Okay, it's been 21 days since the new year started. They say that if you're consistant with a new behavior for three weeks, it becomes a habit. What do you think? Is this true for you?
If you're like most of us, you've probably gotten bogged down somewhere along the way. You haven't given up. But you haven't reached the point of full implementation.
So, do you stay the course? Here's the reason you do:
Making and keeping your resolutions gives you an opportunity to live out what's most important to you.
There's this very real thing called, 'tyranny of the urgent." The new year is just getting started, and it's already beginning to feel like a tidal wave is sweeping you up and carrying you along. Soon, you'll be so busy putting out fires, you won't have the time or energy to be intentional about the direction you'd like your life to go. You won't get around to considering your highest values, much less figuring out a way to put them into action.
So if you haven't made resolutions, do it now. What do you value most? What is most important to you? Make plans to live in line with that. And if your current resolutions don't reflect what's most important to you, retool them.
Because we only get one chance at life It really is worth giving thought to how you want to live it, and where you want to go.
Abraham Lincoln said, "I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live up to what light I have.”
Resolutions give you a way to live up to your light.
At this point you're probably thinking, "Yeah, that sounds good, but you don't know my life."
Have you tried praying about your goals? Don't think you have to do this on your own power. God works best when we admit it's impossible. I love this verse, "In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly." (Ps 5:3) Start your change with prayer, and believe God will show you a way to make it happen.
Do you have someone to encourage you in your progress? I would never get workouts done without my exercise buddy, Courtney! We all need someone to help us talk things through, to hold us accountable, or even partner with us. Maybe your first step of intentionality could be finding that person who will help you get where you want to go. (It might even be Broad Tree Coaching!)
It tickles me to look at my grandson's goals. He's so full of personality. And I believe that it helps him to identify the things he like to do. It gets his life moving in a good direction. Here's his plan to work towards these goals. (My son in law did this for his whole family -- so ambitious!)
Now, who knows if my grandson will do any of these things? But even if he works on one area, it will be worth it.
Last January, I made a list of 10 goals for the new year. I really only made progress on 3 or so of them. But the coolest thing is that I did something I've been wanting to do for years: I started on a new career. I trained and became a professional coach. To me, that was a miracle!
And that's what I want to leave you with. You may be so busy that all those goals you set for yourself get left by the wayside somewhere between February and March. But even if you can find one important area you want to change in your life, and stick to it, it's worth it.
You'll be more of the person you want to be.
You'll be more of the person you were created to be.