2016 has been an insane year. It gave me some of my best moments and biggest blessings in my life thus far, but it also gave me some of my greatest challenges. It's been fun to read the articles that explain why 2016 was the worst year ever, but 2016 needs some credit in that it's taught me some extremely valuable lessons.

1. Letting go of toxic people is so much easier said than done.

Whether it's the boy that made me feel important and special but actually did more harm than good or the friends that tore me down more than they built me up, 2016 sent several toxic people into my life. I knew that I had to let them go and cut them out of my life, but actually doing that was so difficult. The thing about toxic people is that they're addictive. They make you believe that you actually need them and they make you feel like your life is better with them in it, so letting go of them is so incredibly difficult. Once you do manage to cut them off, they'll do everything in their power to worm themselves back to you, putting you through agony once again. I had to learn that they're never worth keeping around. Never.

2. When it comes to friendships, quality is so much better than quantity.

Okay, so I knew this before, but 2016 really reinforced this idea. I had to spend a lot of time feeling alone in order to truly understand how important it is to have high quality friendships instead of a high quantity of friendships. The right people will never make you feel alone. The right people will always be there, not just when it's convenient for them. The loneliness is worth the lesson. I learned that having 4 or 5 really awesome friends is so much better than having 10 or 15 people that I hang out with but don't really connect with.

3. Always cherish the little things.

Again, this is something that we all sort of know, but it is life changing when you truly learn to cherish the little things in life. Nothing is as beautiful as the way your loved ones smile.There is no song that is more musical than the sound of laughter. The kindest gestures are the simplest ones, like your roommate putting your side of the room back together after thanksgiving break or your mom getting your bedroom ready for you to come home. Some of the sweetest sights are families going to the movies together or someone purchasing flowers at the grocery store. Always remember to appreciate these things.

4 Love is always greater than hate.

For a long time, I lived without love. I was cold, angry, and rarely took time for someone else. I believed in tough love and doing whatever it took to get my way. I held grudges against people that really didn't mean to do me any harm. With all the hate and negativity that plagued many hearts and souls this year, I received a wake-up call that love will always win. Loving my neighbor is far more rewarding than talking behind their back and just walking away will always be better than telling someone off. This year, I learned that we all need to be loved and that being a source of light to those in darkness will always make my life more full than just ignoring them because I can.

5. I am so much stronger than I give myself credit for.

When bad things happen, I tend to think I'll never get through it with the strength, courage, and fearlessness that I wish I had. This year, I faced so many hardships that I was able to truly understand how strong, courageous, and fearless I am, especially in times of trial. I learned that it is so strong of me to be able to see the light in every situation and turn outward to aid my healing. When I'm put on a bumpy road or a dark path, I don't walk with my chin to my chest and my feet dragging, I run with confidence until life smooths and brightens once again. Although I faced so much adversity this year, I was able to stand resilient and strong.

6. Life goes on.

So many things happened this year that confused me, scared me, upset me, or even broke me. Some days, I felt like someone was holding onto my shirt as tight as they could so I couldn't walk forward. Other days, it was as though I had been pushed down and held to the ground. 2016 taught me that no matter how long those days felt, I would always be able to move forward once again, even if I stumbled along the way or had to take some time to care for my scrapes and bruises. Even on the darkest of days, I know that light is ahead of me and I will reach it one way or another.

Thanks for the lessons, 2016, but good-freakin'-bye.