I used to be one of those, “Brace yourselves! New Years’ resolutions are coming…” kind of guys. Rolling my eyes with a tinge of judgment as I scrolled my social media feed. December and January always come with a tide of people’s promises to themselves. More like #NotesToSelf on the loudest volume possible, so the world knows. Chances are you’ve already seen a few. In fact, you might have even made and shared yours already. Regardless, there’s more to new year’s resolutions than we appreciate.
The time we’re all deep
The new year encourages us to take stock. We reflect on what we’ve accomplished, or not. Sometimes our reflection leaves us underwhelmed. Disappointed with ourselves and failure. It might even include regret. A sense of accomplishment, perhaps. Mixed emotions are not excluded from the equation.
It is usually from these sentiments we set and declare New Year’s resolutions. Sometimes our regret for who we were or what we did or did not do, fuels our passion to be better, for better. Wins from the year can encourage us to dare and do more. Wins can make us feel unstoppable, making us set our sights on new pursuits.
The thing about New Year’s Resolutions
So, what’s the thing with New Years’ resolutions? There’s more to them than we see. They’re an expression of desire–to be and do more. Isn’t it interesting that both the good and the bad can inspire us to move ahead?
No matter where we find ourselves in life, there’s always a ‘there’ we yearn for. Somewhere greater, whatever it means for us.
The other thing about New Year’s Resolutions
Some people shy from setting them because, “They’re cliché”. Others don’t do it because they’ve failed with previous attempts, so, “What’s the point?”.
Others opt for ‘New Year’s Resolution’ synonyms such as goals, wishes, dreams and vision for the year. It doesn’t matter what you call them, they still matter.
True north and the silent screams
Like GPS coordinates, New Years’ resolutions are about locating ourselves. Where are we in relation to the goals and wishes we have for our lives? How do we measure up against the best possible version of ourselves? That person we see when we close our eyes.
I’m a big fan of the #NewYearsResolution. I now realise that New Years’ resolutions are about more than the new year itself. They’re about who we are and our search for the best of us. They’re a reminder that we’re searching. Somehow, there’s an unshakeable sense, a feeling that there is more to life.
A reminder that we want to live that more.
At the core
Some of life’s deepest, even haunting questions are about where we’re going.
“Where am I headed and what does the future hold? How do I know I’m on the right track?“
Purpose. At the core, New Year’s resolutions are about purpose. A search and pursuit of it. You can’t chart a course to a greater ‘there’ if you don’t know where you are and sometimes the only way to move forward is to understand where you are from. If we were created to be something specific and made for a purpose, the only way we will be able to achieve that end is to find out what it is. The best way to do that is to ask the Creator.
If you would like to know more about how you could find your God given purpose in life, we’d love to hear from you.