Why I Don’t Make Resolutions
I’ve never been one for New Year’s resolutions. I know that what I should do is make a resolution to take more pictures (like my Instagram feed could handle that) or try something new like wearing leather pants. (Please tell me you got this reference.) But it’s just not me.
When I look out over a whole year, I think about how much I’ve changed in the last one, and usually in a way that I couldn’t have foreseen the outcome. Sure there are things that I was consciously working on but also some things just happen during the year.
Like this past year, I had no idea at New Year’s that I would get pregnant, have a baby, and start working for my husband. And yet, here I am.
So I have a hard time setting a resolution for the entire year when I know that in the season of life we’re in, a LOT could change in a year. Although, now that I think about it, isn’t that true for every stage of life?
And honestly, I just don’t like the idea of setting resolutions when basically every one makes them and something like 90% aren’t kept past February. No gym discount membership is worth paying for if I won’t actually use it.
[I would never actually go to the gym. That was a metaphor.]
What do I do instead?
Last year for the first time in a while, I thought about this. Having professionally been a school teacher and before that, having gone to school my whole life, my brain has traditionally worked on a school year calendar. It still kind of does sometimes and then I don’t understand how #sbmog/Hubs could possibly be talking about March and not November when he says “next year”. But anyways….
I sat down and thought about this last year. I prayed about it. I even wrote some blog posts that turned into an eBook about it. [Get the eBook free by subscribing.] My thought was I would try to develop one new good habit a month. Like making the beds, etc. With moving and pregnancy and a new baby that did not happen.
Last year I read the One Word reading plan on YouVersion. My word last year was “capacity” and it definitely was on my mind all year and in a lot of how I made decisions about things.
This year, I’m making some tweaks and trying some new things.
This year, I’m not sure what my word will be yet, but I’ll keep you posted. (Follow along on social media so you don’t miss it! F T I P)
The other thing I’m trying this year is more like mini-plans. I’m looking at the next three months, especially for this blog and other aspirations my husband and I have, and because they’re short term, we have a better idea of what’s coming next down the pike.
Also I thought of 30 things I want to do before I turn 30. Some are habits. Some are one-time events. But it’ll be fun to have a 2016 bucket list.
At the end of the day, when it comes to resolutions, I think the best thing you can do is know yourself. Know what you’ll stick with and what you won’t. If a year is too long for you, try a monthly habit or quarterly goals.
Keep it small, by just doing the One Word you will have a spring board into trying something else small next year. Or you could make one goal for 5-7 areas of you life (faith, marriage, motherhood, friendships, professional, etc)
Do you make resolutions? Goals? Do you do One Word? Do you choose not to do anything? I’d love to hear about it!
Leave a Reply