16 Things To Do in 2016

Happy New Year!

This is a spontaneous post of gratitude for the New Year. Although 2015 was not an easy year for me,  I am ever so grateful for the lessons I learned. Keeping these lessons in mind, I created a bucket list of 16 things to do in 2016. I will incorporate these into my future posts to keep track of my progress!

1. Eliminate negative relationships.

Whether it is an old friendship or a nasty ex, I have found it is freeing to release myself from old and unhealthy relationships. It is so important to spend time with people who reciprocate my efforts. 

2. Expand horizons.

It is so easy to get stuck in the rut of the same friends, especially as a second semester senior. Even though I have a great group of friends, I have tried to talk to others more. Though I was incredibly nervous at first, now I found a new confidence, and I aim to carry this confidence through my senior year and into college.

3. Try something new.

With college approaching, there will certainly be a lot of new in my life. From the little things (like doing laundry and cooking regularly) to the big things (majoring in dance and living far from home), I hope to embrace them all. One of my Christmas gifts was a pair of tap shoes; though I tapped when I was little, I am trying to pick it back up! It is definitely good for my brain.

4. Do more of what you love.

For me, this means dance, read, play my violin, sing, and the list could go on and on. And, after an official 6 months of blogging, I realized how much I love to write! This blog will continue this year, hopefully with at least 2 posts per week.

5. Be passionate about everything you do.

I have this theory about life that I should never be blase or apathetic about any aspect of my life. When faced with the choice of success versus happiness, I vow to choose happiness each and every time.

6. Forgive someone, or a lot of people.

This is always so hard for me. I can be very prideful, and forgiving someone takes a lot of my strength. In addition, I also want to be sure to ask for forgiveness when I need it. 

7. Be genuine.

Recently, I have stopped editing myself in front of people. Of course, manners and tact matter, but I am trying to say what I think and act as I truly am. It is a refreshing change to the fake front I sometimes put up. In 2016, I am fully abandoning the facade and becoming my genuine self.

8. Stay active.

I will get my butt moving as much as possible. As a dancer, studio time consumes many of my evenings, so I want to increase my outside activity. I love to run and swim, so I am definitely going to uphold my cross-training in 2016.

9. Judge less.

Everyone has a background story. We are all broken, so we cannot diminish the stories nor the struggles of others.

10. Love more.

As a complement to number 9, I want to love people for who they are, even at the expense of my comfort. Sharing in each other's brokenness makes us whole.

11. Make little acts of kindness regular.

Smile at strangers. Say hi to old friends. Put post it notes with sweet messages in bathrooms. Stuff like that.

12. See more of the world.

I am going off to college, so this will definitely be fulfilled. I do not intend to go on a journey, but seeing more of the world sometimes means visiting a new coffee shop or stopping in a bookstore that is usually out of my way. It is all part of the "try new things" phase (see number 3).

13. Pray more.

Between social media and music, there is not a lot of silence in my life. I want to devote more quiet time to God, for the sake of my religious relationship and my sanity.

14. Worry less.

Spend less time worrying about the future and more time focusing on the now. Certain things are out of my control, and I am working to accept a "let it be" attitude in my life.

15. Read!

I am a polyliteramore after all! I love many books, and I am so excited to carry my book blogging, Bookstagram, and Booklr into this year.

16. Embrace spontaneity.

I want this to be my mantra for 2016. My Type-A personality tends to take over, and I often think of the opportunities I miss by not being spontaneous. Yes, I am still going to have a planner and a schedule; that's my personality. But, this year, I want to be brave enough to say yes to a coffee date on a whim or to attend an event I did not plan on seeing.

The small print on my new calendar says, "She occasionally gets a yearning for elaborate and peculiar adventures in her life." This is exactly what I desire this year.

2016 will be my year to live the abundant life.