As 2016 draws to a close, I’ve been reviewing my challenges and successes in order to make a plan for the new year. The question that seems to be the most valuable to my inquiry is: how can I feel even more joyful? And this leads to an application of my economics degree: what is the smallest investment that will bring the largest payoff? (Yes, I have indeed begun to integrate all of my knowledge to support my personal growth!)

The answer that popped into my mind was hardly surprising. Music. Music can shift my mood in an instant. Dance. Combining creative, free-style movement with uplifting tunes can totally elevate my vibration very quickly. 

In support of creating the most happy and healthy 2017, I’ve decided to commit to dancing every morning. Just for one song. (You may have heard me talk about this trick before. Commit to one small act and very often a chain reaction gets triggered. Before you know it, your resistance has disappeared and you’re eagerly complying with your self-care strategy.)

I think this idea is so brilliant, I’ve been engaging with it for the past week. And loving it! I actually wake up looking forward to my three minute dance party. Which often turns into a ten or fifteen minute dance party. But when it doesn’t, that’s cool too. 

So rather than choosing resolutions that smack of suffering and deprivation, I’d like to encourage everybody to explore doing something they absolutely love, something that feeds the soul, on a more frequent basis. Beginning every day by inviting joy and vitality is a sure fire recipe for a happier life, don’t you think?