Let's get real for a second here, guys. New Year's Resolutions are tough. Making major changes in your daily life can be pretty overwhelming, and it doesn't help that the majority of us are setting resolutions the wrong way.

Wrong how you may ask? Well, as it turns out, the majority of resolution-setters set goals that are way too vague, and way too focused on fixing some sort of fault. Basically, we try to expect more from ourselves than is actually possible, have a negative outlook, and feel like failures if we can't meet a super vague standard.

So how can we fix this issue, and set resolutions that will give us a happy, productive new year? I've put together a short list of tips, so all you lovely readers can go out there and make 2018 your healthiest and most inspiring year yet!

1. Be specific!

Like I said before, the biggest issue with setting resolutions is that people tend to make the goals they set very, very vague. We tell ourselves to "lose weight" or "get more sleep" or "eat healthier," but what exactly are we trying to accomplish? How much weight do we want to lose? What does "healthier" mean to our individual diets?

Instead of setting vague goals that leave you feeling like a failure if you can't measure up, set goals you can actually measure. Instead of "lose weight," say "I'd like to lose ten pounds." Instead of "sleep better," say you want to get one more hour of sleep per night. "Read more" can become "read five new books" and "exercise" can be three times a week, an hour each time. Make your progress measurable and you make your goals achievable.

2. Think more positively

I know, I mention fitness and health a lot in this article, but that’s because the top New Year’s resolutions are to “stay fit and healthy” and to “lose weight.”

Which are great goals if it benefits your personal health and makes you feel good about yourself, but a lot of people set these resolutions for the wrong reason: they feel like there's something wrong with their current selves.

True, it's a good idea to focus on healthy eating and exercise in general. But if you're setting this resolution while poking and prodding your problem areas in front of a mirror, you're definitely more likely to set vague goals or feel bad if you slip up in keeping your resolution. You should be working on yourself to lift yourself up, not to punish yourself for not meeting a self-imposed standard of perfection.

I had to face my own insecurities in setting resolutions, and realized I was thinking negatively about myself in the process, and that needed to change. Instead of saying, "I need to lose ten pounds because I want to look more attractive," I had to look at myself and say, "I want to lose ten pounds because I miss being active and felt my healthiest at my goal weight." Focus on achieving happiness, not beating yourself up over where you're at now. It's about improving yourself, not condemning who you are already.

3. Work it into your daily routine

Think of your resolution less as some big goal you need to achieve, and more like tiny goals you can meet every day to work toward something bigger. If you want to take better care of your skin in 2018, make it a habit to drink a glass of green tea each day and start using a good moisturizer (SPF is your friend, even in winter!!). Getting healthy can mean eating more veggies at each meal, or working out for thirty minutes after work. Stressing less this year could mean taking some time each day before bed to meditate or even just watching an episode of your favorite show between homework assignments.

Set yourself an earlier bed time, unplug from your devices after a certain hour, set times to start and take breaks from your work each night. Whatever your resolution is, find a way to break it up and make it a daily habit.

4. Identify toxic habits

This one can be tough, because we tend to rationalize our less-than-healthy decisions in the moment. Take a second to look back on your past experiences trying to achieve your goals, and what patterns led you astray.

I for one run to cheese and wine when I'm stressed. It's just how I am. But I know that eating like a fondue chef isn't going to get me back into boxing shape anytime soon, so I had to face that it's a trigger for me. I still indulge in moderation, but after noticing that pattern, I try to substitute a healthy activity instead when I know I only want to eat or drink my feelings. I go for a run or pick up a good book - things that help rather than hinder my goals.

For some people, it's going overboard on chocolate. For others, it's procrastinating homework. For other others it's texting exes, or indulging in a little too much retail therapy. Whatever your unhealthy habit is, take note of when and why you do it, and try to think more rationally when the urge to indulge strikes you.

5. Let yourself fail - a little

You're going to mess up eventually. No one can just pick up a new lifestyle and master it on day one. It'd be kind of unbelievable if someone told me they'd kept to their resolution perfectly for an entire year with no slips. You're only human and setting new habits takes time and effort.

Prepare yourself for the possibility that you'll mess up or fall behind and be ready to forgive yourself if you do. Too many times, people drop their goals entirely when they can't master their new lifestyle right away. They think one day of overindulging in junk food or one week over budget means they should just stop trying and start again next year. Just start the minute you realize you messed up. Tell yourself, "it's okay, but tomorrow, I'll do better," and hold yourself to it. Don't give up on yourself so easy!

* Bonus: make sure your resolutions are healthy! *

If you're trying to quit smoking, or save more money, it's easy to see how your resolution is doing you good. But sometimes people set resolutions that aren't healthy, or that only seem healthy at first glance. I've met people whose New Year's resolutions were to get boyfriends / girlfriends, and that's a huge red flag. Your goals for the new year should focus on improving yourself, and if you think another person is the only way to do that, you need to question whether or not your goal is really healthy (hint: it isn't).

As far as weight loss, dieting, and exercise are concerned, it's easy to look at those habits and say, "Sure! All of that is healthy!" But the key to healthier eating and regular exercise is that you focus on what's best for your body and your body only. Someone who is underweight should not be cutting calories and putting in crazy hours at the gym, and all people who struggle with body image or have / are in recovery for eating disorders, regardless of their size, should be especially careful with why they're setting the goals that they're setting.

Check with your doctor before making any drastic life changes, and if you know your resolution isn't healthy for you mentally or physically, talk to your mental health care professional and primary care physician about how to best take care of yourself in 2018.