My favorite Holiday, New Year's Eve...

 

 

 

Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve loved New Year’s Eve.   Every year on December 31^st I remember writing in my diary a “year in review” page.  It was the moment when I played out a movie in my head about what happened in those last twelve months.  The opportunity to see my growth, special moments and decisions made is fascinating.  It was the moment of reflection about all the lessons learned in ONE year.

The excitement to be here and still have a chance to keep going just makes it more special.  Every year, I celebrate New Year’s Eve differently.  I don’t have a specific tradition, I just GO with however I feel like celebrating that year.  I had an opportunity to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Times Square, New York years ago.  It’s an amazing experience to be with thousands of people from all over the world.  A couple of years ago, I celebrated  New Year’s Eve in Miami.  Having a nice dinner with champagne just made it unforgettable.   I also celebrated one New Year’s where ice cream and flannel PJ’s were my date to welcome the New Year.  I truly enjoy the celebration of December 31^st every year.

It’s the time to review your life; for you to see how far you have come.  It’s rewarding when you can look back and say “I did it” but, if you GO another twelve months without any goals then you are just cruising through life.  There is nothing wrong with cruising through life as long as you’re happy with where you’re going.  If you want more, it requires a lot of planning and putting certain actions in place in order to achieve those goals.  I encourage you to put your goals on paper.  You have a better chance of being successful when your goals are written down.  Best wishes in the New Year to come!

This is GOALYGO!


Yanira ALY Nazario :))

Best Friend Club..

                   
         There are certain special people in your life and that’s why I have a Best Friend Club!

I created the BFF Club years ago when I realized who my true friends were.  I have many friends that are very special to me but the BFF Club is elite.  These are girls that have known me for over two decades and have been with me through every challenge and special moment in my life. Their names are Norma Rivera, Daisy Lopez, Johana Nazario, Waleska Castillo, Johanna Rivera and Mariely Delgado.

They are all very special and unique in their own way and I can share anything and everything with them.  These are friends that I have called when I needed to be rescued from a situation, needed a shoulder to lean on or hands to wipe away my tears.  They know me like no other friend.  They know my heart, my story, my struggles, my pain and my life.  We have shared many talks and years together and I am truly blessed to have them in my life.  

We started a tradition where every year in December we have our BFF Dinner. This is a time where we talk about the past year, share highlights and specials moments, and share our plans for the new year to come.  Since the club was founded by me, I decide where we eat, what gifts we exchange and what we do for that particular day. 

 

On Sunday, December 15, we decided to have our BFF Dinner for 2013. This year we lost Mariely Delgado.  Mariely and I met in high school and for over twenty years she was my best friend.  Because of her passing I decided to have a picnic at her cemetery and while we were there, we handmade Christmas cards for her.  We set our picnic blankets down, pizza and wings were served and we all settled in to talk about and share our 2013 year.  It was hard to deal with not being able to see Mariely or hear her voice but it felt warm and comforting to be there with her in spirit.  It has been an incredible year for me with regards to my business but losing Mariely has been more than difficult.  

We all enjoyed our dinner while talking about different events that took place this year.  Norma had a baby, Johana got married and Waleska got engaged.  In my mind, next was Mariely’s turn to share her year but her silence caused an indescribable pain in my heart.  She wasn’t there this time and she will never be there again for me to know about her year.  All I have today are years of memories and the story of her life held close to my heart.  I shared with the girls how each friend in our lives plays an important role and how we’re all unique with our own special qualities. We continued sharing conversations and time together while inside I was silently grieving the loss of Mariely.   Accepting her absence continues to be a process and is harder than I could have ever imagined.  My heart misses her every day but, it felt good to be around my closest friends and feel the love we have for each other.

We each shared our plans for the new year and I know there’s a reason why I was placed by Mariely’s side when she was dealing with her illness and why I was there when she passed.   Each day I pray for strength and understanding.  We finished up our Christmas cards, handmade with so much love for her and I know she was very happy.  She knew I wasn’t very creative but I do have my artistic moments. Having this day at the cemetery with Mariely just made our BFF dinner that more special.  I look forward to sharing the new year with my girls and spending more time with them!

This is GOALYGO!


Yanira ALY Nazario :))

My Marriage....

                                     There are so many reasons why I choose to share my story with you!

