Every year, when the end of December finally rolls around, I find myself thinking of new resolutions. It’s a fresh start, isn’t it? Time to reinvent myself and begin living the way I’ve always wanted to live.

The dusty yoga mat in my closet will be of good use and my crisp new daily planner is waiting to be filled with bigger and brighter goals. It’s exciting to think of all the things that can happen next semester.

Unfortunately, most of the resolutions I make on New Year's Day fall to pieces after about three or four days. Maybe even a week if I’m dedicated. Once I’ve lost touch with the schedule I created for myself, I feel discouraged. It’s difficult to keep up with those plans.

Don’t let a failed New Year’s Resolution prevent you from refining yourself.

Even though a New Year can be exciting and refreshing, it isn’t the only time you can start new. Change can happen at any point during the year.

Not only that, it takes more than just one day. Ambitions and goals can’t stand on inspiration alone. They need commitment and determination to carry them through.

At any point during the year you can decide to get up and go running. You can clean out the junk food in your pantry. You can reconnect with an old friend and mend some broken ties. Every single day you have the choice to make a resolution and do better. It isn’t about New Years at all.

It’s about making the decision to apply yourself and focus on the end goal.

It can happen on day one of February and it can happen on May 16^th after you eat Chinese food with a friend. Maybe it’ll be August 29^th when you ice skate with your sister and you realize you love to skate.

Go for it.

Any day of the year. You have 365 mornings and afternoons to start writing down a game plan. Execute it and then make another one. You can start now, you can schedule it for later.

Either way, it’s entirely up to you.

It’s pretty fun to think about all the great things you can do when there are balloons and wine bottles scattered around. Your friends are yelling for a group picture and the clock is minutes away from 12:00a.m.

Enjoy the New Year, but don’t let that be the only time you think about those ambitions. Remind yourself of those dreams and goals on other days too and commit. Put together an inspiration board and make a to-do list.

Don’t let the resolutions die on the third day like I have in the past. Keep up the good work.