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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UCF chapter.

It’s that time of year again where most people are looking forward to the new year. The changing of the year signifies a fresh start — a new chapter where anything can happen. We create our lists and declare that we’re going to start sleeping eight hours every night and eating healthier, and we strive toward becoming a completely new person. We create these resolutions in hopes to become a better person, whether that be mentally, emotionally or physically. If we know these resolutions are to better ourselves, why not start now? Stop waiting for the new year, and start working toward your resolutions today. 

By starting on your resolutions now, you’ll be ahead of the game come January. It’s important to remember that resolutions aren’t just about creating good habits, but also about replacing bad ones. Rather than setting a goal of sleeping eight hours every night, start by turning off your electronics before you go to bed. We all know it’s hard to put down the phone, especially when it’s our favorite show, but it’s not impossible. Creating resolutions like this make your goals more approachable and doable. Although they may seem like small steps, they’re still in the right direction. If you create big goals, you may get frustrated and disappointed if you end up not achieving them. It’s better to set small, specific, and suitable goals to work toward a bigger goal. For example, I’m going to wake up 30 minutes earlier on weekdays for the next two months. This goal is suitable for my lifestyle and specific to what I want to achieve.   

To be successful in achieving your resolutions, it’s necessary to create a game plan. Your game plan should be simple, but detailed. If your goal is to eat healthier, create a weekly meal plan with a grocery list. If you’re trying to read more, outline how many pages a day you should read. If you’re working on your mental health, you could seek out a professional to help you create a plan. Either way, it’s vital to know how to achieve your resolutions to be successful. 

Often, the hardest part about resolutions is putting them into action. It’s become the norm for people to put off their goals until the start of the new year, even if it’s still months away. Despite this way of thinking, you can start working on your goals today! Even if there’s only one thing you can start now, by January 1st you will already have a month of practice — and practice makes perfect. As stated by Will Smith: “Any resolution important enough to make for the new year, is important enough to start right now.” We all know 2020 has been a wild ride, so take hold of these last few weeks and turn them into a positive and beneficial experience. 

Lacy is currently a sophomore at the University of Central Florida studying information technology. Although born in Florida, her favorite place to be is Washington, D.C. She loves trying new places, cooking, and getting outside. She is passionate about caring for the environment and helping others. When she's not in front of a screen, she is getting coffee or volunteering. You can keep up with her on Instagram @lacybrookeh.
UCF Contributor