For my frequent readers, you may notice this is a revised post. For the remaining of 2023, I’ve selected and revised some of your favorite blog posts while I work to complete my first book! Many of you have been excited and reached out about my book, Psalm 119: Stringing Pearls. More updates coming soon.

Stop Waiting for “That” Day

Why do New Year’s Resolutions fail? Mainly, because they are only a statement, or what we wish for in the coming year. There are usually no action plans, no deadlines, no backup plans. Sometimes they are unrealistic resolutions, with no other thought or plans beside the statement. 

Catherine Pulsifier

The other day, my husband indicated it was my turn to update the quote on our letter board. It hangs on the wall of our dining room, near the main walkway of the house, where we can always see it. Since it was the last few days of September, I replied that I’d prefer to wait for the new month before making the change. He responded, urging me not to delay, because waiting for that day could develop into a bad habit. He brought up the New Year’s resolution myth he and I often talk about when we set goals, and this reminded me of a principle we have embraced for most of our marriage: stop waiting for “that” day.

Many of us delay and procrastinate in our tasks because we’re waiting for a specific day to come. Whether it’s the start of a new week, the flip of the calendar to a new month, or waiting until it’s time to set New Year’s resolutions, we put things off because we think something will be different on that day. We assume we’ll feel better, more motivated or energized, and delay in making a change that brings us closer to our goals and dreams. We wait for “that day,” whatever day it is, and ultimately prolong the journey.

So, instead of waiting for the ideal timing where the calendar showed the first of the month, I took those very words and changed the letter board as a reminder to myself and our household to stop waiting for “that day” and to do “that thing” now. It’s not about hustling and grinding to exhaustion, but about pursuing the goals you set in your mind instead of procrastinating yet again.

Most people wait until New Year’s or next week to “start” their goals, but the sooner you start, the quicker you’ll arrive. Not at a particular destination, but with your goals. With every goal and dream you conjure up, by the time you get close to achieving them, your mind and heart will already take off setting new ones. So, it’s not about “arriving” at one destination, but showing up repeatedly for yourself and your family to live the life you want to lead.

Start Daydreaming

Let’s look back at the year so far. It didn’t go as planned for most of us. The goals we set, the dreams we had might’ve shifted along the way, and that’s okay! But we can’t linger on feelings of regret or sadness because life changed for us. None of us know what tomorrow holds and that’s part of the beauty of being mortal human beings. God created us this way. He also created us to create, plan, and build upon our lives.

So, let’s daydream for a moment and ask ourselves: what did we plan, and what were our resolutions at the beginning of this year? Let’s look back at ourselves at the beginning of this year and answer the following:

• how different are you today on a scale of 1-10 (1 being the least, 10 being the most different)?
• In what ways have you grown, and where do you still feel stuck?
• What resolutions did you make (and keep) throughout the year?

Like Catherine’s quote above, many resolutions are merely statements or wishes. We make declarations, but by the time it’s March, we fall back to the same patterns and habits we had the year before. We become unmotivated and let go of our commitments. We wait for “that day” to come, but for some reason, it keeps getting pushed out and we keep extending our disappointment. This prevents us from achieving our goals and making our dreams a reality.

Why Most People Never Meet their Goals or New Year’s Resolutions

I don’t believe in New Year’s resolutions. I think if you want to change something, change it today and don’t wait until the New Year. 

Georgina Bloomberg

It’s said that ancient Babylonians were the first to make New Year’s resolutions a thing. After planting crops and crowning a new king, they would make promises to the gods to pay their debts and return any borrowed items; believing that if they kept their word, they would get blessed in the year ahead. Otherwise, they’d fall on the bad side of their gods.

The modern practice of New Year’s resolutions and goal setting at the beginning of a year consists of people making promises to themselves, instead of gods like the Babylonians. They focus on self-improvement and take time to reflect on goals during the first month of the year. However, 80% of people break their resolutions by the first week of February, and only 8-10% successfully achieve them during the year. Most people never meet their New Year’s Resolutions for several reasons.

