This year’s pandemic isolation for most of us has included extreme self reflection. For me, introspection has led to realizing a bad habit: choosing not to love due to the fear of pain, and choosing not to take risks due to the fear of failure. But in a year filled with daunting events that are not under my control, I realized that I should start taking action on the things that I CAN control. “Feet off the ground” is a phrase (based on songs I love) that I repeatedly tell myself and my friends whenever faced with a risky choice. This is the mantra I repeated all year as I drove through hundreds of miles between my home and people I love from afar, reached out to and eventually became best friends with some pals from high school, got another tattoo, made big life decisions, posted music despite impostor syndrome, and decided to restart Harana. This phrase has led me to be more vulnerable and willing to love and learn despite the pain that comes with it-- not just avoid it altogether.