New beginnings are often something that we take for granted. Life gets busy and we’re frequently stuck in a routine, whether it is good or bad.

As a new year rolls in, it almost feels expected of society to set resolutions, and while creating goals is great, it’s important to understand that they’re not meant to be set just at the beginning of a new year.

It’s a common goal to try and be more "fit" when a new year rolls around. More people start heading to the gym and trying to work off all of the holiday goodies they’ve consumed. Don’t get me wrong, I am all for New Year’s resolutions and for trying to be fit, but you shouldn’t wait for a new year to roll around to start working out and eating healthy.

The change of a year doesn’t have to be your only *new beginning.* Take the new school year, the change of a season, the beginning of a month, or any other time you want to create goals.

Something that will help you truly work to achieve your goals is creating them at the time that is right for you. While it may seem appropriate to set them just when the rest of the community is, that may not be the most realistic time for you.

When creating new goals, make sure to set them so that they’re challenging and a good bit outside of your comfort zone, but not completely unachievable. Be realistic; if you’re looking to run more but you’ve never run a 5K, don’t set the goal of running a marathon by next month. Start small, and when you achieve a goal that’s on the smaller side, it will naturally motivate you to create and work to accomplish bigger goals.

If you’re looking to change your health & fitness life, try planning it out. What workouts will you try this week? What healthy foods will you incorporate into your daily routine? Working out & eating well should be a lifestyle, not a temporary fix.

The more dreams you achieve, the more likely you are to set new goals. It’s not about when you set new goals, it’s that you set them.