New Year’s and resolutions go hand and hand.

The calendar turns over to a new year and it is time to make those fresh starts and big changes you have been putting off.

Going to the gym in January? Good luck trying to find a machine because the other thousands of people who made getting healthy their resolution will be there for a couple weeks at least.

I have tried to make resolutions and can add my name to the list of people that have failed drastically. As I mentioned last week, in 2017 I was one of those “I’m going to run more this year people” and that didn’t last long at all.

One of the few people I know who has proven that resolutions can be successful is my sister. She is on a two-year streak of keeping her resolution. Two years ago it was to meet people in her new town and a big checkmark for success. Last year she was one of the cliché people getting healthy. She joined a gym and somehow in December was still an active member (crazy right).

We are five days into this year and I haven’t made a resolution yet. I don’t want to do the get healthier one (it is a goal, but not something I want to be a resolution I failed at).

Some people at work have made their resolutions to make their life simpler or to try to be more observant of the events happening in their lives. I like this train of thought more.

I want to live life more and experience it rather than just waking up in the morning and going through the motions.

I want to take a trip this year. It has been three years since I taught English in Spain and since then my trips have been a cruise and Chicago, both of which were fun, but I want to do something grander.

I write for a living, but maybe this year I will find the story that needs to be told and write something for fun.

I am not sure if these count as resolutions, but let’s just say they are mantras for the year.

I am taking the Leadership Vicksburg course this year and as part of the Leader in Me training we are supposed to make a personal motto. I couldn’t think of one at the time so this will be my resolution for 2018: I will live life, I will explore my town and beyond and I will end the year as the best version of me and at the end of the year if I break it I will try again in 2019.

And maybe I’ll join a gym.

Brandon O’Connor is a staff writer for The Vicksburg Post. You may reach him at brandon.oconnor@vicksburgpost.com.