17 Quotes That Will Inspire You As You Make Your New Year's Resolutions

"For last year’s words belong to last year’s language and next year’s words await another voice." That's a quote from my boy T.S. Eliot, who in his poem "Little Gidding" made plans and had dreams of new beginnings and a brighter future. It sounds vaguely familiar right? Well, it's that time of year when one begins to reflect on all the highs and lows from the past year, and starts to look forward to the future, whatever that may bring. And if you are in need of some direction, these New Year's Eve quotes about resolutions are such a great place to start. Let them inspire you as you begin to think about the year ahead — and what you would like to get out of it.

As a writer I love a good quote, especially one that elicits tidings for a fresh and happy start. From Tolstoy to Tennyson, here are some excellent quotes for every new year's resolution that you should reference as you ring in the new year. Write them down in a journal, share them on Facebook and Instagram with your friends, or simply just read them out loud to yourself as you relax on New Year's Eve. Happy 2018 everyone!

1. "Climb the mountain so you can see the world, not so the world can see you." — David McCullough, Jr.

2. "One resolution I have made, and try always to keep, is this: To rise above the little things." — John Burroughs

3. "Nothing in the universe can stop you from letting go and starting over." — Guy Finley

4. "You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing that we call 'failure' is not the falling down, but the staying down." — Mary Pickford

5. "It is never too late to be what you might have been." — George Eliot

6. "The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide you’re not going to stay where you are." — J.P. Morgan

7. "The changes in our life must come from the impossibility to live otherwise than according to the demands of our conscience not from our mental resolution to try a new form of life." — Leo Tolstoy

8. "Cutting out drama… Healthy mind and body choices… Intent followed by action… Keeping real friends and letting go of the pretends." ― Steve Maraboli

9. "Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, whispering ‘it will be happier’…" ― Alfred Tennyson

10. "For last year’s words belong to last year’s language and next year’s words await another voice." ― T.S. Eliot

11. "Forgiveness is really just another word for freedom." — Julie Lessman

12. "Be the change that you wish to see in the world." ― Mahatma Gandhi

13. "There is no greater thing you can do with your life and your work than follow your passions — in a way that serves the world and you." ― Richard Branson

14. "Don’t make excuses. Make things happen. Make changes. Then make history." — Doug Hall

15. "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." — Winston Churchill

16. "No woman can control her destiny if she doesn’t give to herself as much as she gives of herself." — Suze Orman

17. "Life is a gift, and it offers us the privilege, opportunity, and responsibility to give something back by becoming more." — Anthony Robbins

Feeling ready for 2018? Regardless of whether or not you make resolutions, it feels good to have a fresh start. These quotes will inspire you to make the most of it.