Tempted to resolve NOT to make resolutions?  You are not alone.  Many people discover year after year of making the same resolutions that trying to undo something in a short time that has taken all year (or several years) to develop is just too defeating.

 So what can be done?  Be realistic setting new goals – and reaching them.

There are two basic kinds of New Year’s resolutions – UNDO and DO

First the most common – Resolutions to Put Off or UNDO

UNDO – The most repeated New Year goals deal with excess.  Deep down we know our weaknesses and would like to control them – not necessarily give them up.  So – what to do?

1. Identify your excess or weakness.   What is controlling you or your time that you would like to conquer – is it too much: clutter, weight, debt, worry, or those nasty paper piles?

• Once you have identified your nemesis, find a Bible verse that will encourage you (like Isaiah 55:2 for a spending or food issue, Prov. 25:16 for overeating, or Prov. 25:17 relationship with neighbors or close friends).  Write out the verse and read it daily as you consider the next action:

• Create a reasonable objective.  Choose one below or replace one of these with your own personal excess

a.    Reduce clutter by tossing out or giving away 3 things a week

• Lose one pound a week or eat only 1 treat a day or every other day
• Pay $10 extra a week on a debt or
• Write down every penny you spend for a month and identify where you can save $10 or more,
• Journal your worries, leaving a place for what really happened (you’ll probably find as many have that most worries never occur).  Some people prefer to write out the worry and put it in a jar as they leave the house, kind of visually giving the worry jar to God, praying that they trust Him to resolve the issue
• Put a timer on 30 minutes the first day and spend 15 minutes to sort those paper piles into 4 containers – 1 to save (file), 1 to respond to (write a letter, call, pay a bill, etc.) 1 to pass on to someone else, and a waste basket or garbage bag to toss the rest.  The last 15 minutes you address envelope and insert any material to pass on to others and then work on one of the remaining piles (file, respond).  You should end up with 2 continuing stacks – 1 to file and 1 to respond.  The second day you work on the respond pile, and then repeat the cycle.  On Friday you file.  If you do not have file cabinets, get a stack of 9×12 manila envelopes and write bold titles – Taxes, Insurance, Auto (titles, maintenance records, etc.), Personal documents, Medical, General Receipts Jan-Mar. etc.  Those envelopes with records used to file income taxes can be kept in a large box and stored by the year.   You would need to keep 7-10 years of boxes.  Anything older that is not an actual keepsake can be tossed.

All excesses are addictions of sorts.  Some mental and emotional habits and excesses seem harder for some to undo or put off than others.  If you feel you need extra assistance and encouragement you could take a free online class at websites such as www.settingcaptivesfree.com or attend a small group study in a local Bible believing church.

A passage that is encouraging for the New Year is Philippians 4:8 because what you think a lot about becomes actions and repeated actions become habit.  Those habits become your character.  That is what New Year’s Resolutions are all about in my book – people want to improve their character and their lives and we can only do that with God’s help.

Philippians 4:8 – Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Thinking on things can also lead to accomplishment 🙂 Here is one resolution/determination come true.

Did you have any put offs you hope to accomplish in 2024?

• Continued on Part 2 – Resolutions to Put ON