Why My Goals In 2017 Don't Include Finding Love

Yes, 2016 was a bitch of a year.

We've had countless celebrities pass away, an election that feels devastating for many of us, horrible violence against each other in this country, horrible violence in other countries and the list goes on.

The year 2016 is (thankfully) ending, and I know it's on all of our minds to make 2017 everything that this past year wasn't.

But I think that's a lot a lot of pressure to put on our new friend, 2017. If it doesn't meet our expectations, are we going to beat it up with pithy quotes and mean memes just like we did to poor 2016?

Truthfully, it's in my nature to lay out a plan for the new year. I like resolutions just as much as the next person. I'm fighting the urge to set weight goals, career plans and a time line for finding love, but I'm not going to do it this time.

I'm closing my bullet journal.

I'm letting it all go.

So here are my 2017 goals. They don't include finding love, or anything traditional for that matter, because all I want in 2017 is for people to have hope again.

1. Dream

I went to see "LaLa Land" recently, and while I was taken in by the romance and old movie feel, there is one element that really stood out to me the most.

They were dreamers and it was wonderful.

We don't appreciate dreamers anymore. We are in awe of entrepreneurs, we worship celebrities and yet we placating laugh at the child that says I'm going to grow up to be a star.

In 2017, I'm going to dream big and ridiculously and fall flat on my face over and over. It's going to wonderful. Besides, if a reality star can become POTUS, I can write a book.

2. Laugh and let the anger go.

Where the fuck did everyone's sense of humor go?

We spend so much time online commenting and fighting. We get offended by everything! Don't misinterpret me here, sexual assault is not funny, racism is not funny, terrorism is not funny. But the design of a Starbucks Christmas cup is not something to get mad about.

I'm going to laugh more.

In 2017, I'm going laugh more.

I'm going to chuckle at the tinder convos gone bad and not let them get me so riled up. Time to get off that high horse. It's no fun. I'm still posting them on FB though. You all deserve to laugh with me.

3. Teamwork.

We are all in this together.

We are all in this together.

Weall have plans, disappointments and student loan debt. Let's join together in our mutual hatred of Navient, poverty, murder, rape, terrorism and make our country safe again.

But do it with compassion.

It's not the customer service person's fault that your loans are due, it's not every police officer's fault that a black man was murdered horribly and unjustly and it's not your friend or neighbor's fault that you're unhappy.

It's not the girl online taking selfies that's destroying our country and it's not Baby Boomers or millennials. It's the lack of compassion.

"Hamilton" reminded us that we were a team during the Revolution, so let's do that again. Only without the guns and stuff. In 2017, I'm going to let other people help me more and offer to help them.

I'm going to remember that I don't have to do it all myself because I have people to work with. I have a team.

4. I'm going to go see "Hamilton."

Just had to throw that one in.

I want to find love, lose weight, be debt-free, live in a castle, marry a prince and be in all of the Hallmark Christmas movies, but more than anything, I want people to believe in something again.

There is always hope.