The New Year is upon us. Do you have a New Year’s Resolution? Well, if you’re like most Americans (88 percent according to a recent poll), you have at least one resolution. And, if you are like the majority of these promise-makers, your resolution is probably related to health and fitness. But how about some spiritual resolutions this year? Read your Bible daily. Pray more often. Get involved in your church on a regular basis.
So what’s the secret to successful resolutions? While you can’t wave a magic wand and make your resolution come true, there are some easy steps to take that will make it easier to fulfill your promise to yourself.
- Choose an obtainable goal. Resolving to look like a super model is not realistic for the majority of us, but promising to include daily physical activity in our lives is very possible. Resolving to have the faith of Abraham, the patience of Job or the wisdom of Solomon, may not be very obtainable over a one year period. Even reading your Bible through in a year may not be an obtainable goal, but reading your Bible daily is.
- Create a game plan. At the beginning of January, write out a plan. All things successful start with a plan that describes the mission and specifics on how it will be achieved. Write your own personal plan, and you’ll be more likely to succeed as well.
- Break it down and make it less intimidating. Rather than one BIG goal, dissect it into smaller pieces. Set several smaller goals to achieve throughout the year that will help you to reach the ultimate goal. Then, even if you aren’t able to reach your final goal, you will have many smaller, but still significant, achievements along the way.
- Ask friends and family members to help you so you have someone to be accountable to. Just be sure to set limits so that this doesn’t backfire and become more irritating than helpful. For example, if you resolve to be more positive ask them to gently remind you when you start talking negatively.
- Reward yourself with each milestone. If you’ve stuck with your resolution for 2 months, treat yourself to something special. Buy yourself a new Bible or something like that.
- Don’t go it alone! Everyone needs help and sometimes getting a friend involved is enough. Get a friend to make the same resolution as you and encourage one another.
On average only about 20% of us keep our New Year’s resolutions. But don’t let the statistics get you down. By following the tips above maybe you’ll be better equipped to fall into the successful 20% category. If you are interested in a Bible reading plan, you can find one here, or you can email me and I’ll email you the one that I put together. But take the poll (scroll down) and let me know what you think of New Year Resolutions or leave me a comment and tell my about one that you have kept.
I am a Christian husband and father, who moonlights as the minister for the church of Christ in Childress, Texas. My wife Lea and I have been married for 23 years. We are doing our best to raise our 4 boys, who are all growing up way too fast.
