You know that "New Year, New Me" high? Yea, you know — you start hitting the gym 6x a week, getting 8 hours of sleep a day, changing your eating habits, the whole S H A B A N G! But by the time February hits, you're averaging at about 4-5 hours of sleep, can hardly recognize what a vegetable looks like, and the most physical activity you've done is running to your car to get to Texas Roadhouse for their bottomless rolls before they close. (okay, this did get a little too specific to be relatable, I'll admit that this is actually me...and has been me...every year...

ANYWAY, it's never too late to start over.

And no, I don't care that it is already May and nearly half of 2018 is gone. YOU CAN STILL DO THIS! Don't wait until January 1st, 2019 to start over!

Regardless of if you've given up or you're still going strong towards your resolutions, I want to challenge you all. Write a letter to yourself.

The key to writing this letter is making it embody that New Year high! This should be the letter that encourages you when you're feeling down; the letter that motivates you when you feel uninspired; the letter that holds you accountable when you feel tempted to return to old habits.

When you read this letter you want to feel that passion and enthusiasm and inspiration begin to stir within you and by the time you get to the end of the letter, you're feeling just as motivated as you did on January 1st! Before you grab your pen and paper and start writing, ask yourself these questions:

1. How many letters do you want to write?

You can make one set overall letter that you read throughout the year or multiple letters that you read at different points of the year. For example, no matter what year it is, I experience my lowest amount of positivity around the middle/end of each school semester.

Oh. My. Goodness. I'm talking about overthinking, feeling overwhelmed, overly tired, overly stressed, and extremely convinced that I should drop out of school. (I'm dramatic if you have not noticed just yet).

Because I know this is a reoccurring low point for me, I can target my letter on sending words of encouragement about pushing through with my studies, suggesting that I take one day to relax and calm down, remind myself of my goals for the month, etc. You can also set a reminder on your phone to read your letter around the time of these low points.

2. How should you write the letter?

I like to think of this letter as someone who is motivating me. You can think of your favorite celeb who inspires you or even someone you know that always supports and wants the best for you.

For me, I think about my best friend. I honestly have no idea where I would be in life without her and I am very blessed to have her! Time and time again, she encourages me when I'm feeling down, motivates me when I feel uninspired, and holds me accountable when I feel tempted to return to old habits — a lot like this letter should do for you! She does more than just hear my issues but actually listens to them.

I know that she wants the best for me because she shares and supports my dreams. I know that she will always tell me what I need versus what I want to hear. It is important to have that support which brings me to Question 3:

3. Who will be your support system?

You want to go to that friend that will hold you accountable and make sure you are staying on track this year. Share your 2018 theme and monthly topics with them and explain what you want to accomplish. If you want, you can even invite them to join this challenge with you so that you both can hold the other accountable!

Regardless of how you go about it, this friend must know when to step in and correct you if you are headed in the wrong direction. This could mean that they tell you to read your letter, read your letter to you, or just fuss at you out of love. At the end of the day, you trust their advice because they genuinely care about you.

For those who are reading this and are thinking

"I don't really have that friend that I can go to..."

or you're not ready to share this with a friend just yet, no worries because you're not alone! You can join a forum with other people that can keep you motivated and inspired if you're still a little shy about sharing with others around you. I'm already super excited that you are even reading this! Even if you don't try this challenge, I still pray for your success and I hope my story can be a form of support even in the slightest bit.

I encourage you all to share parts of your journey as it unfolds just as I am 💛. I would love to hear your plans and dreams! Plus you will be surprised by how many like-minded people are around you and who may actually be inspired by your story!

So get to writing! It's never too late to chase your dreams.