For many of my friends, 2016 has been a terrible year. I can tell you from the experiences my friends have had. I could also tell you from my own experiences. You can tell just by reading the title of some of my blog posts:

Upside Down

What I learned From "Almost" Losing Someone

What I Learned From Losing It All

All that has happened this year, along with the fact that I turned 30, have really made me zoom out and look from a different perspective. It makes it impossible to go into this new year thinking the same way as I had in 2016.

Here are 5 things to do differently in 2017:

1) Don't Wait. Do It Now.

Remember that project you have been putting on hold for what seems like forever? When exactly were you thinking you were going to get started? The time is now. You cannot keep putting it on hold especially because you don't know what will happen next. You need to seize the day. Even if what you need are resources, that still doesn't prevent you from working on the project. Do it now. I myself got tired of waiting. About half way into this year, when I lost everything, I decided to not wait. I dove into Una, Una Leona, my Odyssey articles, a YouTube Channel and 3 more projects that are still in the works. I'm not waiting anymore. How about you?

2. Let Go Of What Doesn't Work

There are many things that don't work out in life. Some jobs don't work out, some relationships, projects, etc. The mistake I made in 2016 is I stayed there. A lot of us choose to stay there. We stay and wallow about what didn't work out. When we do that, we are not only missing out on the things that are working out, we also deprive ourselves of what will work out. Things in life get messy and sometimes they don't work out. That's okay. Learn from it and move on.

3. Focus On What Works

Now, this one goes along with the previous one. The biggest mistake I made in 2016 is focusing too much on what simply didn't work out. I kept reaching out to people who didn't want to work with me. I kept giving of myself to many who were not giving back to me. I invested too much time in what didn't work. This time around, I am doing it differently. I'm reaching out to those who want to me to reach out. I'm going to continue to feed who wants to be fed, and I'm going to sow fertile ground. In 2017, focus on what works. Invest wisely.

4. Be Willing To Change.

No matter what you do or where you go, you will be faced with your own self. You will soon find out that you are not as flawless as you may think you are. In fact, there are many things about you that need a major change and makeover. So, what are you going to do about it? You may have deprived yourself of really amazing things because you were unwilling to change.Chances are, you will face these same issues time and time again. You cannot escape your own self, so let God show you the areas of your heart that need to be changed. Then, let Him change them. It will be worth it.

5. Be Fearless.

Do you know that fear is the number 1 reason we don't live the lives we desire to live? We are afraid all the time. We are afraid to fail. But even when we succeed, we are afraid we won't maintain our success. Let me tell you a secret: There will always be an aspect of failure in your life. Living afraid of failure makes absolutely no sense. By being afraid, you prevent yourself from succeeding. Be fearless. If something is going to stop you or delay you, don't let it be your own self. Fear doesn't help you. It weakens you. You have to embrace failure in order to embrace success. Be fearless.

If you do what I listed above, you will for sure have an amazing year. You will adventure more than you ever imagined, and you will see God at work in every moment as you step out in faith. A brand new you is in the works for a brand new year. I can't wait to see where this adventure will take you. How about you?