Personally, I had a rough 2016, and it negatively affected my mental health. I began to worry about my future and if I was choosing the right path for myself in this world. I started contemplating if the things that I wanted for my life and the things that I had in my life were worth my time anymore.
I used 2017 to sit back and look at how my life was going.
I enrolled myself in therapy and took care of my mental health in order to straighten out my life, and I cut out dating and toxic friendships. I have always been the kind of person that was more of a follower, the kind of follower who was easily changed by the people they surrounded themselves with. The people around me would shape who I was to the point where I lost my true self after my tough time in 2016.
Cutting the unnecessary things out of my life allowed me to see a clearer view of the path in front of me.
My therapist strongly recommended cutting the unnecessary things out of my life, first, in order to begin my fresh start. It also showed me how those negative influences were pulling me back. With that extra weight off my shoulders, I was finally able to discover more about myself without allowing others to influence me. I was able to realize my true likes and dislikes, and I was able to see who was meant to be in my life and what a true friend looks like through the people who treated me correctly.
Another thing I cut out was the potential relationship and dating altogether. Every now and then, I would find a guy who seemed to be sweet and could care for me, but I would end each one early on and tell them that I was waiting for college. I'm so glad that I waited because college is where I found the man of my dreams. Also, I started to see through boys who were playing me. I started to see that by cutting them out and focusing on my own health and safety who truly wanted to be in my life and who was only there for a one night stand.
Letting go of the unnecessary people, while it was a very hard thing to do, freed me.
The small things in each and every one of our lives, if we aren't careful, can build up inside of us and destroy our mental health. Letting go of what is not meant to stay in your life is like being freed from shackles. You feel as if all of your past burdens no longer affect you, and you learn to be stronger within yourself. You learn to fend for yourself and pave the way for a brighter future. I'm glad that I took the time to focus on my health, and it made my 2017 one for the books.