Every year for forty some odd years I have been writing down my New Year's Resolutions. Why should today be any different. I learned something a few years ago that I want to share with you. If you make a list of 10 or 2o or more resolutions you are setting yourself up to fail. Change is a process and not an event. It takes time to change old habits. The New Year's Eve before Hillary, Dustin, and Nathan left on their missions (that's the event that helps me to remember how long ago I made my discovery) I decided to put only one thing down on my list. I thought about what would be the best thing I could do to improve my life. I thought long and hard and tried to make sure I was up to the task. I felt I was and so the only thing I wrote down was this:
1. READ THE SCRIPTURES EVERY DAY.
Since that day I have never missed reading the Scriptures once. That was my 2002 resolution. I tell you this not to brag but to show that making a list of 10 or more things to change is making a list of what you will fail at in the coming year. Call me a pessimist if you want but I stand by these words. How many of you (all three of you that check my blog once in awhile) have honestly succeeded at every thing on your list of New Year's Resolutions? Be honest with yourselves. Let me show you a list of things I have had on lists previous to the year 2002:
1. GET CLOSER TO CHRIST
2. BE A BETTER WIFE (HA)
3. KEEP A CLEAN HOUSE (HA HA)
4. GET MY FOOD STORAGE
5. LOSE WEIGHT
6. BE MORE PREPARED FOR MY SUNDAY LESSONS
7. BE A BETTER MOTHER
8. EXERCISE EVERY DAY (HA HA HA)
9. QUIT PROCRASTINATING
10. GET MORE ORGANIZED
I think a list like the above is overwhelming. It also needs to be more detailed. For instance : I will get my food storage by buying 5 extra items each time I grocery shop and put them away for storage. ETC . Much too complicated for me to even know how to accomplish all of the above. With one simple item I can explore many ways to accomplish my "goal". I have brought my Book of Mormon on trips with me and read on the airplane, in the car,etc. It has become such a habit now that I cannot fall asleep until I have read from the scriptures. Some times I read only a few verses but I have read and that was my goal.
I want to wish all of you a very happy, healthy, and prosperous 2009.
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4 comments:
hooray for a new post! i agree, mom. every year, i plan to make 2 resolutions. the first is to keep the second resolution. that way if i keep one, i've kept them both. but, i always forget to make the second resolution! but, i'm going to to it this year. i've made a decision to read my scriptures every night and it makes me think of you. seriously. because i always see you reading your scriptures. i want my daughter to always see me reading mine like i always saw you reading yours. good job, Momma! i love you.
That's an excelent way to make resolutions. I fail at to many things to continue to set myself up for more failure. Wasn't that wonderful what Hilliary wrote. You are a very blessed lady and I love ya!
I like what I've read here. I stopped making New Year resolutions about 10 years ago, but I like your idea and I think I will set myself a resolution/goal for the year, or rather the rest of the year.
i want my daughter to always see me reading mine like i always saw you reading yours
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