It's that time of year again. The beginning. Goal-setting time. Time to get bold with our expectations. Honestly, I can't even count all the things I've said I was going to do in the past year in the interest of self-improvement. If think a lot of people can identify with that feeling of getting overwhelmed, giving up, and feeling even worse than you did about something before you set out to improve it in the first place. This year, I'm approaching the whole idea of New Years resolutions from a different angle. Rather than altering things about myself, I have chosen to focus on areas of my life and things that I can do that not only make me happy, but benefit the people I am around as well. Here's what I'm going to do in 2017.

Create more

Singing is my favorite outlet for self-expression, and combining it with writing is even better. I have already been working on some original songs to perform later in the year, as well as some covers that I want to make my own. I play with multiple fun and talented musicians, and I'm glad to have some upcoming time to work on material with them.

Move more

I've been a dancer since I was really little, and I'm really thankful to still have dance as a significant part of my life. I have been making a conscientious effort to ramp up my physical activity over the past few months, and my involvement in dance activities makes this a lot easier and more enjoyable. Plus, I'm really excited about the Fitbit I got for Christmas. ;)

Have more conversations

It's been five years since I finished my college Spanish classes, and up until very recently I was extremely self-conscious about speaking Spanish outside of a class setting. I find that I don't always remember the accurate vocabulary or grammar when it comes to verb tenses, etc. Working with the public has allowed me to practice with the vocabulary that I remember and really help people who are visiting or have moved to New Orleans from other countries. Their collective response to the effort I make gives me so much encouragement, and it has virtually eliminated my anxiety about any kind of language barrier. I will never forget the elderly woman from Venezuela who reached across the counter to shake my hand and asked if I had been able to live in South America. I asked her if my Spanish was alright, and she responded, "Your Spanish is so good!"

Exercise kindness

Though it's really unfortunate, I have come to the realization that it is painfully difficult for some people to be kind to others. I see it as my duty to model compassion for those who need to see how to be compassionate, and I understand that this may make them uncomfortable or provoke conflict. It is important, especially in the year that we are entering, to maintain an air of acceptance in our society and let our people know that they are loved and accepted for who they are, even if we don't all share the same opinions on every issue.