Rashida is no stranger to New Year’s resolutions, but this year, she’s taking a different approach to make sure she experiences everything on her list. Let’s see what ideas Rashida has planned for this exciting new year!

Happy New Year, Rashida! It’s so nice to finally sit down with you and talk about all your plans for 2020!

Happy New Year! I’ve got so many new activities I want to learn, and this year is the perfect time to do everything on my list!

Everybody has been making New Year’s resolutions and trying their best to stick with them. Have you set any goals for yourself that you want to accomplish?

Oh yes! I made a list of all the things I want to do, but instead of calling them resolutions, I told myself that I’m going to create Happy Habits!

Every time I made a resolution in the past, it got a little difficult to continue doing it after January, but I learned that building a good habit can help turn my goals into a daily routine.

Wow, that sounds very interesting, Rashida. What are some of these “Happy Habits” that you’ve created for yourself?

I want to read for a minimum of 30 minutes a day (usually before bedtime), give out a compliment to someone I meet, and listen to others a whole lot more – people have lots of interesting stories to share!

Those are my habits and goals that I set each day, but I’m also learning how to ski and snowboard before the snow melts. And once it’s summer, I want to learn how to rollerblade!

You certainly have a lot of activities that you want to accomplish this year. How are they going so far?

Some days are challenging, but I manage to do them all on most days. So far, I’ve learned that clouds weigh over one million pounds, the cookie monster’s real name is Sid, and in Switzerland, it’s illegal to own only one guinea pig because they get lonely.

Whether I’m learning something big or small, it always motivates me to continue moving forward, and I know that as long as I always try my best, that’s what matters most.

That is really impressive, and you’re absolutely right! Have you started skiing and snowboarding yet?

I started two weekends ago. I learned how to keep my balance on the skis while making left and right turns, and I learned how to stop on the snowboard while sliding on the mini hills!

Ha ha, it sounds like you might be getting the hang of it.

It’s so much fun! I was able to use the skills I learned in horseback riding to help me, but it’s a really great experience learning something that I’ve never done before.

All of us can’t wait to see you out on the slopes. Thank you so much for sharing your “Happy Habits” with us, Rashida. We hope your 2020 is going to be filled with lots of happiness and excitement!

Thank you so very much, you’ve made this interview really fun!! There’s my compliment for today, ha ha.

Listening and reading can lead to learning new words. Here are a few that were used in Rashida’s interview:

Resolutions – deciding to do (or not to do) something

Accomplish – to achieve or complete something successfully

Happy Habits – a positive way to think about completing your goals

Routine – a usual way of doing things

Minimum – the smallest/lowest amount possible

Compliment – saying something kind to another person

Illegal – not allowed to be done by law

Impressive – something done with great skill or quality