The statement of "There is no place like home" stands true in so many ways. The year 2014 has been a year of many losses and lessons but it was a year that I needed for my growth and the experiences brought me to this place where I can say I'm finally comfortable in my own skin.

You all are probably wondering what has happened Feli? Why 2014 was such a hard year for you? Well, there have been a lot of positive, and amazing moments but I couldn't have gotten to the amazing place I am now without going through some suffering.

I fell in love with someone who I thought was my best friend. We grew up together, in the streets of Brooklyn, New York. Our families have been friends for years and when we became reacquainted in '09; I felt as though God created this miracle. We had a six year relationship or what I now call a "situationship." When I look back on it now I knew he had an infatuation with women and that he fooled around outside of his previous relationships. But because we had history, our families knew each other- we have been friends for so long, I never thought he would do those things to me. Within four years into our "situationship" there was a shift.

We used to work in the same company and one day like any other day I went in to work as usual. My boss sets me aside and asked, "Are you and Guy still together?" "Yes." I said this with a concerned look. I didn't think of it too much and went on with my day. The next day I came into work and my boss hands me a card. I opened the card and it says, "WE'RE HAVING A BOY!" Bottom of the card says Guy's name and the name of his "mistake." ( That's what he called her.) Like any other woman would do I confronted this problem and like any other coward like himself, he denied it and yet, like most insecure women, I stayed.

I lost both my grandfathers that year and the one I call Papa is the one I miss the most. Now, don't get me wrong, I miss and love them dearly but Papa was a second father to me. He was the only man besides my father that has always been by my side. When he passed Guy wasn't there. He texted, ''I'm sorry for your loss." He never came by to give me comfort, support, or true words of condolences. My family would ask where he was and why he wasn't around and for the first time I came to accept that he will no longer be around. He came to the funeral, looking like a hot mess, and I didn't even recognize him anymore. Honestly, I didn't want him there and I knew he didn't want to be there. He was doing the bare minimum. A couple of weeks since that day I had crazy dreams. I dreamt of him still doing his "dirty" work and right around the time I decided that it was necessary for me to let him go- I get a call from my best friend. As soon as I heard her voice I already knew. "You see him with her?' I asked with tears rolling down my face. "Yes, I see him, Feli- this is finally what you've been asking God for. Now you gotta to let him go and move on." I was broken.

Two weeks have passed and I decided to check my Facebook like I would do from time to time. This day was different. I felt different. The decision was made in my mind that I had to leave Guy; no question about that, yet I felt that I was barely scratching the surface of how much of a coward, liar, cheater, selfish, pathological man child he is. There is no need to get into the details. You guys are smart and can put two and two together. You all are probably thinking wow Feli this is total heartbreak or some of you are thinking- Feli, there are people going through worse. Both perspectives are right on. Me sharing this with you is letting you know that there are moments in life when one must be stripped down of everything. My synopsis of that year would be Abuelo and Papa passing, finding out my ex was living a double life, my Abuela having a massive stroke and me taking care of her all happening in a four months time. So imagine your life being flipped in such a way and one thing right after another- you're perspective of life changes. The way you see people changes. Trust no longer exists. You are put in a place where you feel it is just you against the world.

If you're thinking that I became vindictive once I found out about Guy or became extremely depressed, or bitter, I didn't. Of course I cried and had moments of brokenness. Took me months to be able to get a full night sleep. For awhile I even stopped taking pictures, which NEVER happens. Then one day I woke up. A light went off in my head and all I kept thinking was, "Feli, you are FREE!" I'm free from worry, stress, free from putting my energy into something and someone that wasn't even real. Guy is living his life and I have to live mine. The best revenge you can give someone is success. Let me be clear, success has nothing to with money. Well, a little, LOL- but in reality when I say success I mean in terms of happiness and inner peace. Success of accomplishing things that you thought you needed this other person by your side in order to pursue them. All I know is my spirit kept telling me to TAKE PICTURES!

I thank God everyday for giving me the experiences that he had given me that year. I NEEDED it. I feel at times in life we get too comfortable with ourselves and with others and when that happens things usually don't go how we want them to go. God at times has to knock us down to say, "Hello!!! WAKE UP!!!" The moment I forgave and let go of that heavy energy was the moment everything started happening for me. More business opportunities, more travel, just more of life! To be able to say that I'm constantly in my mind, body and spirit. I am home. To say that this is just scratching the surface of what's to come...