When Writing Your Resolutions

Not everyone makes resolutions on New Year’s Day, but many people do. I still enjoy making resolutions, because they provide me with a little stronger framework for the coming year.

If you write resolutions, let me share a few tips you may want to keep in mind.

1. Be Specific. As Christians, we like to make resolutions like “pray more.” That’s a good goal, but it is not a resolution. A resolution would be more specific. It might include how much time to devote to prayer each day, or to make a prayer journal to help focus your prayer time.

2. Pray. We are to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). That should include our resolution-setting. In each goal, seek the will of God.

3. Set Dates. It is good to have some resolutions for the entire year, but others need to be more bound by time. Maybe one is to save up money for a car by the end of May. Another might be to write one chapter of a book per month. Writing some of your goals this way will  help you stay focused.

4. Think of your entire life. I would not write tons of resolutions, but try to think of each area of your life and something you can improve in it. Think of your spiritual life, your physical self, your marriage and family, your financial life, and other areas that might interest you.

5. As you have time, write out a plan of action. In other words, write more than just the resolution, especially for those that are “big.” Write a short plan that shows at least the first step to take. If you don’t, some of your biggest resolutions will never leave that sheet of paper.

6. Keep them visible. I sometimes share some of my resolutions, while keeping others (that are quite personal) just between myself and the Lord. However, I keep all my resolutions in Evernote, because that way they are always with me. Others like to write them out or print them out and put them in a visible place. If you just write them down and never look at them again, the odds of keeping them are very small.

7. Start…today. Is there one of your resolutions you can make a first step on, even today? Then make that first step. That little “win” will help you make another step tomorrow, and tomorrow, and….

QUESTION: What are some of your resolutions for 2013? Share in the comments!

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Photo credit: Jen Orton on Creative Commons

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