As the year draws to a close, it always stops me and gives me time to reflect on the year just passed and the year ahead. It's also a good time to just think about how I've grown as a person. Sometimes it may seem as if life has taken the complete wrong turn, and things aren't going the way you planned. Just think of this as a life test; finding a way to overcome the situation and learning as we do. Every choice we make shapes our future, whether it's a good or bad choice, it's just a new path to take in our lives. It can give you a little personal boost knowing you've managed to fix the situation and have learnt to move forward. You know the saying, "It's easier to go down a hill than up it but the view is much better at the top", these sorts of challenges are what makes us, and without these, we will never grow as person and appreciate what we've achieved.

When holding onto a goal or a life plan that isn't really working out, we sometimes just have to let go. We can keep working at it to a point where it becomes more of a chore than something to aim for or enjoy. Letting go doesn't make you a weak person, it just shows you're strong enough to know that it's not right for you anymore. "We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us." Don't ever feel like it was a waste of time, it's just a learning curve, and it may even end up getting you to somewhere you didn't even plan. I love to make life plans, but sometimes I feel that it tends to control my life, and if you plan everything around that a certain idea, it can stop you seeing what else is out there.

We all can be a little selfish from time to time, and can sometimes want a little more, but it's the little things that mean the most. Instead of gaining the most out of the things we can have around us, we end up getting driven towards the materialistic things in life.

FAMILY & FRIENDS

I know, I know this is cliche. My family can drive me absolutely crazy to the point of where I want to bang my head into a wall, but I guess it's what makes us work. It's all the things they do that drive me crazy, that makes me know that they really care, and only want what's best; they may get it wrong sometimes, but nobody is perfect. Again with the cliche, but I would be lost without my friends. The only people in the world I can fully depend on and I know will always be there for me. Whether I see them every day or a few times a year, they all still mean everything to me.

CREATIVITY

One of my favourite traits about myself is my creativity. I love the fact I can pick up a pencil and draw away. I may not be the strongest with words (as you can tell), but being able to think up an idea in my head and work to transfer that to a reality is very fulfilling. Being able to use my creative side to inspire others is a great achievement.

MUSIC

I honestly think I'd be lost without music. It has the ability to calm me down, get me excited, and inspire me. If I'm not listening to it, then I'm singing it. One of my favourite things to do is to go and see live music; I just love everything about it. It has the power to bring everyone together, and for those 2 hours, you can just switch off from the world and just enjoy the music.

LAUGHTER

If you know me personally, you'll know how much I love to laugh. Even though most of the time there isn't actually anything funny, I just enjoy laughing. There is nothing better then being with a group of people, sharing stories and just laughing until you're crying and can barely breathe.

INTERNET

This might sound like such a twenty-first century thing to say, and I'm not just talking about it in a "omg I love Twitter" kind of way, but I am so thankful for the Internet. It's given me the chance to write this blog and for you to read it. It's given us the chance to share what we are passionate about to the biggest audience in the world. The Internet has become such a big part of our lives, but we don't really use it to its fullest capacity.

OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN

I do feel we reach a certain age and assume we should stop learning. Maybe we hated the whole school situation and don't want a repeat of that, or maybe we feel like we know enough to go through with our jobs and daily lives, but there is so much out there we should be learning. I'm not saying to go learn 10 new languages (how cool would that be though), even if it's just reading up on new things, or learning a new skill, we all have the resources and capability to learn and expand our minds, so we shouldn't let it go to waste.

CHALLENGES, MISTAKES & MAKING DECISIONS

This may sound a little odd, but I like to be challenged. I like to test myself, whether it's proving to someone who thought I couldn't do it, or even my own self-doubt. I'm one of those people who always quote "anything is possible" so if you put your mind to it, you can. Challenge yourself a little more. Take risks. Make a mistake, then make a few more. It all just becomes a life lesson.

Take a few minutes away from the world and think about who you were a year ago and who you are now. Let me know in the comments below some of the things you're most thankful for.