The stroke of midnight brought 2017 and those pesky New Year’s Resolutions. Whether it’s to lay off the Starbucks, be nicer to your sister or try to make it to school on time at least once a week, here are seven ways you can actually make your resolutions successful.

1. Accountability- Have your friends help you out with your goals and in turn, help them out with theirs. A buddy system not only keeps you responsible and motivated, it makes accomplishing your resolutions more fun!
2. Don’t Expect Your Life To Suddenly Change- You can’t turn your life around in two days. Be patient and give it time. Baby steps are your best friend.
3. Make Realistic Goals- You can’t expect to be able to run a marathon right off the bat. Separate your resolution into smaller more manageable goals. That marathon won’t be so scary if you build up to it.
4. Don’t Force It- New Year’s Resolution are supposed to be about bettering yourself, not showing off to Aunt Nancy on Facebook. If you’re only doing something for someone else, you’ll hate every second of it. Choose something you actually enjoy and can commit to.
5. Do It For You!- There’s no point in doing something if it’s not for yourself. If your resolution is only to please someone else, there’s no way you’ll be able to stick to it long, and, if you do, you’ll find yourself resenting what was supposed to be a fun challenge for the new year.
6. Log Your Progress- By logging your progress, you can see yourself improve. There’s nothing more motivating than knowing that what you’re working towards is working for you.
7. Stay Positive- If you let negativity and doubts creep into your mind, you’ll drop your resolution faster than you can say “Thank God, it’s 2017”. In order to last long enough to see the results of your work, you have to believe in yourself and what you’re doing, which requires quite a bit of optimism. Just remember, 2017 is what you make it, so make it good.