Goals and Resolutions and Habits!
Lions, and Tigers and Bears….OH MY !
Why are these so seemingly scary?
Why is it trendy and most popular to only set these and focus on them at the start of every year?
If we didn’t, is it too late? If we did and we aren’t maintaining them well, is all hope lost?
I believe the answer to both of those is a definite NO!
Should we look at them as either or? Maybe all three?
My answer is all three. However, don’t let that keep you from reading on!
Be a Social Rebel
Being the “social rebel” (self-proclaimed) that I am, I don’t necessarily think that we need to follow the trend of setting these all on News Years Eve.
While I see the value in a fresh beginning at the start of a new year, many times the start of a new year is not the right season for someone personally. If we limit our thinking about new beginnings, fresh starts, and goal setting to New Years and Mondays we will forever find ourselves stuck in a pattern of endless hopelessness.
Why? Because life just doesn’t happen in a way that fits inside of neatly checked boxes in all of the “supposed” correct time frames.
Say’s Who?
I often like to remind myself that challenging my thinking and where it may have come from is a healthy thing to do.
Do I believe that I “should” (another dangerous word) strive for this goal, engage in said activity, or force things into a certain time constraint because of tradition, trends, opinion of a friend, an authority figure in my life, etc?
If I determine the source to be credible, I will move on to more probing questions of myself.
The thought process may look like this:
Ok, now that I acknowledge that the source is credible and the advice is sound, is it good advice for me in my current season of life?
The Grand Cadence of Life
There is an eb and flow in the big picture of this beautiful creation of our earthly home. One of the most spectacular wonders in this cadence are the four seasons. Often, we marvel at these seasons. We have our favorites. We enjoy the activities that each one makes possible, like building snowmen and snow skiing in the winter, gardening and picnics in the spring, water activities and beaches in the summer, and camping and hikes in the fall.
The Parallel of the Seasons to Our Physical Lives
There is a great resemblance to our physical lives in this eb and flow of the beautiful seasons. In Christian circles we often refer to some of our situations, circumstances, emotional state, and spiritual connection, as the “season we are in.” Making known our state of being in a certain season can become as clique’ as the apple not falling from the tree. Do we know what it really implies and means?
I believe we all need goals, resolutions, and healthy positive habits. These all look completely different for each person and should be looked at in the context of the big picture of our life and the current season we are in.
I believe in you and want to help you find the goals, resolutions, and habits that are right for you right where you are my friend!
We will continue this discussion and exploration in a four-part series where I will break down the differences in each of these, the establishment of them, and the consideration of looking at them in the context of the big picture of your life and the season you are in.
Until then,
Keep your head up looking to the One our help comes from!