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The End

It’s the 366th day of the year—and I can’t believe 2016 is coming to an end.

I might be alone here, but 2016 was actually the best year of my life so far. It seems as though nearly everyone else had a miserable year, but I was fortunate enough to be given so many opportunities this year that will be very hard to top in 2017.

Instead of looking back on 2016 and doing a recap for you guys, I decided to set up this post a little differently. Below you’ll find a few things I did that made 2016 amazing for me, and hopefully, if you had a bad year this year, you’ll find some inspiration on how to look at 2017 in a more positive light.

Be Open to New Job Opportunities

A lot of people don’t really understand what I do for a living. That’s fair. I do a lot of different jobs and roles, in addition to running my blog, so it’s hard to fully comprehend sometimes. Regardless, 2016 brought me many opportunities. From modeling gigs to collaborations, it was all about taking that leap of faith.

I encourage—better yet, challenge—you all to say yes to opportunities and once-in-a-lifetime offers in 2017. Some things can be too good to be true, but unless you say yes and look into it, you’ll never know. The universe has a funny way of planning things and you just have to pay attention to the signs to be able to see them.

On top of that note, don’t be afraid to reach out to people. One of my newest opportunities that I’m most excited about is with a company that I reached out to—and you know what happened? It worked out and I was offered an opportunity that I would’ve never thought was possible. You have to be bold and not be afraid to make your dreams happen.

Say Yes, But Don’t Be Afraid to Say No

2017 is going to be a simple year if you follow this advice: say yes to the things that make you happy, say no to the things that don’t.

I did this in 2016 and I became an even happier person because of it.

If you don’t want to cover a shift for someone at work because you’re going to a concert that you’ve been looking forward to for weeks, say no. Your happiness is more important. Be selfish sometimes and don’t feel guilty about it.

If you have been wanting to travel to a different state but have let one thing or another get in the way, stop making excuses and tell yourself yes. Book the ticket, pack a bag, and go. Put the cost on a credit card and pay it back when you get home.

Celebrate Tiny Wins

Whether your favorite bakery had two Macarons left in your favorite flavor or your presidential party won the election, you should be celebrating it! Celebrate the tiny wins as much as the big ones. This will help with your positive thinking and allow you to be able to easily appreciate everything in life no matter the importance of it.

Going along with the tiny wins, while you celebrate the things that go right, don’t celebrate negatively when things don’t. No one likes a Debby Downer or Complaining Chris. Basically what I’m saying is: don’t rain on someone else’s parade. Be an adult and handle yourself when things don’t go as planned. When big/tiny wins happen for you, you want others to celebrate with you too, right?

Focus on the Good

This is something simple, but not a lot of people do it. Whenever you’re in a “bad” situation, don’t let your emotions consume you. Give yourself a reality check, pull yourself together, and look for a bright side.

For example, I got my phone stolen twice in 2016. Did I let it ruin my year and throw a pity party saying the world was against me? No. I found a bright side. I took them as learning lessons. The first time it happened I learned that you can’t always trust people. The second time, I learned that I’m only taking a wristlet when I go out inside of a purse with pockets. In addition to the second time, Verizon ended up giving me a better phone with way more storage, and upgraded my plan for next to nothing.

A situation is what you see it as. Good and bad are subjective.

Appreciate the People in Your Life

One of the top reasons 2016 was so good for me is because of the people I met and spent my time with. It’s that simple.

If you surround yourself with people that you enjoy and that make you happy, you’ll be happier in the long run. Honestly, even though I am outgoing, I surround myself with a select few people. I typically only spend time with those closest to me because those are the people I want to be around. I’m around hundreds of strangers about 6 days a week—talking, laughing, getting to know them—so when I’m around people privately, they’re people that know me on a different level.

Regardless of who you spend your time with, just make sure they’re appreciated. Everyone wants to be loved, so why not show them they are?

Thank you all for reading! Have a great time celebrating tonight! I look forward to creating more content for you all in 2017. It’s going to be everyone’s year this time! Happy New Year!

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