Happy New Year to my fellow bloggers and readers! I hope 2015 treated you well 😛 This year I spent new years eve in downtown Seattle drinking beer and eating cinnamon rolls with some of my closest friends. We huddled next to a fireplace on a rooftop and got to witness some surreal fireworks dancing above the space needle. It was definitely one of my favorite new years experiences so far!

Like every new year, 2016 represents a time of reflection for our future aspirations. It’s also a time we should remind ourselves of our values because they are so often forgotten in the routine of our everyday lives. Here are 10 humanist ideas to follow for the upcoming year- thanks to one of my intellectual heroes, Bertrand Russell, for inspiring many of these.

• 1- Read incessantly. Read fiction to enrich your imagination and nonfiction to expand your knowledge of the world.
• 2- Always doubt and never stop questioning. Never feel absolutely certain of anything.
• 3- Tell the people you love that you love them. Hatred is foolish, let it go.
• 4- Be truthful even if it’s inconvenient. Lying is the royal road to chaos.
• 5- Be open to eccentric opinions. Something that is considered absurd today may become common sense tomorrow.
• 6- Take chances. Don’t regret avoiding the new and unfamiliar.
• 7- Don’t be afraid to suffer through discipline. Sacrificing short term pleasures is often a road to happiness.
• 8- Enjoy the ordinary days. You can only have one worst day of your life.
• 9- Listen carefully. Overcome disagreement by thinking slowly and controlling your emotions.
• 10- Never stop creating. Give yourself the experience of discovery and imagination. And then when you’re ready, share it with the world.