Dear general population,

I think we can all agree that we are ready to ring in the new year. It’s an exciting time; a time of new beginnings and fresh starts. While it’s exciting to look forward to 2017, it’s really important for us to look back graciously on this past year. It may not contain our fondest memories, but this past year has brought us to where we are today. I’m hoping that you, like me, are appreciative of the lessons that this past year has taught you, and the memories that it has left you with. With the new year rapidly approaching, take some time to reflect on what this past year has meant to you, and use this to prepare yourself for a great new year.

It’s very easy to focus on all of the devastation from this past year. There were so many events that left a momentous amount of people hurting in one way or another. We’ve all had our share in the suffering that the human race endured this past year. However, we can’t let that suffering or our feelings about the events of 2016 keep us from the kindling of hope that comes with 2017. We must look to the new year with hope in our eyes so as to combat the evil which may present itself to us. The coming of the new year calls for us to change our mindset to one of positivity and hope. If you’re hurting, or left with scars from this past year, I hope that you find healing in the hope that the new year brings rather than letting the pain you experienced keep you from finding joy. It’s inevitable that bad things will happen, it coincides with our human nature, but we can choose to let good overpower evil; we have the power within ourselves to see the good in a world that is so easy to hate.

I’m not discounting what you may have endured this past year, but I do feel that we should all be thankful for having lived another year. Life is so precious and it goes by faster than we’d like it to. Before you post something about how you “can’t wait for 2016 to be over” or how “2017 can’t possibly be worse”, take a moment to realize how blessed you are to be alive. So many people give of themselves so that we may live the lives that we do; how would they feel if they saw us posting about how awful our year was? There are so many things about 2016 to celebrate: good health, family, friends, food, a job, a home, opportunities, the list could go on for miles. Surely, you can attest that this past year held moments, people, and other things that you are thankful for and that they made the year worthwhile. We should transition into 2017 having accepted the events of the past year with a positive and hopeful mind. In doing this, we’ll allow ourselves to really take in the new year with a refined appreciation for our lives.

Hopefully, you are someone who is truly excited about the new year. It is the perfect time to take a look at ourselves to see what we can improve on and what some positive changes are that we can make. It’s a time to celebrate all that we have and celebrate the good that is yet to come. There is such beauty in the beginning of a new year because it inspires us to seek a better life for ourselves. I hope that you see potential in this coming year, and that you are eagerly awaiting its arrival; not because you are done with 2016, but because you are ready to dive into another year of life. Remember that life isn’t supposed to be easy, but it is in our struggles that we find ourselves along with what we value most. Be thankful for every year, every day, and every hour of your life. Let hope be a driving force for you this coming year so that, no matter what you face, you will be able to see the joy, love, and peace that life has to offer.

Sincerely,