Happy New Year! I always love the opportunity the new year brings to take stock of the past year and decide if any changes need to be made. The most common focus for the new year is health and wellness – eating better and exercising more. There are many good reasons to embrace a healthier lifestyle – you’ll feel better, sleep better and look better.

The new year is also a good time to de-clutter and simplify – move old things out to make room for the new. This holds true for both physical items and emotional baggage. Once we make the room, we can determine what we’d like to welcome into our lives. It can be exciting to think about and plan for new friendships, hobbies, work, adventures and more…

In 2015, I hope to strengthen friendships, become more connected to this amazing community and commit myself to practicing yoga on a regular basis. I will seek things that feed my body, mind and soul. How about you? What are your hopes for the new year? Whatever they may be, I am sure you will find local businesses and practitioners in our 2015 Annual Community Resource Directory to help you reach your goals.

Speaking of goals, last March a beautiful local teenager accomplished her goal of completing the Shamrock Half Marathon. Sadly, Cameron Gallagher died in her mother’s arms after crossing the finish line. I never had the honor of meeting her, but I so wish I had – Cameron was full of life and love and hope. I have caught a glimpse of her magic through my friendship with her aunt, Clair Norman, and I feel blessed. Clair recently shared some of Cameron’s writings with me, and I thought these words were a perfect way to begin the new year and remind us of what is truly important:

You’ll need coffee shops & sunsets and roadtrips.
Airplanes & passports and new songs and old songs,
But people more than anything else. You will need other people.
& You will need to be that other person to help someone else,
A living, breathing, screaming invitation to believe better things.

Cameron’s family, friends and the Speak Up race team will continue to celebrate and honor Cameron’s life and spirit at this year’s Shamrock Half and Full Marathon. Please visit SpeakUpRaceTeam.com if you are interested in being part of something special.

May you always be inspired to believe better things.

Happy 2015,

Jessica Coffey, Publisher