As we close out the year, I think it’s important to do some self-reflection and examine the ways in which we view ourselves and other people. The saying is cliché, but “new year, new me” is something that I begin to embody at the start of every new year; though, I eventually go right back to my old habits by the end of January. This year, however, I want to make changes in my life that I’ll stick with for the long-term.

To help set this into motion, I’ve compiled a list of four different ways to stay committed to your new year’s resolutions.

1. Tell Friends and Family

Whenever I want to make an important change in my life, I will immediately tell close friends and family members. For me, it’s so much easier to stay on task with a goal when I have the people I care about the most help me out with it. Whether it be a new diet plan, an artistic pursuit, or aiming for better grades, my family and friends help me to put my goals into perspective and often will remind me of the fact that I’m trying to achieve it in the first place (it’s easy to forget!).

2. Make A Plan!

I may be one of the most disorganized people on the face of the Earth. I’m extremely forgetful and have to set reminders for myself to remember to submit any type of assignment on time. So, it’s easy for me to get caught up in life and forget that I am trying to make a lifestyle change. Most years, I would set reminders on my phone to help me remember my goals, but this year I want to purchase a planner and write out a list of my new year’s resolutions, and how I will go about achieving them. A timeline can be really useful (especially for dieting) and just being able to see your goals written out can really help to stay committed and focused.

3. Don't Get Discouraged

A pretty consistent New Year’s resolution of mine is (like many people) to lose weight or just staying healthy in general. To be honest, I can’t think of one year where this goal is something that I’ve stayed on track with for longer than maybe a month. I get discouraged with what I’m doing when I don’t see immediate results, and I go back into those old, damaging habits for the rest of the year. This is an unhealthy mindset - getting frustrated when your goals don’t immediately go as you plan is normal, but concentrating on what you want to achieve should be the most important thing.

4. It's OK to Fail

Like I said before, I tend to go back into my old habits fairly quickly when going into my New Year’s resolutions. Even if you are unable to achieve your goals for the New Year in the timeline that you have set for yourself, that is OK! You have your entire life to figure out what you want to do and how you plan to achieve it. Because at the end of the day, you don’t have to wait for the start of the year to make a lifestyle change; bettering yourself has no time limit.