The new year is here, and you are ready to hit the ground running! You want to make some big changes, improve your life, and be the best you you can be! Like many of us, though, you may be having a hard time making those resolutions stick past mid-January. To make a real change, you need some operatic inspiration. Here are some examples to kick off the new year on a high note!

Get in shape

This year, don’t just aim to “eat better” and “go to the gym.” Take your inspiration from Brünnhilde and become a warrior who would make the Valkyries proud! Be ready to battle whatever this year throws at you. You’ve got to be quick, strong, and ready to fight. "Ho jo to ho!"

Get more sleep

Somnambulism is an “arousal parasomnia” that can be exacerbated by sleep depravation. Without a good night's sleep, you might be the next Amina, walking out on an unstable bridge in the middle of the night dreaming about your ex-fiance. Aim for the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep per night, and keep yourself safe in bed. Sleepwalking isn't always as pretty as this Natalie Dessay performance of “Ah! non creda” from Bellini’s La sonnambula.

Travel more

Maybe you want to travel, but you’re not sure where to go. Take a page out of Bob's book from Menotti’s The Old Maid and the Thief and just wander. Go wherever the wind takes you. Experience all that life has to offer. Traveling is one of the best things you can do to broaden your worldview, meet new people, or just enjoy a daiquiri at a poolside bar. You don’t have to have a full itinerary, just an impulse to explore and a curious mind. Don’t take all of Bob’s advice. You can and probably should have a permanent residence of some kind. If you fall in love, you don’t have to leave them just because the air is singing of summer. 

Learn to cook

If you're the kind of person whose cooking skills basically stop at toast, it may be time to make some changes. Ordering Pad Thai every night is expensive and unhealthy. Cooking is a fun and valuable life skill, and there’s no better time to learn than 2019. Not sure where to start? Let opera be your guide. Lee Hoiby’s Bon Appétit! is a short one act opera for mezzo-soprano that recreates Julia Child’s TV show in the operatic style. Watch the brilliant Catherine Cook for a taste of Hoiby’s work, then go watch some episodes of The French Chef to get some ideas for dinner tonight.

Reconnect with old friends

Do you have friends who you’ve lost touch with over the years? Would you like to reconnect with them? Just reach out! There’s nothing stopping you! Look, it might be that you and this old friend were once in love with the same woman, or that even though you vowed to place your friendship over this woman, they pursed a relationship with her anyway. Let the past be the past! Go grab a coffee and talk about the latest episode of The Good Place. To rekindle a friendship in style, take a cue from Zurga and Nadir in their duet from Bizet’s Les pêcheurs de perles. You and your friend don’t have to be shirtless while you proclaim your BFF status, but hey, you do you.

Make family a priority

Sometimes your sister steals your favorite sweater. Sometimes your brother hogs the TV. Sometimes your long-lost mother turns out to be the woman who was trying to blackmail you into marrying her. Family can be complicated, as seen in this sextet from Le nozze di Figaro, but with a foundation of love you can overcome almost anything. A new year can be a great time to recommit to making family a priority. Make an effort to see your parents a little more this year, or start a family group text to keep in touch with everyone. At the very least, call your mother. She worries.

The new year is a perfect time to set new goals. Fortunately, opera can provide inspiration for almost anything you hope to achieve. Best of luck with making these lasting changes for 2019 or at least trying to make them stick until February. Happy New Year!