By Claire Myers

Last year, as 2014 came to an end, I decided that I wanted to come up with a New Year’s resolution and work at actually succeeding by 2015. I never thought of myself as a person who would want to make a goal for a whole year. Usually, I would make goals that would only be for a short period of time, such as studying hard that night to get a good grade for the big test coming up or being nice to my brothers for a whole week.

Usually, I would say that New Year’s resolutions are pointless, because for most of the American population, they usually last only about a week to a month before getting back into their old habits. Most people just give up because it becomes too hard or it doesn’t work into their regular daily routine. Also, some people just don’t have the confidence to they think and believe in themselves that they’ll be able to make it. But I wanted to be a part of the eight percent that actually stick to their resolutions and have it help them to make their lives better.

So I first had to think of something to work on. I had noticed that I was in the habit of drinking root beer everywhere I went. I do not like many other sodas, but root beer iss an addiction, so I wanted to stop. And what better an excuse than for it to be my New Year’s resolution? I decided I would stop drinking soda all together and just drink water and other healthy drinks.

At first, it was hard.  I missed my root beers.  Yet soon a change began.  After only a few weeks, I noticed a difference in the way I was feeling. I wasn’t as tired and didn’t feel quite like a slug. I felt healthier and as if I had more energy for a longer period of time than when I had at least one glass of soda every day. I began to have more respect for the people who actually try their best year round to keep themselves healthy and make goals for to help achieve something.

Sometimes the New Year’s resolutions people make can help them not just for that year, or for the next five years, but for the rest of their lives. It can become a good habit. It takes determination and a will to succeed.

I know this, because I have kept my resolution for over a year now, and it is a great feeling.