Though there is never a wrong time to replace bad habits with better ones, January 1 is typically one of the more inspiring dates to take up positive lifestyle changes in the hopes of achieving our best, healthiest and happiest selves. The adoption of new year’s resolutions is an annual tradition many participate in and often fail to fully realize for any number of reasons, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible or even unlikely for you to find success this year. Here are some tips to help you stick with your resolutions in 2018.

Keep your goals and your expectations reasonable

Rome wasn’t built in a day and better lifestyles aren’t established during the fulfillment one or two resolutions. Be realistic about both the changes you want to make – including how long it will take to successfully implement the changes and how much work there is to do, given the point you’re starting out at – as well as the impact those changes are going to have on your life. It can be discouraging to not make progress at the pace you want or to see your efforts not having the effect you intended, but don’t let this psych you out. Always keep in mind that any progress at all is positive and necessary to get where you’re going, and that sometimes, the most impactful resolutions are not temporary projects, but rather ongoing habits that affect your long-term lifestyle.

Make changes you actually care about

There are plenty of common new year’s resolutions – like saving money or losing weight – that we sometimes take on because they are popular or they sound good without really considering the lack of relevance they have to our individual situations. However, the beauty of the tradition of adopting resolutions is that you have the opportunity to tailor them to what you want and need in your particular situation. Take the time to think about what areas of your life would be best served by positive change, and focus on listing out specific resolutions that are relevant to your circumstances. This strategy will not only prevent you from overloading with resolutions you don’t actually care about, it will also help you direct your energy and attention in a more efficient way so that you won’t find yourself spread too thin.

Share your plans – or don’t

There are two camps on sharing resolutions: one is that telling others about your goals is a great way to create positive expectations, support and accountability for yourself; the other is that telling others about your goals is a great way to feel like you’re achieving a goal without actually achieving anything and to generate negative pressure and judgment when others see that you are not sticking to your plans as well as you could. Whether you choose to share your resolutions with others or not, it’s important to recognize that the changes you’re working to make are positive ones independent of what others have to say about it. Your success – or failure – ultimately hinges on you taking control of the situation. Take making the promise to change to yourself seriously first – then decide if sharing your resolutions is going to help you or hurt you in the long run.

Do Future You favors

The start of the new year is certainly an invigorating time to jumpstart your foray into a better life, but time units like years, days and months are also just constructs that do not dictate when you deserve something bigger and better than what you have currently. The thought of slogging through another day of controlling your impulses in the spirit of becoming a better person can be exhausting when you can’t see beyond your conscious experience of hating what you’re doing. But if you think of yourself — bear with me — as three selves, namely Past, Present and Future you, you’ll see that you are always the one in control of what you go through down the road. If Past You left you high and dry by neglecting the goals you set, know that you don’t have to do the same to Future You. Taking time out now to make progress on your resolutions can only benefit you in the future, and if you do it now, that’s less you’ll have to do later. Future You will really appreciate it when you get there.

Slipping up is okay, giving up is not

In the 1997 song “Tubthumping” by Chumbawamba, singer Dunstan Bruce sings: “I get knocked down, but I get up again / you are never gonna keep me down.” Remember these lyrics if – when – you slip up on a resolution. Mistakes, accidents and weak moments are pretty much inevitable, but don’t use small, temporary failures as excuses to obliterate your long-term plans. If something happens that sets you so far back that you’re further from success than when you began, do not give in to the ‘there’s always next year’ mentality – just get back into it right away. Falling off the wagon doesn’t mean you can’t ever get back on; don’t dwell on the slip ups, and focus on regaining any lost ground instead.