New year, new you, right? Words repeated year in and year out, after every holiday binge, after every New Year's countdown. Every promise we make to ourselves, however, always seems to fall by the wayside when life and reality plummet down upon our shoulders part-way into the new year. Instead of setting unattainable goals and setting ourselves up for failure, only to increase self-loathing and decrease self-esteem, here is a list of realistic New Year's resolutions that you might actually be able to keep for the whole year!

1. Spend time outside once a week.

Everyone needs vitamin D. It boosts that immune system as well as your mood.

2. Have fun with exercise.

It is that resolution that everyone and their mothers makes every year. The gyms are packed with people at the beginning of the year, but the customers trickle down as the year goes on when they get bored with their exercise routine. Think of some ways to make the routine less boring. Join a dance class, walk a dog, hike a mountain... the possibilities are endless. Just get up and get moving!

3. Donate

Good Will; a local charity; toys for tots... the possibilities for philanthropy are endless.

4. Eat at least 1 fruit and 1 veggie a day.

An easy way to begin a new health regimen without completely overhauling your lifestyle in one fell swoop.

5. Call an old friend at least once a month.

Check up on your old friends from high school, college, elementary school, your old neighborhood. Those relationships built you, it might be nice to see how their lives turned out as well.

6. Volunteer.

This one also makes you feel good about yourself while helping the community. Another win-win.

7. Learn to cook or bake something new.

It is never too late to add to (or begin) your culinary repertoire.

8. Host a party.

This could be a small gathering of friends and family. It could be a neighborhood dinner. It could be a total rave (if you're into that)! It is also a good opportunity to show off some of your new skills in the kitchen.

9. Say one positive thing about yourself daily.

One thing about New Year's resolutions is they focus on the things we want to improve in our lives. Why not improve our self-love? Everyone has good qualities, and by physically telling them to ourselves, we might actually start seeing and believing them!

So when the clock strikes midnight, do not be afraid of setting New Year's resolutions. They do not have to be daunting or overwhelming. They could be as simple as learning to bake a pie. The point of resolutions is improvement, whether that be for yourself mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually, or for your community. When it is half-way through the year and you have completely forgotten about your resolutions, try and remember why you started them. Don't start too big and set yourself up for failure, but commit to small changes as your life goes on. This will help tremendusly over the year, and by next New Year's you might be amazed by how your life has changed.