It’s December 31st, and you know what that means: 2016 IS SO CLOSE, YOU GUYS!

I don’t know about you, but I always get excited at the ending of one year and the beginning of another. There’s this feeling of completion, of letting go, of leaving behind, and of moving forward.

A new year means a blank slate, blossoming dreams, cultivating plans, and agonizing over which awesome 2016 life planner to get (Seriously though, I’m obsessed with my Spark Planner and the year hasn’t even started yet).

Today while I was thinking about my own dreams for this next year, I found this picture of Pura Vida Adventures founder Tierza at our “Surfsgiving” Paddle Out for Gratitude. I immediately wanted to blog about it.

Here’s why.

I LOVE this shot. I love the sunset, I love the movement of the water, I love the silhouettes in the background, and, let’s be honest, I just love Tierza.

But the thing that I love most about this is the pure exuberance, joy, expectation, and celebration that just OOZES from this image.

I really think this picture represents how life should be lived: with wild, giddy expectation for the days to come. And looking at it, I thought about how Costa Rica is a place that somehow magically ushers in clarity and direction for how to do just that. 

I know it’s been true for me, and for many others. There’s something about Malpais that quiets the roar in your life, clears away the layers that have built up over time, and reveals a truth about where to go, what to do, how to live.

People often use the phrase “New Year, New YOU,” as if the YOU that you are needs to somehow drastically change in the span of the next 12 months. I don’t think we need to change who we are, but I do think we need to say YES to the opportunities available to us to live more fully and abundantly in the time that we have.

Instead of making a New Year’s resolution to change yourself, a “goal” of saying NO to something, what if you made a resolution to say YES to something? New Year, New YES! What are you going to say “YES” to this year?

Here’s to moving forward in 2016! We hope this year brings you new beginnings and amazing adventures. And if you need a place to relax, challenge yourself, AND find your path, you know where to come!

Annie, PVA Instructor

Pura Vida Adventures currently has spaces left in soul-charging, purpose-finding, fun-filled weeks of surf and yoga camp from now until August 21st.