Thoughts of the new year bring thoughts of a new you along with it. When the fireworks display has ended and the countdown has passed, New Year's Day is upon you and you are feeling stronger and more capable than ever before. You could conquer the world right now and probably could keep it up for the next week or so. If I know New Year's Resolutions, I also know how hard it is to stay committed to them. This year I have decided enough is enough. No more excuses. The goal is to turn previously unattainable goals into habits. In order to do so, I have to power through each obstacle (basically, my goal is to not be like this precious, poor dog).

Here are some common New Year's Resolutions and some tips on how to follow through with them:

1. "I'm going to wake up early and exercise every morning!"

Wanting to get in shape is great! But if your body is not used to constant physical exertion, then being able to get up and go is not the most realistic assumption. Ease yourself into a routine and set goals for yourself. Take it one step at a time. Start running at a speed that is comfortable to you and over time you'll be surprised at how fast you'll get through that 5k. And instead of every day, make it every other day in order to give your body a break until you feel ready to take on a more intense workout schedule. After your gym visit, reward yourself. Have your favorite post-gym snack, my personal favorite is an apple with a spoonful of peanut butter or a nice cup of coffee. This way, there's a light at the end of the tunnel. In my case, that light is eventually coming to a point where I look as cute as these corgis do on this treadmill.

2. "I'm cutting all sugars from my diet."

If you have a sweet tooth, like I do, skipping dessert is never a simple task. Not to mention chocolate and coffee flavors. So, it's obvious that cutting sugar from your diet completely is highly unlikely. To limit the amount of sugar you consume, save a nice dessert for Sunday to reward yourself for not having any the rest of the week. And to monitor your daily sugar intake, take note of what you're eating. If you have managed to stay away from the cookie jar for the past few nights, treat yourself to a Starbucks iced latte. Don't be afraid to reward yourself! Just do so in moderation so you still get to feel like this baby does when she gets her ice cream.

3. "I'm going to become more organized."

Getting organized is one thing. Staying organized is another. Do not try to get through all of your clutter at once. Tackle projects one at a time. When you complete one, start another. That way you get into a steady routine. Go room by room if you have to! Not everything is going to be squeaky clean in the blink of an eye. Remember, if you notice papers starting to pile up, do not leave them there for later. Little things like this will make big projects, like organizing an entire room, much less time consuming and/or frustrating.

4. "I plan to spend more time with the fam."

Have a list of places you want to go or things you want to see? Plan to take your family with you! Making plans and including your family will make spending time with them less of a chore and give you something to look forward to. Even more than that, you will create new memories together and will be able to look back on how much fun you had with each other in the years to come.

Keeping up with your resolutions does not have to be hard. Incorporating fun into something that you would not normally use the word "fun" to describe, is a pretty simple task. Think smarter, not harder and commit to making 2017 the year of YOU.