Happy new year!

If you’re like a lot of people, you’ll come out of your late-night fog this morning, realize it really is 2006 and immediately begin to re-evaluate your goals and reshuffle your priorities.

Any expert will tell you that baby steps are the key to success. So today we begin a series of stories to help you tackle your personal assessment in bite-size chunks. These aren’t necessarily life-changing steps, just small ways to alter your outlook, strengthen relationships and get in touch with yourself.

Our first suggestion: Discover the arts.

If you’ve lived here for any length of time, you know, at least by reputation, that Lawrence nurtures a burgeoning arts community. Theaters, galleries, museums and performance halls play host to musicians, dancers, actors and artists from down the street and around the world.

You might be thinking: “Money is tight. How can I justify a trip to the theater?” Consider this: You can usually catch a show by English Alternative Theatre or the independent E.M.U. Theatre for less than $10. Galleries and museums are free. You can even see a Broadway touring company at the Lied Center for around $40 (half that much if you’re a student).

How does that stack up to what you pay for other leisure activities? Season tickets for six events at the Kansas Speedway range from $200 to $305 per person. Season tickets to a single Lied Center series, which generally includes four or five shows, run $89 to $225. You can see all six shows the Lawrence Community Theatre stages each year for $99.

But season tickets are a big step. Maybe you just want a taste. Wherever you fall on the consumption spectrum, this preview provides a long-range look at the highlights.