We all want a new target to aim for, another purpose, a refresher, a bit of a “start over” to renew ourselves, and what better chance than the new year? Everyone has their feelings towards 2016 — what it was made up of: drama, fear, happiness, achievements, friendships.

But don’t ask anything of 2017. None of that "new year, please be good to me."

I’m not saying not to be hopeful or motivated, but a year can not literally be a good one for you on its own, a numbered year is the title that resembles the next 365 days of our lives at a time. It’s not going to get a new job for you or decide who is going to be your friend.

But I can tell you what you can expect of 2017, and that’s whatever you make happen. Obviously, we can’t control our days entirely. We can’t choose not to catch a cold or to always get a good night of sleep, but we can try for what we want. What truly makes a year a good one? You, your actions and the people you surround yourself with.

We can choose our battles wisely.

We can choose to begin or continue with a healthier lifestyle to care for the temples we’ve been blessed with.

We can apply for that new job, whether we hear back for an interview or not, we only fail when we don’t try.

We can decide if we aren’t in a situation we are happy with, that it’s okay to move on. Take a different direction, explore a new opportunity, pick up a new hobby.

We decide on our happiness.

We decide who is meant to be in our lives, and for those we can’t control, we gratefully assume it wasn’t meant for our own good.

Don’t ask anything OF 2017, ask something of yourself IN 2017.

I’m fully accepting 2017 as a new chapter — still holding onto everything I love from any other previous year — but to take new actions, make new goals, work harder for a goal I never completed in 2016. I’m going to accept the new year for whatever flaws come along with it, because that’s just my life and it’s beautiful.

So, make new goals, try new foods or crafts, run the extra mile physically or metaphorically. Hold onto what you love even a little tighter, because every individual day is a precious one.

But remember one thing as we ring in the new year: 2017 isn’t going to do it for you, you are going to do it for you. Be good to yourself and the year will be there to organize the memories made. So, here's to us.

Write a beautiful chapter for the next 365 days of your novel. It's yours.