3 Tips When Making New Year's Resolutions
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- Published Jan 08, 2024
Do you struggle to keep your New Year’s resolutions? Me too! For years, it was the same scene over and over. The wrapping paper was cleaned up, the Christmas decorations packed, and I stared at a blank sheet of paper. I feverishly scribbled all the things I wanted to accomplish that year. Mind you, many borrowed from previous lists, you know, the ones you whisper to yourself, “This is going to be the year!” Maybe you can relate?
This will be the year that I wake up an hour earlier, read my Bible, journal, pray for 15 minutes, and memorize a verse daily.
This will be the year I will work out daily, run 3 miles daily, do strength training every other day, and do yoga twice a week.
This will be the year I will be organized; I will write everything down in a calendar on my smartphone and the board in our kitchen.
YES! This is the year until the end of January, when most, if not all, of our good intentions are buried in the graveyard of abandoned New Year’s resolutions.
Why do we keep doing this? Why do we keep setting these goals if we know deep down we aren’t going to keep them? I would argue that for most of us, we desire to change. We see areas in our lives that we could “monitor and adjust,” things we need to improve on, and life- changes that would benefit ourselves and our families.
So, where’s the disconnect? Our desires are good, but how we fulfill them is a broken process. Let’s fix it, or at least try to find a better way to make and keep our resolutions this year.
Stop Making New Year’s Resolutions
I firmly believe in goal setting, creating dream boards, and making lists of things you want to do or achieve. But you can create an action plan for your life before the start of a new year. Instead of making a list you know will go in the trash after a few weeks, create a vision for the year ahead using a guiding word or character traits. It doesn't have to be a word; it can be a phrase, a notable quotation, or a Bible verse. Trade those traditional resolutions for an entirely new way of being this year and experience an impact beyond January.
Set Realistic Expectations, Attainable Goals, and Achievable Milestones
That is wonderful if you prefer to go with the tradition of making New Year’s resolutions. But, this year, focus on setting realistic expectations. Make minor tweaks, not substantial shifts; when we make too many significant changes, we struggle to see results, leading to abandonment. One of the reasons most people can't keep their resolutions is because they aren't realistic. When setting goals, we want to look at our past performance, current season, and what we can realistically accomplish. Let’s go back to the examples above.
The idea of this resolution is to get into God’s Word. However, if you have never had a habitual practice of Bible reading, have a newborn baby in your home, and work full time, while the desires above are good, they aren’t realistic. Focus on one of the goals, maybe it’s reading through the Bible in a year, which takes about 10-15 minutes a day. Or perhaps you prefer to focus on praying and journaling to write out your prayers. A verse a day is something to aspire to, but why not focus on a single Scripture for the year?
Starting with small goals and working towards larger benchmarks will help us keep our “eyes on the prize.” Instead of tackling every exercise box, choose one. Start with walking three times a week. If you can do that for a month, add an extra week. We don’t have to do everything at once; there will always be more we can add later. You get the picture. Setting realistic expectations, attainable goals, and achievable milestones will help us as we work towards our aspirations for the future.
Get some Accountability
The New York Times published an article that shared the importance of accountability when sticking to a new habit or achieving a goal. When we have to report our activity on an app for others or answer our friends about missing the gym, we are more likely to show up and do the work.
Some people find it helpful to join a group on social media, posting their wins for the day, setbacks, or adjustments to their plans. Others use a group chat or text chain to send updates and encouragement. A few years ago, I found a friend who had the same goal, and we made a standing walking date at least once a week to keep us committed.
Any time we start something new, the excitement carries us through the first few days, weeks, and possible months of creating a new habit. But then life hits us: we get a promotion at work, our family battles the stomach bug for over a month, and we twist our ankles on the soccer field. Sometimes, we need support to keep going or a boost from a friend to start where we left off. Having someone you can lean on for encouragement and strength will help you to achieve your goals this year.
Remember, your achievements do not define you. Your job title, bank account, family, marathon time, or hours logged reading your Bible doesn’t give you more value to God. You are valuable and have meaning because you were created in the image of God ( Genesis 1:27). You are loved and cherished not because of what you do but because of Who made you (Ephesians 1:4-5). Let’s give ourselves grace as we look towards the new year, holding our plans loosely and surrendering them and their purpose to the Lord ( Proverbs 19:21). Cheering you on as you look to make 2024 the best year yet!
Related Podcast Resource: Make This Your Best Year Yet!
There is no need for New Year’s resolutions if you have not unlocked the power of prayer in your life. Prayer has the power to make this a great year so join Christina as we pray 3 life-changing prayers for your best year yet! To listen, just click the play button below:
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/Creative-Family
She lives in Upstate South Carolina with her husband and three young girls, where she serves as director of women's ministries at her church. Her passion is teaching the Bible to women, equipping them to live with an eternal perspective. Invite Laura to speak at your next event or learn more: www.LauraRBailey.com
