It is 2017.

Another year has passed and with a new year, comes new ideas. Past mistakes and triumphs are placed farther into the rearview mirror. Some had a glorious 2016, others would choose to forget it if they could.

If you watched any New Years Eve programming you may have seen Mariah Carey/her producers struggle bus... and you must have heard the common question of, "what is your New Year's Resolution?" Viewers gave answer ranging from "workout more!" to "spend more time with friends." All admirable, but why do we need New Years Resolutions to define our life at the beginning of one year and close of another?

According to the "History Channel", "The practice of making resolutions for the new year is thought to have first caught on among the ancient Babylonians, who made promises in order to earn the favor of the gods and start the year off on the right foot." This started almost 4,000 years ago and continues in mild form today.

I support New Years Resolutions, but you do not need a New Year to change your life. The change of a year is a definitive time and easy to pin a new goal too. I get it, but a year, month, day, or hour can start at any time you want it too and does not have to follow the defined constructs we use for time. Often, we as humans, fall into the trap of letting society dictate our behavior like how much weight to lose. Why not define it for yourself? If you want to lose 15 pounds but society says you should try and look 25 pounds lighter, you get after those 15 pounds and love doing it! If you want to workout five times in the next week but it is Tuesday, the middle of the week, and we define a week starting on a Sunday, who cares! See what I am getting at?

Make goals whenever you want and smash them: do not wait for society to tell you when to make the goal. You are the pilot of your own life not the social constructs of popular culture. Write your goals down, the date you start to strive towards them, and when you want to accomplish them. Make immediate goals (the next week/month), short term goals (the next 3ish months), long term goals (the next 1-3 years), and life goals (big lifelong dreams). Be realistic but also challenge yourself. Goals have timelines but do not let others decide the timeline. Take control!

This is why I support the concept of New Years Resolutions, but you can make New Years Resolutions everyday. Try it! What are you waiting for, 2018? :)