I think most of us agree 2016 was a pretty bad year. Maybe not for you personally, but globally and for myself, it sure was. Many iconic people passed away, our world saw more violence, hate, war, and pain... but the good news is, we have the ability to make 2017 our year and a better year, at that!

Here are a few things you can do to make your next year of life the best year yet!

1.) Continue sending love to the people in your life who cause you pain or make you feel bad, but don't let them keep hurting you.

Okay, sure... I recognize this is so, so hard. We all have a few people who hurt us in the past and make it hard to forgive, but still loving them DOES NOT mean you need to continue being buddy-buddy with them. Start 2017 by letting go of grudges and moving on.

Some people are meant to stay in our lives and others are not. Please don't let someone stay in your life if they continue to do things causing you to doubt how incredible you are. You deserve better than that! It's okay to love some people from afar. Keep that in mind.

2.) Start positive self-talk.

I know sometimes it's more "trendy" to be down on yourself for your flaws or mistakes, but that has got to stop. I was so overjoyed noticing the popularity in really loving yourself. Start by adding some simple phrases into your vocabulary to build up your confidence. Some like, " I am worthy," "I am loved," "I am strong," and (of course) "I am beautiful."

Remind yourself, even as you encounter situations throughout the year bringing you down, you are still doing so, so great. Try to not get down on yourself. You got this!

3.) Embrace yourself, and really love.

Give yourself more breaks this year. I don't mean watching Netflix or letting yourself have that fifth cookie (but you can of course still do these things). What I do mean is letting yourself take a deep breath and relax somewhere you truly find rest. Enjoy things that benefit YOU. It's not selfish to take care of yourself.

4.) Forgive yourself for your past wrongdoings.

Look, everyone screws up. Everyone royally messes things up, and I'm sure you are aware of this. You really have to stop beating yourself up for all the things you "did wrong". If you hurt someone, apologize and really mean it. Give people the opportunity to forgive you, and most importantly, forgive yourself. You can't do better in the future if you are stuck regretting things of the past.

5.) Be thankful.

You must remind yourself of all you have and all the things you should be thankful for, instead of all the things you are "missing out" on. Recognize how blessed you are, with all you have. Someone will always have more than you, and someone will always have less. If you are truly thankful for all you have, it will remind you of the good things.

6.) Be kind, and spread love.

This one shouldn't really need to be explained. Do these two things in any way you can think of, every. single. day.

7.) Recognize you are not a failure, but rather, a work in progress.

You are going through so much change, and you are adapting every day. You aren't going to get everything 100% right, but humans aren't meant to. Take it one step at a time, and remember every mistake is a learning experience. Be easy on yourself.

8.) Be adventurous, and try something new.

Don't let yourself get stuck in a rut this year. Life is too short for that! Go travel somewhere you haven't been! Eat a weird food you didn't know was edible! Just go do SOMETHING! (It doesn't have to be that crazy.)

9.) Work on bettering your life, along with others' lives.

Start promoting more causes you believe in and support others. This world is filled with a whole lot of hurt, and you can start triumphantly supporting the goals of groups wanting more love instead. Remind yourself of who you are and what you want to achieve in life, and go after your dreams.

10.) Embrace the little things.

Start writing down small things you notice make you happy every day. These things could be like a cute puppy who licked your hand, a pretty flower, a kind stranger opening a door, etc. Whenever you are feeling down, you can check out your list and remind yourself of all the things you should be happy about! Pretty soon, you'll focus more on the things making you happy than the things bringing you down.

I can't promise you just because you pursue all of these tips your life will be perfect, but it's a start! I hope this year brings you cheer, love, success, and joy!