Happy New Year, everyone! Now, let's get to breaking our resolutions already. I'm both joking and being serious. I'm the first to admit that I get excited about the new year and plan out resolutions, but come January 1st, I'm not so sure it's going to happen.

I've personally given up on new year's resolutions. I almost never follow through with them, or if I do, it's only for a short period of time. I'm sure it's the same for most of you as well. Everything is all planned out, you have good intentions, but come at least February and the ambition is probably gone.

Why is it that we so commonly fail?

I think it's because we have this false hope of what we want to do. I wouldn't say the goals a lot of people make are unachievable, but we put so much pressure on ourselves to make this huge change. The top resolutions people make are; exercise/weight loss, stop smoking/drinking, manage money better, etc. It's a tad hard to make such a big life change out of nowhere.

I think a lot of people might rely too heavily on the whole "new year, new you," mindset. Let's focus on just one of those words for a moment. Year. You have 365 days every single year to be a better you. However, we all wait until the very end to decide to change something, then it just becomes this burden almost as you kick right into action trying to follow through with it, only to fall right back out.

Change takes time. Do you want to get in better shape? Go for it. Don't wait until the end of December, and don't overwork yourself. Nothing is going to happen overnight, and you should feel good about it as well. Plan what is going to work best for you, and if you struggle with it or mess up some, know that that's okay.

You're doing this for you. Do you want to stop smoking/drinking or other bad habits? I think that's awesome. I also think it's a tad unrealistic to think it's just going to happen. Once again, it takes time. You're going to have to put in the effort and as I said before, know that it's okay to fail at first.

The new year is a good thing, so don't put too much pressure on yourself. I suggest trying to make small resolutions, something you know you can obtain. You can try a new hobby, maybe plan to visit some family more often, maybe you want to be more polite, or donate to a charity, etc. If I choose to make any resolutions, I make them something I know I can do. I aim for a goal that may not be big or life-changing but is something I can achieve and will make me feel good.

This year, I want to try and be more social. I have severe anxiety and my mom comes to 95% of my appointments still, even calls my doctor's office sometimes. I know it will be hard, but I know I can do it, even if it turns out to be me just talking to someone new.

What are your resolutions this year and how do you plan to achieve them?