For as long as there has been a concept of a “New Year,” there have been New Year’s resolutions. The new year brings in a fresh start, a blank slate upon which people can rewrite the stories of their lives. In one night, a person can turn turn their lives 180 degrees around and become the best that they can possibly be. Of course this is the absolute best case scenario, but it is by no means impossible.

The resolutions people make are amendments to aspects of themselves that they deem inadequate or that could be improved. Most resolutions involve things that could actually make their lives easier and more fulfilling. Things like weight loss, being more social, and having a more positive attitude are a few of the more common resolutions that people make every year. There is only one problem: people tend to throw out and forget their resolutions rather quickly.

There are plenty of factors that attribute to this, mainly the fact that most resolutions involve altering a lifestyle that one has grown accustomed to living out. Changing something that has been constant for so long only makes it harder to follow through. Another reason is because people seem to make no prior plans to go with their resolutions; they expect to just wake up in the morning and be able to change their lives. Like any major change, plans need to be made and goals need to be set to more clearly visualize what you want to get done. Without a plan, it might seem like it is too big of a task to accomplish, thus leading to giving up on even doing it. Other reasons include a lack of dedication, laziness, getting sidetracked by other things, and just forgetting what resolution you made after you woke up on New Year’s Day.

There is no unspoken rule that says you have to wait for New Year’s to roll around to make a change. The only reason I can think of as to why people do it then is because it’s symbolic, and last time I checked, symbolism doesn’t necessarily mean results. If there is dedication behind a goal, it can be undertaken any day of the year, no matter how big or small. So, if your New Year’s resolutions are already a distant memory, start new today. But this time, set a definitive measurable, realistic goal with a plan of action.