Hello 2017 you beauty! I know we’ve just met but I’ve got a feeling were gonna create some pretty awesome memories together.

That is how I am going to approach every single day of this year not just January 1st. Every time I wake up is a new opportunity to create something special. We put too much pressure on ourselves when new years come around. New Years resolutions on average last only 17 days! 5% of the whole year! So what?!

We don’t need the last digit on the date to define when we can make a change in our lives. Why limit ourselves then feel bad we only kept our promise to ourselves for 5% of the time? You have to feel ready to make a change, even if you’re scared, you have to feel ready. Some of my biggest changes have happened at random times. They’ve been boiling in my bones for a while and then a flickering of light spurs me on to switch things up – I don’t think ‘oh no its September 26th, I’ve got to be miserable for another 3 months’.

One of my favourite sayings is,

‘You start every day with £86400. If someone came along and took £10 would you worry about the £10 lost or the remaining £86390 you could spend as you wish?’

Each one of those pounds is a second in your day, don’t let a ‘cheat meal’, cross word or missed chance seem like money ill spent. It's been and gone but you still have so much more to spend on things that you love and that will help you grow. Try and spend your seconds wisely but if you don’t it’s all good, you’re human which means you can learn from your mistakes and invest more wisely next time.

Obviously things will happen that will have greater and longer reprocussions than 10 seconds and it’s ok to feel hurt, angry or sad. The trick is not to become those things. Let the feelings come, process them the best way you know how – I’m a big fan of the rant to the best mate that ends in hysterical tears and a hug, that clears the bad feels right out! Let them in, let them rest then send them on their merry way – do not let them dwell. Dwelling hinders productivity and you’ve got a whole world to explore and create out there!

Don’t be pulled into the #newyearnewme hype. Why do you have to be a new you? Everything you need to change your life you already have – air in your lungs, thoughts in your brain and a beating in your heart. Too many people see a new year as a shedding of the skin and yes leave the negative people, thoughts and experiences behind you. Throw at old clothes, delete old numbers, unfollow old pepple – oh no I mean unfollow negative people, I got into a bit of a flow there. But don’t feel you have to become a whole new person. You’re already amazing all you have to do is realise that for yourself. When ever you lay your head to rest each night relive all the good things that happened in your mind as your drift and leave all the bad stuff where it should be left – in the past.

Welcome in the new year with open arms just as you are going to welcome every new day. Have faith that each day will be filled with joy and opportunity and just see what great things come your way.

This year I have experienced the highest highs of my life and the lowest lows. A couple of times they have collided into each other and caused inexplicable moments of painful bliss. But this year has been the greatest year of my life.

I have encouraged myself to do a lot of reflection this year. My main reason for this is to remind myself that without realising I have reached my destination, I have obtained success. Not because of a thing, or person, or job - but because I feel truly free living out my purpose of engaging emotions in others so that they can see that anything is possible.

5 years ago I walked home from a New Years Eve party, alone and in tears. I thought I was lost, that I had made the wrong choices in life and would be hopeless and alone forever. Even just 2 years ago, the new year began with heartbreak and the feeling of not being worthy. But the whole time I had one thing left, even if I didnt realise it at the time. Faith.

I had faith in the fact that my life would get better. That I would be stronger. That I would be able to help more people to have faith in themselves too. When my number 1 fan, my Nan, was about to be wheeled into surgery to have her leg amputated 3 months ago, having signed a DNR, she said through tears

​'It's my time, the Lord is going to take me now.' I told her,

'You're not going yet, there is so much more you need to see me do.'

When I visited a week later she told me my strength and positivity helped her through. Just like hers had done for me so very many times before. I know there is so much more laid out for me for us to celebrate together. Bless her cottons she's got a laminated news article about me and calls her leg stumpy, that woman at least deserves to see me on a terrestial channel this year!

People think I am crazy. That me saying I will only focus on acting and modelling jobs from this point on, that I will no longer distract myself with work that drags me off of my path, its too much of a risk. Then call me crazy. I am an actress so I will keep a roof over my head and food in my belly by acting. Because I have faith.

I have faith in my abilities. And in my work and determination. I have faith in the people around me, that they too will strive for their own greatness and still support each other in all this madness (2016 has been on a whole other level of cray!). I have faith that the industry will start to open its eyes and widen its arms to the unexpected, unconventional, undiscovered talent out there. I have faith in the no-thingness of the future - that anything can be created, at any moment and it will be a beautiful blessing to the world.

If this year has taught me anything, its that, at any moment, everything can change and rather than being scared and running away we should embrace it and run with it. I have experienced so much love and new life this year that has shown me happiness can out shine any heartache.

Let the painful moments come and show you how strong you can be. Let the joyful moments come and show you how wonderful life can be. Have faith in 2017, have faith in yourself and have faith that anything is possible.

In 2016 I marked off 6.5 out of 10 of my goals for the year. Write yours down for 2017, pop it in a sealed envelope and have faith. Lets all mark 10 out of 10 next year.

Check out my top ten moments of 2016 over on my instagram @LaurenDouglin