Two Thousand and Sixteen

Year in Review 

 (12.31.15)

(12.15.16)

As you can see, these pictures were taken about a year apart from one another, give or take a few days. Personally, I'd love to be able to sit here and tell you about my astonishing progress in the gym, or how much more I can lift, or how much weight I've managed to lose. However, I would be lying. The only thing that's changed is the fact that my pose got much less awkward (in my humble opinion). Well, to give myself some credit at the gym, I've managed to increase my bench weight, find a love for pilates, and increase the amount of time there I spend on the daily. So, that's something. Also, this year, a ton of things have happened.  For one thing, I've managed to post 22 blog posts in 2016!! (it's gonna be 23 including this one). LIKE WOW!!

 I'd like to stop and say THANK YOU to every single person who takes time out of their day to read my blog. It means so much to me. I'd like to say thank you for the continuous support and twitter love I receive for each post. You guys rock !!!!

Anyways, after knowing how awesome anyone who reads this is, I'm gonna talk about 2016 for a bit. I can definitely say that a lot went down in 2016. Do you ever see those posts about people (or animals) starting the year with you aren't gonna be the ones ending it with you? I didn't believe those to be true until this year. I guess this year had some loss in it. ESPECIALLY DECEMBER. If we omitted this month, I would write a solid review about how awesome this year was for the most part. However, God had some other plans for December. But you guys know about that. Just check the last 3 or 4 posts on this blog if you're lost completely. 

However, this year taught me a lot about myself. This year, I (painfully) learned that it's okay to let toxic relationships go. It took a lot of tears, sadness, and self-discovery, but I'm glad that the lesson got into my head eventually. Also, this year I learned that it's okay to love myself! Like wow, I'm a princess (no matter what my dress size is). I'm learning that at the gym I workout because I LOVE my body, not because I'm trying to change it constantly. I think the mindset held that I need to change became unhealthy, having me constantly consumed on what I look like. 

Also, 2016 brought a lot of ending the stigma on mental health. I have a shirt now that says "Stronger than the Stigma" and I'm completely in love. I don't think that 2016 was an easy year, but I also have never been as mentally healthy as I am right now. I know I have a long way to go, however I'm very blessed to be able to say that there's been progress. I wanted to show you guys those gym pictures to also point out that many people improve physically within a year, but I'm a lot more proud of my mental health more than anything. I couldn't post a picture of my brain, but as Ben Rector said, "I've [been] trying to share my soul with you". So I hope you guys have been able to take a peek inside mine .However, I learned about emotional and physical boundaries this year. Which probably has helped on the emotional health side of things. So on here I try to follow those, and therefore you don't get to see my entire soul. 

Anyways, I don't really know how to end this one, but guess what?

GOD IS SO GOOD!!

You guys I literally would have not made it through all of the heartbreak and the joys that this year had to offer without my Savior. There's nothing better than placing your hope in someone who's got the whole world in His hands. 

Have a fantastic 2017 :)  (I know I'm ready for it!)

Emma Jane