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5 Things To Leave In 2016

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Iowa chapter.

Let’s face it: 2016 was a crazy year and not always in a good way. With 2017 just beginning, it’s time to focus on you and what you can do to make 2017 better for yourself. Leaving behind the things that weighed you down in the past year will give you a clean slate for the year to come, and you’ll be grateful for it.

Toxic relationships

Severing ties with people is never easy, but it’s worth it for your happiness. Friends and significant others are supposed to bring you up, not tear you down. There’s no use holding onto someone who isn’t bettering your life or yourself. Letting them go now will help you avoid the inevitable and make it less dramatic than it could be.

Bad habits

Everybody has that one bad habit they can’t seem to break. Whether you bite your nails, swearing too often or eating too much sugar, small steps and hard work will get you where you want to be. It’s better to start now rather than later. If you spend your time telling yourself you’ll do it tomorrow, you’re never going to put an end to your bad habits.

Settling for less

If you’d rather live a colorful life instead of something beige or off-white, go for it. Settling won’t get you anywhere you want to be, and you owe it to yourself to work hard for your goals. Stop settling for 75 percent and go for 100 percent.

Comparisons

Comparing yourself and your successes to others’ isn’t a healthy way to go through life. Everybody stumbles through life and makes mistakes, but when you’re comparing yourself to others, you’re only seeing their successes and what they want you to see. Celebrate your own successes instead of dwelling on other’s wins, and you’ll stop comparing yourself to them.

The fear of rejection

Rejection is a totally normal part of life, and fearing it only leads to doubt and not wanting to try. Fearing something gives power to it, and, once you stop being afraid of rejection, you’ll come out on top. 

 

Photos: cover1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Rachel Green is a senior Journalism and Mass Communication Major at the University of Iowa. She is also earning two minors in Sport and Recreation Management and Spanish and a certificate in Creative Writing. She serves at Her Campus Iowa's Senior Editor, and is a member of Iowa's editorial team. When she's not working on something for Her Campus, she can be found studying in the library, doodling in her sketchbooks or curling up with a cup of tea and a book.  
U Iowa chapter of the nation's #1 online magazine for college women.