Two thousand and sixteen was a tough year. Life was shaken for me as I lost one of my three pillars, my grandmother Elaine. And through grappling with that loss, and trying to navigate the tricky business that is the mineral industry, I faced a lot of challenges. Having a 'bad' year puts things into prospective. What is really important to me?

As the evidence presented in my Travel Notes, it seems as though my adventures were limited this year. I did have plenty of adventures, but my lackluster for the world had stolen my motivation to write about them. First world problems be damned - I set myself up for a lot of expectations for my last year of my twenties, and I seemed stuck at every turn. But in reflection on why I struggled this year, I became thankful for the challenges. It forced me to take a look at what I really wanted, and for 2017 I will have stronger internal compass pointing me to my north.

Though I'll always feel my grandma's absence, I realize how damn lucky I am to have had such an amazing woman in my life, and as a grandmother. I will always be thankful that I was so close to her. The hole I feel without her is substantial, but I am so lucky to be surrounded by beautiful and adventurous friends and family.

As we transition into another trip around the sun, I want to thank 2016 for all of its challenges. Now I know exactly it is that I'm looking for.