In 2017, I'm challenging myself to do all of the things that I've been too scared to do before. I'm going to take responsibility for myself, take care of myself, be patient with myself and others, and be present and mindful each and every day.

Being self-aware is both a blessing and a curse. I'm always attuned to the way I am feeling, but this receptiveness to my emotions frequently takes me out of the present moment into the depths of my mind. I always thought that being present would be scary; I thought that experiencing actions and emotions in real time was the worst thing imaginable. But now I am learning that presence and mindfulness are the keys to positivity, openness and happiness.

We are often taught to be resistant; resist change, resist sadness, resist negativity. But I would like to challenge resistance. Instead, I would like to acknowledge. Acknowledge change - you can't stop it from happening, so why try to control it? Acknowledge sadness - emotions are real and unstoppable, and the more you try to resist them, the more present they will be in your mind.

I'm not going to pretend like I know the keys to happiness and success. I know that I'm far from achieving either of those things in my life. But I've been attempting to practice and implement methods of mindfulness into my life so that I can be more at peace with my body, my mind, and my emotions and so far, I have experienced wonderfully positive effects. And if I can share some of the things that I have learned with the people around me, then it makes me feel a little more connected to the universe.

I think connection is all that anyone is ever searching for. We all want to feel like we are a part of something larger than ourselves, that we aren't born into a world alone with nothing but our consciousness. We all possess the ability to be present, mindful, patient and connected, but the busy pace of life makes us resistant to these things. Take one moment - take a deep breath. Feel the weight of your body. Realize how incredible it is that you have the opportunity to exist in a single moment, that your body is connected to everything and present in the world in this moment. It's quite magnificent.

So, happy new year. Be open, be kind, don't resist. Accept change, relinquish control, and try your best to mozy along on your path to greatness.