“The beautiful thing about learning is no one can take it away from you.”
— B.B. King

2016, like every year, was full of surprises. There were positives, negatives, and overall countless opportunities to grow and learn. While many set resolutions seeking to improve physical attributes or monetary growth, focusing on constantly improving what you value may change your life for the better too. With that being said, there are a couple of aspects of one's self I believe will make each year better than the last.

1. Honesty

Be honest with others, but most importantly yourself. While you don't owe others a thing, you do owe it to yourself to be truthful. Being honest improves the relationship you have with the people you care about, and it is overall an indicator that you are confident enough to assert what you truly value or desire in life. Life's too precious to waste it lying.

2. Tolerance

Not everyone is going to like you, and you definitely aren't going to like everyone. No two people are exactly the same, and sooner or later you're going to realize that you can't change them. You simply have to accept that they are different. Sure, we can all hope that suddenly every person we've ever disliked morphs into who we want them to be, but this isn't realistic. Tolerate the people who don't fit your ideal mold, because chances are there are many out there who are also tolerating you. Tolerating someone doesn't mean you have to like or love them, but it is more mature than constantly harnessing negative feelings towards them.

3. Being Proactive

Don't like your grades? Do something about it. Don't like the people you're around? Change that. There are parts of life we can change, just like how there are parts of life we have no control over. If you aren't satisfied with something that is completely in your control, it is your responsibility to work on it. No one is going to hand you your future on a silver platter, so work for what you want!

Honesty, tolerance, and being proactive are parts of life that define the type of person you are. They are qualities that we have control over, and are furthermore characteristics that all people should seek to improve if they want to make this year better than the last.