Featured Image: The new year can bring lots of good things, but there are better ways to use the new calendar than resolutions. (Photo by Cameron Enomoto)

By Cameron Enomoto | Staff Writer

New Year, new me? Well, not quite.

At the start of the New Year, people across the world set numerous goals for themselves to become better than they were the year before. Having a plan for yourself is awesome and this works well for certain people. However, for those that find New Year’s resolutions intimidating, it can be difficult to create a long-term goal and actually stick to it.

Instead of making meaningless resolutions, it’s important to think about the smaller things that are attainable.

First, invest in yourself and what you want to do. By investing in yourself, you can potentially increase your income, health, and happiness. Creating a simple bucket list is a great place to start. Think about what experiences you’d like to have. Whether it be for school, work, or another area of your life, keeping track of what you want to achieve can help you set foot in the right direction. Begin with something small first, like being kinder to others or spending quality time with family. Displaying the bucket list where you will see it often is also a great idea since it will serve as a daily reminder of what you are working towards.

Another alternative to New Year’s resolutions would be having a word or a mantra to keep yourself in check. Doing so will help with defining your focus over the course of a week, month, or even a year. Don’t be afraid to reflect on your word or change it if you feel your focus has shifted. The purpose is to remind yourself of your intentions when a new day starts or if you are struggling. Repetition is key with this exercise, so don’t forget to say it every morning or when you need to refocus.

A vision board is also a great way to tackle easily attainable goals. Vision boards, also known as dream boards, are visual representations of where you want to go and what you want to achieve in life. Typical boards have words, photos, and drawings attached to them to express these goals. When personalizing your own vision board, be sure to add things that will remind you of the importance of your dreams. It doesn’t hurt to include things that are appealing to the eye as well.

Lastly, keep in mind that change happens whenever you want it to happen. Waiting until January 1st to begin a New Year’s resolution is pointless because it implies that we will be doing nothing to change until that date arrives. Why wait? There’s no logic in that. If you have something you want to do, find time to work at it slowly and keep going until you reach your goal.