Hi Friends,

I am writing this post on the first day of 2024! I felt it would be raw and real to do so….and as I do not even have the slightest semblance of a hangover it is easy. This year we decided to have a lovely, at home, date night for NYE rather than attend a party. It was the type of year that I felt this was needed to end it – in a gentle, lovely manner with my dogs and hubby, having a delicious dinner, wine and watching Oppenheimer (3 hours long!) – until midnight. I enjoyed it so much.

Goals, hopes and dreams this year…

This year I have a long list of things I would like to accomplish. Some have been on lists for years, like writing my book. I have started writing it, and then I get distracted by work, and life events. Last year of course it was breast cancer and that journey I had to go through which did not make me feel very creative at all. My goal each week was to get to Kingston to see my Doctors and get through six surgeries. As well as to work as hard as ever, which I continued to do, even just before being wheeled into the operating theatre – the Doctors had to ask me to put my laptop away! I was busy answering emails and managing the 16 social media accounts.

My Book project

I call it a project as that is what it has become, albeit if I had done nothing else but write the book, it would have been long finished. I have written ten chapters already and will now let discipline click in like I do for my fitness. Two chapters per week is my minimum. I hope to be complete by the end of April, and to publishers by June. I have always wanted to write a book ever since high school days. And it is all in my head waiting to come alive on paper.

The Fitness Journey

The fitness journey continues! I am in the smack middle of getting my fitness level back that I had before I found out I had breast cancer in April 2023. I then hardly exercised from June (time of major surgery – a double mastectomy) to October. Then I started walking around the neighborhood again, and after that I was given the “green light” to lift weights, but not heavy. I am now up to ten pounds for upper body – but still not doing chest exercises until after the final surgery, and I am not doing machines for shoulders, which is my fave upper body muscle group to exercise so it has been hard…but I am giving thanks that I can do bicep curls, shoulder presses with a low weight, triceps with 5 pound dumbbells, and all the leg exercises I am almost back to. A few days ago I actually did an uphill treadmill workout which was amazing, and so the fitness level is almost back. They say it takes HALF the time of not exercising to get back to where you were! Okay so that is like six more weeks I have to work hard to get back to pre-fitness state.

Fitness Coaching

And so the time will come this year that I intend to start coaching in person and online. Once I am back to a place that I am confident to teach, I will slowly take on clients. This is very exciting to me as my passion besides writing, is fitness! And to teach women of all ages that you can get fit and it does not have to be extreme – this has always been my message. For a complete package I will also teach how to understand macro-nutrients and meal prep.

Vision Board “Get together’s”

Last year I hosted a “Vision Board Brunch” at my house which actually lasted all day to after 7:00 p.m.! I invited a group of ladies who I know to partake in creating a vision board for the year, using all the magazines I collect and keep collecting over the years. It ended up being a blast! Not only that, but many of us had our pictures (goals/ dreams) manifested and quickly. It will be time again to do a new board, but also to give thanks for all we have and that we have a new clean board to start over. This does not mean old pictures that were not manifested cannot be re-done again on the new board. I would like to host a few of these sessions this year and I am hoping I can collaborate with a hotel to do vision boarding manifestation, and add meditation, a food element and create a real “girl’s getaway” to market….let’s see how this pans out!

My New Company

This year I will be officially launching my new Company! So excited to share that a partner and I have created a social media / digital marketing Company that we hope to attract new clients across the Caribbean to showcase the work we love to do….with special Photographers and stylists, it will be something that we will kick off in early 2024. More to come!

On that note, I want to wish you all a very happy, peaceful, blessed New Year.

May you make new wonderful friends and connect back with old ones.

May you have your dreams manifested.

May you be the healthiest you have ever been.

With love,

Neenie xo