It is now 2017 and most people are trying to transform their lives and become a new person. Let me first say to the people that are going to the gym more, eating healthier, or buying a planner, that I am so proud of you and I hope you achieve your goals. While it's wonderful that people are trying to transform themselves, I advise caution and say that maybe instead of transforming yourselves, you focus on improving yourselves. Using the word "transform" puts a lot of pressure on you to the point where you might forget your goals altogether and just give up, and we don't want that. Often, we are under the impression that a new year means a completely new life and I personally don't think that's the case. I admit that I'm a sucker for the whole "new beginnings" outlook and I, too, have set some goals to achieve during the new year. However, I have decided that this year I'm going to do things differently by achieving small goals that make a big impact.

Have Your Voice Heard: Become an Odyssey Creator

I started with five small goals for myself that I believe are going to help me become a better me:

1. Write in my journal more

One of my good friends gave me a new journal for Christmas and I decided to start using it. I will not put such high expectations on myself by saying "I'm going to write in this every night for all 365 days of the year." Instead, I will attempt, as often as my schedule allows, to write down positives and negatives of the day and what I can do better the next day. I also found some helpful journal prompts for every day on Pinterest. So far I have been keeping up with the journal and haven't missed a day yet, but ask me again when I go back to school and have to worry about classes, social events, and volunteering (oh my!).

2. Let go of the past and focus on the present

Notice how I didn't say "let go of the past and focus on the future." While I think it's important to make goals (obviously) and work towards achieving them, I think that I focus a little too much on the future and need to enjoy my life for what it is now by appreciating everything and everyone around me.

From what I see on twitter and other social media, 2016 has been a hard year for all of us. I know that I have had some of the best times of my life in 2016, but I also have had some of the hardest. My goal is to let go of all of the bad AND good because it is better to be open to what the present has to offer rather than dwelling, positively or negatively, on what has happened in the past.

3. Make more time for reading

I constantly find myself scrolling through Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and Pinterest more often than I would like to admit. I have decided that it is a better use of my time to read a good book instead of stalk peoples' finsta accounts. Not only will reading improve my vocabulary and writing skills, but reading is a good escape from all the stress of the world.

4. Put myself first

This past year I struggled with self esteem issues that affected me negatively. I stopped trying to take care of myself altogether by not eating right, drinking water, or working out. In college it's not easy to do all of that while maintaining a good social life and grades. However, I have decided to make self-care a priority.

I can start out by making sure I have a workout buddy to push me to go work out as often as I can. Keep in mind that everyone gets busy at one point and working out will almost never be convenient. That is why working out is a commitment.

Working out would be pointless without good nutrition. This means making sure that I buy healthy snacks instead of junk food at the grocery store. But, it's okay to have some cheat snacks every now and then. I could probably lay off the ramen noodles for a while considering that was the only thing I ate for dinner for three months. I also could do without eating Whataburger or Sonic three times a week.

Probably the most important, hydration. Hydration means drinking about 32 ounces to a gallon of water a day. Believe me I know this is difficult, but it could be easier with a water bottle that can be carried around or put in your backpack (just make sure the lid is sealed or your 12 page paper will be ruined).

Another part of self-care that I did not mention is sleep. I have spent many nights staying up late to finish a paper I knew about for two weeks, but still procrastinated until the night before. Other times, I'll stay up with my friends until 2:00 A.M. and hate myself when I have to get up at 8:00 A.M. In order for me to function properly without chugging an espresso shot in the morning, it is important to get about eight hours of sleep every night. So far so good, but again, ask me later when I'm back at school.

5. Remain calm

Anytime something goes wrong or I get out of my routine, my first instinct is to panic. This causes me more stress about the situation until I am panicking about panicking. The best lesson my dad has taught me is that freaking out does not help the situation, it only hurts it. And in the end, it could hurt you. That being said, I will start focusing on remaining calm and focusing on what is going right instead of what is going wrong.

My last remark is that achieving these goals, or any goal, starts with a positive attitude. The only thing that can stop you from achieving your goals is you. Do not let your own negativity or procrastination be the reason that you do not succeed. Also, do not be the reason that someone else gives up. One annoyed look at someone in the gym who just started going there could make them never want to go again. We are all trying to be better and whether that lasts long or not is their business. Focus on yourself and support everyone around you. Happy 2017!