King Kylie is right again. Kylie Jenner (or King Kylie if you didn’t know that’s what her millions of followers and fans call her) infamously said in an interview for her app, “I think 2016 is just about realizing things.” You know Kylie, I think you’re right. In honor of my realization of Kylie’s accurate prediction here are 5 things I realized in 2016:

1. Happiness is a choice. Life is hard and incredibly unfair. But everyday we’re granted the opportunity for life to go our way, to succeed in ways we could never imagine. Every opportunity starts with ourselves. We make the choice to get up and go to work and/or school and try to better our lives. So choose to be happy. Don't let negative and harmful influences distract from the fact that you’re alive. Appreciate everyday that you get the option to change your life.
2. People don't like it when you’re telling the truth. Whether or not it's the truth about how you feel, who you are, the type of music like, whatever it is, people hate it when you have to be 100% real. At this point in time, it's too late to lie about what you want and how you want to live you're life. So tell the truth. Piss people off. It's better than living a lie.
3. Respect is just the minimum. Lauryn Hill said it best: 'The minimum in friendships, relationships, and any involvement with another human being, every single person should be treated with respect." You don't have to like everyone, but you should treat others the way you should be treated.
4. Ignorance is a choice. When there are videos of people being treated like trash, being shot with a weapon and for no reason, and being physically assaulted and people still try to deny to problems society is facing on a larger scale. It's far past electing Donald Trump as president. It's about the way we as Americans are going to treat each other and it starts with acknowledging everyone's role. With all the information available, there's no reason to still maintain a sense of innocence in what is happening. At this point, those who choose not to see it, are choosing to be to this ignorant. I guess it's true what they say: Ignorance is bliss
5. It’s not that serious. Almost every morning I roll over to the notification of 5 new emails, a reminder that my phone/car/credit card bill is due soon, and the nagging feeling like I went to sleep without getting enough homework done. It's exhausting. Most days I pull the cover over my head to keep the screaming contained; it's early and everyone is still sleep. Then I tell myself I’m going to have a good day and then I have a good day. Sometimes it's hard not to let the pressures of everyday life overwhelm me. It's hard not to think of all the things that would make life easier (more money, more clothes, more vacations, etc) and I think would these things really make me happier? Or would I just wake up in a nicer bed, in a nicer house, with 44 emails and more responsibilities. But then I think of something my Uncle Josh once told me, “It's not that serious.” If I respond to this email in 10 minutes or 3 hours, it's not life or death so I can handle it.

2016 has been the year of realizing things: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZyHiFvbFJE.