What does the word standard even mean? Merriam-Webster defines it as “something established by authority, custom, or general consent as a model or example.” Think about what standards mean for your life and how they have molded you into the person you are. Standards do not have to be thought of as a negative concept but rather a set of guidelines you would like to follow in your life. Many times, we get lost in the hustle and bustle of life that we forget to make decisions for ourselves. This can lower our ability to create our own standards and cause us trouble along the way.

Below are some recommendations for how to begin creating your own standards.

Do: Set Goals (Goals are vital for your standards because without them you will not grow, but rather remain stagnant in your life)

Don’t: Settle (You are worth more than the expectations people set for you! Create your own reality! Your standards should be met or you need to move on from the event disagreeing with them.)

Do: Ask for advice (Family or peers may have standards that might give you ideas on how to start your own)

Don’t: Lose perspective (Losing perspective between what your reality is and what you are trying to fit into your life that may not be best for you in the long run. Sometimes we want something so badly that we are willing to risk all the good we have created for ourselves. Don’t lose yourself for someone, something, or a false reality that the world has shown us.)

Do: Be mindful (of your strengths and weaknesses so as not to stress yourself out any further but to instead learn and grow from the standards you create)

Don’t: Ever give up! (You can always achieve what you set your mind on)

Welcome to 2017. Ready to make changes? A fresh start, perhaps? A new year for a new you.

Looking forward means learning from the past to carve out a brighter future. A new you does not mean leaving the old you behind and forgetting where you have been. Starting fresh takes evaluation of our past successes and mess ups, and creates a stronger, more stable future. Sometimes what seems our largest failures are just moments waiting to be used as catalysts to fuel us to greater heights.

Starting fresh this year should first have us looking back at the old year. Ask yourself, what was my biggest success? Where could I have done better? Take that knowledge, and allow it to empower you. Let it fuel the new you to greater heights. Take your past, identify places for change and growth, and use this year to carve out a new you.

Once you have looked back, the next important step- do not dwell on the past. The past can empower us or destroy us. We all mess up. Choosing to learn from mistakes, and rise above these moments are the defining differences between a new you or a stagnant you.

This new year can be one of beginning, reshaping, and modifying. Ask yourself, “who do I want to be?” “What changes must I make to become that person?” Implementing those changes may seem daunting, but each small step proves that you CAN do it. Change is possible, ONE STEP at a time.

Let this year be one of exciting discovery of just how far you can rise, so that you can look back on this new year and marvel at the newly emerged you.