Every 365 days, most people believe they get a "do-over." The new year has come, the ball has dropped, and it's a time for reformation. Be prepared for the posts all over social media saying "New year, new me!!" While it is true that January 1st marks a new year, it is not exactly a new beginning. Just because the last number in the year has changed does not automatically mean that you will change as a human being. It takes effort and willingness to make the changes that you want to see in yourself. The seasons change naturally; humans do not.

We make mistakes. Mistakes are a natural part of human nature, and that's okay. Instead of looking at them in a negative light, it's important to see them as lessons learned. So as the new year comes, you reflect on the last year and think to yourself, "What do I want to do differently this year?" and "Where do I want to end up after this year?" The beginning of the new year is not an automatic re-start button that lets you free of your past. However, it does open a lot of other doors for you to travel through. From the beginning of the new year, it's your choice to figure out what path you are going to take.

Do you want to focus on being kinder to people? Do it. Maybe you want to create closer ties with your immediate family. As you've grown older, you've realized just how important it is to keep your family close and how valuable they are to you. Perhaps you want to focus on your future career to ensure that you will have a promising life ahead of you. You may have conceivably met someone and made the decision to stop the casual relationships and move to something more serious for the first time in years. This new year could be your year for love. Yet, these resolutions don't need to be so serious.

With the arrival of the new year, you may decide to simply move away from binge-watching Netflix on the couch all day and begin to read a book every two weeks. There's the possibility that you have decided to begin working out more. Sitting on the couch, drinking wine, and eating chips can never equate to a healthy lifestyle. You could possibly begin a movie series (or watch a sport) that intrigues a prospective love interest in order to impress him or her. Additionally, maybe this new year could be the first time you involve yourself in the politics of our world. After all, politics are what govern the world we currently live in and will continue to do so. Be involved in the well-being of today's society.

Maybe this new year, you have nothing you want to change. With the passing time, however, you will grow. As human beings, we become wiser, smarter, funnier, and beautiful as time goes on. With each new year, we learn different things from various experiences. So no, at midnight on January 1st, you are not "re-born." There is a new fresh start with the change of the calendar year, but there's a lot of room for your character to bloom. So, with each year, you should always look at its potential with bright eyes. When the calendar year changes, people begin to think wishfully and hopefully. Here's to wishful thinking and growth in 2016.