It may seem like most of the stars from The Bold and the Beautiful, The Young and the Restless, General Hospital and Days of our Lives lead picture perfect lives, but even they have a little room for improvement. But what kind of changes do they foresee making in the brand new year ahead? Soap Central posed the question "What is one thing you'd like to take less for granted or focus more on in 2016," and their answers just may surprise you. Read on to find out what some of the genre's most beloved stars hope to do more of in the year ahead, and then let us know what changes you plan to make in your life come 2016.
Martha Madison (Bella Black, DAYS)
I always want to focus more on my daughter and keep learning how to improve as a parent. Maybe a cooking class (or ten) would be a good start!
Ashleigh Brewer (Ivy Forrester, B&B)
I'd like to focus on being patient and giving everything the time [it] deserves.
Bryan Dattilo (Lucas Roberts, DAYS)
Life is so hard, because you're going through it and you're trying to absorb all you can and make the most out of every moment, but until something [tragic] happens, you can't appreciate things enough. So... appreciate every moment. It sounds so cliché, but you have to. You have to examine every moment for what it is, you have to make sure the people you love know you love them, you have to make sure the people you care about know you care about them, and there's never a bad time to say it. I [always] tell my family that I love them and I'm glad that they're there.
Sean Carrigan (Ben "Stitch" Rayburn, Y&R)
Spend more time in comedy clubs doing stand up.
Ari Zucker (Nicole Walker, DAYS)
This has been a big year emotionally change wise for myself and for my family and the appreciation that I want to continue: Thank you for my job, thank you for the health of my child, thank you for my relationship, thank you for good people around me and continuing to fill my life with that. And I never want to stop growing. I never want to stop feeling love for the people in my life, because the best thing on the planet is to wake up every morning and feel happy. And it is the hardest thing to do. It's easier to be grumpy. And how many times do you hear parents say, "Turn that frown upside down!" Well, hello parents, I've got news for you: How about YOU turn that frown upside down! And I'm one to say that I have to remember [to be happy], and after awhile, it isn't such a chore, and you're a happy person.
Christopher Sean (Paul Narita, DAYS)
Not forgetting to stop and smell the flowers.
Brytni Sarpy (Valerie Spencer, GH)
I think 2015 I spent most of my time focusing on my goals and taking care of my immediate family. I will be bringing more of my focus in 2016, on helping out on a bigger scale. Making a bigger impact in our society and world, and setting bigger examples for those who follow or have any appreciation for my work and story.
Richard Burgi (Paul Hornsby, GH)
JOY.
Susan Hayes (Julie Williams, DAYS)
I'd like to focus more on our writing. Bill [Hayes, Doug Williams, DAYS] has just finished the first draft to the sequel to our novel. We spent seven years writing a novel that has been published in a small way, and we'd like to see it republished. So I would like to have less housework time and more writing time!
Scott Clifton (Liam Spencer, B&B)
I would like to devote myself to being more financially responsible and forward thinking and learn how to provide monetarily for my family outside of just working.
Vinessa Antoine (Jordan Ashford, DAYS)
Focus more on writing.
Robert Palmer Watkins (Dillon Quartermaine, GH)
I'd like to focus more on the now. Enjoy every minute and feel everything that's happening around me. My life has changed so much this past year and id like to let it all sink in.
Aloma Wright (Maxine Landis, DAYS)
I would love to spend more time with kid and my granddaughters. One lives in Florida, and I rarely see [her]. So to spend more time with my family.
Rebecca Herbst (Elizabeth Webber, GH)
I'm determined to spend more time in 2016 doing fun things and less time...cleaning!
Miles Gaston Villaneuva (Luca Santori, Y&R)
Forgiveness.
Judi Evans (Adrienne Kiriakis, DAYS)
The great thing about my other job [as a sales director at a funeral home] is that this question comes up every day, because every day I see [death]. You have to say every day that you love someone, and if you get in a fight with somebody, make sure that your last words to them aren't angry words. Be grateful every day for getting up in the morning and for the people that you love. It's a great question because it's something that everybody should think about every day. Before you go to bed, say, "I love you." Because a lot of people don't wake up. So make sure your last words are good ones.
Bill Hayes (Doug Williams, DAYS)
Your family and friends you should never take for granted.
Sofia Pernas (Marisa Sierras, Y&R)
Short of sounding like a terrible cliché, I'd say life. I'm a serial homebody, and I need to force myself to go out more and enjoy my youth and my 20s while I still have it.
Christopher Sean (Paul Narita, DAYS)
I truly aspire for greatness. I hope that I'm constantly growing as a person, and I am making proper choices. I am guided by what is right. So in my life, I have asked myself many times, I have said, "Self, what does self want?" And I want to be a role model, I want to open non-profits to help other people. On my dying bed, what's the one thing I wish? I wish for everybody in my life that I've made smile or brought an understanding to anything, to be there at my bedside and to just say goodbye.
How do you feel about the actors' answers to our New Years question? What's something you wish to take less for granted or focus more on in 2016? We want to hear from you -- so drop your comments in the Comments section below, tweet about it on Twitter, share it on Facebook, or chat about it on our Message Boards.
