2017. A new year, a fresh new outlook on life. At least, for myself that is. This year is for me. This year I will better myself in ways that I may not know now. This year I will leave behind the toxins.

Letting go is difficult. It is like no other pain that you have ever felt and it may cause mascara-filled tears to run down your cheeks in the middle of the night when you're at your lowest. It will leave you sore the next day, like you've been sick for weeks and can't shake that head cold. It will rattle you to your core until you are weak and on the verge of giving up. But do not give up. This year is here to detoxify. May that be leaving behind a friend, bad eating habits, that boy you thought you loved, negativity, whatever you need to do for you, do it.

Don't let your life be controlled by a person you once considered family. Do not allow them to manipulate you into thinking that YOU are the bad person. If they have proven that they are not deserving of your friendship- something that should be appreciated and not taken for granted, they need to go. In the new year I plan to make friends who want to be friends with me. I plan to surround myself with people who radiate positivity and hopefully some will rub off on myself. I plan to choose wisely the people who know more than what's on the surface. I hope to not dwell on those that I've left behind, for they have given me every reason to walk away from them. Choose people who choose you this new year.

I plan to cry less in 2017. I plan to not waste my $30 mascara that I JUST bought. I plan to wake up to clean fluffy white pillow cases- not tear stained, makeup stained ones that had taken a serious beating the night before. In 2017 I hope I will be able to bathe in positivity and good vibes. And speaking of bathing, I will take more baths in 2017- (yes, I shower regularly) to treat myself to a night of relaxation and minimal cares. I will appreciate myself more this year, whether it be my art, my hair, my sense of humor. If my body isn't looking tip top I will not talk down to myself, I will not think lowly of myself and I will most certainly NOT allow others to do so either. I will love myself in 2017.

This year I will focus on my art. I will draw more, I will create, I will imagine. My art is what defines me as a person- as though anything could ever really do that. Art makes me happy, it relieves my stress, it allows a creative outlet for my emotions. Making art keeps me healthy and exercises my mind to expand beyond its current limits. I will make more art this year and I will enjoy doing it.

I will be accepting this year. I am not the complete victim- nobody every is or will be. This year I plan to accept what I may not have in the past. I want to accept my flaws- and love myself for them. I want to accept my positive qualities- and continue to progress. I want to accept others- and praise them for being different than myself. I want to accept failure- not turn away from it and pretend as though it doesn't exist. I am going to accept this year with the good and the bad that may be in store for me. I will conquer 2017 and I will do it with a smile.