As the New Year quickly approaches, many people including myself, begin to ponder what changes we will make in the coming months or what goals we will set for ourselves. This time of the year is notoriously known to welcome an influx of gym memberships, many of which will be deserted after the first few months. What does it take to set goals and intentions that will stick and become a part of your lifestyle? I am guilty of setting goals for myself each January that are soon forgotten and abandoned. I want to leave that mentality behind and adopt new strategies and practices that will help me hold myself accountable to the goals I set.

My first piece of advice is to start simple. By setting small, attainable goals such as drinking more water each day or avoiding checking your phone first thing in the morning, there is a better chance that they will be accomplished. Instead of saying, "I will not be addicted to my phone during the day," make a pact to give yourself 15-20 minutes to fully wake up and stretch before checking your mobile device each morning. This allows you to become less dependent on your phone from the beginning of the day, and from here, you can modify your goal as time goes on and you become more confident in your ability to accomplish it.

Personally, I intend to set goals such as allotting time each day for personal reflection, whether it's internal or through writing in a journal, drinking more water each day, and spending time outside each day no matter the duration. These goals are simple and applicable to my personal lifestyle. Instead of setting far-fetched, rapid-result goals, start small and gradually increase or modify the initial goals. In doing this, you will quickly see how capable you are and how much you can accomplish if you just take one day at a time.

New Years resolutions get a bad rep for needing to be big, life changing goals. The truth is, it is specific to you and what you want to better about yourself and your life. Everyone's should be different. In order to effectively create changes within one's life that last longer than 2 months, be patient. Start small and work your way up to the bigger idea. Big changes do not happen overnight. Big changes are not meant to be instantaneous. Big changes are meant to be worked on over time and constantly modified in today's unpredictable society. Whether your New Years resolution consists of making changes or just staying consistent with your current routine, be patient and stay focused. With time will come results.