Aloha! I’m back. Hope you all had a great couple of weeks. I had a refreshing vacation in Maui.

If you want to get inspired, you should visit the Hawaiian Islands. They have changed my life; they may change yours. We all have places that empower us. The Hawaiian Islands do this for me.  Maui has a special place in my heart; it is where I originally came up with the idea for my blog. So, I thought I should use my holiday as a chance to reflect on my blog, past and present.

On December 31st, I always take time to reflect on the events of the past year and the lessons I have learned.  Through the ups and the downs, I have experienced so much this last year and I would love to share 12 important lessons with you. 2012 was an amazing year for me. Let me share with you my reasons why through the top 12 lessons:

They say you don’t miss something until it is gone. 

Well, I didn’t realize how much I use my voice, until I lost it last week after getting a cold on vacation. 

It happened a few days after kissing the Blarney Stone in Cork, Ireland.  Kissing the Stone is supposed to give the person the “gift of gab.” I don’t need this gift because I like to talk. But, I kissed the Stone anyway, just for the experience.

I'M BACK! Sorry if I didn't respond to your comments and emails. I will soon :)  I have been away for the last three weeks on an adventure to Britain and Ireland.  It really was the trip of a lifetime. Instead of updating my blog every night, I decided to disconnect and write down what I was learning in my journal.  I travelled extensively with a wonderful group of people and gained so much insight.   I'm really excited to share my stories and pictures ( I took over 2000) with you all.  I will be back to posting regularly soon.  I just need sometime to recover from the journey and to get my thoughts down.

I'm delighted that Elaine is sharing with us her thoughts on perseverance. She has extensive experience in education and sport, which gives her great insight on these topics. Thank you so much, Elaine! I contacted her earlier this year, as I am interested in positive organizational climates and reducing bullying in sport. I suggest you check out the program after you read her interview below. The work being done is very well needed!