Making New Year Resolutions are pretty common among folks, but I admit I haven’t made a lot of them in the past, thinking that I may not keep them, and I don’t like to experience failure which is how I would feel if I didn’t keep them. However, this 2012 is different for me somehow and I feel an urgency to make and keep three resolutions beginning January 1, 2012. I would like to share them with you, as I believe by doing so I will feel more accountable and more likely to succeed. I feel also putting my resolutions in writing will solidify the importance of them in my psyche.
So here goes, below are my three New Year Resolutions for 2012, and why I felt the need to make them.
My First Resolution for 2012 – Focus on God
My first resolution for 2012 is to focus more on God in every area of my life. Though I have been born again and Christ is my Savior, I don’t depend on and trust God enough in my life. I tend to try to handle every problem or worry on my own and rarely take my cares to the Lord. This year I was given a devotional book entitled “Jesus Calling; Enjoying Peace in His Presence” written by Sarah Young by a friend upon my retirement this past June. This devotional book has encouraged me more than any I have read in the past.
Since the time I’ve been reading each day’s devotional, it seems each one was written for me personally. I live in the past and the future more than I live in the present and that is contradictory to what God yearns for from us. He wants us (his children) to NOT be burdened down with our circumstances and worries in life. God wants me and all of us to spend time with him daily just “focusing” on and listening to him. If we will do that He will provide us with peace, understanding, and strength to turn all of our worries and problems over to him. God is in control of our lives and we tend not to realize that reality if we never think about or sit in his Presence or take time to listen to his voice. I intend to live closer to God this next year like He wants us all to do. If we stay in communication with God and live close to Him daily, He will not leave us circling in deeply rutted paths, but will lead us along fresh trails of adventure, revealing to us things we do not know. I want to let God be in control and trust that He is working in my life with my best interest at heart because he loves me!
My Second Resolution for 2012- Exercise more
I’m sure exercising more is on most people’s list of New Year Resolutions, but I have a specific reason why it is crucial for me to make it a priority in my life. Since being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2009, everything I’ve read on the subject, and my doctors have stressed it to me also is that exercise is key to managing the symptoms of this disease which affects movement in my body. Exercising will allow me to stay mobile longer. If I don’t exercise, eventually I will experience times of my body ” freezing or locking up” and I won’t be able to move at all for periods of time, causing me to have to take more meds to unlock my body. This is not what I want to happen, yet I haven’t been exercising as advised. I must make exercising a priority in 2012 and forever.
My Third Resolution for 2012– Living Life to the Fullest
Being newly retired and living with Parkinson’s, I have many interests I want to pursue while I am still independent and able to do so. Interests such as honing my writing skills, learning to draw, volunteering more in my church and community, and taking better care of my health are all things I long to do. In the last couple of years I worked with Parkinson’s I found myself unable to do anything extracurricular. It was all I could do to work 8 hours. I was having problems multi-tasking, focusing, solving problems and dealing with the stress of the job, which were all requirements of my position as a school accountant. Fatigue also became a big problem as is common in Parkinson’s patients. I will have to pace myself while pursuing my interests while getting the rest my body needs, but enjoying my life for a change and doing some of the things I love will go a long way in helping me keep a positive attitude with the increasing challenges I will no doubt be facing as the Parkinson’s progresses.
I believe all of these resolutions are reasonable and doable with God’s help and determination on my part.
Thank you for reading this and I hope you have a blessed New Year and are successful with any resolutions you make!