New Year, Same Me

Every single year, with a new year approaching, everyone always says “New Year, New Me” but that is not a phrase that I want to live by this year. I don’t see the need to go and start changing everything about myself just because we’re entering a new year. Not that I am perfect, because by no means am I. But I actually like the person that I am, and I don’t have the desire to ‘change’ myself. Entering this new year I don’t want to change myself, I want to better myself. My ultimate new years resolution for 2017, is to become the best possible version of myself that I can be.

Although it really wouldn’t hurt to include getting a gym membership, expanding my savings account, and ditching fast food for my resolutions this year, those are not my main focus. I want to dig below the surface and focus on something that really is important, and that is myself. If I have learned anything over this past year it is that the only person you can truly count on, is yourelf. I learned just how important it is to take care of yourself in 2016. You are in control of your happiness, the way your life ends up, and the ultimate person that you are.

I’m at a good place in my life, where I have a better understanding of who I am, and who I want to be. But I also know that there is always room for a little self improvement, and you will never stop growing as a person. I am making a list of resolutions I want to live by to make sure I am the best possible version of myself this new year;

• Speaking of growing as a person, I want this to be a year of growth. I want to grow from the base of the person I already am into something even greater.

• I want to use my loving heart in ways greater than worrying about people who don’t care about me.

• If you do not influence my life in a positive way, I no longer have room for you in my life this upcoming year. I don’t like to live my life with “regrets” but if I could choose just one, it would be that I have spent WAY too much time on people who don’t deserve my time. While meanwhile I have pushed away genuinely good people.

• So I want a strong, positive influenticial group of people surrounding me this year. People who push you to do better, and ones who are there even through the hard times.

• I want my outgoing personality to shine through in an interview for the job of my dreams.

• Instead of so many nights spent out at bar, where you’ll barely remember the night anyway. I want to spend more time doing things I enjoy, that I wont forget about. Like spending my free time writing, going on a hike, or going to chase a sunset.

• I want to love myself, the same way I want someone to love me. The level of respect I want to receive from someone else, is the same respect I want to show myself every single day.

• I don’t want to take a single moment for granted. I realize that life is short. I want to love with my whole heart, spend my time making a difference, and surround myself with the ones I love every chance I get.

• I want to stay true to myself, and who I am, no matter what.

• I am blessed to already have a great relationship with my family, but I want to spend even more time together, not just during the holidays. Because in the end family always will be the most important thing.

• I don’t want to spend any more time trying to find THAT PERSON, but to be THAT PERSON. I want to find true love. So bad. I really do want to be able to say I have that person in my life who I love and that loves me unconditionally. But I realize that isn’t something you can search for. It will happen when it’s meant to happen, a good kind of love can never be forced. For now, instead of searching for that person I will become that person.

• I want to travel every single opportunity I get. Yeah, money is important. I get it, we have to pay bills to survive. But I refuse to let the excuse of money hold me back. You only get to live this life once, so you might as well spend it doing the things you love doing.

• I don’t want to have hate in my heart for anyone. Even the people who have done me wrong, deserve happiness. I want to truly forgive and forget. Nobody is perfect and we all make mistakes sometimes.

• I want to set real goals, and actually accomplish them. I want to chase my dreams, and never give up, no matter how many times life tries to knock me down. I want to remain driven, and not let anything stand in my way.

• I want to aim higher. To want to believe in myself so much that I feel like I can truly do anything I put my mind to.

So by this time next year, when I am once again reflecting on the year and thinking of another resolution for the following year, I hope I can honestly say that I followed my resolutions I set for myself. I hope I am the same me that I am today. I hope I still have my smile, outgoing personality, the same positive attitude, and the same love for life that I do now. But I also hope that I can look back on the year and honestly say that I’m an even better person than I was.

Cheers to a new year, but the same me.