Although many — myself included — thought that 2021 would be an improvement from 2020, simply put, it was not. The world was struggling with tense political climates, worsening global warming, what feels like a never-ending pandemic and ongoing socioeconomic problems. 

Meanwhile, on a personal level, my 2021 was a mental health rollercoaster; anxiety and stress took over my life. As a high school senior and a teenage girl, it is sometimes hard to find a balance between outside pressure and inner harmony; however, as we move into 2022, I am determined to work towards improving this balance.  

Rather than setting a goal like exercising for an hour every day or learning how to speak three new languages, this year, I intend to facilitate personal growth and allow myself to gradually discover the things that will help make me the person I want to be. To gather my thoughts and develop my plans for the year, I created a Canva design and organized my ideas under a few categories such as mind, health and productivity. The ideas are grouped in phrases that reflect the changes I hope to make over the course of 2022. I plan to make these changes progressively rather than trying to accomplish them immediately.

Since I am determined to prioritize improving my mental health, I have to remind myself that setting unrealistic goals is counterproductive; thus, I have come to terms with the fact there will be ups and downs throughout the year. I acknowledge that some of the changes I want to make will not be as easy to fulfill as others, like creating a sustainable morning routine versus listening to a podcast episode. 

Whether it be through taking more walks, playing with your pets, reading books, trying fun recipes or exploring new places, I encourage everyone to fill their 2022 with activities that make them happy. Personally, I want my 2022 to look completely different from the past couple of years and I plan to accomplish this through individual decisions and changes. I understand that life is extremely unpredictable, but I know that I can overcome the unexpected in order to attain the lifestyle I want to live in 2022.