It’s that time of year again when we all start brainstorming New Year’s resolutions,only to see them fade by the time February rolls around.

Myself included, as I’ve never been very good at sticking to those hopes.

However, I intend to turn that around this year, despite the fact that I’ve probably said that every year since I started making resolutions.

To be fair, I’ve come up with a new theory this year and I’m hoping it will make things easier to achieve.

Normally, New Year’s resolutions sound a bit like, “I’m going to eat healthier,” or, “I’ll hit the gym more,” or, “I’m going to read more.” It’s hopeful, but lacking structure or a game plan to follow.

So that’s what I intend to do in 2025: Make that game plan and see it through, and I’ll start by making goals.

I’ve already started setting goals for myself in the new year. For example, I hope to double my reading goal this year and read 50 books in 2025. After all, it seemed to work this year, as I advanced from a 12-book goal in 2023 and made it past the 24-book mark in 2024 a few weeks ago.

Therefore, instead of just saying I’ll read more in the new year, I’ll keep a record and stay on track as best as I can to see the progress actually happen. And, should I start to fall behind a steady average, the number will show it and I can try to get back on track from there.

I want to be more active in 2025, but, seeing as I have a hard time getting to the gym now, I know that I need to take baby steps to progress to where I want to be.

So I’ll set another goal to work out twice a week, whether it’s going to the gym or getting active at home or outside. Just by hitting those smaller goals, I’ll feel better about working out more often. If I go to the gym twice a week, even to just walk on the treadmill for a bit, I will have completed that goal.

Hopefully, it will get easier to make myself go and be active, maybe inching my way up to working out a few more days a week.

But I think my goal will stay at two days a week, since I know that some weeks can be more challenging or busy than others, or perhaps there’s a week when I feel ill.

Keeping that goal low makes it easier to achieve, and I can work back up from there without feeling too disappointed or defeated, but I can only imagine it will feel even better in the weeks when I’ve doubled or tripled that goal.

That’s certainly a challenge with New Year’s resolutions: not beating yourself up about not achieving certain goals.

I’ve faced it for many years now, but I’m hoping to make smaller steps and recognize that, if I stumble, it’s not the end of the world and I can try again the following week.

I hope to keep organized and on top of my cleaning routine in 2025, as well.

Perhaps each week I will make smaller goals to achieve, simply based on what needs to be done while keeping in mind the other items on my schedule that week.

To do so, I will try to get myself to journal more often, as well. If I stay with it, on the weekends, I can look back on the things I’ve completed that week and what I can plan for the following week. Not only will it help me organize my thoughts — and my apartment — but acknowledging what has been accomplished and giving myself a pat on the back for doing those things might encourage me to do even better.

At least, that’s what I’m hoping for.

I invite you to do the same: Make small steps and easy-to-achieve goals that can really make a difference in reaching your overall New Year’s resolutions.

Maybe this time next year I’ll be writing this same thing, convincing myself and you that we will do better the next year.

But, thinking optimistically, maybe 2025 will be the year we all make changes for the better.

So, as you consider your own New Year’s resolutions, consider how exactly you plan to achieve your goals. It’s easy to say you want to do something or another, but working toward it and crafting that game plan is a promising way to make the changes you hope to see this year.

Torianna Marasco can be reached at 989-358-5686 or tmarasco@TheAlpenaNews.com.