My 2019 Resolution

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I am a big fan of New Year’s Resolutions. I even have a notebook dedicated for tracking my New Year’s Resolutions. I have kept it since 2011. Sometimes I  only have one resolution and use my notebook as a simple diary to journal my experiences. Other years I go overboard and have a dozen targets, split in to categories (faith, home, work, and personal) and  then I track my progress using charts and lists. I have tried various goal tracker apps out there that do similar things but I always return to my old big red notebook.  

Sometimes I feel like I have a word that sums up what I hope to achieve or experience that year, and for 2019 my word is “Centered”. 

I am aware that I have lots of voices that have a say in my life, and perhaps I give some voices too much power over my identity or my priorities. I also know that I have many responsibilities to juggle and lots of things that I would like to do but only so much time in which I can do them.  

Rather than try and find ways to do all these things, or please every voice I am going to spend time strengthening the foundations of my life; the things,values and commitments that everything else must be built around. I am prioritizing the basics and focusing on the simple things. 

For me, my basics, my essential foundations are my relationship with Jesus and loving Rob and Orla. If I can get these things right, everything else will flow.  

My goal this year isn’t about trying to change much about my life situation but about valuing and strengthening the things I already have. I want more gratitude, fewer wishlists. More simplicity, less drama.  

Here are my foundations that I am going to work on this year 

  1. Me and My God – I’m building up those habits that bring more of Jesus into my day. I am placing Bible reading back to first thing priority. I have the Bible app on my phone, so when I wake up and look at the time, I am opening up the Bible app straight away and reading my chapter (instead of opening Facebook!). I want to punctuate my day with more short prayers, those moments of space that I normally fill by flicking through mumsnet, I am trying to pray first, mess around on phone second. 
  2. Make the most of Sunday Services – Sundays are always busy days for me. At church there is always a job to do and about three people I need to talk to. But I don’t want to let my responsibilities as a leader to distract me from engaging with the service. I want to be focused in worship from the opening bars of the first song. And I want to really absorb each message – not critique it with my church leader hat on, but to listen and receive it as a disciple of Jesus. I think taking notes each Sunday would help me with this so I committing to bringing a notebook to church this year. 
  3. Keep the home happy –  Clean sheets on the bed,  the smell of good food in the kitchen, new flowers in the garden. All these little things make the house a good place for Rob, Orla and me to live, connect and have fun. It’s a scary world out there, and I can’t control it. But I can make our house a safe and happy place to be. When I connect that purpose to the housework I am much more motivated to get up and do stuff. And who doesn’t like relaxing in a tidy house? 
  4. Look after my body – I want to be more conscious of looking after myself too this year. A few more vegetables, a little less sofa time. Go to bed a little earlier, save that glass of wine for the weekend, instead of a Wednesday night. I’m not going all out to transform myself but I do want to look after me as I am now.  

Because I am a geek, I have made SMART targets for all these areas and tracking sheets to help me build up good habits, but I won’t bore you with those! In essence my 2019 ambition is to take good care of the good things I have, build up strong foundations, and appreciate all my many blessings. I want to be centered on the important things and willing to let go of the unimportant stuff. Simplicity and focus are my buzzwords! Bring on 2019 – let’s make it good!

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