Whether in health, relationships, or finances, we all desire improvement. Our natural tendency is to look back over the year gone by in order to measure our progress and shortcomings, yet sadly our perceived failures grab most of our attention. For many of us, these shortcomings get relegated to an ever-growing pile of disappointments and regrets. Then, with renewed determination, we make a new list of resolutions and vow to try even harder.
While making resolutions should be admirable, the way in which I have personally gone about processing and implementing them has proved to be quite destructive. I used to look upon each new year as an opportunity for a fresh start, a chance to begin again. After a time of berating myself for the previous year’s failures, I would muster my resolve and devise a new plan of action, determined that this would be my year to overcome and succeed.
But as the years passed, I began to wonder why I always returned to the starting gate, never crossing the finish line. I was a good starter, but a poor finisher. My weakness frustrated me.
After much soul-searching, I came to realize that I didn’t know myself. I had been trying to be someone I was not while striving to attain the things I thought I needed in order to matter. My true identity was buried beneath this garbage heap. When stress and anxiety began to threaten my health, I knew the time had come to take out the trash!
Throwing out past hurts, regrets, and resentments made room for my true self to emerge. No longer plagued with unrealistic and unhealthy aspirations, I found that I could relax, plan, and pursue my goals from an honest and authentic place of peace while going on to experience the victory of crossing the finish line.
Life is too short to be lugging around the trash that keeps us from loving one another and ourselves. Let us resolve to kick this garbage to the curb, thus making room for a peaceful, healthy, and happy 2017.
