A new year means new resolutions for a lot of people. Some have a long list of things they want to change, fix or just not do. Count me in as one of those folks. It’s so easy to fall into this trap and with a brand new year it is easy with the feeling of hope that anything is possible.

I now stick it to three things, no more no less. If I can do one I am happy and if I can do two I am ecstatic. I am realistic in knowing I won’t get all three done.

A unique take on a New Year tradition is the joy jar. Where any time there is a reason to be extra grateful or something that is just place nice occurs you write it on a small piece of paper and place it in a jar. I tried this once but it lost steam halfway through the year. I saw online a different way of doing this. For each week that we are blessed to have this year write something down that you are grateful for that has happened. I think I can handle that. I have already prepared my joy jar so I am leaning more toward this then resolutions.

But it is a great time of renewal, hope, believe in change no matter how big or small. Whether you make a list or not I want to wish you all a Happy New Year for 2016. May it be better than 2015, may your health, spirits, and being be things that are on the rise.

And if you do make some resolutions, good luck with that. But don’t beat yourself up. Life does a good job of doing that to us anyway.