Every year since I was in about the 7th grade, I would always write up a little blog post on New Year's Eve. Even at thirteen, I was as obsessed with all things sentimental and reflective as I am now. I'd sit in my chair in the little walk-in-closet turned computer office in my upstairs bedroom, log in to my Myspace blog and type the night away. I love New Year's. I love new beginnings.

There's just something about the concept of new beginnings that I've always been drawn to. I love a good fresh start whether it be a Monday, a new semester or January 1st. It's a mental reset; a spa-day for my mind. I've seen a few posts popping up on my social media with people saying things such as "2017 is going to be exactly like 2016 at midnight because time is a construct that isn't even real." So edgy. I have to say I disagree with these negative cool kids. Time is, in some of its forms, absolutely a construct created by our brains. In a way, time could be considered to be "made up", at least in the sense of how we view our calendar years.

But what's so bad about something that is "made up?" The brain has so much power that we can trick our bodies into feeling pain or feeling relief. We can change our entire mood by changing our thought patterns. Ask any athlete and they'll tell you their sport is twice as mental as it is physical. The first step in changing any physical environment is changing the one we have mentally. We can change our mood in a few moments by changing the way we think, our mood changes our actions, our actions begin to change our habits, our habits begin to change our days, days turn to weeks, and before you know it, fifty-two of those weeks have changed an entire year. Don't limit yourself to the physical reality that surrounds you. Your mind is more powerful than you could imagine. Give it some credit and transform your surroundings to an environment that makes you happier and healthier. Make better choices. Tell yourself daily positive affirmations. Meditate on the good and your goals for this year. Tell yourself how awesome you are even if you don't believe it quite yet. If you say 2017 is going to be different, and you believe it to be true, you have the ability to make it different.

Often we believe that our physical surroundings have absolute dictation over our mental ones. I understand privilege does come into play here somewhat, and please don't get me wrong, our physical environments definitely impact our mental drastically. It would be inappropriate and just ignorant to say anything contrary to that. But instead of thinking our physical situation must always shape our mental situation, begin to embrace the strength of your mind, willpower and faith in yourself and anything else. Your mind and your heart is so much more powerful than you think. Make this year your year. I'm rooting for you.