There is something in the air the week after Christmas. It is that excitement of one year closing out and a new year on the horizon. A feeling of closure juxtaposed with a fresh new beginning. Whatever 2016 brought to your life; the new year allows a shedding of the old skin and a fresh new you to explore.

The big story each year is all the New Year’s resolutions people make, yet do not fulfill. Why is that? Well, goals are promises you make to yourself which turn into successful achievements. Resolutions are intentions to do something. A goal is more concrete and realistic. The idea is to meet your goals, not just provide lip-service to intentions.

Life happens to everyone, experiences both good, bad, happy and sad. How one deals with the everyday crumbs of change, is unique to the individual. My experience in 2016 has been one of both change and growth, personally, professionally and intellectually.

A measurement I use to gauge this growth, is revisiting the goals set last year for what I wanted to accomplish in 2016. My annual end-of-the-year routine is to take time out of the day to reflect on the past; on what I have learned and accomplished to contribute to the molding of me. I set goals in the following areas: finance (bills to pay in full), family relationships, personal growth, professional growth, education and intellectual growth. A tip from Lorrie Febus, from her blog in a Huffington Post article, is to choose goals for all areas of your life. Of course, life does get in the way and these goals will face tweaking, but, that is alright. This is about you being in the moments of your life. It is the opportunity for empowerment. You are writing your life story and it is unique to you. The categories mentioned above are those that are vested in my life story. I want to be the best me I can for myself first; then for those in my life around me. Through the setting of goals in each of these categories, I own my life and I am accountable for missing the goals set.

What I have learned through this experience of closure on the past and an openness to the possibilities of the future, is that living takes place in the now. I enjoy each moment as it unfolds, and in turn, relate it to the goals. I am living life my way and with the direction of my own choosing. Old baggage of a year gone by, stays in that year, it does not move with me into the future.

Shedding that old skin releases the new you into the new year. Make goal setting fun and positive! Dream big and go for it. Happy 2017 and your new lease on life.