Ok…so in just a few days we will all be saying goodbye to one year and welcoming the next. I have to start by saying that this year has by far been the most confusing one in my life. I may look like I have it all together from the outside, but to be honest, I don’t and I’m still constantly trying to figure out where to find my happiness. I officially spent more time in Italy than any other country this year, but I was able to spend more time with my family this summer than I have since moving away from home in 2012.
All in all, I am aware of how incredibly fortunate I am that sometimes I want to shout it at the top of my lungs. Last year I wrote this post on my top 10 blog posts of 2016, but this year I want to write my end-of-year post a little bit differently.
This year I am super grateful for all the amazing new places I got to visit, which include, Venice, Sicily, Ischia, Tuscany, Orvieto,, Tivoli, Verona, Vicenza, Naples, Bomarzo, Ovindoli, San Francisco, and Asheville.
Please excuse the nasty Ihop parking lot 
This picture was taken during our family vacation in Atlanta.
This past summer we also got to spend a lot of time with our families in Charleston and Charlotte, which was nice since it was a year since the last time I’d seen mine. We were back home this summer for 3 months trying to decide whether we would be returning to Italy again…and obviously Italy won, so here we are.
Jared and I also had the chance to work with some amazing companies this year, including Personalized Italy, Scooteroma Tours, and André Laug . I’ve also kept Rome Bloggers going for the second year and have had 2 meetups since November. I love seeing this community, that I started, continue to grow.
Our November Rome Bloggers meet-up at The Beehive
I plan on being in Italy until summer 2018…and then who knows where life will take me after that. I hope by that point I will have more direction as to where I want to be more “permanently”, instead of living out of a suitcase, because that can get pretty exhausting.
I recently saw this post and man, did it serve as a gentle reminder to stop trying to please and make everyone happy before myself…
This year self-care started to become really important to me and I plan to carry that over into the new year and take some time every week/every morning to relax and spend it putting my energy into things I enjoy. I still have a lot of work to do on my end, including learning when to say no to people, but I guess that takes time.
I hope you all have a wonderful New Year. Thank you for your comments, follows, subscribing, and reading my content in these past 2 years. I’m not really into setting New Years resolutions, but one thing I can promise you is a brand new website in 2018 (way overdue!), more content, and hopefully more exciting things to come with blogging. I hope you stick around to see!
As they say in Italy, “Auguri”, or Happy Holidays!
All my love,
Estrella
What a lovely way to reflect back on such an eventful and full year! Happy 2018 🥂🎉
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Thank you-it’s been quite a year indeed! Wishing you a wonderful New Year ahead.
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Wishing you a happy new year. Hope to see you sometime in 2018. Sending hugs and lots of good wishes
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Happy New Year to you, Louie, and the rest of the family. Miss you guys and remembering the time we spent together bringing in 2017. Hope to see you soon. Let me know!
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I love the concept behind this post, what a wonderful way to look back on a year. I hope you have an incredible 2018 ahead of you. Happy New Year!
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Thank you Kasie. I wish nothing but the same for you. Happy New Year! xx
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Happy New Year, darling! May it be even warmer, more creative and inspiring year than the one leaving.
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Thank you! Happy New Year to you too. Can’t wait to see all the great things this new year brings you.
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Good thing to be looking forward to! I will do that for you too 🙂
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I’m glad you’ve had such a great year – especially quality time with family and friends and all your trips! Wishing you a successful, fulfilled and exciting 2018 – wherever it may take you! – with more clarity, certainty and direction 🙂
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Thank you Isie, you took the words right about of my mouth-clarity, certainty, and direction is exactly what I need in this new year. Wishing you a wonderful New Year and only great things to come in 2018.
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