A new year is not required to change the course of your life.

It’s as simple as that. As 2016 is drawing to a close, many people are taking the time to reflect on the past year and set goals for the upcoming one. The idea behind these “New Year’s Resolutions” has practically disintegrated, and I personally believe they are useless.

Besides the fact resolutions are often forgotten by February, they simply don’t make sense. The transition from 2016 to 2017 doesn’t change the fact that time is still moving forward. At 12:01 a.m., the world will still be the same place, just with a different label. The new year is just a timekeeping matter, not a time for drastic life changes.

Goals can be set at any time of the year. Whether that be mid-March, the beginning of June, or even the end of December, there is never a bad time to set goals. I simply don’t believe we need to use the new year as an excuse to change our lives. We have the power to change the course of our lives whenever we please.

This doesn’t mean goals for the upcoming year are completely taboo. I believe goals such as maintaining happiness, or having an open mind are healthy goals for a forthcoming year; however, I also believe it is important to remember these things at any given moment during the year, not just at 11:59 p.m. on December 31st.

Goals are healthy, but it’s important to keep in mind the fact that setting goals doesn’t have to be a once-a-year thing. By remembering goals set in the past and altering them to the present-day situation, the objective becomes more attainable and will lead to a happier, more prosperous year.