I am Resovled!!!

Resolve: to reach a firm decision about Webster’s 9th Collegiate Dictionary.

Well, it is the start of a new year. And this year, just as in every other year that has been, we decide that we need to make resolutions. We see it as our chance to get a fresh start, a new beginning. A mulligan if you will. 2009 will be our chance to right all the wrongs that occurred in 2008.

Now, I’m sure that somebody has the statistics on it, but it seems like the majority of New Year’s Resolutions that come down the pike are broken, usually within weeks of making them. I know that is usually the case for me. Why is it, that we continue to make the same resolutions year after year, only to give up on them weeks after making them? They say that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting a different result (that’s not a Webster’s definition by the way!). Yet every year we set the same goals for ourselves. But do we approach them differently than we did last year? Do we actually have a plan for how we are going to be successful in fulfilling the resolutions that we have set? Another common phrase is, “ Failing to plan is planning to fail.” If you want to lose 20 pounds this year, what is your plan to do it? If you don’t have some means by which you are going to accomplish your goals, they never will be accomplished. Now, I raise my hand in embarrassment as well. I always have these grandiose plans that never get followed through with, because I never made to plans to accomplish them. It was something that sounded good in my mind, but it is a long way from there to reality.

Webster says to resolve is to reach a FIRM decision. The decisions we make are seldom firm decisions. They are usually some passing fancy in our mind. Something that sounded good at the time. But things get too hard, times get tough, or we just get lazy and we don’t follow through with these plans. It was something we wanted to do last year but couldn’t. Now for some reason, we think if we make another resolution, by golly we will make it this year. And next year, we will be doing the same thing.

So, what is the solution to this resolution conundrum? Well for starters, make a resolution that is reasonable. It is probably not reasonable for you to become a millionaire this year if your salary is only $30,000 a year. Be specific about what you want to accomplish. If you are too vague, then you won’t know what you are trying get to. Have a plan. Written is probably the best. Set markers for yourself throughout the year. For example if you want to lose 20 pounds this year, set a goal to have lost 5 pounds by the end of March. This will help you break it down and help you to see that you can reach your goals. Staying with the weight loss theme, devise a plan on how you are going to reach your goal: are you going to change your eating habits, your work out habits, etc. Have a friend or family member who will keep you accountable. Peer pressure works wonders! If you have someone there prodding you along, and propping you up when you feel like giving up, it will benefit you greatly and help you to keep pushing towards the goal. And finally, set a goal that will be a benefit to you. For example, read through the Bible in a year, pray every day, etc. Look beyond just the physical and into the spiritual. If you can get your spiritual life in order, it will make the rest of your life easier to deal with.

Well, that is all that I have for this blog. I wasn’t sure where it was going to go, but this is what I came up with. So have a blessed 2009 and may you succeed on your resolutions!


Dale