It’s the time of year where people set resolutions for the New Year, make some kind of drastic change and every other Instagram post is “new year, new me!!!”

I have jumped on that bandwagon almost every year, until now.

This year, I am focusing on intentions instead of resolutions and I am making my motto “new year, better me.” The New Year does not mean I am going to change myself into someone new, because I love who I am. However, I know I can be better – a better person, a better daughter, a better sister, a better friend, etc. – and I am challenging myself this year to grow and better myself and those around me.

I broke down my intentions and goals into categories for the year and then broke those down into smaller, monthly goals. My main categories focus on mental health, personal goals and fitness/health goals.

For mental health, I plan to reflect more – this past year, I tried to write a little more each day and try to connect with myself more and more, and it was absolutely wonderful. I crave more. So, whether I write more, make more art, or lock myself in a dead silent room with my thoughts for five minutes a day, I intend to make time for it.

My personal goals related more toward old hobbies that got lost in the transition from teenage to adult world. For example, reading. When I was younger, I lived in the library. I was constantly checking out new books, participating in summer reading challenges and writing out lists of books I planned to read. My nose was always in a book. As time went on, priorities shifted and the free time I used to have to read multiple books in a month diminished. This year, I intend to bring back old hobbies and enrich my mind even more.

Lastly, are my fitness goals. At the start of a New Year, people plan crazy diets and start a workout plan. I definitely can tweak my diet more and I know I can make more time for the gym. However, my fitness goals are more centered on building muscle and overall, becoming more confident in my skin. I have to, and want to, embrace, honor and respect the body I was given. In my mind, the best way to accomplish that is to fuel myself with healthy foods (and of course, treat myself too!) and challenge myself to become physically stronger each and every day.

The New Year has just begun, yet has already been so wonderful. We might only be a few days into 2017, but so far, there has been a little bit of “good” in each day.

May your 2017 radiate positivity and be filled with love and growth!