Whether you're celebrating the new year on January 1, January 22, September 15, your birthday, your Strokeaversary, or some other date in 2023 or beyond, it's a time to pause and think about where you want to go and what you want to do. We could talk about resolutions, but that seems to set us up for failure. Few people set and achieve resolutions. Failing them within 2 weeks of the new year is pretty much a comedy trope at this point. So with all that cultural baggage, let's not talk about resolutions. Let's talk things we can do. Here are 5 things you can build into your plan for the new year. If you don't see the audio player below, visit http://Strokecast.com/MSN/NewYear to listen to the episode.   Click here for a machine-generated transcript Decide what you want Many people go through life on autopilot; they let the things they want be decided by societal standards or other people or their perceptions of what they're supposed to want. Others choose goals, priorities, and direction once and never think about it again. Stroke adds yet another layer to that. Most stroke survivors I speak with say the stroke changed not only their abilities but also the way the think about life. It adjusts their priorities or brings a level of clarity they might not have had before. Whether you thought you knew what you wanted before a stroke or not, surviving a stroke gives you a reason to stop. To stop and think about your goals. It gives you a chance to think about what you really want now. That doesn't mean you have to scale back because of language, physical, cognitive or other disabilities. It's possible your dreams now can be even bigger. What it does mean is you have some work to do. You have to figure out what you want to do and why you want to do it. Before you pursue a goal or plan of action for your new year, decide if you want the result. Maybe running seems like something you SHOULD do, but do you really want to? You're unlikely to be successful at achieving a goal you don't care about. Take some time and a pen and paper or blank digital document or dry erase board or a partner who can serve as a scribe, and make a list of things you care about and want to do. What are you passionate about? What do you care about? What lights a fire under you? After stroke your answer may be wildly different than it was before. If the answer is "nothing," that's okay, too. Perhaps dedicate your year to finding something you care about. Or find a counselor you can  communicate with. Lack of interest in things could be a sign of depression. In my experience, many people don't know what they really care about or want to do because they haven't taken the time to figure it out. The run on autopilot doing what they think they are "supposed to do" rather than what truly inspires their soul. So think about what you want and then decide to pursue it. Make a plan Once you know what you want to do, then you can figure out how to do it. Talk to people who can help. Maybe that means getting more PT, OT, or speech therapy. Maybe it means finding a business or writing coach. Maybe it means more work by yourself at home. You don't have to get it all at once. Break it up into smaller pieces and work on a plan to complete these individual pieces. One method that helps it to build SMART goal. These are goals that are Simple, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time bound. I talked more about SMART goals in an earlier episode at http://Strokecast.com/SMART. Find a community Loneliness and isolation are two if the biggest non-medical challenges stroke survivors face. It may seem even harder for younger stroke survivors who suddenly find themselves flung off the traditional life paths of advancement their peers are on. So find a community of stroke and brain injury survivors. We're out there. Look for loc