A New New Year's Resolution

I'm not so great at New Year's Resolutions.  I always seem to make the same cliche' goals.  Financial security, freedom from debt, lose weight, etc.  I always seem to fail epically every single year.  I do great at first, but lose steam and finish out the year dreaming of how I may get it right next year.  It's a vicious, never-ending cycle or ups and downs.  Small victories and big failures.  Why do I torture myself and essentially set myself up for failure?

This year, I'm making no cliche' goals for myself.  I'm not gonna vow to do the traditional "lose weight" or "read more".  Instead, this year I just simply vow to be the best me I can possibly be.  I don't even know if I fully know what that is, but I'm going to allow it to happen.  The joy in that is the acceptance that I'm flawed and imperfect - and that's okay.  All that means is that there's plenty of room to learn and grow.  To change and move forward.  It means that I don't have to wait until January 1st every year to decide to do better or do more.  It means that if I mess up, which I inevitably will, I can simply brush it off and do better tomorrow. 

My goal for the year is to maintain my focus on all the good in my life, to be forever thankful of my blessings and to remember that my struggles are simply life lessons.  My goal for the year is to not focus on all the things I'm doing wrong, but instead use those mistakes and failures to motivate me to keep striving for the best me I can be.  My goal for the year is to never focus on what I don't have, but to love and be thankful for what I do have.  My goal for the year is to never allow myself to be consumed by fear, stress, frustration, guilt, jealousy or any other negative thoughts and feelings.  Will those thoughts happen?  Of course.  My goal is to not get lost in them though - to feel what I feel; pray for guidance, wisdom and forgiveness; and then move on. 

Perhaps even these goals are cliche', unreasonable or just down right silly.  The thought of it makes my heart smile though.  The thought of just being myself and allowing God to work in my life and move through me makes me feel like I can accomplish all kinds of things.  Things I've struggled for years to do on my own, I want to stop trying to control and fully trust in God so that He can guide me through them.

Hello, 2015.  I'm so ready for you!