As the Christmas holiday quickly approaches, the last days of the year serve as a reminder of “another one” in the books for many of us.

That means, another year, another holiday, another month, of life.

Often, we are so caught up in the concept of time that we put off things until “tomorrow” or “next year.”

With Jan. 1 right around the corner, many of us still hold on to unresolved traditional New Year’s resolutions and hopes from the past year.

As we the enter the last days of 2018, perhaps scrapping a New Year’s resolution for 2019 might be the best decision I’ve ever made!

Instead of setting goals to lose weight, make more time for family/friends, learn a new hobby/skill, maybe the easiest option is to live in the moment and take the year as it comes.

With that being said, dedication, effort and hard work can really go a long way in the grand scheme of life.

As the years pass, New Year’s resolutions have always become a cycle of broken promises to myself, which always in the end have the opposite effect of what a New Year’s resolution is supposed to do.

Instead of feeling accomplished, many of us reflect on the resolutions that we have not successfully fulfilled.

On the other hand, if we have shared those resolutions with friends, family or coworkers, it can sometimes feel like we have failed others as well as ourselves even by not successfully fulfilling out the resolution.

In lieu of resolutions, find a collection of inspirational quotes to motivate you towards living a well-rounded, happy life. When we feel fulfilled as a person, we cannot lose.

“Just because the dates change, does not mean you have to change. The continuous path towards self-improvement is a timeless process,” said Author Brittany Burgunder.

As we began to wind down in 2018, remember, the new year is just a date change. Time is not constant and it’s never too late or early to start anew.

Italia Gregory is community editor of The Gazette. Her email address is Italia.Gregory@TheCharlotteGazette.com.