Crackers and cheese, black eyed peas, and corned beef and cabbage. Card and board games, karaoke, and silly string. Music and movies. The excitement builds, the energy increases, heart pumps and smiles spread, for in 10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…….1! we are given a fresh start; the beginning has officially begun, and we are naive of the challenges ahead, only thinking about the good times to come.

In this state of emotional high should we really be making promises, setting resolution for ourselves? Are we prepared to go the distance, to do whatever it takes to make the mark? No. At a time when we are so elated, when we feel so infinite, details don’t matter. But the true challenges lie in those details. The small steps along the way are the ones that can most easily slip us up.

I’m not trying to say that New Year’s resolutions aren’t worth making, or that they’re non-achievable. In fact, I see great value in setting personal goals. Undertaking New Year’s resolutions can be positive. Just let them be tiny little motivators that feed inspiration to us all day long; let them put a skip in our step–turn everyday duties into activities with purpose.

What if we sat down in advance and decided what we wanted from the new year? What if we took our first step into the new year with determination on our side? What if we did all of this and had fun doing so? Let this new year be one of change–change through our resolutions and change in the way we make them.