As the New Year approaches everyone is thinking about the resolutions that they will be making. Some of these include: getting a gym membership and starting to exercise on a regular basis, eating healthier, having a more positive outlook on life and the future, and many more. However, should we really be making these lifestyle changes our resolutions?

Resolution: "a decision or determination". When January 1st hits, the gyms are as crowded as can be, everyone starts to throw out the unhealthy food in their house, and start focusing more on themselves or giving back to the community. Why is the word resolution so enticing and why does it suddenly make people want to change things in their lives for the better? Why isn't this something that can happen during anytime of the year? The term New Year's resolution is something that is so talked about during the holiday season that it makes you wonder how long someone will actually stick to their resolution, and if they'll make it a life long habit. Or, it could be to just simply follow the trend of what everyone else is doing. Instead of the term resolution, we should say life changes or steps to better yourself. This way, one is more prone to actually stick with their resolution for longer than just a few months.

There are some great resolutions out there that people make, some really bad ones, and just the usual ones that we see and hear about every year. For instance, one may say that they want to start exercising on a regular basis so they can loose weight, but are they really committed to their goal? Do they have anyone to hold them accountable or to workout with them as they try to reach their goal weight? They should see this as a way to better their lifestyle and their health. Once of the most popular resolutions that many people make every year that usually doesn't stick is trying to eat healthier. It's not they they don't want to stay away from the cookies or chips, it's that they can't resist the temptations and don't have that support system around them to keep them going. It's easy to say that you're only going to consume foods that will benefit your body in a positive way, but it's a different story when you pass the cookies in the food store or look and see that your favorite meal at a restaurant is full of fats and carbs. It's not about just saying you're going to make a change, but it's also about following through with it.

We should want to make these positive life changes anytime during the year, not just when January 1st is around the corner. It's easy to follow the trend by saying what you've been wanting to do for a long time, but to actually follow through with it is another thing. It's time that we take a different look at what a resolution actually is.