Honestly, I'm not one for New Year's resolutions. I think they're an arbitrary and silly cliche few follow and almost none take seriously. Anyone who wants real change and wants it badly enough should be able to do it regardless of what day lands on a calendar.

However, it is still pretty fun to look back on each year and what you've accomplished, as well as look forward to a new year based on the opportunities you've laid out for yourself. A couple years back, I threw together a fun video recapping all of 2014. I'm pretty sure I only did it because I was bored and wanted to try out a new video-editing computer I had just bought, but it brought back some good memories. More importantly, it brought up an interesting idea, and a new question I like to have everyone ask of themselves:

"If I were to sum up this year in a short video, what would it look like?"

Would you feel proud of it, and want to show it off to others? Would you feel as if it was somewhat boring because you didn't try new things, or would you feel embarrassed because of the pointless drama or bad decisions your year consisted of?

I like this idea because it emphasizes real accomplishments, many of which are easily observable. You might have planned something, or thought of something, but did you actually do it? Did your hard work and sacrifice pay off for something better, or did it actually prevent you from going out and enjoying yourself? It ix-nays the forever dreaming thoughts of, "I'm going to be [insert goal here] one day and do [whatever you want to do]" and forces you to look at what you actually did. For many, it's a wake-up call.

On the other hand, it can be a pleasant reminder of what your life really consists of. It's easy to get so down on yourself because of your job, studies, or simply the fact that you're not where you want to be, that you forget about the many good things you've experienced. Just as many people might need a wake-up call, some people might need some refreshing motivation and positive reminders. Looking at the observable things you've accomplished in a given period of time can do wonders.

If you don't believe me, give it a try. Look at all of the places you've traveled, all of the new experiences you've taken part in, the fears you've conquered, and the goals you've completed. This has nothing to do with a new year; you can do awesome stuff in the last week of December if you want to. If your content seems to be lacking, maybe it's a wake-up call to spice up your life or take more action. If you get down at times, it can be a reminder of everything you've really done.

Either way, you might be surprised.