For as long as I can remember, I have had New Year’s goals, and I usually put them down in my journal.

This year is by no means any different, and I am aiming to make 2017 a far more successful year than 2016.

While 2016 was a giant learning lesson for me, I hope to make 2017 a year of growth and of opportunity. I believe being able to reflect on a year and see how much I have grown as a person is one of the best things about December.

1. Move back to New York City: As many people know, I moved back home at the beginning of the summer due to struggling to find work in Philadelphia. Since I made that move, my ability to be involved with my New York City friends (and I have quite a few) has decreased. In order to fix this, I need to find a job in the city. I have other ulterior motives.
2. Live healthier: I’m close to becoming diabetic and I don’t get as much exercise as I should. Hopefully, moving back to the city will help in that sense. It’s a goal I’m getting an early start on by getting more fiber and probiotics in my diet.
3. Be financially smarter: Despite some less than intelligent expenditures this year, my credit has been pretty good so far and I want to keep it that way. There are a few trips I do plan to make this year, but the good news is that all of them are past March, except for a quick trip to Florida I might make this winter. This year I was not aggressive enough in job hunting. That won’t happen this year.
4. Not have a relationship consume me: This year, I moved in with a girlfriend when it turned out it was not financially prudent or rational. I left a good job in order to do so, and spent three months looking for work. While I’m still open to long distance relationships, I don’t think I will be starting any relationships that require me to book a plane ticket. It’s easier for me to get to Eastern Long Island, for instance, than it is to get to the Midwest.
5. Avoid the mistakes I’ve learned from: As I mentioned last week, 2016 has been one mistake after another. I was weak and I made lousy decisions that have cost me, both financially and emotionally. I’ve learned this year just how strong I am when I at my best.

While my goals are fairly broad, they are also of immense importance to me. After feeling that 2016 was a disappointment, I want 2017 to be better than both 2014 and 2015 combined.

In the past, I have done fairly well with goals, even lofty ones. If there's something I'm proud of, it's my persistence. As a child, I attended self-contained special education classes and my goal was to get out of those classes and be mainstreamed. With help and persistence, that goal came true.

I always aim high, because even if you don't make the basket, you'll have the satisfaction of having tried.