LOOK BACK FOR YOU TO MOVE FORWARD; 5 Tips for Your New Year's Resolution

Are you all set for the new year?

Since I was a teenager, I always do new year’s resolution. And I have seen changes in my life every year, these changes happened intentionally and unintentionally. Intentionally because I work for that change and unintentionally because it just happened, and I cannot control any of it.

Setting up a new year's resolution is so much fun, listing all you wanted to do for the next whole year, imagining all the fun and new things to have. It’s amazing! But reality always kick us out of our imagination, and our list of goals and plans will just remain a dream and will remain a new year’s resolution for next coming year and for the next year until you’ll be tired and just forget about it.

Many of our goals don’t happen because maybe we are all doing it the wrong way or we’re setting up our new year’s resolution very broad or unattainable. This approaching new year, here are some tips in setting up your new year’s resolution;

1. LOOK BACK

It is very important for you to look back because looking back helps you to move forward, reminisce all the memories and the experiences you have this year 2019 and write it down. Make a separate list for those things you think you were able to achieve it and for those things that you think you are a failure. If you still have your copy of your new year’s resolution for 2019, check it and compare it. Have you been successful so far in attaining your goals? I’m so sure many weren’t attained but that’s fine because you don’t need to do everything you listed unless you can.

For me this year I have missed many things, too many failures, pains, and sacrifices. One thing that I failed to do this year is to go for a mission, I supposed to be at the mission field right now, serving other people teaching them the Gospel. And I also failed in a relationship.

2. REFLECT

You should reflect on your achievements and failures. You should ponder for these questions;

·    What are those strategies and approaches that I’ve done to achieve these goals?

·         What do you think the reasons why you haven’t achieved these goals?

Reflecting for my achievements for this year overwhelms me, joining the pageant for Mr. Abra 2019 though I was not one of the winners I am glad because I was given an opportunity to experience it, the experiences was already an achievement for me. And this year I was able to travel out of the country for the first time. When I was in college, I always have this desire in going abroad, to have a greener pasture. Now, here I am enjoying and surviving the life here in Abu Dhabi. Going here was a challenge, I don’t want to leave my girlfriend, I love her but what would be the kind of life If I will just stay with her in the Philippines? Probably I am now a dad without a job and just relying on my parents. Blessed me, because I got here. The strategy in going here wasn’t a tricky one, I just listen to my mother and sister’s advice. They convince me to go here, and as a young adult, I need to listen to them though I have other plans. What are my plans for if my family doesn’t agree with me? It's better to listen to them since they are much more experienced in life. It is best to listen to the elders of the family because they know who you are, and they can see what’s best for you.

Behind my failures, I wasn’t sure enough and strong in doing those things. I failed in going for mission because my spirituality was weak, I need to work more in learning the scriptures, ponder and live it.

3. PLAN

Now you are in the third stage for your new year’s resolution. For the strategies that you’ve made to accomplish your goals, you can apply it again this coming 2020 but of course, if you exert a lot of effort, you will need to push more this new year!

In planning, you will need to answer and ponder for the following questions;

·         What are my goals this 2020? Setting up a goal should be specific such as, if you want to get fit, your goal should be going to the gym at least 2-4 times a week and eat healthy foods.

·         What are those reasons that might prevent you in attaining your goals?

I think the number one that might prevent you is your routine, if you want to achieve your goals, you need to change your daily routine. You need to give more time for important things instead of just sitting on your phone.

·         How can I measure my progress? The goal should be measurable; you can make your own personal checklist so you can track how well are you doing.

Make sure to write it all in your personal notes.

4. REVIEW

You need to review your notes!

·         Is it specific?

·         Is it measurable?

·         Is it attainable?

·         Is it realistic?

·         Is it long term or short term goal?

5. PRAY

In setting up goals of course you need to pray for it. Prayer is a powerful act because it is only the way that you can communicate with the Heavenly father whom the giver of all things. As written in the book of Matthew 7:7 ‘Ask. And it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

So, those are my 5 tips for you to start your new year! Hope it helps 😊 God bless you!