And now let us believe in a long year that is given to us, new, untouched, full of things that have never been

I’ve always liked the idea of making resolutions to start off the new year. It’s a way of turning the page and starting anew. But I don’t think January 1 is the only time of year to make plans and set goals for ourselves. I’m a big fan of starting fresh when you say you’re ready to, whether that’s on January 1 or June 21.

Usually my New Year’s Resolutions are pretty vague and very general and generally unattainable. This year I wanted to be sure to make resolutions I would actually stick to, ones that would actually make me happy and proud of myself. I also made a promise to myself to revisit my resolutions on the first of every month to check in and see how I’m doing with each of them. March 1 is here, and it’s time to sit down and evaluate where I’m at with my resolutions, now two months into 2019.

Be a little kinder than you have to.

Happy September 1! The beginning of a new month means lot of things. First of all, the first of September means the Hogwarts Express leaves today! Yay for another year at Hogwarts. But the start of a new month always means new beginnings and a fresh start. I can't think of a better way to start fresh than to be kind. And kindness is so easy! It's probably one of the easiest things in the whole world because kindness is free. To prove that to you, I've compiled a list of random acts of kindness that don't cost a thing. I dare you to try one out today!

Go forth and do well. But, more importantly, go forth and do good.

I've always loved the idea of doing good things, and I try really hard in my daily life to actually do good things.

In high school I was a part of an organization called RAK, which stands for Random Acts of Kindness and Rachel's Ambassador Klub. We did various service activities and volunteer projects. Being involved in RAK really triggered my interest in service and volunteering and just plain old kindness. It became one of my biggest passions and my number one goal to be kind.

I started thinking about ways I could incorporate this newfound passion into my future. I knew there would always be opportunities to be kind and volunteer my time, but I wanted to make a career out of it. I wanted to be kind full-time and promote the idea of being kind to everyone I could.

Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?'

One of the t-shirts on my t-shirt quilt from high school is from RAK’s first MLK Day On. It features one of my favorite MLK quotes.

As I’m sure you know, this past Monday was Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. This American federal holiday is held on the third Monday of January each year to mark King’s birthday, January 15.

The National Martin Luther King Day of Service was started by two former government officials, a Pennsylvania Senator and an Atlanta Congressman, who co-authored the King Holiday and Service Act. This federal legislation challenges Americans to transform this holiday into a day of service in honor of Dr. King. Many schools, organizations, and companies observe the holiday as a day of service.

When I was in high school, I was a part of a club called RAK, which stands for Random Acts of Kindness and Rachel’s Ambassador Klub. This club is dedicated, to put it simply, to making the world a better place. What RAK does at meetings and events can be summed up into one word: service. We volunteer, we do service projects, we help out in any way possible.