I'm not a fan of New Year's Resolutions. Never have been. I think they are a fast and dirty way for people to set goals they won't follow through on.
That's not to say that resolutions are not good to make in theory. Who doesn't enjoy the idea that the new year can bring with it a new person with goals and ambitions and drive? Yeah...
The problem is that these goals rarely, if ever, effect resounding change in our lives. How many of us have made our lists, maybe on cute scrapbook worthy paper or on our blogs or in our journals, only to find that as the paper gets torn or as the post get indexed or tabbed that we begin to conveniently forget about our resolutions?
If I were to make a resolutions list, first on it would be to actually read my resolutions once a week (if not more often) and to write down specific short and long-term benefits I will receive from each goal. I would also only write down resolutions that are within reason. For example, one year in high school I resolved to "write the next great American novel". Yeah, I don't think so! A 16 year-old can barely get out of bed let alone write a 200+ page work of fiction that is actually good.
Now I am not going to share with you my resolutions list (because frankly I didn't make one!) but I do want to share with everyone what I learned from the U.S. government and from church on Sunday about resolutions.
Top resolutions for Americans (As told by the U.S. government):
- Drink Less Alcohol
- Get a Better Education
- Get a Better Job
- Get Fit
- Lose Weight
- Manage Debt
- Quit Smoking
- Reduce Stress at Work
- Save Money
- Take a Trip
- Volunteer to Help Others
I think it is just a little sad that only one focuses on others as opposed to "me."
And then to what I learned at church from the article "Resolutions" by Joe J. Christensen. His top 4 resolutions for every year:
expand my intellectual horizons
preserve and strengthen my physical health
be a truer friend
grow spiritually
Simple yet profound.
And that's all I have to say about that.
1 comment:
hmm..I like those 4 last resolutions. :) Just so you know, though, I did keep about half of my resolutions last year. Didn't make any this year, so I guess that means I don't need to change a thing! jk...I'm just too lazy. Maybe I should just make one resolution: DON'T BE LAZY. I have a feeling it won't work...Oh, and Hi!
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