“Sometimes there is sadness in our journey, but there is also beauty. We must keep putting one foot in front of the other even when we hurt for we will never know what is waiting for us around the corner ” Brigitte Nicole

The approaching New Year has a way of making us all feel a little reflective doesn’t it?

Sad, happy , excited , full of hope, anticipation of better times … that somehow the dawning of a new year , a new day will make everything a-little better?

It’s a chance to wipe the slate clean and start again. I for one can’t wait to see the back of 2017, but in reality it is just another day – its our mindset that tells us otherwise and I suppose that’s not a bad thing.My 2017 will be remembered for lots of things …

I appeared on Radio Sheffield’s Saturday morning breakfast show ‘Kats Kitchen’. The excitement of meeting and chatting to Marco Pierre White and the fabulous ‘only bloody Mathew Kelly’ [ who was every bit as lovely in real life as I expected ]

Getting invited to fabulous events, working with amazing brands and meeting several ladies who I’m now happy to call friends … all tinged with the gut wrenching sadness of losing my best friend, my mum in July.

There were definitely more tears than smiles in 2017… but there were smiles. I like to believe that out of darkness always comes light.

They say that what life throws at us shapes us, teaches us , makes us the person we are today – that life is just one big learning curve.

2017 taught me that you can feel alone despite being surrounded by love. That I am stronger than even I gave myself credit for and that life should never ever be taken for granted . It is a blessing . It is at times cruel , as it is at times beautiful. It’s like a rainbow after a rain storm …

So in 2018 [tomorrow] I aim to use and run at the new year with gusto armed with everything I’ve learnt in 2017. To make my mum proud; a strong , healing slowly [ but healing] , kick ass kinda woman strutting her camels toe and shaking her bingos with pride !! Knowing that nothing can hurt me ever again as much as I’ve hurt this year.

I want more laughter , more travel. I want to write more and write much better.

Writing about Mum and my grief has been therapeutic for me. I know from some of the messages I’ve received on here and Instagram that it’s helped and resonated with some of you too which in turn makes me happy. To have your words read and for people to get something from them is the biggest compliment you could ever give someone. I’m happy I could be there… I’m happy I helped , if only slightly , because together we are stronger.

Before I get too deep and finish my Oscar worthy musings I’d just like to say “Happy New Year” to you all.

For everyone of you who regularly reads my blog a massive thankyou for sticking with me . For your support during a difficult period. For all your comments [ I bloody love comments ] For being virtual buddies… because without you reading there really would be no point. [Though I love writing so much I would still carry on]

Blogging , Instagram, Twitter … social media in general is a funny old game which for the most part I love. There are certain things I find frustrating and would change if I had the power; the buying a following which is basically cheating your way to the top. The feeling it’s more about popularity than talent, the bitchiness and the trolls … but hey Rome wasn’t built in a day and I kinda guess negativity is part and parcel to positivity. I suppose you can’t have one without the other. Like you can’t have sunshine without rain, life without death…

Who knows what 2018 will bring … what I’ll be sharing with you next year but whatever it is I’ll be sure to take you along for the ride. I do hope you’ll come.

See you on the other side.

Live. Laugh. Love

Tracey xx

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