After college — and with a fresh battery in my pacemaker (a procedure I'll need to have every five to 10 years) — I soon landed my dream job performing on cruise ships. I sang and danced on the main stage for Broadway, rock, and Cirque de Soleil shows. This took me from Russia to Fiji and many parts in between. Traveling, meeting all kinds of new people, and still doing work that you love is really like living life to the fullest, whether you’re facing an expiration date or not. And finally, the limits on me and my heart aren't as strict. I still have to take medicine three times a day and I will never be able to visit anywhere at high altitude (which also means no skiing!), but oh well — I’m a SoCal girl, anyway. The pacemaker helps get my heart rate up in order to do strenuous activity, which is a part of my job, and sometimes I feel it kick in when I dance — but that’s only about 1% of the time. The rest of the time my heart beats on its own. This is nothing short of a marvel of modern medicine. And, my pacemaker records different types of events that my heart has experienced; like physical memories held inside my heart. Who gets to have that? These days, I travel the country, taking performing gigs as they come. I'm still not holding back. I still test my limits to see just how high I can soar. I recently returned to Southern California where I am teaching elementary school children theater, dance, and voice; I hope to share with these kids the crucial importance of believing in your own ability to achieve your dreams. I’m also starting to work on my first album, which is something I’ve wanted since I was around 10 years old. Based on my track record with other childhood dreams, I have reason to believe I will accomplish it. So here we go, 2017: I can do anything I want if I put my mind to it; my heart will just have to keep up. Next, see how a beauty routine passed down from generations helped this writer find his "very good light ." Quit hating (on yourself!) and make room for real personal growth . Or, join Stacy London in NOT taking on too much for once. It's your year, make it magic.