2016 was admittedly not so great. We can all be honest with ourselves about that. I know I'm not the only one very excited for it to be 2017. Twitter, Facebook and countless other forms of social media were flooded with some semi-serious jokes summing up 2016 as one the worst years in existence. And while, in all reality, it probably wasn't that bad for most of us, I think everyones ready for a fresh start. This is the first year where I thought resolutions weren't a bad idea. But resolutions are usually made as a fun list of things we'd like to work on, instead of some blood-pact made with our future selves, however, I don't think there's anyething wrong with trying to make a positive change in your life. If you need an imaginary clean slate to feel confident in your willpower, make some resolutions. But make ones you can use daily; ones that impact yourself and everyone you come across.
1. Be confident.
It may sound completely cheesy and cliché, but you have to believe in yourself. If you are 100 percent confident in yourself and all your endeavors, everything will fall into place.
"Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy." - Norman Vincent Peale
2. Be kind.
You can make another persons day by a simple act of kindness. You never know what kind of day someone else has had, so pay for the order behind you at Starbucks or give the person next to you in class a compliment. Put a smile on somone's face.
3. Be ambitious.
Declare a major. Apply for that job. Go after something you've always wanted. You might not be able to do everything, but without ambition, you would never achieve anything.
4. Be pro-active.
I will be the first to admit that I will wait until the last minute to do just about everything, and I'm guessing I'm not the only one. But ask yourself how much easier life would be if you just got stuff done. It's easy to forget, but every choice you make (or don't make) could potentially affect your future, so try to put thought and effort into the things you do.
5. Be adventurous.
Every experience starts as and adventure. Even the smallest thing; it's something new. So open a new door. You might like what's behind it.
"It is only in adventure that some people succeed in knowing themselves - in finding themselves." - Andre Gide
6. Be compassionate.
If there's one thing I've learned in my life it's this: pain is pain, regardless of what caused it, it hurts just the same. And before you get your arguments ready, wait and let me explain. Obviously there are some things in this world that are worse than others, but acknowleding one persons pain doesn't dismiss anothers. It's showing compassion.
7. Be sincere.
Be genuine. Be honest. Your feelings are valid, whatever they are. Don't let anyone make you feel like what you think doesn't matter.
"Saying too much can complicate things. But in this short life, not saying enough is much worse." - Liana G.
8. Be reliable.
Be the type of friend who is there for others. You get what you give.
9. Be passionate.
With anything in life, there will always be a downside or something, but having passion is being able to fiercely and unconditionally love it regardless.
10. Be persistent.
Like Justin Bieber taught us, "Never Say Never."
11. Empathetic.
You know that saying adults would always use when we were kids: 'put yourself in their shoes'? Guess what! It actually applies! I know as humans it's in our nature to focus solely on ourselves, but being able to empathize with others and see things from their perspective is probably one of the most useful skills you will use in your life.
12. Be generous.
If you're on a limited budget, be generous with your time. That doesn't cost any money. Go volunteer at a homeless shelter. Sign up to help at a local fundraising event. Your time could be the most valuable thing you could offer.
13. Be diligent.
Put your all into everything you do.
14. Be courageous.
"Courage is the commitment to begin without any guarantee of success." - Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
15. Be considerate.
Could this decision be hurting someone else? Think about this before doing something that could potentially alter someone else's life.
16. Be optimistic.
I'm a glass- half-empty kind of gal, so trust me when I say this mentality helps no one. Thinking of the worst possible out come is a complete waste of time. Bad things will always happen, but trust that you can handle whatever life throws at you.
"I am an optimist. It does not seem to much use being anything else." - Winston Churchill
17. Be open-minded.
I'm not going to make this a political thing, but please. Just. Please.
