I know it's extremely stereotypical to be doing a New Years Resolutions article about how I'm going to radically change my life. But 1) I'm not going to radically change my life, and 2) I'm honestly embarking on a journey I've never been on before.

Backtracking a bit, I came home a little over a month ago for winter break. I had a life-changing realization that I've become a completely different person than when I left home in August. And geez, I'm even a different person than I was a month ago!

My entire life I've been riddled with insecurities. I basically have no positive body image of myself, and am extremely lacking in the self-confidence department. And I didn't realize how much these insecurities affected me until I saw that they were affecting my relationship. College Chelsea is way more confident than high school Chelsea. But as much as I've changed in the last five months, my confidence is still lacking.

I am a different person than I was a year ago. I'm in a healthy, long-distance relationship. I've lost 15 pounds. I graduated from high school and successfully completed my first semester of college. I'm a completely different person.

As I enter 2017, I realize that I need to let go of my past. I need to let go of the insecurities that are affecting my relationship with myself and my boyfriend. I need to learn how to love myself completely.

My first resolution for 2017 is to love myself. My boyfriend, Jordan, shows me every day that I am worthy to be loved even if I have a lot of flaws. If someone as amazing as Jordan can love me, then I can learn to love myself. It's definitely a daunting task, but I'm sure with the strength and support of the one I love, I can do anything!

My second resolution is to become healthy. I already have high cholesterol, and I'm only 18. I also have a growing list of aches and pains in my damaged joints. Healthy is the new sexy. Not necessarily skinny, because skinny doesn't mean healthy. But I want to achieve a level of healthiness where I can look in the mirror and know that my body is a well-oiled machine.

2017 is going to be an interesting year. I'm sure like any other year, there will be many ups and downs. But I have a feeling that this is going to be a great one! 2016 gave me the love of my life, and made me realize the importance of self-love. 2017 will let me truly explore who I am.

As we enter a New Year, I encourage everyone to lead a life filled with body positivity and love. In order to love each other, we must love ourselves. 2017 encourages and engages us in new perspectives on our identities and our purpose in life. And we can't live out our lives if we don't take care of ourselves. This year, focus on yourself! Focus on doing little things to improve your health and well-being. You don't have to dramatically change your life, but one step can lead to a better outlook on life!

I challenge everyone to love themselves and to become healthier!