2016 was a really tough year for many people. For some, it was a year of triumphs. It’s really a mixed bag. But, since it is a new year people are out there making these passionate declarations and bold new resolutions. While it’s always great to see people out there being positive and trying to change their lives for the better, we all know what happens after a few months. Many people give up, fail or forget about these resolutions.

So, what I want to do is explain and issue a challenge to each one of you. Instead of re-inventing your entire life, do something small. Do something that will make a difference, even if it isn’t something you notice right away. Read.

Goodreads, a social network platform for bibliomaniacs, sets up a yearly reading challenge. The aim of the challenge is pretty simple, to get people reading. You can choose to read 1 book or 100 books, or anything in between. It doesn’t really matter HOW many books you read, but it is a good idea to stretch beyond what you think you’d read in a normal year. If you read no books in a year, maybe try to read 4 (one for each season). If you read 30 books in a year, maybe try to double it so that you’re reading one book every week instead of one book every two weeks. Ultimately, the goal is up to you.

But, if you’re going to do it, commit. The website makes it easy for you to track and rate everything you’ve read. It also leaves you with a nice permanent record of your reading endeavors. While reading isn’t always what you’re thinking about when a new year rolls around, it is something that can enrich your life.

You might learn new things. You might be able to escape from reality for a while. You might find camaraderie with a stranger. All of these things make your life better.

If you’re going to take on the challenge, here are some suggestions for what you might want to read:

1. Re-read a childhood favorite
2. Re-read something you HATED as a child
3. Choose one of last year’s bestselling books
4. A fiction novel
5. A collection of essays
6. An autobiography
7. Something educational
8. A YA Novel
9. Something written by a woman
10. Something written by a man
11. Something written by a teenager
12. Something written by a septuagenarian
13. Something that is being made into a movie this year
14. Something that you’d never think to read
15. Re-read your favorite book

Of course you don’t have to read everything on this list, but it’s pretty well rounded. It can be nice to upset your apple cart and read something new. Or, you might discover that you still really dislike certain types of writing. At the end of the year, however, you’ll have accomplished something different.

Goodreads is pretty good about giving you reminders and you can review your progress at any time. Download the app on your cell phone and you can see if you’re on track, ahead of your goal or behind it. Ultimately, you have nothing to lose. So, why not give it a try?