This special day comes around only once every four years. It’s like the Olympics, the World Cup or (insert collective sigh) the presidential election. So, we have a unique opportunity to observe this quadrennial celebration by making a difference in our lives over the next 48 months. How, you ask? Read on … and Happy Leap Day, my fellow Leapers.

Drop that 10 (okay fine … 30, 50 or even 100) pounds you’ve been wanting to lose. With a little change in diet and lifestyle, you could be rid of them forever by the next Leap Day. U.S. News & World Report recently ranked the Mayo Clinic Diet #1 in commercial weight loss programs so it could be a great place to start. Seriously, you have 1,461 days. You could sit on your you-know-what for one thousand of them and still make your deadline.

Travel to a foreign destination like France, Italy or even Brazil. Begin saving for and planning that trip! And since you’ve got four years to prepare, you could also take on the challenge of learning (at least some of) the language? Check out Babbel to get started. Will it be Parlez-vous Français? … Parli Italiano? … OR … Você fala Português?

Master a musical instrument. Well, yes. Technically, the experts say it takes 10 to 15 years to master an instrument. But think about how good you could get in four years with regular practice? And there are so many benefits (improves focus, decreases age-related hearing loss, etc.) to be gained by playing a musical instrument. Plus, it’s a great way to strike a chord with your friends.

Earn a degree. Most traditional college degree programs can be completed in four years. So, the person you are this Leap Day could be a college graduate by the next one. In addition, a two-year degree can pave the way for many lucrative professions in fields like sonography, web development, air traffic control and more. Just remember … laziness pays off now, but hard work pays off in the future.

Finish that home improvement project. Have you been thinking about enclosing your garage? Remodeling your kitchen? Or even adding an addition to your home? These things take time. And money which, in turn, takes time to earn. So, how does four years grab you? According to Home & Gardens magazine, rule #1 is “Set a realistic project schedule.” You have 208 weeks to get it done. Annnd go.

Need a little inspiration?

There’s an old Irish tradition that encourages a brave woman to propose to a man on Leap Day. If he doesn’t accept, he is obligated to make amends to his admirer with a gift, most famously twelve pairs of gloves that she can use throughout the following year to hide the fact that she’s not wearing a ring. If these courageous, fair-skinned lassies can take this very public leap that may only score them some snazzy new handwear, the rest of us can certainly learn to play the piano or take on a bathroom renovation, right?

Happy Leap Day, everyone!

Michele Robert Poche