Taylor swift has resonated me since seeing her live at 4 years old on September 27th, 2011. She has been my biggest role model since that moment and I have always felt a deep connection to her lyrics. Seeing the 1989 tour was incredibly special but, once the vault had been unlocked I had found new lyrics that I resonated with. If I were to put together a soundtrack for my year so far, it would be full of Taylor Swift songs from numerous albums. But one 1989 specifically, the song “Now That We Don’t Talk” from 1989 (Taylors Version) would absolutely have a place on it. This song displays my constant efforts this year to release what does not serve me. Experienced this year demonstrated to me that I frequently allowed things in my life to drain my energy. I put so much effort into everything in my life and often failed to assess if those things were serving me. I found that to prioritize myself and become the best version of myself, I had to let these things go. This song displays the aftermath of a relationship in which someone is reflecting on their life without that person in it. They reflect on who they have become and what they have released. This heavily resonates with me as I recently had to disconnect myself from a friendship that frankly meant a lot to me. In the end however, I had to address the harm it was causing me and the lack of reciprocated appreciation and effort. I grieved this relationship like I would a break-up. I grieved the memories and the connection we once had. This year I have allowed myself to process, and grow from it. During the end of this relationship I frequently found myself undermining my value, wasting my energy on over-evaluating what I was doing wrong. I failed to consider that it may just be a dying flame. A connection that was dissolving. It no longer served me to focus night and day on the changes I could be making to fix it. Once this weight had been lifted from my shoulders I entered a growth mindset. I allowed this situation to set a future precedent. When something was going more harm than good, I needed to learn to detach myself and once this mental shift had been made, I began to flourish. Now that we don't talk, I have found my self worth once again. I hold confidence in social settings and don't have to pretend I am something I am not. I don't have to pretend I like acid rock! My energy is redirected towards those who reciprocate it. Though I frequently reflect on who they were to me much like Taylor does, I can begin to celebrate who I have become now that we don't talk.

From a young age, I found myself in roles of leadership. Whether it was leading my gymnastics team in a meet or simply calling a restaurant to make a reservation for my friends, I naturally drifted towards that role. Im my community, there is a program called the Youth Leadership Academy. When I first heard of YLA I was intrigued. As someone who is passionate towards their intrinsically unique community, the idea of having a voice in the betterment of it, is captivating to say the least. Furthermore, I have learned so much about the power of my own voice in my six months in YLA, as well as the value of working with peers to accomplish our aligned goals. In this program there is a "chair" position. This member works alongside our adult facilitator to lead conversation dn guide the group of passionate youth in the right direction. As I have watched this position be filled by influential youth, I believed that I too could have an impact in this position so, I applied. When viewing the roles that chair possessed, they were all very compelling to me. One of the roles/qualities that inspired me the most was the act of facilitating conversation to ensure all voices are heard. In a room of powerful voices, you must be aware and mindful of ensuring that everyone gets an opportunity to speak and let their voice be heard no matter the volume of their voice. I believe that the strongest leaders are listeners. Through taking the time to listen to your peers, you can all grow as a unit to better the organization. When it comes to accomplishing our goals with YLA, I believe that this mindful listening is of immense value. In order to provide guidance for a group, it is crucial that the ideas of the whole table are taken into account; this requires attentive listening. This role of leadership when it comes to the facilitation of conversation, to enhance our success as an organization is pivotal. It was my value and demonstrated of these qualities that earned me the position of YLA chair. With these traits, I have guided my group through professional development trainings and even had the honor of presenting at the Shared Risks and Protective Factors conference in Keystone,Colorado. I am immensely grateful for the opportunities I gained in the position and I believe that my leadership abilities are reflected in the success of the group and the individual growth of the current members.