Every year, it’s the same routine: finish up with the holidays and right on cue the fitness commercials and advertisements flood the TV and the radio for the next month or so. You know what I have to say about that? Forget about it, don't conform to societies expectations simply because it's shoved down your throat. Don’t sign up for something just because everyone else is doing the exact same thing. Be your own person and make decisions for yourself. Referrals and questions are perfectly acceptable, but you should make the final decision with confidence. Stop, pause for a minute, and evaluate your current situation. Where are you in life right now, who are your friends, have you been to church lately, what drives you every day? These are just a few questions to get you thinking, with all advertisements aside that could possibly be associated with the New Year advising you to look different than how you currently look.

Don’t think that just because there’s yet another New Year, that you have to start over with your life and find a new you. It's been proven through studies conducted about one's motivation, that you’re more likely to fail because you don’t completely intend to change by your own will. Look at what you want, look at who you were in 2017 and all that the year encompassed for you. Look toward 2018 with a certainty that you can improve yourself and make it a better year on your own terms. You don’t have to wait until the first of the year to hit the refresh button, you can change whenever you deem necessary. No one knows you better than yourself, besides the Good Lord above of course.

If there’s a restaurant you’ve wanted to try for a while, but never found the time; call and make a reservation, follow through with it. If you want to try a new look, go for it! Who’s to judge you and tell you what you can or can’t pull off? If there’s someone that you’ve been friends with, but you want to try to be more than friends with them. Go for it, the worst that can happen is they want to remain friends and that’s it. That’s totally fine, not every person has to be something special or "the one." Check in with your spiritual wellness as well, what can you improve between you and God? Get connected with a small group or even a Bible study. Baby steps are key.

I'd recommend starting with one or two small goals that can be achieved, and then building off of those achievements. Don’t try to take matters into your own hands, and change everything all at once, you're setting yourself up for failure by doing that. God doesn't expect this from you and you shouldn't expect this from yourself either. We are fragile beings that need the companionship of other people (and dogs) to get through life. We are not creatures created by the Almighty Creator simply to just slink off to the shadows and observe this beautiful world. We all are meant to be part of this glorious creation in one way or another.

How you express yourself, is up to you, but shine bright and give everything to God. Approach 2018 with a fresh, can-do attitude to not only improve yourself, but to improve the world and make the world a better place. How you improve and what you improve is up to you, but what’s holding you back from starting fresh right now? What's holding you back from being the best person that you can possibly be?