It’s hard to resist the need for change every time a new year rolls around. It’s exciting to have a fresh start, and there’s certainly nothing wrong with taking a look at your life and how you can make it better.

But what good are New Year’s resolutions? Or, perhaps the real question is, how can you make your New Year’s resolutions work?

Making resolutions only to break them later is discouraging. It might be just as unhealthy, however, to just give up and not attempt any kind of change. So, how can we break this vicious cycle?

Perhaps the first step is to resist going crazy the first time you mess up. If you fall off the horse, just get back on and keep riding. It sounds simple and clichéd, but it makes sense to me.

One thing is for sure: The past is behind you, and there is nothing you can do to change it. The flipside of that coin is, the future can be whatever you make it. Of course, this philosophy demands that we stay realistic, but that doesn’t mean we should stop pursuing our dreams.

Many times I have heard successful people talk to children about never giving up on their life’s goals. Many people who wish their lives were different, however, are not impressionable children. They have been jaded, depressed, and have possibly shut the door on an important part of their life.

This column probably sounds really universal, but it’s intended to be. Whatever your situation, you can improve it. What do you have to lose?