2015 -- it was truly a hit or miss for everyone. It was either "wow, 2015 was so good to me" or "all right, well, maybe 2016 will be my year." For me, I was truly banking on 2015 being "my" year, but by around March, I knew I wasn't one of the lucky ones chosen to have a really great year. And then come the end of November, I was absolutely certain that 2015 was the year I should have just stayed in my bed, all year, and never come out until 2016. Looking back, I still had great memories and I accomplished many things that I am still proud of and that I'm happy about, but this year was definitely not my year. R.I.P. 2015 and my dignity.
Unfortunately, Jan. 1 does not give us a blank slate. It is also not a fresh, new start as many of us say with only the wish for it to be true. Chances are, you will still be dealing with the same issues you were the day, week, month before. But now you have the power to change how you once dealt with those issues. I, as well as a good handful of the entire world, would probably do just about anything -- like sell a kidney -- to be able to leave people and drama behind in the preceding year. As I'm sure the bitter realization sprung rather quickly, it's not that simple. So you had one bad year -- or you're me and have had an entire lifetime of bad years -- how can you change it?
Like many others, you have probably fallen short on your New Year's resolution already -- or you've completely forgotten about it like I did. That's OK! Fortunately, not sticking to your New Year's resolution doesn't make you a bad person and there are other ways that you can make sure 2016 is your year.
1. Stay positive!
Positivity is key. If you think negatively, only the negative vibes will be sent your way. A good friend once told me the greatest piece of advice I have ever heard: "Ask, believe, receive." Once you start having a more positive outlook on life, yourself and your relationships, only good things will come out of it.
2. Invest in yourself.
The most important thing you have is yourself. You are who you should be most concerned about at all times. Be selfish. Treat yourself monthly, weekly, even daily! The happier you are with yourself, the happier you will be with your career, friends and family.
3. Show gratitude towards others.
Also important. The people closest to you are the ones who want nothing but the best for you. Show them the same amount of love and support as they show you. Not only will they continue to love and support you, but you'll feel so much better knowing that you have made someone's day or told someone how much they mean to you.
4. Surround yourself with good people.
Good people bring good vibes and memories and lead you to be happier and stress free. Bad people bring, well, the complete opposite. If you want to rid drama from your life, find people who you can trust and who only want to see you succeed. Because, let's be real, who needs drama on top of everything else we have to deal with?
5. You don't have to change your entire life just because it's a new year.
A new year should not stress you out. It should also not bring you to your knees in hopes to become a new person overnight. It doesn't happen like that. If you're not happy with something, change it. It's easier said than done, but do it in gradual steps. Most people think that in order to have an overall better year, they need to change who they were from the previous year. Absolutely not! Work on the parts of you that aren't benefiting you in ways that can help you become happier, and you will become a person you come to love.
6. Make resolutions you know that you can stick to.
Chances are, you probably won't be able to run a marathon by Feb. 1, and that's okay. You should try to be a better person all year round. Don't stress yourself out with the idea of a resolution because just the pure thought of it is daunting. Create short and long-term goals for yourself and don't sell yourself short when you don't necessarily reach them.
7. Don't allow what hurt you last year to hurt you again.
Whether it be a person, an idea gone wrong, a job, etc., don't let it be the foundation for how you start your year. Become better. Learn from your mistakes so it doesn't happen again. You have the power to make things better, and if that involves removing something or someone completely, so be it. You do not need to feel inferior or belittled.
8. Allow yourself to try new things.
There is so much this life has to offer that many individuals do not get the chance to experience. Step outside your comfort zone. Cross some things off that ever-growing bucket list. You have the ability to do whatever you want, whenever you want. What are you waiting for?
9. You're allowed to say no.
If it doesn't excite your soul, don't do it. You'll complain about it, and then the negativity comes out, and look, there goes rule number one. If you're going to do something, make sure it's something important and you're not just doing it because you feel like you "have to." This goes for anything and everything.
10. The rest is still unwritten.
Don't wait for Friday or next week to do something. Don't dwell on what you could have done or what you thought was right but ended up being not so right. Live in the moment, live for right now. You have no idea what will happen tomorrow, or next week, or even next year. Don't allow yourself to constantly think about the future because you'll forget to place yourself in the present, and years from now you'll wish you did things differently. It's not just 365 days (well 366 because it's a leap year, woo!), it's your life and you need to start living it.
To whomever reads this, you can thank me later, but just know I wish nothing but the best for you in the rest of the new year.
