Now that the holidays have come and gone, many of us are living with the aftermath — not only in our schedules but in our waistlines too.
The New Year is a natural time to think about our health. So what do we often do? We sit down and write resolutions.
Often our list of resolutions looks like this:
- Get a gym membership
- Lose 30 pounds before spring break
- Join Weight Watchers
- Train for a mini-marathon
- Quit my caffeine addiction
The list could go on and on, couldn’t it?
While these goals aren’t bad in and of themselves, many of us stick to these resolutions for a month (two months, if we’re lucky). Then we fall off the bandwagon and go right back to where we were before…or worse.
So what’s missing? What’s the one key that can turn our resolutions into a long-term lifestyle?
Surprisingly, it has nothing to do with setting concrete goals. It doesn’t even have anything to do with tracking progress through a food journal or having an accountability partner.
It DOES have everything to do with inviting God into the picture.
When you make your New Year’s resolutions, are you praying through them, or do you arbitrarily choose things that sound good on paper?
What would it look like if you asked God what a healthy life could look like for YOU — if you envisioned yourself a year from now, feeling the healthiest you’ve ever been?
Put yourself there now. It’s January 1 of next year. You’ve never felt healthier. Now ask yourself these questions:
- What is present in my life?
- How do I feel?
- What am I able to do now that I couldn’t do a year ago?
- How has my good health affected other areas of my life — family, career, volunteer activities?
Write your answers down. Get detailed and dream big. You can make them into a bullet list or journal them into a prayer — whatever works best for you.
Before you dive into your official New Year’s resolutions, take time to reflect on the vision you’ve just written. Talk to God some more, asking Him if there’s anything you’ve missed.
Then when you feel ready, adjust your resolutions as necessary.
The crucial link we so often miss at New Year’s? Painting a picture of everything we have to GAIN.
Your list of resolutions isn’t just about checking off a box or seeing a number on a scale. It’s about so much more! It’s about connecting with the God who created your body in the first place — the God who has amazing things in store.
Capture His vision. Then go forth and conquer!
ONE SIMPLE STEP: Take a few minutes to plant yourself one year into the future. Work through the questions in this post and write down your answers. Spend some time praying and asking God what He might have for you this year.
ONE STEP FURTHER: Once you have your list or vision written, choose two things you can do THIS MONTH to work toward becoming that person. Keep your list/vision in a prominent place as a constant reminder of what you’re working toward.
Notebook photo by Bashutskyy/BigStock.com
