As we bid farewell to the old and usher in the new year, the prospect of leaving behind what has held us back in the past becomes a beacon of hope. This surge of motivation often propels us to contemplate New Year's resolutions, and aspirational goals that signal the dawn of a "new you," and set the tone for the year ahead. Yet, according to Forbes Health, while a staggering sixty two percent of Americans embark on this journey, only 9% find themselves standing triumphant at the end of the year. While becoming a part of this 9% might seem impossible, the process needed to get there is nott. 

The first step to building a successful New Year's resolution is to pick a goal that is truly meaningful to you. There is often pressure to choose an ambitious goal, like quickly mastering a new skill or going to the gym every day, but an easier goal like reading a book each month could be just as impressive. 

Once you have decided on your goal, make sure it is both  manageable and achievable. While that may seem obvious, people will often set an intimidating goal that entails making several drastic changes, making it more difficult to achieve. For example, it is easy to say you will exercise every day, but if you have a busy schedule, a more manageable goal would be to exercise twice a week for two months and then reassess and decide if you want to further increase your time in the gym. The second part of that is to make your goal specific. An example of this would be to go for a thirty-minute walk twice a week or to go to the gym for at least thirty minutes twice a week and slowly progress to adding more time. When asked how she keeps her New Year's goals, Flannery also mentioned that finding a friend to join her in her goal has helped her stay motivated. Similarly, a UC Davis study found that having a friend with a similar goal has proven to help tremendously with keeping a goal, as you can keep each other accountable for following through. 

New routines do not just become a habit overnight. The National Institute of Health says it takes about sixty-six days to form a new habit so it is important to be patient with yourself. If you have minor setbacks, do not give up—just pick it back up the next week. In crafting your New Year's resolutions, let them be a testament to your aspirations, guided by introspection and adaptability. By keeping your goals manageable, specific, and personal to you, you might be able to end this year feeling good about your changes. Keep working at your goal and soon it will become second nature!