Why I don't do Resolutions

***Disclaimer: Lots of people like, and follow through with, new years resolutions. This post is by no means designed to boo-hoo you into giving up the whole resolution idea... I just have.***


I said it a year ago, and I'll say it again today, I don't do new years resolutions anymore.  I never fulfill them which leaves me feeling like an inadequate failure, so why set myself up?

A year ago, instead of a "resolution" I made a "to do" list.  Same stinking difference really, except instead of one thing it was a list... a list of things to possibly accomplish, possibly fail at.
Perhaps the problem is in the timing.  Perhaps making a resolution or to-do list on the first of the year is the problem.  Perhaps the reason why is because when we make a new years resolution, and then fail on day fillintheblank, we figure its over, admit defeat, and go back to our old ways?

Now I don't think we should just avoid setting goals for ourselves.  We need to grow as people throughout our lives, and goal setting is definitely a part of that, but maybe resolutions or similar goal-setting should not be done on the first of the year?

From New Year's Eve's standpoint, however, the first of the year is a convenient time to set goals and track them from.  This time of year many people are reflecting on their past year, habits, and things they'd like to change.  So much so that it has a fad-esk sort of feel to it.  And we all know what happens with fads... they eventually die, only to be reborn again at a later date (like the next December 31st).  That's not to say that all resolutions will fail, mine just tend to! :o)

In the past year I did not get my gold belt, but that's fine.  I didn't get as organized as I'd like to be, but I definitely made progress.  Though I wouldn't say I'm in better shape than I was before, I am thinner and feeling better about all that.  I'm going to have to start actually exercising if I am going to get stronger... and I just plain don't want to.

While I didn't accomplish all my to-do list goals, I did have an eventful year.  I somehow managed to keep blogging most days throughout the past year (which for me is amazing since most forms of entertainment don't hold my interest beyond 2 or 3 weeks!).  I successfully cooked a steak, it was delicious.  I had an amazing time doing The Sound of Music with Sweet Pea last summer.  We became godparents to the son of some dear friends of ours.  I met new people, made new friends.  I've continued to grow in my faith and read the Bible more often.  Overall I've had a pretty good year.  Money has been tight but Spencer, the kids, and I are closer than ever!

I'm still trying to become more organized. I am working on remembering that while I have free will and make choices for myself, it is God who is in control of the big picture of my life and His timing and plan are perfect. While I'm optimistic at heart, when things get stressful I have a hard time noticing the silver linings, and I am trying to slow down and see the good more often.  I will continue to strive to teach my children to be considerate of others, respectful of themselves and others, empathetic, to think for themselves, and to help them grow their relationship with God. 

There are a million other things I'd like to accomplish this year, and I will take them one at a time, but I'm not making a resolution or an official goal for 2011.  I'm just going to take things one day at a time and keep plugging away at the things about myself and my life that I want to work on.

What has been your history with resolutions? How do you feel about New Years Resolutions?