“New year, new you,” people always seem to say once a new year comes around. Yet, despite our New Year’s resolutions that seem awesome when we think of them, most of us revert back to our old ways. That’s okay. Most of us who read this will probably be guilty of that. I know that I am. But what does a new year actually mean? What does it really mean to live in this new year like we want to?

We look back at 2016 as a horrible year, from terrorism around the world, to politics, and to deaths of so many people like us. Now, before you go ahead and think this is one of those cliche articles that is saying the same thing about 2016 as everyone else, I want to present to you a different approach to looking at our past years, and the new ones we will be going into.

Instead of hating the horrible times, (and in this case, I’m referring to how most see 2016,) we should allow it to be a wake up call for us. We should allow it to take us to a new level, instead of it holding us down, and posting about it on social media so we can get tons of likes as if that will really change anyone. I’m not hating or calling anyone out on that, but the only way we can change the world is to live every day of our lives like every action we make will change it. You don’t have to make it a religious thing. Put aside differences between you and other people. Also, you hear it said all the time, but this should be more true for us now than ever: let go of the past, meaning both the good and the bad.

In 2016, some of the best times of my life occurred, regardless of what happened politically. The occurrences happening in the world didn’t change my worldview. I didn’t let any dumb stuff in politics become a part of my life, even though it could potentially affect it. My opinion is that the best way to live in these new days,  is to hope for a better year and not let the things that are happening around us change who we really are or shape how our year is going to be.

Something more is meant for us. We can live a lifestyle that is better than anything we have ever experienced in the world, if we take this advice from what a very revolutionary and influencing man, once said: “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind [the way you think].”

All of this is to say that the hope and way of thinking you have for not only 2017, but your entire life, should be regardless of what happens in the world, and not based on it.