Every time we ring in the New Year, we like to pause and reflect on the big moments of the past year and look to the next year with excitement and anticipation. New Year’s Day is also notorious as a day to make resolutions that often fall flat.

While many resolutions focus on healthy behaviors that can have long-term benefit, here are a few key things to remember:

1.Make your goals SMART.

Specific, measurable, adaptable, realistic and time-bound goals should be the objective. Saying something like “I want to eat more vegetables” or “I want to be more active” doesn’t create the same accountability. For us to truly change our habits, we must find goals that are meaningful to us, so keep this in mind no matter what you plan to change for 2017.

2. This isn’t the only time of the year for change.

While no one plans to fail at reaching their goals, it does happen. When life throws a kink in our plans our priorities can change and that may mean our commitment to our resolutions can fade. Rather than throw in the towel completely, simply find a time in the future where it makes sense to hop back on track. That might be in a few days, weeks, or even months, but there’s no need to wait until Jan. 1, 2018.

3. Ask yourself, “Why?”

For health-focused resolutions, it helps to focus on what we might gain by making that change. Will it significantly change our life for the better? Or will we have to sacrifice so much to achieve it that we’ll be less happy in the long run? We must be clear and intentional about what it will and won’t do, and identify the motivators behind why we’re seeking a change. Asking “Who is this for?” is another way to become more clear intentions for the year.

It’s important to remember as well that making a New Year’s resolutions is optional. The new year is also a time to forecast some of the new trends we can expect to see over the coming months. Technology has made leaps and bounds in the food and health world, and 2017 looks to be no different. If you haven’t already boarded the social media train, this year might be a good time to start.

It’s very likely that live-streaming video is going to blow up, even more so than what we’ve seen in the past. From Facebook Live to Instagram Stories and video, major social media platforms are embracing video as the next big thing. What does this mean for us? Well, we can expect to see more great content that is easier than ever to access instantly. Kansas Farm Bureau’s own Chef Alli has already filmed fantastic recipes straight from her kitchen so a cook-along is just one example of how live streaming video can inspire and motivate us to get back in the kitchen.

Sustainability and reducing food waste will continue to be a big focus for 2017. Younger generations have been savvy to this trend for some time now, but with renewed energy in the new year there will be even more emphasis on using plant-to-stem cooking. Think of ways to creatively use things like beet greens, carrot and potato peels, broccoli stalks and more. Not only does this reduce the amount of food that gets scrapped or composted, but it also helps stretch our grocery dollars further. It’s always trendy to save money.

Personalized nutrition and healthcare is another trend we hope to see taking off in 2017. In the past, many approaches to managing health and preventing disease came as “one size fits all” and were often rigid and unrealistic for everyone. No longer will we be held to that approach — from dietitians to primary care physicians to allied health care professionals, there is a huge push to tailor treatments to individual needs. With the changes taking place in health care, we don’t know exactly what this will look like going forward, but it’s an exciting time to keep an eye on personalized healthcare.

We want to hear from you. What are some of the things you’re focusing on in the new year? Which upcoming trends are you looking forward to the most?