Yes, but no. I’m not big on New Year’s resolutions, but I do like to set New Year’s goals. The difference may be minimal, but it is important. A resolution is a firm decision to do or not do something, while a goal is something you are working toward; it is a destination at the end of a journey. Resolutions are not a bad thing, and I make them quite often myself, but for the start of a new year, I prefer goals.

Resolutions and decisions to change can happen at any time and, many times, are not as easily measurable. Goals are measurable and sometimes time-sensitive. That is why I prefer to set New Year’s goals, so that when I look back on that year, I have a measurable and tangible result to look at.

I also like to set myself fun goals! In 2023, I, along with my youngest brother, set a goal of trying 52 new foods and beverages, one for each week of the year. We had loads of fun choosing new things to try, some of which were delightful, some of which we will never voluntarily eat again (looking at you, marzipan). There are some things that we still regularly enjoy, or just get for special occasions, that we never would have if not for that goal.

While that goal started out as something fun and silly, with the benefit of another year’s distance from that experiment, I can say that it has changed me as a person, and not just in my snacking habits.

When I am walking through a grocery store, I am much more likely to grab something new off the shelves instead of gravitating toward the exact same thing every time. I don’t hesitate to order a new dish off a menu, while previously I stayed very much in my comfort zone, always ordering the same thing I got the first time I went to that restaurant.

It may seem like a small change, but it is a change nonetheless, and not one that I had anticipated. Setting a fun goal for yourself does not mean that you are in any way stifling your chances to grow as a person; it is just giving you the chance to experience triumph and happiness in your life while you do it!