Ringing in the New Year is all about setting new goals for yourself. Whether it be working out, eating right, spending more time with family, everyone always seems to wait until the 1st of the year. Waiting causes the last week of the previous year to be full of a "last hurrahs" and stuffing your face and vegging out. I'm all for last hurrahs, but I had a random gust of motivation at the end of this year. So, I thought I'd try out a new tradition: starting my resolutions a week early! I know it sounds insane, but hear me out!

Have Your Voice Heard: Become an Odyssey Creator

Starting early gave me the opportunity to research everything I wanted to do. My resolution was to go 100% vegan in the new year. This extra week gave me the learning experience to make mistakes. I feel most people make a mistake in the new year and immediately fall of the wagon for their resolution to never continue after the first two weeks. Having the "mistake" experience in the old year helps you feel more confident in yourself in the new year. You can jump into something as an expert and feel great about yourself and what you are doing.

People have asked me why I decided to start early. I don't really have a reason other than why not? It's helped so much, and I highly recommend starting your resolutions early next year! Why wait? Start early right now for next year. Or wait until the summer. Whenever, as long as you just start. Starting early gives you a sense of confidence and no excuse to stop your resolution. Remember: the hardest part is getting motivated, but it's so worth it once you start.