Try this instead for a fresh start [Video]

The New Year often brings with it visions of a clean slate — an energizing opportunity to start living our best lives. Thanks to what behavioral economists call the “fresh start effect,” this time of year leaves many of us feeling extra optimistic about making real, meaningful changes. 

Come January 1, we imagine we’ll be ready to tackle those to-do lists, hit our goals, and become the ideal selves we’ve always imagined we could be. Hence the resolutions, diets, and exercise plans.

And yet, despite our best intentions, many of us struggle to see New Year’s resolutions through. There’s often a gap between our ambitions and our reality. 

We bite off more than we can chew. We don’t realize until we’re well on our way that we lack the time, energy, skills, equipment, or support to achieve the goals we’ve set. Or maybe we’ve just signed ourselves up for too many all at once. 

It might be that we pick the wrong …