Congratulations! You survived 2016; twelve months of happiness and sadness, good times and bad, success and failure. You made it through all of the experiences of 2016 that you did not think you would make it through, and you pushed your way through 366 days, no matter how difficult they were. As the new year begins, you have probably been thinking of your resolutions and been appreciating the clean slate that you have received. You counted down from ten and saw the ball drop, and now you have begun a chapter of your life. A new year, a new beginning.

Like many others, you have made it through the transition from 2016 to 2017. You have left the old year behind and have been welcomed into the new year with open arms. Have you ever thought about how many people weren’t able to witness the new beginning that you have experienced? For many, 2016 was as far as they were able to go; when you think about how many people did not make it through to the new year and this new beginning, you begin to realize that this new year was not something that was inevitable or something that you were bound to experience. It is nothing short of a miracle that you have made it this far. Regardless of the struggles and hardships you have endured, you are here and you are present in this moment and that is something to be proud of.

Resolutions are a major part of any New Year celebration, aren’t they? Everyone around you has probably been talking about their resolutions for days, or even weeks! If you haven’t made a resolution yet, I would strongly encourage you to do so. Whether it is something small like aiming to get an extra hour of sleep every night or something large like turning your love life around, any change that you wish to bring into your life should be welcomed into 2017. A big life change can be implemented at any time of the year on any random day; when you want to make a change, it is best not to wait! As this new year begins, however, this opportunity is available to you to fix the things that you consider to be broken, and it is a chance for you to do the things that you want to do with the time you have been given. 2018 isn’t guaranteed, and neither is next month, next week, or even tomorrow. If you want to change your life, begin today and continue everyday. Life does not stop for anyone or anything, and neither should you.

2017 will be a year of firsts for you, but will also be a year of familiarity. You might be thinking, “what is the big difference between this week and last week?” and I’ll tell you: the difference is only as great as you allow it to be. You have been given an opportunity; it is up to you to keep everything in your life the way as it has always been if you choose, or to change your life in the ways that you desire. You have been given time, and that is all any of us can ask for. This new year of 2017, appreciate every day and make it a day that you would want to remember. Have no regrets about the past and have no worries about the future; think only of today and make it a day to remember.