2016 has had struggles, but along with the struggles came some positives. It's often easier to focus on the negatives, but that can be toxic. You need to have a balance of negatives and positives. Here are some great things that happened this year. I look forward to the positives that 2017 brings as well!

Some highlights of 2016 for me personally are that I have been doing a lot of personal work. I have been focusing on me and bettering myself. Before 2016, I did not think I was worth caring about myself or loving myself. I was hating myself; the voices in my head were toxic. They would say things such as, "you suck," or, "you are fat." I would not express my true feelings because I thought that was weak. I thought that crying, laughing too much, oh dear God, getting angry was not normal. I hid who I truly was on the inside, just so I could please others. Because I thought pleasing others was a way that I could please myself and live a happier life.

Now, I am expressing my feelings. I do love myself, but it is a lifelong process. I am working on not comparing myself to anyone else, and accepting myself the way I am at this very moment. You don't need to berate yourself for not having the "perfect" body or the "perfect" personality. No one is perfect, and no one has it all great. Only compare yourself to the person you were yesterday.

Some highlights of 2016 that happened in the world are that the YouTube show Carpool Karaoke is becoming an even bigger hit than it was before. And, the First Lady Michelle Obama was on the show! It was a wonderful episode; personally, it was one of my favorites.

Another highlight of 2016 was that Leonardo DeCaprio won an Academy Award! Finally! He won this award for his role in The Revenant. Pokemon Go became a thing in 2016, revitalizing the classic show, and toys, fondly known as Pokemon. While this game had some downsides, it also was highly entertaining.

The movie Finding Dory was released this year! This movie is a sequel to Finding Nemo. The sequel is just as fantastic, in my opinion, as the first one. If not better!

Some great music came out in 2016 as well! A couple of my favorites are Closer by The Chainsmokers, Cheap Thrills by Sia, Setting Fires by The Chainsmokers (not that I am obsessed with that artist. But I am. Very), andHeathens by Twenty One Pilots. But there are much more great tunes!

You can find the light through the darkness. The year went fast, and I cannot believe that it is almost 2017! Have a great New Year!