Well, it’s that time of year again. Time for new year’s resolutions. I’m sure you’ve read enough about them for a lifetime and may not want to continue reading this now that you know the topic.

I encourage you to read on because I’m not going to tell you how to keep up your exercise regimens or organize your clutter. Instead, I am going to vent to you about how I’ve already failed to keep mine and how I plan to start over. If you are in the same boat, read on, and maybe you can start over too — after all, it’s only Jan. 10.

My first resolution was to act pleasantly in all circumstances, regardless of how frustrated or annoyed I am. As you can probably imagine, this lasted three days and culminated in a blow-up. I became so disappointed in myself for not keeping my resolution and even more disappointed for acting like a tyrannical monster when it didn’t work out.

However, I now realize that by making this resolution in the first place, I was aiming too high. I’m not Jesus, I’m just a girl who needs to learn to express her feelings in a more appropriate manner. So, instead of giving up completely, I decided to start fresh by voicing or writing out my concerns in a calm manner. Instead of ignoring problems, I will deal with them immediately in order to avoid a build-up that leads to a verbal explosion.

Writing notes and e-mails is also something I will practice more regularly, as it helps me articulate my concerns clearly and concisely. If you are one to exude attitude or anger in your voice, I recommend you do the same. It generally generates a better response.

Another resolution I have already forsaken is organizing and setting up my new apartment. I told myself that I’d have it finished within the first week of the new year, and now I sit here staring at barren walls and half-empty boxes.

When I didn’t meet my goal, I started telling myself how lazy I am, and how there is no excuse not to finish this project. Then, I realized that it has to get done one way or another, so what good is sending myself negative messages going to do?

So I set out with a new goal. Why not invite friends over for a dinner party next week? That way, the apartment will have to at least be somewhat organized by then. It gives me something to look forward to and to work toward. There is no way to better motivate yourself to make your place look spectacular than to invite your friends over so you can show it off.

So here we are on Jan. 10 — no, it’s not Jan. 1, but it is Monday and it is the start of a new week.

The good thing about resolutions and new starts is that they can come whenever you want them to.

So go ahead, start fresh. Make your resolutions more attainable. And if you feel that you’re going to fail, by all means, let yourself fail. But never be afraid to pick yourself up, re-evaluate, and keep working toward your goals.