It's a new year. A whole new year stretched out in front of us. Many of us may have made New Years resolutions, those challenging resolutions that usually fall by the wayside before January has even ended.
I have been asking myself some questions about making resolutions. I wonder why we wait for a new year to make them.
Most new year resolutions are about beginning something, or stopping something.
Like loosing weight,
getting healthy,
spending more time with family and loved ones,
exploring our creativity,
more time to ponder and read,
having more fun.
If these things are important to us, why do we wait for a new year to begin?
Each new day is a brand new beginning. Each new day is a fresh start. We can begin anytime; we do not need to wait till a new year to begin.
From personal experience most new year resolutions don't last. Usually sheer will power will not sustain us for long. I believe there needs to be something stronger that keeps us moving forward.
I think we need to look a little deeper. We need to ask ourselves why we choose to not do what we want, because folks it is a choice. There could be an array of things that keep us from moving forward, (I think some may be buried so deep we have no clue) and unless we discover the real reason change won't happen.
So, I am going to be taking some time to really look at my heart, my desires, the things I want to change but don't. The things I want to learn and do but don't. And ask why?
I have found lately, I do not like to be quiet, to sit still for long. I want my moments filled with outside noise so I don't have to look inside. That is something I am going to have to choose to do, and I suspect it will not be an easy task. But I must begin if I want to move from where I am.
Sometimes it's easier to live where we are, even if that is not the place we want to be. But I believe we must ask ourselves why that is so.
Take small steps
Then
Let yourself celebrate
Their significance.
We must do the thing we think we cannot do.
It's in the doing that the strength comes.
8 comments:
I am also uncomfortable with silence and stillness. Cultivating a daily practice of meditation - just sitting quietly - almost kills me. I have gotten away from just sitting quietly and noticing, and will get back to this. A great post - love your point that we can create a new practice any day as each day - each moment, really - is a new beginning!
Hi Dawn,
One would think it not too hard to sit still...especially if it is something one wants to do! I am so distracted and can think of tons to do...I know it will take determination at first...to just sit, maybe for small slices of time...I think if I do this each day for say 5 or 10 minutes to begin with...I know, sounds small, but it's a start. I am hoping that as I do it, my desire will grow.
Grace and peace to you Dawn.
Great post and lots to think about..I think you are so right in "why don't we do the things we want to do"...I can sit quietly but my problem is I don't do the things I want to do so WHY is that I am asking myself...I think I must be available for whoever needs me. I think I don't think I deserve to do what I want to do....and you are so right about why do we think we have to wait for a new year to start change...I guess it's just the habit of the way it's been done...I am not big on resolutions but I do like to make a list of some things I would like to do or accomplish...I really wish you could talk to Pat as she is going through this "quiet" thing too....Love you girlfriend....
Amen! I agree, every day is a good to to set a goal and to work towards it. Great post and great reminder about not overdoing it. Doable chunks is always better than trying to redo your entire life all at one time. ;-)
Hugs!
Isn't that the truth? I'm with you on the procrastination on change thing.
It's just so easy to keep the status quo. And there are so many good reasons not to move forward.
Francois
Yes, you always give us much to think about hon....I tend to think about what I want to work on "today" each morning as I welcome in a new day with God being the first thing I think about....things seem to go better as the day progresses....I love you sis, and miss visiting you here... blessings
Great post. This year I feel the Lord is dealing with my heart and yes, why wait for a certain day to begin. Great words...thanks for sharing.
Dear Mary
Such a wondrously simple yet striking page - a lesson to one who gets locked into endless doodly details! Maybe that's why you liked my recent page - it was simpler than my usual?
In response to this - someone very wise told me many years ago to "pray as you can, not as you can't" and its absolutely true. There's an accepted "rule" out there that we must set aside quiet time to reflect and pray. I struggled with this until I accepted that I am a stream of consciousness prayer - all day everyday every moment of living is a prayer, sometimes unconscious, sometimes not. That's how it is for me, and maybe what will work for you too?
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