“Good resolutions are like babies crying in church. They should be carried out  immediately.” ― Charles M. Sheldon

I’ve always liked that quote. But this year, I wonder about my annual list of life changes. For most Americans, the same resolutions make it to that list year after year. What’s the problem?

2025 Top New Year’s Resolutions

1. Save money
2. Eat healthier
3. Exercise more
4. Lose weight
5. Spend more time with family/friends

*Survey by Statistia

We wrestle with the same set of life goals year after year. Saving more money, losing weight, living a more healthy lifestyle. These are all modern goals, one can’t imagine your pioneer ancestors worrying about weight loss as they scratched out a living on the prairie.

These goals don’t change year after year because, for many reasons, we just can’t make these big changes. It makes people feel good to set big goals, but then we live most of the year in defeat, struggling to fight those battles with our finances, health and time management.

I wonder if my problem isn’t about trying to change into someone else, but about removing obstacles to being my real self. Maybe instead of working out to change into someone else, I should instead focus on who I really am and what’s getting in the way.

Who am I really?

1. I need honest FEEDBACK from trusted people in my life
2. Resolutions should be focused on SMALL STEPS forward – not giant makeovers that never really happen
3. My own self-assessment needs to be ACCURATE – use a journal to reflect
4. Too often I settle for QUICK FIXES or DISTRACTIONS instead of taking a hard step forward

Don’t let grand (and maybe tired) resolutions for next year prevent you from getting things out of the way. Things like subtle behaviors and attitudes that keep the real you from emerging. Involve others to have a more true journey. Resolve to take another step forward in 2025.

Who are you and who has God created you to be? What obstacles are preventing you from living in that reality? What’s distracting you all the days of your life?

“If you want to identify me, ask me not where I live, or what I like to eat, or how I comb my hair, but ask me what I am living for, in detail, ask me what I think is keeping me from living fully for the thing I want to live for.” ― Thomas Merton