It's a new year, and that tends to leave people with the same quote that's said in hundreds of languages all over the world. "New Year, New Me." But here's the catch, what if we just continued to be our awesome selves, while ultimately trying to just be a little better than we were last year?

Personally for me, I found that 2016 actually did well for me than I thought. So while I am happy to have a new year, I don't think that I'm necessarily a new me, but more of a newer version, more empowered, and self-assured than I was.

Let's be honest here, I know that there are a lot of us that say to ourselves that we are going to be eating well, exercising every day, and sticking to our budget to try and save a few bucks for that road trip we have been planning for over a year. While that all sounds like an amazing thing to accomplish, many of us tend to fall out of routine, because life simply gets in the way! I'm not saying that we have become lazy, or unmotivated, but sometimes there are far better things that come into our lives when we least expect it...(Okay maybe a little lazy.)

About a year and a half go, I started my own blog on a whim, and now I have reached Ten Thousand followers on Instagram, and have been able to spread my writing and love of books farther than I ever believed I could. I work with a lot of brands, and even opened up my own shop selling bookish items on Etsy. I've been able to stick to this because it's a passion! I also was able to graduate from post-secondary school, and receive a full time position in my field of education. Things like this wouldn't have happened if I didn't take a different route than planned.

So thank you 2016 for showing me that although the road is paved perfectly clear, sometimes it's better to take the one less traveled, or carve my own path, because it has brought me to new findings of not only myself, but of all the people that I have met along the way.

So here's to a new year, with new adventures, new beginnings, and possibly no new things for us! Time to take 2017 with a new leaf, and definitely not spent wondering what if...

Thank you 2016, although it's been a while ride, I'm glad that I've got a new year to look forward to. I mean let's be honest, "You don't make friends with salad" so take that jump and have a doughnut once in a while, say hello to that cute guy/girl at the end of the bar, restaurant, bookstore, or even just pay for a coffee for the person behind you!

A New Year, but it doesn't mean it has to be a new you!