You made it this far its 2018, this year could be the best, could be the worst, who really knows? But here's what I know, I just want to be happy this year. I want you to be happy. I want the people I love to be happy. Now some of you have already written off being happy for 2018 we are almost a month through and nothing is working out like you wanted, you haven’t been in the gym everyday for two plus hours, you haven’t written that paper that’s not due for another two weeks, you were late for something and now you are feeling like a failure. Stop that. You deserve to be happy, don’t believe that you don’t deserve to be happy because of the things you’ve done, I’ve been there and it is really not fun, it’s very lonely. 2018 doesn’t have to be filled with expectations of yourself, or others. Be realistic, set goals for yourself, start small. You want to lose weight? Make a goal that you will take the stairs more instead of using the elevator, cut back on some things in your diet, get people involved with you it's much easier to do it with someone else (buddy system). You want to save money this year? Speak to someone you know is really good with saving money and ask them for help. My point is this, you can do what you want to do. The world is your oyster whatever that means! You want your life to look different? Then it's time for you to BE different. Work on those bad habits that you have, fix those relationships you may have broken, be you! You don’t know who you are? Then it's a good thing you’ve got a lifetime to figure that out, do not rush anything, be patient, get to know you, figure out what you like, what you don’t like, spend time with yourself, take care of yourself. You have a passion, or a dream but you think it may sound silly or that others won't approve, you go after it anyway, don’t be afraid to try and fail and then fail a thousand times more, nothing happens overnight. Believe in yourself first, trust yourself first, love yourself first. To all my 1997 babies we turn 21 this year! Time flies! You wake up and realize you aren’t a kid anymore, some of us are in college, or working, or serving our country. We are grown-ups now, it's scary sure but nonetheless it is empowering to think that our time is now, the time to be different is now, the time to make things different is now. Let this season of life be one filled with self discovery, and boldness. Figure out who you are outside of your friends, outside of that guy or the girl, go after what sets your soul on fire, be passionate, it's good to get excited over things you love. Make 2018 has positive as you can, downfall will happen, mistakes will be made, and heartbreaks will happen. It is not the end all be all. You are loved, and you are worthy.