Happy New Year!! 2018…a new year, a new beginning, a new opportunity to change. New Year’s resolutions are a tradition that dates all the way back to the Romans and the Babylonians. They each started the year by making promises to their Gods. In other cultures, people use this time to look back and reflect over the year, a chance to offer and seek forgiveness. Every year millions of Americans make New Year’s resolutions. Many find the inspiration to start re-evaluating their life choices, and they take the opportunity to make the desired changes as their New Year’s resolution.
Some of these resolutions consist of getting in shape, eating healthier, attending church, giving up smoking, getting out of debt, and even settling down, getting married, and having children. These resolutions sound ideal and realistic. They are nothing but methods to improve our life, maybe even help us live longer. Many of us are ambitious and ready to start our resolutions, we have a plan, we know what we want, and we go after it.
As we begin our new journey towards self-improvement, every little bit of positive change helps. All it takes is some bold commitment to achieve those desires. As we sign up for the next best gym in town, or purchase the necessary groceries to begin our new diet, we need to keep our eyes on the end result. What is it we want to achieve? We may be sore from our new workout routines, or we may be going through a sugar withdrawal, we have to remember that we are slowly overcoming that little voice of doubt and discouragement, that nagging voice that reminds us of our un-finished or failed resolutions. Skipping a workout here and there; or drinking a can of soda is not the end of the world as long as we stay true to our commitment and we continue to take steps forward. Setbacks happen, they are inevitable, but they are also essential because they contribute to our growth. Life priorities take place and they will slowly diminish our resolutions if we let them, we need to work through them and get back to our commitment by focusing on our strengths. If we fixate on our weaknesses we can only work our way up to achieving average instead of greatness.
So go ahead, choose your resolution(s), and develop your momentum towards your personal goal which ultimately leads to your potential. Start small and work your way up, set yourself up for success!