Ah, New Year's Eve… a time of anticipation, partying, and new beginnings. The notion of a New Year is exciting because it’s a time to ring in a fresh start with a fresh perspective. We all have similar resolutions—go to the gym, quit smoking, enjoy life more. But what it all comes down to is bettering ourselves and being, well, happier. But what’s so different about January 1st? Why do we have to wait for this one day in particular to make a change?

Taking a leap of faith into starting something new is the hardest part, and New Year's gives us that spark of courage that is otherwise hard to find. This is why we wait for that specific day to come, and this is why our New Year's resolutions are often lost and forgotten. It is easy to lose sight of that courage, and it is easy to fall back into that mundane routine because it is comfortable and familiar, but that is what weighs us down and blinds our aspirations.

As 2015 quickly approaches, I challenge you reflect on your life. I challenge you to look at what you want changed, to set resolutions, to take risks, and to make sure that this next year is different. Different so that everything doesn’t blend together, different so that when 2016 roles around, you’re not thinking, “Where did the time go?” and different so that you start getting what you truly want out of life.