New Years resolutions are things I've always set but never bothered to fully tackle or hold onto necessarily. So for this year, I decided to write a mission statement for the year instead! Rather than the "do this in 2019 or else you're a failure of all things" mentality (you know we all feel that when we break resolutions), I decided to approach the year with ways I want to live, lifestyles I want to develop, and new ways of heart re-setting I want to grow into. This way, I have guidelines and goals of ways I really want to embody and live. They're merely ideas to focus into rather than tasks to check off of a list. If I create the awareness of how I want to live differently than years past, I can practice these ways more and more, go back and read this again and again, and keep making myself better and more focused with each day. I think this is a great trajectory for myself, but also felt encouraged to share it here for anyone else looking for a God-focused reset for the year. We're barely two weeks into 2019, so don't discredit yourself on the changes and growth you still have all the potential to make! Thus, my mission statement for the upcoming days ahead:
___________
2019 is going to be a year of surrender; a year of letting go of the selfish desires of my soul, the desires to “fit in” with the ways of the world around me. It will be a year of giving up myself, and giving my soul more and more to Jesus. This year is going to be a year of praying to be "more like Jesus" more often, and following those prayers with action.
I want to inspire others through the way I live. I want to heal others through the way I love. I want to bring more people to know the God and Jesus I’ve come to know in the last two years. I want to show the world that faith was never meant to be about religious rules to follow, but about a relationship to have with a Father you are supposed to fall madly in love with, that’s already so in love with you.
It's going to be a year of knowing what God wants of me in any given situation before giving myself room to make the choice on my own. "Would God want this for you right now/today/tonight?" I want to consider and decide what God wants before putting the pressure or weight on myself to figure it out on my own. I was never wired or created to do that in the first place. We're supposed to seek His council above all else.
2019 is going to be a year of less drinking, less socializing, less looking for the right ways to be or feel or do or say, and just sitting in the now; sitting in the now with God and His Word.
It's going to be a year of de-cluttering; quite literally with both things in my life, and the people in my life. "Toss it out, give it away, get rid of that, and unfollow them." There's going to be a lot more of that.
It’s going to be the year I fuel into myself before others, and fuel into the relationships that fuel ME; all the other ones have to go. There will be ways of determining those relationships that stay by simply asking a few questions; questions that will give me clarity and answers as to if these are valid or necessary people in my life or not.
1. Does this person support me in all that I’m doing positively, and hold me accountable in areas I can change for the better?
2. Is this person always kind, loving, and grace-giving towards others? Practicing humility in all areas of their life.
3. Does this person make me feel good about myself when we’re together?
4. Do I trust this person?
5. Does this person encourage and inspire me to be better than I already am by living by example?
I don’t want to forget about the people I can shine light towards, but I’m going to do a lot less of taking on others pains, and focusing instead on my personal growth and healing. For relationships of quality and love that are already in place, I want to spend more intentional time and energy putting back into those. I want to love on the relationships with family and friends that the answer is already ‘yes!’ to all of the above questions.
It’s also going to be a year of getting healthier still; mentally, emotionally, spiritually, physically, soulfully, etc. “Holy in body and spirit.” It’s gonna be a year of more of that.
It’s going to be a year of not giving energy nor voice to negative and/or unhealthy people, things, discussions, or experiences; especially ones that have NOTHING to do with me in the first place.
It’s going to be a year of more creating; SO much more creating! I want to play instruments, I want to sing more, I want to dance more, I want to write and read and learn more and more and more. And coffee! I want to drink more coffee (more GOOD coffee!) and less alcohol!
It’s going to be a year of being alone more… a lot more… which will be very challenging for me. It will be a year of my phone on airplane mode for solitude and praying with God more; for reading His Word more. His Word. Not Instagram quotes or opinions on His Word, but actually opening my physical Bible and taking in the truth and wisdom of those words.
It’s going to be a year of worshipping more often; listening to more positive music and praising God more through that.
It’s going to be a year of letting go of past resentments in any and all relationships, and more of practicing having an infinitely forgiving heart; losing count on how much I forgive rather than keeping score on how many times someone may have done me wrong.
It’s going to be a year of looking less at who’s looking at me (specifically on social media) and more of looking out for how God’s looking at me; more of remembering what He says about me, what He thinks of me, what He’s done for me. It's gonna be more of focusing on what I’m doing to put light and life back into His kingdom being built, the same way others and He have put it into mine.
It’s going to be a year of being present; living in the moment for what it is while it is. It’s going to be a year of saying more “yes” to God and more “no’s” to myself, friends, and the world around me. There will be a lot more of asking myself "Am I doing this because I want to and it's right for me, or am I doing this because I feel obligated?" Those victim-mentality obligations will be no more. It’s going to be another year of growth; especially spiritually and financially.
I want to laugh more this year. I want to laugh with others, make more people laugh, and laugh at myself more often! Joy is necessary in my existence, and I not only want to be a part of receiving it, but making strong efforts to share it more often!
I want to be slower to anger; to be able to worry and fear less, and trust God more with my emotions in all areas. I want to wake up and make the choice every day to die to myself so I can live for God’s will over my life instead of my own. If I die to me, I can live for His glory and with His goodness prevailing over my life.
This year I want to be selfless while staying healthily selfish of my own needs, time, and energy. It’s going to be a year of getting out of my comfort zone, stepping into my calling, breaking barriers and chains with Jesus, loving on loved ones around me, and getting to the core of my soul while still continuing to learn who I am.
________
If you haven't made resolutions, or haven't made any changes for this new year, it's hardly too late! Write yourself a mission statement today. It doesn't have to be long. Maybe you focus on 3 new ways you want to live this year, or maybe you write a big long statement like I did. But give yourself the grace to be able to achieve more than you think you can. Give yourself the opportunity to blow your own mind. Give yourself the ability to succeed. We all have it within us, but sometimes we have to seek intentionally to get to those abilities!
I am praying big prayers for anyone's eyes reading these words and hoping your New Years has started off beautifully; wherever you are in life today!
The blog is going to look rather differently very soon based on some big news I have yet to publically share, so stay tuned! God is moving in big ways, and I'm moving with him!
Big blessings & smiles to each of you, peeps! ♥️
Comments
Post a Comment