Well, here we are. 2017. A new year. A flood of “new year, new me” posts on social media. But guess what? “New year, new me” is irrelevant. “Well why?” you may ask. Because you cannot change the person you are with the slight change in time. You are YOU, and that is something a slight alteration in a single number can never change.

Although “new year, new me” may not truly be possible, there are ways to become a better, more developed version of who you are. I have made my own list of goals that I wish to accomplish in 2017, and this might just help shatter the “new year, new me” trend, and turn it into a “new year, better me” trend.

Listen more.

Listen to people. Listen to people’s stories. Listen to everything around you. You might just be able to learn a little something through the people in the world around you.

Be more compassionate.

Understand the fact that not everyone is the same. Understand that those things which may not bother you may bother others. Be compassionate to people and their feelings.

Let go of grudges and move forward.

Life is too short to have toxic thoughts about small things that don’t matter anymore. Let them go and be open to the redeeming of past failed relationships.

Stand up for yourself.

Do not let people take advantage of you. You have boundaries for a reason. Do not let them get crossed.

Be more open.

Don’t let opportunities pass you because you are too afraid to act on how you feel. Be open about your thoughts and the way you are feeling.

Be more friendly.

A smile could go a long way. A simple conversation could go a long way. You never know who a small act of friendliness might help.

Be more adventurous.

Do things you’ve never done. Gain real-world experience. Travel. Road trip to somewhere away from your hometown. Live.

Try harder.

…In ANYTHING and EVERYTHING. School. Work. Relationships. Always put effort into the things that are important to you. If things do not go as planned, you will always be able to say, “well at least I tried”.

Push your limits.

Take chances. Do things that scare you. Not dangerous things. Just things that you never necessarily thought you would do.

Work more – save more money.

Open a savings account. Take money out of your weekly paychecks and hide them away in this savings account. You never know when you’ll need the extra cash. Future you will thank you for this one.

Be healthier.

I do NOT mean go to the gym for the first two months of 2017. I mean drink more water. Eat fresh fruit. Take vitamins. Stretch. Go on strolls around the block. Take naps! Whatever makes you feel refreshed, healthier, and good about yourself, do it.

Pull away from the dependency on social media.

Put the phones down. Experience things for yourself, not just to post them on social media.

Do things for yourself.

Keep other’s thoughts and feelings and opinions in mind – but at the end of the day, your life is yours. Don’t forget that. You are the only person who is really going to put you first.

Hang in there.

Everybody struggles. That is something that will not change once the year changes. Things will get better. Just keep trying and pushing through the tough times. You got this, just hang in there.