Although every day brings a fresh start, the beginning of a new year takes it to a new level. It’s a completely blank slate, and it allows people to reinvent themselves however they please.

Here are a few tips on how to maximize the fresh start that comes with the beginning of 2023.

Clean your room
A clean space can help to clear up your mind tremendously. Starting the year off with a room that is tidy and organized is a great way to open your mind up to new ideas and allow creativity to flow all year long. This year, try making a cleaning schedule, and clean one part of your room each day. This way you will be able to keep your room clean the entire year without feeling completely overwhelmed.

Set aside one rest day each month
Life can get overwhelming between school, extracurriculars and family, so it’s vital that you schedule time to relax. Scheduling one day each month to relax and pamper yourself is a great way to avoid burnout and enjoy the little things. Some ideas on how to spend the day are going to a park, having a picnic, going to the spa or reading a book.

Pick a word of the year
Whatever your goals are for the year, your success depends heavily on your attitude. Picking a word at the beginning of the year is a great way to set an expectation for your behavior throughout all that you do. Each person’s word is highly personalized, but some options are passion, commitment and determination. The word you choose can help to ground you throughout the year and bring you back to the fresh start and mindset that you desire.

Lead a healthy lifestyle
Having healthy habits allows you to maximize your fresh start by helping you have ample energy and a positive mindset. Movement, whether it be walking, playing with pets, sports or even grocery shopping, works wonders on your mindset. No matter what you are going through, moving your body almost always puts you in a better mindset because of the endorphins released when doing it. Additionally, eating nutritious foods and drinking plenty of water help to keep your body energized throughout the day. Without adequate energy, you won’t be able to accomplish all of the goals you have set.

Don’t be so hard on yourself
A huge reason why many people fail to keep their New Year’s resolutions is because they think that if they mess up just one time, they have completely failed and that it isn’t worth continuing. But, part of a fresh start is learning. You have to learn what works for you and what doesn’t work for you, and that means that you won’t be perfect from the beginning. Giving yourself grace will make a major difference in your ability to achieve your goals because it motivates you to have resilience and continue pursuing them even when you’re not perfect all the time.

Don’t dwell on the past
A fresh start is all about the future. The past has no part in it, so there’s no reason to continue thinking about it. What’s done is done, and the best thing you can do is to stop worrying about what has happened already, and think more about how you can impact your future in a positive way. A fresh start begins with you intentionally putting effort into upcoming things, and you simply can’t do that if all of your focus is on the past.