Wishing You Balance And Moderation
On Saturday (or Monday if you're already procrastinating), many people around the world will make New Year's resolutions. They will decide this is the time to overhaul their eating, weight, home and life in drastic ways. It may last until this time next year, but chances are these off-the-wall decisions won't make it a week, let alone a month.
We should desire to make positive changes in our lives, and improve ourselves according to the Lord's standards. Any move in that direction is beneficial to ourselves and our families, but not the resolutions that we can't stick with more than a few days.
Losing an obscene amount of weight in a short period of time or exercising every day for all of 2011 is a resolution waiting to be tossed aside. At the very first sign of struggle or the first time we don't follow through with our self-imposed rules, we give up and wait until next January to try again. This vicious cycle is self-destructive and not the way God intended us to grow and develop.
You don't have to turn everything upside down to make positive changes in your life. Instead of being unrealistic this January 1, let's make smaller goals that actually make sense in the grand scheme of things! How about:
* Choose two or three goals that you want to accomplish in the upcoming year. Too many irons in the fire will overwhelm and create guilt if they're not accomplished.
* Break each goal down into bite-sized pieces. Don't say, I'd like to clean the entire house out this year. Say, This week I will tackle the dining room. When that's done I will move on. This makes those goals seem real and manageable, not something said for the sake of saying it.
* Set goals that fall in line with God's plan for your life. His focus for you may simply be a dedicated Bible time every morning, not losing weight right now. You'll never accomplish self-made changes in your life if the Lord is directing your decisions.
* Be flexible! If you choose to start an exercise program and happen to miss a day or two, you may need to change routines. Maybe jogging doesn't fit your schedule but you'd be more than happy to stop by a yoga class twice a week while you're out and about. Just because your first plan doesn't work out doesn't mean you're not meant to follow through.
* Pray for motivation. Pray for stamina. Pray for dedication. Pray for courage when the going gets tough. If this is God's path for you right now, He will give you all you need to make those positive goals in your life.
Stay balanced and positive. Keep the forward momentum and take on your goals in moderation. Build your prayer life and enjoy where the Lord leads you in the upcoming year.
We should desire to make positive changes in our lives, and improve ourselves according to the Lord's standards. Any move in that direction is beneficial to ourselves and our families, but not the resolutions that we can't stick with more than a few days.
Losing an obscene amount of weight in a short period of time or exercising every day for all of 2011 is a resolution waiting to be tossed aside. At the very first sign of struggle or the first time we don't follow through with our self-imposed rules, we give up and wait until next January to try again. This vicious cycle is self-destructive and not the way God intended us to grow and develop.
You don't have to turn everything upside down to make positive changes in your life. Instead of being unrealistic this January 1, let's make smaller goals that actually make sense in the grand scheme of things! How about:
* Choose two or three goals that you want to accomplish in the upcoming year. Too many irons in the fire will overwhelm and create guilt if they're not accomplished.
* Break each goal down into bite-sized pieces. Don't say, I'd like to clean the entire house out this year. Say, This week I will tackle the dining room. When that's done I will move on. This makes those goals seem real and manageable, not something said for the sake of saying it.
* Set goals that fall in line with God's plan for your life. His focus for you may simply be a dedicated Bible time every morning, not losing weight right now. You'll never accomplish self-made changes in your life if the Lord is directing your decisions.
* Be flexible! If you choose to start an exercise program and happen to miss a day or two, you may need to change routines. Maybe jogging doesn't fit your schedule but you'd be more than happy to stop by a yoga class twice a week while you're out and about. Just because your first plan doesn't work out doesn't mean you're not meant to follow through.
* Pray for motivation. Pray for stamina. Pray for dedication. Pray for courage when the going gets tough. If this is God's path for you right now, He will give you all you need to make those positive goals in your life.
Stay balanced and positive. Keep the forward momentum and take on your goals in moderation. Build your prayer life and enjoy where the Lord leads you in the upcoming year.
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