I always say “I married my best friend.”  We met by accident but for good reason.  I used to be a Supervisor at Universal Studios and one of my employees kept asking me for months to hang out with his friends.  I finally decided to go out with my BFF to meet them.  We got to his house and he walked out with his roommate and said to me “Hey, why don’t you get to know my roommate so I can get to know your friend.”   That’s when I met my ex-husband for the first time and started a friendship of a lifetime.

His name is Hector Ortiz.  We started a friendship where we could talk about anything.  We always helped each other, shared laughs and enjoyed playing competitive games.  We were strictly friends for six months with no romantic encounters.  This one particular day, he invited me over for dinner and I agreed to go meet my “best friend.”   After all he was my favorite cook too.  After dinner he sat me down and said “I want you to be my girlfriend.” I didn’t know how to react.  I started laughing nonstop and was so happy to know that I could be open about my feelings and love for him.  We started spending more time together and discussed plans for our future.  Several months went by and he said “We need to talk.”

That’s when I realized he was going through some changes and I needed to support him in every way possible.  I was there as his friend to listen and to just be there for him.  Then all of a sudden he moved closer to me and said “I want to spend my life with you forever; I want to marry you.”  I smiled so big with tears in my eyes and said “Yes!”  I couldn’t be happier.

Eighteen months later, we were married and completely in love.  It was the beginning of our twelve year marriage and a bright future.  We shared so many different experiences that allowed us to grow together.  We both worked hard to improve our careers and accomplish all of our dreams.  I have to say we did; we purchased our dream home, several properties, we had our own business and every other possible goal was accomplished.  Hector was very supportive.  He was my biggest cheerleader and loved me dearly.

For me, it was an experience that changed my life for the better.  I have a lot of respect for Hector and would never speak badly about him even if we didn’t agree sometimes.  I realized life changes quickly but, love is the foundation that connects people.  People forget marriage is a commitment that takes place by choice. Today, I have a great friendship with him.  We can talk, laugh and catch up with each other like best friends.  We both understand what we want in life and that’s what matters more than a certificate of marriage. Find out what’s important to you.  Do not hesitate to GO for it.  

This is GOALYGO!



Yanira ALY Nazario :))

A Goodbye to Remember...

                                              We must live for today because that’s all we have!

Having to support my best friend during her years battling cancer gave me the knowledge to understand the illness, have more patience and be proactive.  She was like a sister to me.  Our last days together were very special because we spent every minute side by side enjoying each other’s company.  I helped her family make important decisions and worked with her doctors to make sure she had the best care.  I gave her massages to keep her comfortable, talked to her while she was asleep and was by her side day and night caring for her in every way possible.

On the third day of being with her in the hospital, I found myself wide awake at 3:00am.  I looked over at her and thought to myself “What’s the life lesson?”   She was part of my life for 21 years.  It was so hard to remain strong.   I felt hopeless knowing there was nothing I could do to take away her pain.  She wasn’t able to say much other than to call my name from time to time.  Going through this made me realize that in life nothing matters other than how you help others by listening, understanding and giving your time.  It was an experience that changed my perspective on life and made me realize how precious life really is.

It was finally time to say goodbye.  I looked at her lying in the hospital bed.  She had a hot pink headband wrapped around her head.  I walked over slowly and sat down by her side.  Every part of me was broken, knowing that these were our last moments together.   Holding back tears I whispered “Everything is going to be fine.”   She said “I know.”  I gave her a hug that said “I love you more than words could ever express.”  At this point my tears were uncontrollable; they were flowing like a river.  She said “Te amo mucho, gracias.”  At that moment I felt a piece of my heart die.  I couldn’t let go.  The pain was unbearable.   With every tear I felt my heart being cut into pieces.   It took every part of me to let go and walk away.   That’s when I knew our life story of 21 years had reached its last chapter.  It was a goodbye I will never forget.  She walked into heaven on Saturday August 17, 2013.

The next few days were devastating.  Trying to keep my head clear, while making the necessary funeral arrangements, was almost impossible.  Before she left she gave me special instructions and wishes for her funeral.  I have no idea where I got the strength to deal with all the changes, emotions and decisions.  I picked out her clothes for her welcoming into heaven with an empty heart.  I was completely numb.  I spoke at her memorial service with loving words that touched many hearts.

