Congratulations! You made it through the holidays in one piece. The only problem is now you are face to face with one of the most dreaded words in the English language. No other word has facilitated such a broad spectrum of emotions ranging from inspiration to guilt in the span of four short weeks. This ‘Voldemort’ of our vocabulary is the word resolution.
Somehow after spending a month running all over town finding the best deals, attending more Christmas parties than there are Days of Christmas, hosting the in-laws, and nurturing the dog through the torturous, all-night, neighborhood fireworks extravaganza; you now must develop a concise, meaningful, and life-altering resolution and share it on demand with anyone who asks. The only benefit of this annual ritual is that 48 hours later, no one will remember your New Year’s Resolution.
Except you.
Each year, that one ‘thing’ you told everyone you would do hangs like an albatross of guilt around your neck, rearing its ugly head whenever you are at your worst - making you lose hope. That’s why you should remove this ‘word that shall not be named’ from your lexicon forever. This does not mean you jettison your internal drive, become complacent with no desire to grow, change, or develop. You simply replace that one ‘bad’ word with two four-letter words: Goal and Plan.
Enter this year with a spirit of expectation. Take the time to decide what you want to accomplish. Learn a new language, travel to Europe, increase your client base, or spend more time with the grandkids. Once you’ve determined your goal, write it down. Written goals are powerful. Next, develop the plan you will follow to make this goal a reality. Write it down, too.
‘Our goals can only be reached through the vehicle of a plan, in which we fervently believe,
and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success.’
Pablo Picasso
Once you have your goal and your plan in place, tell someone. Notice I didn’t say tell everyone. Choose the person you tell carefully, because you will want that person to help you achieve your goal. Some people call this an accountability partner. I refer to people like this as your personal encouragement network. Fill your network with the type of people who will hold you to your written goals, but encourage you as you move forward; someone who will help you up when you stumble and celebrate each victory along the way.
Now, all you need to do is begin following your plan, moving forward in faith that you will achieve your goal. Notice I didn’t say ‘hope’ you achieve your goal. There’s a reason for that, too. The Bible says in Hebrews 11, ‘Faith is being confident in what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.’ Keep that in mind as you pursue your goal, fully assured and confident that it will come to fruition as you follow your plan through the New Year.
If you have your goal and plan in place and are looking for a network of encouraging women, let me invite you to consider one of our Life Groups. Each week we learn, grow, share, and encourage one another in a positive, supportive environment. Come join us as you pursue your goal for this year! New Groups are starting soon.
