1. Nelson Mandela – The death of Nelson Mandela was one of the most celebrated passings that I can ever remember. While the world is sad to have him no longer with us; in addition to mourning his death, everyone truly celebrated his accomplishments, what he stood for, and how he inspired millions of people worldwide to be better. He led by example – to the very end of his life.

2. Boston Marathon – On April 15, 2013, the world witnessed one of the most gruesome acts. In the crowd of those waiting to celebrate their loved ones achieving a wonderful feat of completing the Boston Marathon, they instead faced terror. The inspiration of this tragedy came in the aftermath. Law enforcement came together to quickly apprehend the perpetrators. The survivors and the world came together to heal.

3. Pope Francis – In March, he was elected the 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church. Pope Benedict XVI resigned, being the first pope to resign in over 598 years. This year he has surprised many by reinvigorating the Catholic Church to be less about judgment and more about love. He has inspired millions and many are looking for him to lead the Church onward into the 21st century.

4. Legalizing Same Sex Marriage – equal rights for marriage stood out loud and clear this year, not only in the US, but in 15 other countries as well. Finally, the commitment to love, honor, and cherish your partner, whether they are the opposite sex or same sex, is transforming the world.

5. Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus, and Michelle Knight Rescue – On May 6, 2013, these three young women were rescued in Cleveland Ohio after being held captive for over 10 years. This amazing story of survival touched the hearts of the entire world.

6. 2013 Nobel Prize in Physics – Francois Englert and Peter W. Higgs were jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for their theory on how particles acquire mass. While this theory was independently proposed by both back in 1964, in 2012 their ideas were confirmed by the discovery of the Higgs particle. Their theory is a central part of the Standard Model of particle physics that describes how the world is constructed. While the Higgs particle was the missing puzzle piece to the Standard Model, it is not the final piece to the cosmic puzzle. So…more to come!

7. Stock Markets Surge – After years of wondering whether our financial system would recover, we had record breaking returns in the stock market, unemployment figures are down, and the US Federal Reserve may begin to reduce their stimulus package as the economy appears to be on its way to health and prosperity.

8. Malala Yousafzai – Malala is proof that at any age, at any time, you can make a difference. This brave little girl, an activist for education for all, became the youngest person ever to be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

9. Affordable Care Act – whether you like the Act or not, the fact is that healthcare for all is being implemented around the country. It is tough to say if this new system will work; but, we must acknowledge the inspiration behind the Act. The intention of having good healthcare available to all US citizens is certainly admirable. Let’s hope that 2014 brings with it more inspired implementation!

10. Elon Musk – 2013 was a notable year for co-founder of PayPal, CEO of Tesla Motors and SpaceX, and Chairman of Solar City. He is living proof that belief in your vision pays off. in 2013, after over a decade of hard work, Tesla has become the world’s most prominent maker of all-electric cars. He is also designing the “hyperloop” supersonic travel machine that would allow commuters to travel between San Francisco and Los Angeles in 30 minutes or less using 100% solar power. Dare to dream!

This is the perfect time for you to reflect on what inspired you in 2013. Take time to become aware of the moments in life that mean the most to you. The past helps us to appreciate our life lessons and those life lessons inspire us to live our best life as our future unfolds.

Best wishes to all for continued health, harmony, abundance and joy in 2014.