2020 should be the year you dedicate to your mental health. It should be the year you work on ridding yourself of baggage, getting over your deepest insecurities, and learning to love yourself unconditionally. It should be the year you learn to appreciate yourself instead of tearing yourself to shreds. It should be the year you really look at yourself and how much you’ve grown, how much you have to be proud about.

2020 should be the year you learn how to say no. It should be the year when you’re careful about how much you put on your plate so you never even come close to burning yourself out. It should be the year when you remove yourself from toxic situations, distance yourself from toxic people, and start doing what is best for yourself for a change.

2020 should be the year you stop accepting poor treatment. It should be the year you stop bending over backwards to please people who couldn’t care less about you and your own needs. It should be the year when you say enough is enough and cut ties with the people who take advantage of you, who disrespect you, who only keep you around because they know you’re nice enough to allow them to walk over you.

2020 should be the year you start standing up for yourself. It should be the year you raise your voice. It should be the year you learn to gain confidence and independence and a stronger sense of self. It should be the year when you realize how much you have to offer this world and how little credit you’ve been giving yourself up until this point. It should be the year when you shy away from doubting yourself and start believing in yourself.

2020 should be the year you redesign your list of priorities. It should be the year you stop treating everyone else like they’re above you, like they’re better than you, like they deserve the world and you don’t deserve a goddamn thing. It should be the year you take a break from bowing down to others and ask yourself what you want from this world and how you’re going to get it. It should be the year you focus on yourself.

2020 should be the year you explore your selfish side. It should be the year you pamper yourself, treat yourself, love yourself. It should be the year you set aside time to relax. It should be the year you actually allow yourself to take a vacation. It should be the year you finally allow yourself to say I deserve this. It should be the type of year you should’ve given yourself long ago.

In 2020, you should still be kind to others. You should still practice gratitude. You should still help out your loved ones when they need you the most. But you should take some of that kindness and direct it toward yourself. You should make sure your own name isn’t low on your list of priorities. You should move it toward the top.