Looking back on this past year, there have been many memorable experiences and moments that I will remember for the rest of my life. From getting a trainee contract with a ballet company, to hiking mountains over the summer, to sneaking into a spa over the Fourth of July; it was moments like those that brought a smile to my face and made me thankful for what a great year I have had. But despite all of those wonderful memories, my year has been filled with learning experiences, as I have made mistakes, like most people. As the new year comes closer and closer, I have five goals that I hope will make myself and my year better.

1. Have more confidence in myself

In different instances, I have caught myself doubting myself and abilities. Often, thoughts such as “I can’t do this,” or “Please don’t yell at me,” drift through my mind. But why do I do this to myself? Why do I look down on myself, and why do I have such a small inkling of confidence when it comes to me? So one of my goals going into the new year is to be more confident in myself. In dance, I have no reason to think that I am not as good as I am. If the director of my company didn’t think I could do it, she would not have chosen me in the first place. I am dancing, and I am learning. I can only do my best, and that is all I can ask of myself. When taking quizzes and tests at school, I often doubt myself before even beginning. When I am confident going into those types of things, I do better. One of the things I plan to do is having more confidence to make my life better overall.

2. Surround myself with good and happy people

I feel at my best when I am happy; I’m sure most people do. I am happiest when I’m dancing. I am happiest when I am with friends. I am happiest when I eat chocolate. There are so many things that make me happy. Being surrounded by people who enjoy similar things as me and have the same morals are two things that make me happy. Lately, I have been hanging out with friends that are positive and enjoy going out to experience the world. I have been with people who like to adventure but also like to spend time cuddled under a blanket, watching movies. I want to surround myself with the type of people who live in the moment, laugh, and smile.

3. Read more books

When I was younger, I read an insane amount. At any given moment, I could be found with my nose in a book. Now, I almost never have time to read. I love to read, and in this next year, I want to spend more time reading. When I say read, I mean reading books that I enjoy, not books for school. Reading books about teenage drama, romance, and mystery are the types of books I am looking forward to reading. My goal is to make time for reading, because that makes me happy.

4. Manage my stress better

I am a stressed person, and I tend to worry. Going into 2018, I hope to manage my stress better. I want to work in advance and not procrastinate with my work. When I get stressed, I shut down and tend to spend too much time thinking and not enough time working. By managing my stress, my year would run more smoothly.

5. Be more positive

I am usually a pretty negative person. I say negative words too much, and I spend a lot of time looking down or feeling bad about myself. Positivity is something that I look for in people, so when it comes to myself, I want to be more positive. Being positive is an attractive trait, and I hope to find it in myself throughout the year.

Whether I am being more confident, positive, reading more, managing stress better, or surrounding myself with happy people, my goals for 2018 are hopefully going to make my year better. Even though I usually don’t follow through with my goals, this year I have made a promise to myself that I will.