top of Europe’s snowcovered Jungfraugh mountain and Canada’s Whistler mountain.

Home is the heart that welcomes visitors.

• My good friend from the Philippines, Jenny and her five-year old daughter Nicole stayed with us for a week. We had the greatest time—played along the beach, hiked, had breakfast al fresco, walked early mornings, and we discussed our plans for my second book. A Grouse Grind Mountain hike even on a rainy day was our symbolic hike towards the realization of my second book which is dedicated for children around the world. That you have to stay tuned on.
• I also hosted a young lady, Penny from Thailand, and three young nursing students from Denmark. All of them made me feel much much younger. We went hiking, ziplining, running, kayaking, canoeing. Healthy eaters, these ladies made use of my entire kitchen making salad, fresh bread, muffins and sumptuous dinners. Ladies thanks for the fun and lessons learned.

Happiness is in the simplest things.

• Canada is nature at its best. In my neighborhood, we had an abundant harvest of blackberry, blueberry and apples. How happy it is to hand pick these myself. I even climbed an apple tree like a monkey.
• My every day is filled with self-nurturing activities, walking along the beach, visiting parks and walking and hiking trails, pilates, zumba, yoga, guitar classes, cooking. I am leaving an ideal life, a life that is so far from those day in the Philippines where I had to sweat selling mangoes and walk miles just to earn pennies. Among many things my impoverished childhood days taught me “self reliance”.

Every time I round up my year, thankfulness just overflows. I am grateful for my family, friends and wonderful people whom I connected this past year, you know who you are — YOU all are my greatest teachers and what makes this life worth living at it’s best. I also thank all the mentors who continue to inspire me with their work; my book fans for the many emails on how the Tale of Juliet inspired them. Thank you for reminding me of my purpose here on earth.

After two years of being cancer-free, I feel stronger, healthier, centered, grounded, spiritually connected. Each day I wake up, my heart is filled with gratitude. Though the stock market stumbles down, the economy goes haywire, savings decrease than go up, and investments do not yield enough returns, I am counting all my blessings, happy and at peace for being true to myself and doing what matters the most to me.

Starting the new year begins by thanking the past year.

Happiness, peace and joy are all inside jobs. Deep inside in each and every one of us is this inner knowing and guiding light. By being grateful, we all have the keys and tools to living an abundant life, confident that things are all in Divine order and Divinely orchestrated, our own visions fuels us to fulfill our dreams.

If I am thankful for the past year, I am expectant that the next will be even greater! Keep in mind that “living each present moment at it’s best” is the key to happiness here on earth.

Oh what a year that was to remember!!! May 2012 see the best ever in you!