From time to time I’ve wondered “why do I have my own business?”   Now I know it’s a blessing to have the freedom to set my own schedule.   Having my own business gave me the ability to be by her side for weeks with no worries.  Today, I find myself coping with the change of not being able to speak with her every day.  I visit her grave often so we can play catch up for now.   We made arrangements for her to be buried at a cemetery that’s less than two miles from my home so I get to visit her often.  There is a process for everything in life; I am grieving her loss day by day.  I miss her every day more than yesterday!

This is GOALYGO!

 

 

Yanira ALY Nazario :)) 

What's your Pep Talk to yourself?

 

 

             I truly believe this makes a huge difference in your life, Motivation!

This topic is very special because a lot of people don’t understand the difference between being positive and being motivated.   Motivation is what drives you to accomplish your goals and get results.  For many years of my life, I found myself very optimistic about the future but, had no motivation to take the right steps to move forward to reach my goals.

I can’t stress enough how important it is to be motivated on a daily basis.  At one point in my life, all my dreams and hopes were over shadowed by the darkness of my lack of motivation.  I felt hopeless.  I had a very positive outlook on life but, had absolutely no drive.  It was like turning on a Ferrari and hearing the engine roar but then leaving it in park all day long.   The emotions of fear, doubt and uncertainty were the permanent voices I heard in my head.   Finally, one day I changed the conversations I was having with myself.  I started to make affirmations and pump myself up every morning.

 You can be positive, have a great heart and good intentions but, if you want to accomplish goals and reach new levels of success, you have to be motivated!  Motivation can come from different sources such as motivational videos and books, writing down your goals, listening to motivational speakers etc. You must find your best motivator in order to overcome daily obstacles. When you are motivated, your energy level is different and you can breeze through any challenge. Today, I practice my daily ritual of motivation.  I repeat my daily affirmations over and over to myself like “You have SuperPowers”, “You are Smart”, “You can achieve all your dreams.”   I have a one on one pep talk with myself every morning and set the stage to be effective every day.  I encourage you to find what drives you and what gets you pumped up and excited and have your own morning pep talk.  It works every time!!

My favorite motivational quote that I use nonstop daily is “GO ALY GO”.  

This is GOALYGO!

Yanira ALY Nazario :))

Why not have new friends...?

 

            We all have those people in our lives that we call “friends.”

During the last decade, I have met the majority of the people that are now a part of my life. I always have a tendency to be around the same people and do the same activities. I have many friends that have been part of my life for more than 25 years and continue to be.  I love to meet new people and hear their stories.  It’s great when I can have a conversation with someone like I’ve known them for years even if I only met them two minutes ago.

At one point in my life, I found myself in the same circle of friends.  It was warm, comfortable, lovable, fun and enjoyable but, I always had a feeling that I wanted more.  That’s when I decided to start meeting new people.  I felt like I needed to interact with new people to experience new things in my life.  It was scary in the beginning being around strangers and I was a little shy at first but, “Aly, the social butterfly” always had something to talk about.

The first person I met when I decided to venture out was Denise.  She didn’t know anything about me other than my name.  She worked in the same office building where I had my office.  One day, I asked “How’s your day going?”   That’s when I opened the door to a new friendship.  We started to have lunch together regularly talking about our careers, weekend plans, life experiences, boys and just truly enjoyed our time together.  Denise is five years younger than me so sometimes if I was giving her advice she would respond “OK, MOM.”

Denise is the perfect example of great friendships that evolve when you explore the opportunities to meet new people.  We’ve traveled to different places together like Puerto Rico and Miami.  Last week, she shared how much our friendship meant to her and asked me to be in her wedding.   It all started with a simple “hello” and here we are three years later with so many great memories to look back on and a great friendship to be proud of.  We both travel frequently for work and have successful careers but, we have always managed to catch up with each other and stay in touch.

I encourage you to build new relationships in your life and nurture your existing friendships.  It doesn’t take away from your existing friendships to create new ones.  People must earn your trust and time but you have to give them the opportunity to be around.  I have met so many new friends within the last two years that truly continue to make a difference in my life. I encourage you to make new friends!

 

This is GOALYGO!

 

Yanira ALY Nazario :))