We make New Year’s Resolutions every year; hopeful promises we make but soon find to be empty as we don’t always achieve them. In fact 80% of promises we make we don’t fulfil. We get angry with ourselves because we can’t meet them. But they are often too idealistic. I know that New Year,s resolutions have become cliches and meaningless over time and only trendy millennials seem to still make them. But this year, I’ve taken a different perspective.

I feel this year is important because I will turn 18 in September and I want to be ready for it. I want my birthday to come and for me to feel different.  I don’t want to start from scratch, because I’ve realised people forget what they’ve already achieved and who they are; we all search for the ‘perfect’ model of we can be. This year has been important because I did actually follow through or start my goals on last year’s New Year’s Day. I wanted to, in a way, find out who I wanted to be/ should be and to put it simply become a better version of myself. I decided to act on my views and my morals more, to have ideas about helping others and change for the better is only the beginning.

And I did, I got involved in charity and various projects which I’m proud about because of my impact. I completely changed my outlook on social media; I took a break from it to revise for my GCSEs and in doing this I realised that I was happier without it. I had got lost in a virtual world and I didn’t want to grow up without developing social skills. My work ethic has changed as I’m hungrier to learn and to make myself proud of myself. I got a part time job which I use as a sort of escape and safe-haven as it allows me to focus on a different kind of work and develop other skills. I started to see eating and exercise as a way to improve my health and to help my body and wellbeing, rather than being focused on outwardly benefits. My spirituality has grown and I love it as it’s really helped me develop. I’ve learn to be more open, to be interested in people’s stories and perspectives and I’ve found confidence. I’ve enjoyed taking on the skill of public speaking and this has helped me take on leadership roles. Like I said before, we don’t need to start form scratch because all of our goals can be achieved. My goals are to be more engaged with arts and culture, to rediscover my creativity form childhood and to find the love of art and the cinematic world again- specifically. But I will build on what I’ve learnt and enjoy the journey, I am hopeful but not waiting for the destination. I don’t expect to grow up in a year or be perfect.