It’s no secret that 2017 was a tough year for many of us. America has become (or maybe it always was) a mess, and I’m still craning my neck, looking for the light at the end of the tunnel. What I’ve learned is that if we want to see that light, we’re going to have to make the light happen. Passive living is not an option.

How do I know this? Because this year, I stopped being passive. I took a look at my life over the past few years and realized that I was just letting life happen to me.

So I took my life by the proverbial horns. I took control of my own destiny. I traveled. I tried new things. I got in shape. I said goodbye to some toxic relationships. I moved across the country. I stopped waiting for things to magically change or improve, and I changed myself instead.

So even though things are tough, and nothing is ever perfect, I’m going to look back on this year with pride. I’m going to chalk it up to a personal win, and work on making next year a win for myself and the world.

On to 2018! Happy early New Year!