I’m ready.

I’m ready to let you go. I’m ready for a new chapter. I’m ready for the things that you prepared for and the future you started planning out for me. I’m ready to take the lessons you taught me and apply them next year and the years to come. I’m ready to forget the painful parts of you and start over. I’m ready to let your failures and your disappointment and your mistakes go.

I’m forgiving you and letting you go.

I forgive you for not being the year I expected. I forgive you for being too hard on me. I forgive you for taking good things away and breaking my heart a few times. I forgive you for the painful days and the lonely nights. I forgive you for all the tears you’ve caused and all the battles you’ve sent me.

You made me a fighter. You taught me how to stand up for myself. You showed me my self-worth. You taught me not to ever let anyone ruin my life no matter how hard they try.

I also want to thank you. Thank you for all the blessings you bestowed upon me. Thank you for the laughter and the love. Thank you for the new people you introduced me to. Thank you for the unforgettable memories. Thank you for the days that made me survive your chaos and the people who healed me when I was broken. Thank you for answering some really important questions I had. Thank you for revealing a lot of truths I needed to know.

2017 — I’m ready to let you go. I’m done trying to change your story.

I’m done looking back thinking what I should have done or what I should have said. I’m done letting you take so much space. I’m done dwelling on all the things I didn’t do and all the dreams you didn’t let me live. I’m done trying to make everything happen before you end.

Maybe you’re not the year for me. Maybe I was wrong about you. Maybe I wanted more from you but now I know you’re not the one. You’re not my year. You’re not the exception.

I love you but now it’s time to move on to better things. I love you but now it’s time to let you go.

2018, I don’t know what to expect and I don’t know much about you but I’m ready for you. 2017 didn’t break me. I’m welcoming you with open arms and an open heart. 2017 drained me but I’m still capable of giving you my all.