Happy New Year
I am a few days late on this post but that’s okay, its 2024 for a while. I just wanted to speak to people who may think the same way that I do. Take a moment to breathe, read this slowly so it sticks.
You don’t have to worry about disappointing yourself so much. I know for the last few months everytime you skipped the gym, ate junk food, skipped reading to watch tv, chose soda over water, you told yourself you would start making better choices or get back to making better choices in January.
We put so much pressure on these few weeks. As if when we wake up on Jan 1st, we will be motivated to go to the gym, drink water and eat healthy food in the right portions. We will be a different person. Then when we still have the same struggles in January that we had in October, November and December we get frustrated with ourselves and lose all motivation.
Celebrate small victories.
It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. when I was a kid I would read my Bible everyday from January 1st until late February or so (or until I hit Leviticus) and then I would stop because I couldn’t understand it. There was never a thought about skipping to the New Testament or asking someone to help me understand, I would just close it and hope to make it further the next year.
I did the same thing with the way that I treated my body. Well I haven’t been working out because of my busy schedule, stress or whatever excuse I want to throw at it. I guess I will just finish out this year doing what I am doing now and make up for it next year.
Procrastination is just delayed stress and it normally makes the problem worse.
You don’t have to wait until a new year to start again and you don’t have to hold yourself to unrealistic expectations.
But since we are here, at the beginning of the year, I hope this year is full of everything you need it to be. Whatever goals you have, whatever you hope to accomplish by the end of the year, I hope it works out for you.
I can tell you it won’t work out if you don’t give yourself some grace. I can tell you that you will get a few months in and stop if you approach it with an “all or nothing” mentality. You need sick days, you need rest, you need grace.
Surround yourself with the right people. If you want to draw closer to God this year and your current friend group has no interest, find some friends who do.
If you want to go to the gym, eat better, just be a little healthier this year and you are surrounded by people who encourage poor choices, it may be time to set some boundaries and make some new friends.
May 2024 be a year of uncomfortable situations, interruptible moments and growth.
God Bless