Well, it’s been a few months since the new year and nothing has really changed. As 2024 approaches, I asked a friend, “What are your New Year’s resolutions?” Most of the time I got a shrug or a comment like “I can’t believe that.”
I then searched the website on Google for a guide. The usual suspects appeared: exercise more, eat healthy food, quit smoking, lose weight, and limit alcohol. These common goals are popular, but most often they are not achieved in the new year.
I understand that all of these things need to be done, but this prescription was generic and not tailored to me. Perhaps that’s why the failure rate for all of us is so high. Also, I wasn’t really involved in the design. What actually was my druther?
Since all my usual New Year’s resolutions are for my body, I decided to look into some mental New Year’s resolutions. What I found is very simple. Prioritize worship and pray fervently. This was the same for all religions. As with non-religious resolutions, these all tended to be about me, my worship, and my prayers. There was little leeway in daily life and interaction with the people around me.
So I decided I needed to make a concrete list of what was important to me in 2024. This is a serpentine list with no weight for each item.
what is important
Remembering birthdays of older people and children
Smiling at cashier and baby in shopping cart
thank others often and sincerely
Congratulate your friends and foes on their victories, big and small.
Just considering
show up on time as promised
I keep a promise
surround yourself with positive people
pick up after yourself
just remembered
Polite driving and discussion
forgive others
Realize what needs to be done and do it
think about the other man
just deal with it
give off a sense of dissatisfaction
Thank God I had a little fun today too.
Living in the present while remembering the past
apologize for having done something, whether intentionally or not
just experiencing
Attend at least one religious service of another religion
Learn about the many organizations that help others
volunteer regularly for somewhere or someone
Consider tithing or deciding how much to donate to a nonprofit organization
I just noticed
Recognizing that we are a nation of many cultures and faiths
Enjoy American democracy and the rule of law
I want to play my role in building a peaceful world.
Understanding words can hurt as deeply as wounds
just listening
Research candidates’ positions on issues
Vote wisely and not emotionally
Partnerships with people working on problems
respect people who think differently
just trying
be true to yourself
thank family and friends
I realize that the world is very big and I only have a small role to play.
give hope to the next generation
Scott Hubbard, pastor and editor of Desiring God, writes in his article, “Plan Like a Christian: 5 Principles for the New Year.” Remember something else too. Sometimes planners act a little like God. Sometimes we reduce planning to a tool of prayerless reason, a pro/con list, a tool of self-reliance. Sometimes we don’t even say under our breath, “If it be the Lord’s will.” We are created in the image of a God who plans, but planners sometimes forget God in that image. ”
Hubbard’s five principles for planning for the new year are:
- “Plan like humans. These are rough drafts.”
- “Plan like children. Our wisdom is small and our foresight is fallible.”
- “Plan Like a Worshiper: Make a Plan to Pursue God”
- “Plan like a dreamer: Some great work requires far-reaching vision.”
- “Plan like sub-planners. We’re planners with a lowercase p.”
what is important It’s just a “draft” for me and may not be for others. I understand, my field of vision is “small”. Furthermore, although I believe there is a divine planner, God endowed humans with free will and a beautiful tendency to plan. I think this is like a small word of gratitude and a deep bow to our Creator as we, as thinking, feeling, planning creatures, try to organize things as best we can on Earth.
Judy Knotts is a parishioner of St. John Neumann Catholic Church and former principal of St. Gabriel Catholic School and St. Michael Catholic Academy.
