Whether it is because of the cliché or the cynic inside, we are quick to reject making resolutions for the new year. To be successful and useful, a list of resolutions needs to be more than a list of failures you have set yourself up for the coming year; when done well, the list of resolutions actually is a really admirable tradition. It reflects the hope that we have that with each new year - a chance to turn your life around or move into a new era of self. If you have ever made a resolution for the new year, it means you have believed in the chance at a fresh start to become the best version of yourself.

I know what you are thinking. If that is so, why is it that we almost always fail? Are we destined to lose conviction to the cause? Are we just not good enough to be the people we want to be?

Let's examine the global trend of falling short of your resolutions. There must be a reason. Maybe it is in the resolutions we set out – ambitious, abstract goals we set for ourselves. Most times, we do not even know why we want to “do yoga every morning.” Is it what our hearts are telling us to do? Can we really follow dreams if we do not know why we have them?

So, let's re-draft our lists with things that may be closer to our dreams than lists from all the years before.

Listen to yourself

What is it that your heart needs most right now? It could be that vacation plan you put off because it was never a good time, it could be quitting your job, or it could be conjuring the courage to paint again. Our hearts and minds are always telling us what we need, and we drown out their voices under all the opinions of other people that we have gathered. Resolve to give your own opinion first priority and to feel the accomplishment you had missed out on with all other resolutions you set out to make.

Practice random acts of kindness for everyone

Kindness goes around in a circle. It is bound to come back to you sooner or later, whether as self-satisfaction or as the people you helped helping you back. It will refresh your outlook on life and replenish your self-esteem and faith in others.

Be kind to yourself

Being kind to ourselves opens us up to not only ourselves, but all the people around us too. When we stop searching for someone else to treat us right, and give ourselves the love we deserve, we are left with the energy and ability to treat others better too.

Do one good thing for your health every day

Set a low-maintenance, but specific, goal for yourself every day. Decide what that goal is going to be and commit to it. Soon you will find yourself doing it regularly. Even if it is drink 8 glasses of water in a day, the closer you feel to your goal, the more likely you are to go all the way. It's fun to cross the finish line when you've set out to do something.

Find one thing to be grateful for every day

When you make gratitude a habit, you open yourself to a new perception of yourself and those around you. As the days progress, the extent of your gratitude will magnify. The wonder and appreciation you will create for life with this habit will open you up to pursuing other accomplishments too. Maybe, one day when you are grateful for the way you look, you will love your body and treat it well, losing the weight you wanted to get rid of from the offset by just being good to yourself and not because what someone else thinks.