If there is one thing I love, it is new beginnings. I love Sunday nights because the next morning brings seven days of new opportunities. My first day of college excited me to no end because I had the opportunity to recreate myself. But the one new beginning that trumps all others is a new year. That being said, I have a confession to make: 2016 is a scary concept for me. I am starting this year differently than I have started the past few years. I am starting the year single. I am starting the year ambitious. I am starting the year with obligations that I am unsure of. Mostly though, I am starting the new year so confident in my future.

2015 was a year of change and growth. I have learned so much about myself in the past 365 days, and I believe that this last year was just the beginning. While I have grown and improved over the last 12 months, I am viewing 2016 as an opportunity to continue that growth. Here are a few ways that I will live my life a little differently this year:

I will make a conscious effort to choose the positive reaction in each situation.

I firmly believe that no situation determines your emotion. Yes, some instances trigger certain emotions, but overall I believe that the way we feel and react is the result of how we choose to view that moment. Nothing makes you angry, you choose anger as a response. Nothing makes you happy, you allow yourself to feel happy in that moment. We have power over how we feel. This year, rather than allowing myself to be controlled by the first emotion that comes up, I am choosing to make the effort to react to every situation in a positive, constructive manner.

I will be confident in my decisions.

I put a lot of pressure on myself...you could say I am my own biggest critic. I am never satisfied with my grades. I constantly feel guilty for not pushing myself harder at the gym. I second guess almost every single decision I make. Sometimes these feelings are justified in instances where I didn't put forth my best effort. More often than not, though, it is just a lingering desire to be better. While being a bit of a perfectionist has worked out for me thus far, this year I will have more confidence in myself. I have a lot to look forward to and work for in 2016, and I am starting off on the right foot by honestly believing that I know what is best for myself and that the effort I put forth is the best I have to offer.

I will fall back in love with myself.

Over the past few years, I have lost the sense of self-appreciation that I once had. My self-confidence dwindled and I got to a point where I didn't even recognize myself anymore. I fell in love with a boy. I poured so much effort into my friendships. I focused on building and fixing relationships with family members. While all of this was necessary and not something that I would take back, I let it all overshadow one very important task; I forgot to love myself. This year, I am replacing my insecurities with confidence. I am trading in my doubt for ambition. I am getting back to the best version of myself for my own sake.

I have been anxiously awaiting this new beginning for months. I am well aware that this year will bring challenges just as it will bring opportunities, but I will greet them all with a smile. Nice to meet you 2016; let's see what you've got.