We all have such great goals at the beginning of the year. Sadly, though, by February, our resolutions are often as dusty as that membership card to the local gym that we bought.
So how can we make and keep resolutions? Here are some tips:
Make your resolutions reasonable. “I’m going to work out every day this year” or “I want to cut out soda for a year” or “I’m going to stop complaining” are great goals, but friends, they aren’t really reasonable. You set yourself up for failure with these — the first day you miss a workout, sip a soda, or complain, and the whole thing is shot. That’s when we give up and feel like failures. Instead, make reasonable, attainable goals — “I’m going to work out 3 days a week”, “I’m going to limit myself to one soda a week”, “Whenever I complain, I’m going to stop and say three things I am thankful for”. 
“Chunk” It. When I eat a slice of chocolate cake, I don’t stuff the whole thing in my mouth. I’d choke if I did that. I’d also miss out on enjoying the flavors and textures of the cake. Instead, I take my time, and I enjoy the treat. This is the best way to attack resolutions, as well. Wanting to lose 20 pounds can be overwhelming. When all we lose is a pound or two after a week of resisting that chocolate cake, we want to give up. However, if we just focus on one day at a time, our goals are much easier to reach. Wake up each day asking God for the self-control to make it to the end of that day. Don’t project out a month or two. That can be overwhelming. Just say, “Today, I’m going to make healthy choices when I eat.” Or, “today, I’m going to walk for 30 minutes.” Or “Today, I’m going to look to encourage at least one person.”
Hit “Restart”. If you’re like me, you can tend to give up too easily. It’s the end of January, and you’ve only lost 3 of the 20 pounds…forget it. It’s not worth the hassle! We beat ourselves up and we give up. We can have so little grace with ourselves. But God tells us His mercies are new every morning! We get a fresh start every new day God gives us. So, if you’ve not managed to keep those resolutions, hit the “restart” button. Start fresh. Set reasonable goals, chunk them, and do, today, what you can to reach them.
Pray. This isn’t last because it’s least important, but because it’s the foundation for everything else. What is God asking you to do today? What’s important to Him should be what’s most important to us. Maybe He wants you to focus on a different fruit of the Spirit each week, to further develop that fruit in you. Maybe He wants you to spend more time in His word, or to join a Bible study, or to share your faith with friends and family members. What He doesn’t want is for you to focus on yourself more than Him, or to be anxious. So “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Mt. 6:33)
