No More Stinkin’ New Years Resolutions

Ahhh, it’s that time of year again. You know the very beginning of the year when people mentally review the year past and make resolutions for the year ahead. But the general consensus among people who have made New Year’s resolutions before is: they don’t work. Often, we set such lofty goals for ourselves at the outset of the year that we become disappointed at the end of the year when we don’t accomplish what we set out to do. Then comes the self-judgment, self-pity, and self-punishment we subconsciously inflict on ourselves due to our own guilt and disappointment.

Many feel as though New Year’s resolutions are a set-up for failure so they refrain from making them altogether. I guess that goes against the old adage ‘if you fail to plan you plan to fail.’ So how can you confidently set your resolutions for the New Year without the looming trepidation that your goals might not get accomplished? I think I found the answer.

This year, rather than set specific resolutions for myself, I have decided to focus on the bigger picture: themes. For example: lose weight, stop smoking, and get more sleep are at the top of most people’s list. But actually doing these things can become increasingly difficult as the stresses, pressures, and rat race of life inevitably hit us head on. Themes help us with big picture thinking, thus making it easier for us to set a certain tone for our new year and remind ourselves of that tone throughout. So focusing instead on the theme of health consciousness would help jog your memory of the things you need to do and stop doing to bolster your health. Themes also help us to refrain from beating ourselves up when we have temporary lapses in judgment and revert back to old bad habits.

Why three themes? Well in years past, as many of you can attest to, I have set either goals that were too lofty or just simply too many goals. So three is a bite sized number. It’s just enough to produce the change we want to see in our lives but not so much that it overwhelms our capabilities. Three themes, three big pictures, three major areas of change…where to begin?

This year, my three themes will be:

1. Commitment– I will commit myself to the decisions I have made. I will decide what I will and stick with it without doubt, fear, or indecision. I will commit my plans and decisions to the Lord that they might be in accordance with His perfect will and if not that they be conformed. I commit to doing everything in my power to manifest my dreams and my destiny. I will be firm, steadfast, dedicated and diligent in my efforts and they will not go unrewarded.

2. Non-Attachment– In the past year or so, I feel like I have lost a lot. This year, I will accept losses, trials, obstacles and disappointment as necessary guideposts for my soul’s development. I will not resist the current of the tide. I will flow with the infinite sea of the universe. I will practice non-resistance and non-attachment. I will remember to simply let things and people be as they are. Everything is everything.

3. Giving of Myself– This past year I have thought about how much I wanted, needed, required, and indeed, expected from other people-and it was a heck of a lot. Then I thought about how much I was giving, how present I was with others, how much love, energy, attention and time I was showing and how much value I was adding to their lives-and it was a heck of a little. This year, I will pay attention not only to what I wish to receive but also what I wish to give. I will give, whole-heartedly, of myself this year, for the world needs me and I am more than enough. What three themes will you set for yourself this year?


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