Resolution Wake-Up Call

Hey Friends!


So....how's your New Year's Resolution going?  It's been just over one month since we made our emotional claims to change the world one crunchy at a time, and now it's time to evaluate.  Maybe you took on too many resolutions and you need to focus on just one.  Maybe you didn't make any resolutions but something has popped up in your life recently that you would like to change for the remainder of the year.  Whatever your situation, I now encourage you to take a hard look at your goals, and see what you need to tweak to make 2012 the year your resolution sticks! 

My church (Mountain Lake Community Church, http://www.mountainlake.tv/) has had some great tips for making resolutions over the past few weeks, and they are noteworthy enough to share here.  They were all based off of the case study of Paul and his transformation on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:3-9).  I hope you find them helpful, as I know they are challenging me to stay focused and give my absolute best!

One: start small.  Don't take on 10 challenges all at once- pick just one simple (ha, they sound simple, right?) thing to change this year.  You're thinking a marathon in June, and an iron man in August....how about training for a 5K or mini if it's your first year of running.  Paul started telling people about what he DID know...he didn't worry about having it all together, or knowing everything about Jesus...he just started sharing!

Two: start now.  Don't put off today what you can put off tomorrow!  Get up and go.  Today.  You don't need to have it all figured out just yet...just start with what you DO know you want to do in any capacity you can.  Paul immediately started sharing his new found faith.  He didn't wait till he had it all together, or new all the answers. 

Three: Get friends involved.  Let's face it, while a select few are great at self discipline and become their own cause, most of us need accountability from a friend.  If you need me, i'm here!  And you know that every month around the first, I WILL be asking you how it's going!  Paul had Barnabas, the encourager, Silas, who was there through thick and thin, and Timothy, a friend Paul invested in who was new in faith.  We all need friendships that keep us going, encourage us when times are hard, and we don't think we can keep going.  We also can make an impact in someone else's life by helping them accomplish their goals.  And hey, we might encourage our own selves in the process!

four: Replace Your Pleasure- Instead of saying, I'm not going to eat any junk food for a year, (which is probably not going to happen because you are just trying to avoid it by sheer will), say something like, "instead of the temporary pleasure I get out a chocolate bar, I am going to take pleasure in my sleek physique."  By taking pleasure in something new, you reduce the risk of "over-focusing" on what you are trying to avoid, making it even harder to avoid it! 
Five: Make a plan.  Picture this, you make an emotional decision to change, have grand ideas of where you'll be in three months, but your emotion fizzles out and you quit before you reach your goals because you didn't have a solid plan in place.  Our emotions turn into devotion- a non-negotiable reality in our lives-when we have created a plan. 


So, what is your resolution and who are you encouraging to stay motivated with their resolution?  What small change can you implement today that will better your tomorrow?  If it's eating healthier, check out my series on whole foods!  If it's exercise, and you just need to get up and move but don't know where to start, or how you will fit it in...see my plan that I am starting TOMORROW morning:

Wake up 20 minutes earlier (6:45 am)
Repeat twice:
50 jumping jacks
5 push ups
30 crunches
30 second planks
50 jumping jacks
20 squats
30 mountain climbers
7 burpees

It's not an hour work out at the gym, but it's something I can add to my already active lifestyle to give my body a boost in a healthier direction.  And please feel free to hold me accountable!  I need it!

Love,
Anna