Hillary Clinton’s Latest Instagram Post Will Get You Pumped About A Better Year Ahead

As it turns out, politicians are ringing in the New Year on social media just like you. Former presidential candidate and secretary of state Hillary Clinton's new year Instagram post urged organizers, marchers, and activists working for change to make a "shared commitment to make [2019] as bright as possible." Clinton also highlighted who, in particular, she was especially grateful for in 2018, despite how "dark" that year may have been.

In the caption to an old photo of herself, former President Bill Clinton, and Chelsea Clinton, Clinton wrote,

In many ways, 2018 was a dark time for our country. As it ends, I'm grateful to everyone who brought light into it: activists who protected kids at the border, journalists who stood up for truth, organizers who mobilized voters for the 2018 elections, candidates who ran races with grit and inspiration, voters who made their voices heard, and absolutely everyone who marched, donated, called, and protested to fight for the values we share," Here's to more light in 2019, and to a shared commitment to make it as bright as possible. Happy New Year.

HuffPost reported the archival photo was of the trio watching fireworks that celebrated Bill's second presidential victory on Nov. 5, 1996. Clinton shared a shorter caption on Twitter: "I'm grateful to everyone who brought light into 2018: organizers, journalists, candidates, marchers, activists, and voters. Here's to you. Happy New Year."

Despite taking a more abbreviated public role in the 2018 midterms — politicians like former President Barack Obama and former Vice President Joe Biden campaigned in multiple states — Clinton remained a focal point for Republicans and President Donald Trump. At a rally in Erie, Pennsylvania, in early October 2018, Trump accused the former secretary of state of a direct conspiracy between Russia and Clinton's presidential campaign. "There was collusion between Hillary, the Democrats and Russia," Trump said, according to NBC News. "There was a lot of collusion with them and Russia and lots of other people."

The next day, Clinton replied on Twitter, "Seriously, you asked Russia to hack me on national television," referencing a July 2016 press conference where Trump asked Russia to hack Clinton's campaign. "Delusion, not collusion," Clinton spokesman Nick Merrill told NBC News when asked for comment on Trump's rally.

Even though she remained a focus of conservative politicians, Clinton didn't let that stop her from celebrating hardworking Democratic women in 2018. In a speech at Glamour's Women of the Year awards after the midterm election in November, Clinton said she knew the same time period in 2016 had been "a rough one," but she was proud of what came of her loss. "My personal disappointment wasn't so much about what happened, but how do we create even more opportunity for all the people in America. 'An America that's hopeful, inclusive and big-hearted,' as I said afterward. That remains my mission today," Clinton said in her speech, according to HuffPost.

Clinton said the "highest, hardest" glass ceiling might not yet be cracked, but the midterm victories showed progress.

"I told little girls that they deserved every chance and opportunity to pursue their own dreams. But I didn't realize how many women were listening as well," Clinton said, according to HuffPost. "Maybe we didn’t crack that highest, hardest ceiling, but we did charge straight through the wall and into the arena."

As 2019 begins to see more presidential campaigns crop up, we'll get to see how Clinton will bring "more light" into the world.