Some believe in destiny and some believe in fate. I believe that happiness is something we create.

I am a huge believer in "everything happens for a reason".  I can ramble for hours about how my life has been affected by the decisions I have made.  Case in point:  I was living in Charlotte after college, but had always dreamed of living in NYC.  I finally just decided to move after only living in Charlotte for a year.  I would not have met Ricardo and would not have had the career opportunities, life experiences, and amazing friendships had I not made the leap. 

Now this belief is not the same thing as destiny or fate.  I do NOT believe that everything is pre-planned for you and that you have no control over your life.  Quite the opposite actually!  I think if you take control over your life, good things will happen to you.  This life motto also helps when life is tough.  I tell myself that I will grow and learn from it and become a better person.  I try to move on and not dwell on the past. 

Ricardo and I are taking the time this year to take control of our lives.  We are taking spontaneous trips, accomplishing bucket list items, and saying yes to any adventures that come our way.  Even though I think the year in Italy might be the best year of our lives (to date), this year is shaping up to be some tough competition.