Ah, yes… it’s that time of year where it’s time to announce our newfound resolve!
And also, yes, we all know the facts. While setting New Year’s resolutions is a fairly common practice, it isn’t necessarily a commonly sustained practice. According to Forbes based on a 2023 fall survey, the average resolution lasts just 3.74 months. In fact, surrendering has become almost as common as setting, that there’s now a slew of (unofficial) dates commemorating such failures — such as “Ditch New Year’s Resolutions Day” on January 17 or the second Friday in January, known to some as “Quitter’s Day.”
But alas, we will persevere. Or at least we will encourage the perseverance. 🙂
For me, it’s merely an opportunity… a clean slate… a new beginning… a chance to try something new or improve some aspect of my life’s journey.
Over the course of the last 4 years, for example — thanks to that resolve — I’ve started reading significantly more, began learning how to play the guitar, and also how to speak Spanish. Believe me — I am no expert, to which my musical and Latino friends would freely attest! I probably never will be. But there’s something in the learning and growth that has the potential to spur us on to what’s good and right and true.
And so we ask:
Where is an area you wish to grow?
What is a skill you’d like to learn?
What is a pattern you’d like to stop?
And/or what is a relationship you’d like to improve?
When I think of all the brokenness, digression and gunk in this world, I have little doubt there are aspects on each our journey’s worth some intentional improvement. Hence, for added encouragement, according once more to Forbes, the top New Year resolutions for 2024 are expected to be:
- Improve fitness (cited by 48%)
- Improve finances (38%)
- Improve mental health )36%)
- Lose weight (34%)
- Improve diet (32%)
- Make more time for loved ones (25%)
- Stop smoking (12%)
- Learn a new skill (9%)
- Make more time for hobbies (7%)
- Improve work-life balance (7%)
- Travel more (6%)
- Meditate regularly (5%)
- Drink less alcohol (3)
- Perform better at work (3%)
Again, for all of the above, at the beginning of 2024, this is an opportunity.
One tangent, editorial note: I bought a new song book over the holidays. It was great! And it was especially fun to play “Angels We Have Heard on High” and “Away in the Manger.” Maybe next year I’ll even sing along in Spanish.
Maybe in something else.
Respectfully…
AR