It’s the end of 2015 and I didn’t know what else to do for New Years Eve so I did what I know best… travel. Currently we’ve got all four Steinharter siblings causing havoc in Clapham Junction, England. Although, our mother may be sitting at home crying. And half the tears could be because she misses us all at once but the other half are definitely because she’s worried what we can all get up to now that we’re together in a country where even Baby Will is of legal “drink-too-much-during-the-day-and-then-all-night” age.

So since it’s New Years Eve, I guess I’m supposed to reflect on all of the #blessed memories I’ve had this year? But in all seriousness, it has been a great year.

Things I learned today:

1. Many of the most important dinosaur bones found in England were discovered by a woman … and the first full dinosaur she found was at the age of 10 on a beach in Southeast England.
2. Onions contain essential amino acids which essentially makes Cornish pasties essential.

Things I learned this week:

1. Winston Churchill was an “average” 5’6″ tall and painted more than 50 paintings between 1915 and his death. He mostly used oil on canvas and liked to paint scenes from places he traveled.
2. My youngest brother, unlike the rest of us apparently, needs to eat a solid 3+ meals per day at exactly “breakfast time,” “lunch time,” and “dinner time” or he will grumpily complain about how many minutes past eating it has been.

Things I learned this month: 

1. It’s just advertising. The Denver Post will not fall apart without me, a break from work does everyone some good, and social media is just media unless you remember to socialize as well.
2. Despite trying other alternatives, I’ve found that there is truly no meditation as great as art. Find your version of artistic expression and it will help find you peace of mind. For me this is painting, coloring, reading, and exercise.

Things I learned this year: 

1. “Patience is a virtue” – Dale Steinharter. Things really come to those who seek patiently. Not those who are patient and wait, but those who also decide what they want and accept when its found. It’s true that things happen when you’re least expecting it, but it is not true that you can sit at home on the couch expecting your dream employer to start knocking on your door. Last year I was working at an inefficient and negative-minded start-up.  This year, I spent the first few months freelancing for people I admire and then got an offer to join one of my favorite companies in Colorado – The Denver Post – but it certainly did not all happen due to luck.
2. “Life is what happens while you’re busy making other plans.” – John Lennon. I learn this one more every year. You can’t plan for what will happen. You may plan to get foot surgery one day and cancel all your snowboarding plans, and the next you find out you don’t have to and suddenly you’ve ridden 12 days already. You may plan to travel across America and suddenly you have an amazing job offer and have to be back in less than two weeks. You may plan to live with your best friend forever and suddenly you’re agreeing to move in with a boy. You may think you have your health under control and suddenly they’re signing you up for the newest gadget to help fix something you didn’t even know was broken.
3. “And now that you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good.” – John Steinbeck. This year I learned that Teddy thinks I don’t clean the bathroom often enough, that he thinks I run late at the most inconvenient times, that I’m too sensitive and not trusting enough when he gives me an honest answer, and that I doubt my own ability to succeed. The truth? He may be right… but if even he can accept me as imperfect then imperfect I will be. And now that I’m done worrying about what is or is not perfect about me, I can learn to be good at just being me.