Those looking to keep up their positive energy when it comes to achieving their goals in the new year should look no further than Donté Colley’s Instagram. Colley, a 21-year-old from Toronto, Canada, went viral on the social platform for the motivational dancing videos he posts, each of them with a supportive and encouraging message, slick dance moves, and emoji enhancement.
In an interview with Buzzfeed News, Colley shared that his friends’ delight at the videos inspired him to make more of them and noted that social media can sometimes be a dark place, which is why he aims to bring a positive element to it with his videos.
“Social media can become such a grey, overwhelming and kind of defeating platform just because it’s seen as everybody’s highlight reel and it’s like everybody’s living their best lives, and that can kind of make us question our purpose from time to time,” he said. “So I guess I make these videos because I just like making people feel good.”
Colley’s videos have been shared by the likes of Tracee Ellis Ross and landed him appearances on Busy Tonight and Good Morning America. See his most inspiring videos below.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Where Trump 2.0 Will Differ From 1.0
- How Elon Musk Became a Kingmaker
- The Power—And Limits—of Peer Support
- The 100 Must-Read Books of 2024
- Column: If Optimism Feels Ridiculous Now, Try Hope
- The Future of Climate Action Is Trade Policy
- FX’s Say Nothing Is the Must-Watch Political Thriller of 2024
- Merle Bombardieri Is Helping People Make the Baby Decision
Write to Cady Lang at cady.lang@timemagazine.com