Pretty much every year of my life that I can remember, my family members and I have made New Year's resolutions (as well as things that we have given up for Lent). It has been something that we'd always discuss and hold each other to. One of the best parts of making these goals with my family is that we can do our goals in tandem and hold each other accountable to these goals. If we don't accomplish them, we'd be letting our family down as well as ourselves.

I, like others have not always accomplished my New Year's resolutions but it doesn't stop me from making new ones every year.

In the last couple years, my New Year's resolution plan has been to make goals for the year instead of some strict food or activity to give up or something I have to hold myself to everyday. I make goals such as making a new food from scratch (because I love to cook), and writing 30 poems in a year (because I love to write). The only time restraint for these goals is to be accomplished within the year. These goals aren't tedious or restrictive and actually help me to work on hobbies and passions that I already have.

I know that goals can be made and accomplished any time of the year, but one thing that is especially good for New Year's resolutions are goals that are time-sensitive that you might have missed in the last year or want to do again in the next year. Maybe it's Fall and you realize you wish you had gone on more hikes during the summer or there is a goal you want to start in the next school year. If you make these promises ahead of time in January, it will help secure your plans for the next year.

People always criticize the people saying "New year, new me" every year, mostly because many people don't believe that these people can or will really change. It's true that we live in a society that makes it hard to change or reinvent ourselves, but people will still try no matter what. Some people aren’t in school or activities that make goal-making a priority and for those people New Year’s resolutions may just be their best shot.