I've heard it said that a New Year's resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other. Maybe this is why I've never been a big New Year resolution person. Recently, I saw a statistic that says 55 percent of Americans either never or only infrequently set New Year's resolutions. I guess this puts me in the majority. I'm probably this way for the same reason so many others have a certain distain for resolutions. Once made, rarely have I managed to keep them. Again, it looks like I'm in the majority, as apparently only 8 percent of Americans are always successful in keeping their resolutions. So, I've thought to myself, if I know going in that I won't succeed, why bother?
I think part of my problem (and perhaps yours also) is that I've often set unrealistic resolutions, like "I'm going to lose 30 pounds in January." It's not that there is anything wrong with setting resolutions. But, in setting the bar higher than I know I can jump, I don't jump. Or, if I do jump, I fail.
Does this sound familiar? So, what if … what if as this New Year approaches, instead of not resolving to do anything, we just set the bar lower, where we at least make it possible to succeed? I'm hoping that this should provide some motivation to try. I'm not talking about making inconsequential resolutions, by the way, like "I resolve to eat this year." And, I'm not talking about long, drawn-out projects that can't be accomplished in the short-term. No, I'm talking about simply trying to make reasonable, yet solid resolutions — any one of which can be accomplished in a day.
I think that with the right attitude going in, the following resolutions can help to get the New Year off to a positive start. And, these are resolutions that most everyone has a good shot of accomplishing - something that your family can live with whether you try them alone or as a family. Whether you decide to try all 30 resolutions or just one; whether you attempt to do them all in January or space them out throughout the year, there is no pressure in pursuing this plan. Also, there is no mystical order that these resolutions should be attempted, and there is nothing wrong with repeating one or more throughout the month. Find the resolution you like best, and start with it. Oh yes, there's one more thing: There is a hidden agenda in these resolutions. I'm hoping that as we try them, that we'll end up incorporating some of them into our lives as part of who we are and what we do day-in and day-out.
30 Resolutions for the New Year
Day 1: Just for today, I resolve to pray. This doesn't have to be difficult. Sometime during the day, just say a short prayer. Thank God for something, or praise God for something, or tell God you love Him, or confess something to Him, or ask Him for something, or ask Him for something for someone other than yourself. Just try one of these things. Or, if you feel like it -- do all of the above.
Day 2: Just for today, I resolve to say "I love you" to someone. It's really not hard, and if you try, you really can find the moment it takes to say it, email it, text it or show it. There are few sayings more powerful in the life of another than these three little words.
