New Year, new me, right? Not quite. Every year the excitement builds for New Year's Eve and what comes with it. It is time for people to have a new beginning and a feeling of a fresh start. Even though a new year doesn't change things all together, people use it as a marker to set new goals and change themselves for the better. I've never really gone along with the whole new year new me mantra, but I do take time to think about things I would like to accomplish over the year instead of things I would like to change about myself.

I believe people need to take this into consideration when the new year comes around. So many people focus on what they need to change to improve themselves, but why try so hard to change yourself? Of course some New Year's resolutions have sense behind them and can help a person, such as exercising more and eating healthy. But don't take this too heavy, resolutions shouldn't just be about picking yourself apart and seeing what you can change to make yourself better. It should be more about making a list of things you want to accomplish in life, instead of changing yourself. You can improve your life without changing who you are as a person.

I personally believe that setting goals that are a challenging but attainable are the way to start a new year. Instead of just saying exercise more, what exactly do you want to do? Set something more specific, like run a mile a day, or workout four days a week. Also focus on what you want to do, get a promotion at work, or travel to see your family more.

Have some fun with the new year and enjoy yourself. It is a time to make goals and have a fresh start per se, but take the new year as a time to reflect over the past year and how far you have come. Be thankful for what you have, where you are, and what the new year will have to offer. Start the year off on a good note and have the main goal to be continuing that.