Checking In

Alright, it's almost Day 4 of 2015! How are those New Year's Resolutions coming? According to the University of Scranton only 75% of people make it past their first week and a daunting 8% succeed by the end of the year. That's not very encouraging. In fact, it's not encouraging at all!

One thing I love is the reset button. I have learned that you don't need a new year to roll around in order to make a positive change in your life. You don't have to wait until Monday or even until tomorrow. Once you set your mind to do so, you can begin your change now.

So, don't be discouraged about any 'failures' you think you've already made for this year. Just look at those as lessons learned and move on. Here is a way I like to organize my resolutions:

1. Overall goal: I like to know where I want to be a year from now. (This could be physically, financially, socially, spiritually, etc...) Make it a tangible goal! Even if your goal is to be happier - know how you are going to accomplish this; maybe you're going to get a massage once a month - whatever it is, know how to actively pursue what you're after. 
2. 6 Month Goal: What will be my 'half way point.' What steps do I need to take to get me there. This is a great place to reassess how well you're doing, and possibly hit that reset button again. 
3. Monthly Goal: What do I need to achieve each month in order to reach my half way point, and then my end goal? 
4. Weekly Goal: What can I do this week that will get me further to where I want to be? 
5. Daily Goal: How can I invest in myself TODAY to be better tomorrow? 

And remember, you can hit the reset button at any time. Even twice in the same day!

When you are trying to develop healthier habits (literally or figuratively), take baby steps. If we try to change everything all at once we are most likely to become overwhelmed and ultimately fail. That is one reason I love this healthy habit poster. Small changes can make a big difference over time.

When you're trying to do more good, don't forget to purge the bad habits as well. Think about it like this, Do you really need to spend that much time ____________? You fill in the blank. Pray about what you can eliminate in your life to make time for all those better habits.

God created the world. He made the beginning. However, He pushed His reset button too. (Noah's flood) God kept the good and got rid of the junk. Throughout 2015 try to keep the mindset of 'in with the good and out with the bad.' And start your journey now. After all, a year from now you will wish you would have started today!