“I should …” This is where all New Year’s resolutions start. There is an absence of something in your life. Somehow you know that you should be doing something that you aren’t doing. You have in your mind the person that you want to be and you haven’t arrived yet. So you start “shoulding” on yourself 🙂 “I should start working out so I can lose weight”, “I should really start writing more”, “I should reconnect with my family”, “I should really break out my spandex costume and fight crime at night”. Okay, maybe that last one was just for me. Try to ignore that.
I used to say, “I don’t do New Year’s resolutions. They never work.” Then it really hit me. If I don’t take the time to realize that “I should” do something, I may never set goals. A good friend of mine recently said, “I don’t do New Year’s resolutions, I just set goals.” My response was “Isn’t it the same thing?” Sure, I know there is baggage with the term “New Year’s resolutions” but still, its all about setting goals to make you the person you know you “SHOULD” be. Yes, “I should” does have the potential to be unhealthy but if you keep close tabs on it and set them up as goals, you “SHOULD” be okay.
The great thing about New Year’s Resolutions is that it sets the conversation in motion of “WHO DO I WANT TO BE?” More importantly, “WHO DOES GOD WANT ME TO BE IN HIM?” That “IN HIM” part is pretty important. In other words, “Who has God created YOU to be and are you headed on that path?” What talents do you have that haven’t been realized, what dreams do you have that you haven’t pursued and are you being a good steward of your talents? A good book to read to help you figure some of this out is Jon Acuff’s “Start”. Check it out, its a great read!
Let’s begin the conversation then. What “SHOULD” you do this year? How can you attain that? Let’s start this year out by choosing some “goals” that are attainable. Let’s not put “Become an astronaut” on the list unless you might be pretty close to realizing that goal. Let’s not put “triathlon” on the list unless you are already working out. Remember its about steps not perfection. Maybe waking up early is the first step, finding an accountability partner, setting a reminder on your iphone…choose something. You should really do that. Happy New year!!!
mlsnellings 