The end of 2016 is quickly approaching which means our waistlines have grown and our pockets have emptied. We’ve been able to catch up with our family and friends and have been able to reflect on why the past 12 months have been good or bad. We have been able to sleep without fear of missing a test or deadline. We’re making our plans for New Year’s Eve and dreading getting back to school in a few weeks. The end of the year means the beginning of a new one.

The concept of a “new year” is truly neat if you think about it. As a society, we change our calendars and begin a new trip around the Sun. We let the worries of the last year stay there and we create new opportunities for ourselves in the year ahead. We feel renewed and refreshed and altogether better about life because we get to experience something new. The second the clock hits midnight and we begin to sing Auld Lang Syne, we feel as if we have nothing holding us back from doing the unimaginable. Our emotional view of the next year is one of hope.

If you usually make a New Year’s Resolution, you’re in good company. Statistic Brain, reports that 45% of Americans make a resolution. This data collected in early December 2016 (http://www.statisticbrain.com/new-years-resolution-statistics/) also points out that of those who make a resolution, only 8% are successful in achieving their goal. That leaves a lot of goals unmet and a lot of people resolved to never make resolutions again. Strangely enough, we can’t seem to help our desire to set new goals. We all want to have a brighter future and each year we come up with that short list of things we want to change about ourselves. Some of the items on the Top 10 list of resolutions made at the end of 2015 include weight loss, increase in organization, saving money, living a happy life, and falling in love.

Before you make your resolution for the coming year, I encourage you to think about more than just yourself. Sure, you can change your diet and be wiser with your money, but if you aren’t impacting society, maybe you can add that to your list. Find something you can add to your life that would make someone else’s life better too; it’s almost a two-for-one deal!

Volunteer

There are so many organizations and groups in need of people to invest time into their operations. Whether you mentor at a school or help at the local homeless shelter, resolving to spend a few hours a month can not only provide the needed manpower, but also a large amount of encouragement to those who work there every day. You gain from the experience, too, by caring for others. I’ve found that when I am trying to “give back” I end up being the one who receives the most joy and encouragement from the situation.

Donate

Yes, I know we don’t have a lot of extra income, but the true mark of extra income is the “expendable test”. If you go to Starbucks for coffee, have Netflix, pay for Spotify Premium, or something else along those lines, then you have expendable income. Don’t try to argue that your latte from Starbucks in necessary; it’s an option and one that does not inherently benefit anyone else. Resolve to re-allot a part of your cash flow to support a kid in another country or buy food for the local shelter or… I could go on and on. Use your money for more than personal enjoyment.

Perform

If you don’t think you can get out there and volunteer or give money, consider finding a project that could make someone else’s job easier. If you know of an organization or church that needs a website makeover and you have the skills, offer them up. If you make music and know of someone who could use a new tune, let them know and make it happen. Find a way to use your talents to benefit your community. You’ve developed these skills for a while now and it would be a tragedy to see them be wasted.

Whatever you decide on for your resolutions, whether they be focused on society or not, commit. Make that success rate go up. Share your goals with those around you and on social media. Let everyone know what you want to do so they can encourage you in your endeavors.

You are filled with unlimited potential. Take some time to discover how you can use your abilities to make this world a better place over the next 12 months.