As I reflect on this past year, I’ve realized that this semester I have been all over the place, and running from one place to another. Managing my time has been something I’ve had to improve on this year, especially since it’s been a struggle to find time in between to work on assignments.

Most of the time, when I get home from a long day at school or practice, I don’t do anything to make myself better and others around me – I just go to sleep hoping that tomorrow “I will do better.” This phrase is something I’ve been telling myself for the last couple of months – and it’s one of the biggest mistakes I’ve made, because it has made me procrastinate things until the last minute. I knew I could do things to make myself better, but I chose not to try. Instead of reading for 20 minutes or stretching for 15, I went to sleep with a lousy feeling for not ending the day on a good note.

I have had many coaches tell me in the past to always finish strong – no matter if it’s during practice or a presentation – it’s always nice to finish on a good note. Next year, my one-word resolution is to finish. I think finishing your day off strong can help you become more productive. It can give you the feeling of fulfillment at the end of the day when you’re reflecting on what you did. Finishing your day off strong can motivate you to do the same the following day, and then the day after that. This semester, I didn’t do a great job at “finishing strong,” although I would tell myself every day that I was going to try again the next day and then the next. Before I knew it, it was already December 1. I want to make my daily routine more efficient, and try to make time to accomplish all of my goals for the day. And, to me, that’s what it means to “finish strong.”

Next year, I want to become better at finishing what I started. Days can become very busy and overwhelming, and you can easily forget some of the things you’ve started. No matter if it’s setting a goal to run a mile every day, or journaling, when things get in the way, it’s hard to accomplish them. Every. Single. Day.

The only thing I can do is to put in the effort. If you put in your own effort to finish something you started, and you do it right, it can make you feel more accomplished and make a difference in your day. Once in a while, when I’m not very productive, I feel like I just wasted another day, when I could’ve been doing something better. Finishing something you started can feel impossible – and sometimes out of reach – but if you put in the effort, being able to finish the day on a good note is an understatement.

So, my goal for next year is to finish – and finish strong.