One, they live by the calendar and wait for certain dates to come around before practicing discipline. For example, we may have all said, that’s it! on Monday, no more sugar or sweets! as we proceed to snack on junk food over the weekend.

Two, they live by their feelings instead of practicing discipline. Instead of doing what they know they should do, they get situated in their old habits and avoid the discomfort of trying to change their lives. For instance, skipping the gym because we don’t feel like going or avoiding taking walks because we feel like doing something else.

Three, they lack responsibility, ownership, and motivation. These domino-effect from one another and feed each other.

Unless we change our minds and reframe our perspectives about resolutions and goals, we can’t expect things to change. There’s a biblical principle to help us with this. It applies to every area of our life and it’s found in Romans 12:2. It says, Do not conform to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.

Renewing our minds is the ultimate self-improvement method. God knew that our biggest battle would be in the mind, which is why He gave us His word to help us do it. Changing the way we think about our goals goes hand-in-hand with action. We first change our mind and then change our behavior (action!). This prevents us from conforming to what everyone else is doing, like procrastinating.

When we want to grow, we must be open to learn and put into practice that which we learn, especially when we don’t feel like it!

• If you want to grow in your faith, you must be open to learn and receive fresh revelations from God, the Bible, and people. This challenges your current mindset and pushes you into higher (and deeper) thinking.
• If you want to be more healthy, you must change the way you think about food. Instead of acting on hungry feelings, practice eating consistently and eliminate the sugary snacks in between meals.
• If you want to change your financial circumstances, change the way you see money and learn how to budget.

Commit to the goal and Do what you can

If you’re interested, you come up with stories, excuses, reasons, and circumstances about why you can’t or why you won’t. If you’re committed, those go out the window. You just do whatever it takes.

John Assaraf.

Vision boards, annual goal setting, New Year’s resolutions are trendier now than ever before. Majority of us are interested in achieving resolutions, but many of us are not committed. We like the idea of making resolutions, but only when we feel like it.

When we constantly put something off (especially leading into a new year), we chisel away our motivation (reason for doing something) for our resolution (firm decision to do/not do something). The longer we wait, the less likely we’ll do it.

It’s like cliff-jumping. If you don’t waste time and just jump, you’re likely to do it again. The adrenaline rush and exhilaration from your first dive makes you crave more. But the longer you tarry on the cliff, you’ll come up with more excuses, reasons, and circumstances of why you can’t or why you won’t.

Change your mind from being interested to committed. Today, right away.

Stop waiting for “that day,” whether it’s January first, next Monday, or next month.

Like cliff-jumping: instead of waiting on the edge uncomfortably, jump into the unknown and experience the adrenaline. Don’t flake out, commit and take the leap. Then you’ll want to do it again and again and again.

If you start today instead of waiting for January 1st, imagine what you’ll be up to by the time that date rolls around. You’ll be further ahead and closer to achieving your dreams.

Conclusion:

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”

-Eleanor Roosevelt

Resolutions are more than mere statements or wishes.

They are firm decisions to change your life. If you start by renewing your mind, transformation will come. Don’t conform to society and what everyone else is doing, because what everyone else is doing most likely will not work for you. Instead:

• Take action today. Do anything and everything you can to get closer to your dream today.
• Act as if everything you do today will affect you next week, next month, and 3 months from now.
• Imagine yourself a week, a month, and 3 months from today if you do X, Y, and Z.
• Don’t wait for inspiration to come, because it won’t. At least, that’s my approach. Inspiration is temporary.
• Don’t be afraid to make promises to yourself. If your resolution is a wish, your promise is not legit.
• Don’t be afraid of failure. You can’t grow without opposition. Failure should motivate you to refine and streamline your approach and process.

Believe in yourself. You’re capable of so much more. And your dream life is possible.

You just need to change your mind and do something. Today.

What will you do?