Every year I take out a sheet of paper and write down what I want to accomplish for the New Year. Usually, my list is about places I want to see or small goals I hope to accomplish, but there's always hopes of fixing bad habits as well.

Everyone I know tries to cut down on the bad habits for the New Year. Whether it's eating less sugar, drinking less, or quit smoking, people want to better themselves for the new year. However, the reality is stopping bad habits takes time and patience that the majority of us don't have. Being unable to stick to your resolutions can end up ruining your outlook on yourself and the year ahead, but I'm here to say that simply making a list can benefit you.

When I make a list of habits I want to change or things I want to do for next year, I'm taking a look at myself that I don't usually see. I understand what I'm doing too much of and that I need to put myself in check. So I can tell myself that next year I'm not going to drink soda ever again because I know drinking it every day is going to eventually kill me. However, when I do take that first sip of soda in January, the key is to not overreact and kick myself for doing something I always did.

In order to be successful with your resolutions, you need to be okay with making mistakes and slipping up. Last year I wanted to go out more with friends and live a more sociable life since I tend to be one of those people that dislike crowds, especially drunk crowds. So I worked at it. I would consciously say yes to invitations, but then that old feeling of not wanting to deal with people came back and started to say no again. I recognized it right away and my first instinct was to force myself out, but that's not right. You can't force yourself to do something you don't want to do. I was already making progress, but that first slip up made me feel like I hadn't changed at all.

Instead of feeling like nothing's changed, I took a minute to reevaluate what I had succeeded at. I wrote down what I did while I was out, what helped me enjoy it, and why I wasn't wanting to do the same thing again. I discovered more about myself and what my preferences are. I learned how to be better at socializing in the bar based off what I'm comfortable doing, not what other people do.

I know my example isn't going to be the same for everyone, but I encourage you to take a moment to think about how you can actually change your habits based off what I did. Look at yourself, don't force yourself. What makes you happy with the change you're going for? What's working and what's not?

All of these questions can be the answer to making your resolutions less painful to do. It's okay to fail at what you set out to do so long as you are aware as to why they are not working. It's also okay to give up on your resolutions if you find that they aren't the right fit for you. The intention is there to better yourself, and that's what is really important. To feel better about who you are as a person and not to be your own enemy.

Good luck to all of you on your resolution quest in the new year.