An Emotional Solution For Your New Year’s Resolution

In a society that is relentless in its marketing towards a new and better you, it only seems logical that with the turning of the new year comes this insatiable media onslaught for self improvement as soon as “the ball drops.”

Most of us go into some sort of insane mental ping-pong in an attempt to come up with the obligatory set of New Year’s resolutions. They usually fall into just a few categories: how we need to lose more weight, perform better at our job, improve our “social status,” buy more stuff or generally just perform more in whatever category you wish to assign.

All the while, a large percentage of us know that deep in the back of our minds is the reality that this resolution list just like the dodo bird — it will be extinct by March of the very same new year!

Hmm … a very dubious dilemma that can lead us subconsciously not to even want to set goals or resolutions doomed to fail. Don’t get me wrong; I’m not against goal setting. As a matter of fact, most of us have gone into the New Year with resolutions or goals in our mind, but most of us don’t ever take the time to write them down on paper.

Yet, it’s a known fact that only 3 percent of people actually write down their goals on paper, and of those 3 percent, a staggering 97 percent of the people who write their goals on paper actually reach them! The first step to achieving your New Year’s resolutions is writing them down.

I don’t want to turn this into a goal-setting seminar; my intent is to go deeper than that. Goals achieved are the like the blossoms on a tree; they are simply a by-product of a healthy, strong, nutrient-filled root system.

What is your root system for sticking with your New Year’s resolutions? What do I mean by that? Well, it’s simple — what emotional values do you employ daily? What outside influences do you allow to permeate your emotional well being?

These questions often go unasked, and meanwhile they are the bedrock for living a life that leads us to being more than conquerors in Christ Jesus!

The Kingdom of God acts in a way that is counterculture to the world, plain and simple. Lasting success will have you acting the exact opposite of how the world would tell you to act in order to achieve something.

I want to share a Kingdom acronym that I’ve employed in my daily life. I believe the concept will not only help you achieve your New Year’s resolutions with lasting success, but it will have you soaring in every aspect and sphere of influence in your life.

LOCKED IN

LOVE – Loving others. It is the second greatest commandment to loving God. yet in most of our dealings with others, we don’t put them first, we put ourselves first. Esteem others better than yourself, and watch the favor and peace of God engulf everything you do. Remember, LOVE NEVER FAILS!

Offenseless – The dictionary describes it as “incapable of being offended.” Living a life without offense is the greatest weapon against the enemy. I like to think of it like becoming “Spiritual Teflon” — nothing sticks! The spirit of offense is like a weed that begins to grow in your spiritual root system. It will choke out the beautiful light of Jesus, which lives within you!

Compassion – Jesus was always moved with compassion when He operated in the realm of supernatural signs, wonders and miracles. Quite simply, I’ve heard it put this way: “compassion is passion in action,” meaning what you’re passionate about should compel you to do something about it. When you live to help others, you get more fulfillment than the people you are helping.

Kindness – We live in a society that no longer values kindness as strength, but sadly enough, often in the hustle and bustle of today’s world, kindness is probably looked at as a weakness. Yet everybody inherently longs to be treated with kindness; they soak it up like a sponge. I often find the smallest kind words and deeds have opened up doors for me in the Kingdom that I could’ve only imagined.

Encouragement – Be encouraging to others in all situations, regardless of your own personal sake. Don’t let jealousy or envy rob you from encouraging those around you in every way possible. When you live a lifestyle of daily encouragement, you actually find yourself becoming encouragement.

Decisive – Make a decision on something and stick it through. Whether it’s a goal or a commitment, I find that the greatest obstacle to moving forward is apathy and indifference. Even if it’s a mistake, you will learn more from failing then you ever will from not trying. Live each day with purpose, making conscious decisions to do things and then go for them!

Immune – Be immune to what others think, say or feel about you. The only voice in your head should be that of the Holy Spirit constantly repeating you are worthy, you are righteous, you are accepted and you are loved! If that is how God sees me because of Christ, then I’d be a fool to allow others to determine my value and worth. Disregard the naysayers!

Noble – Defined as having or showing qualities of high moral character, such as courage, generosity or honor. Be noble in all your actions. Let your yes be yes and your no be no.

My personal Kingdom value system of LOCKED IN has produced tremendous growth and lasting lifestyle changes. Let your first resolution for the New Year be to identify your own personal Kingdom value system and then begin to live by it in all of your endeavors.

So before you set out to make a list of new personal improvement changes for the New Year, why don’t you take some time with the Holy Spirit? Allow him to identify the Kingdom emotional things that you value in your own life, and then filter all your New Year’s resolutions through those values. I’m certain it will be a success!