THREE… TWO… ONE… Happy New Year! You are immediately surrounded by joy as you and your family ring in the new year. You can feel the excitement as you watch the ball drop on the screen and the fireworks explode outside your window- talk about a thrilling moment!

Personally, as the clock is ticking down on New Year’s Eve, I am overwhelmed with questions. What are my resolutions? Should I quit this? How should I act? Am I going to stop doing this? My advice – BREATHE. Despite the ticking clock, do not put so much pressure on yourself to have an organized list of resolutions for the new year.

“Tomorrow, is the first blank page of a 365 page book. Write a good one,” wrote Brad Paisley, an American country music singer and songwriter. 

Paisley’s quote highlights the endless opportunities a new year brings. As December comes to an end and we start the new year, I struggle with defining personal expectations and then following through with them. 

Having reasonable goals and being optimistic for what you want to accomplish are key to realizing your goals, however, feeling the need to completely change yourself and become a “new you” is not. Becoming the best version of yourself is not something that is accomplished overnight, or over the course of a year. It is a lifetime work which begins with little steps.

 Let’s break it down into a few tips…. 

1. Start small. For example, if you want to be healthier this year, do not start a crazy diet or try to workout out for hours a day. This is simply unrealistic and not sustainable. Instead, make a point of doing some walking each day and eating foods that feel good for you. 
2. Keep a journal. Track your progress, goals, failures. ALL OF IT. Reflect on each day and write about how you can overcome a challenge you faced on the previous day.
3. Add instead of remove. What does this mean? Instead of removing all negativity from your day, try adding two positive things in your daily routine. It is much easier to add something then force yourself to completely stop doing something.  

The New Year is a time to evaluate, plan, and grow. Try not to stress and over complicate it. Your year, is YOUR year, no one else’s. Take in every day and be proud of even the small, yet powerful changes you can make.