Ah, yes\u2026 it\u2019s that time of year where it\u2019s time to announce our newfound resolve!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And also, yes, we all know the facts. While setting New Year\u2019s resolutions is a fairly common practice, it isn\u2019t necessarily a commonly sustained practice. According to Forbes <\/em>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\u2019s now a slew of (unofficial) dates commemorating such failures \u2014 such as “Ditch New Year\u2019s Resolutions Day” on January 17 or the second Friday in January, known to some as “Quitter\u2019s Day.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n But alas, we will persevere. Or at least we will encourage the perseverance. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\n For me, it\u2019s merely an opportunity\u2026 a clean slate… a new beginning\u2026 a chance to try something new or improve some aspect of my life’s journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Over the course of the last 4 years, for example \u2014 thanks to that resolve \u2014 I\u2019ve started reading significantly more, began learning how to play the guitar, and also how to speak Spanish. Believe me \u2014 I am no expert, to which my musical and Latino friends would freely attest! I probably never will be. But there\u2019s something in the learning and growth that has the potential to spur us on to what\u2019s good and right and true.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And so we ask:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Where is an area you wish to grow?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n What is a skill you\u2019d like to learn?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n What is a pattern you\u2019d like to stop?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n And\/or what is a relationship you\u2019d like to improve?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n 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,<\/em> the top New Year resolutions for 2024 are expected to be:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Again, for all of the above, at the beginning of 2024, this is an opportunity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One tangent, editorial note: I bought a new song book over the holidays. It was great! And it was especially fun to play \u201cAngels We Have Heard on High\u201d and \u201cAway in the Manger.\u201d Maybe next year I\u2019ll even sing along in Spanish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Maybe in something else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Respectfully\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n AR<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Ah, yes\u2026 it\u2019s that time of year where it\u2019s time to announce our newfound resolve! And also, yes, we all know the facts. While setting New Year\u2019s resolutions is a fairly common practice, it isn\u2019t necessarily a commonly sustained practice. According to Forbes based on a 2023 fall survey, the average resolution lasts just 3.74 … <\/p>\n\n