Lets just get this out of the way, 2016 sucked out loud.  I honestly think it might have been one of the worst years of my life.  There are however a few upsides to how crappy 2016 was, for starters, I'm actually excited for the new year which isn't a feeling I usually have.  Also, due to how crappy 2016 was I've learned many valuable lessons, learning to lean on myself being one of the most significant to me.  I feel like the bad situations I've been through this past year has really allowed me to start seeing my worth, become more confident in myself, and be more vocal about the things I'm passionate about.  I'm not going to get into all of the things that happened in 2016, this isn't about a crappy year in review, 2016 is in the past and I'm not going back there.  This is more about seeing the potential in 2017, yes there are sure to be some obstacles within it, but we can take what we have learned from the past year and move forward, wiser, better.  I'm trying to be optimistic, we have a new year that we can shape to be however we want it to be, and for the first time in a long time, I feel like I have some control over my life.  For the first time in a long time I'm hopeful.