A few things I always tend to do before January 1…
Reset our home. Deep clean the fridge, freezer and pantry. Go through cleaning supplies, medicine and beauty products and choose to either Trash what’s old or almost out or Give Away full/new products I’m not using. Grab a big tub and put away toys that haven’t been played with in awhile. Organize the most used closets and drawers — that catch-all drawer in the kitchen, the closet most accessible, etc.
Spend time with God reflecting on the past year and exploring any desires or hopes for the new year. Lore Wilbert has an extensive list of reflective questions she’s curated over the years that I have referenced every January 1st the past few years.
2022 – the year I ask for steadfastness
2021 – the value I’ve found in a personal mission statement
2020 – the prayer is fruitfulness
Instead of goals, consider a posture. I’m the queen of fresh starts, but not the best at strong finishes. I think I can authentically say I’m getting better at the endurance of enduring and completing, but it’s not my strong suit. That being said, I learned years ago it’s easier to choose a posture I’d like to cultivate as opposed to a list of goals to complete. Strength, not necessarily 30 minutes of XYZ exercise a day. Simplicity, not necessarily laundry every Tuesday or organizational bins in every drawer. Stillness, not necessarily a ‘quiet time’ before 8am and a strict Bible reading plan. Curiosity, not necessarily a list of 30 books or a podcast every spare moment. Other examples: hospitality, generosity, slowing down, flexibility, presence, quick to listen. I like this approach more than a list of resolutions because it’s more organic, more adaptable to change, new goals, fresh ideas. And it’s simpler to keep before me as the calendar gets full and circumstances ebb and flow. I’m not limited to one box to check. It can be a path to walk, inspiration for my yeses and nos, but it grows throughout the year as I grow throughout the year.
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