If you made a New Year’s resolution, chances are you’ve given up on it by now. According to InsideOut Mastery, 43 percent of us are back to our old ways by Feb. 1. You may feel as though you have tried everything, but allow me to make one more last-ditch suggestion: find a partner or assemble a team. Having a family member, a friend or a professional, or any combination of the above, by your side might be what it takes to get back on track.
If your goal was to lose weight or improve your overall fitness, find yourself a walking or running buddy. If you can afford it, hire a personal trainer. Or, if you’re a bit of a homebody (like me), choose from dozens of YouTube workout classes. My daily “appointments” with Adriene Mishler, the gentle, encouraging and upbeat star of Yoga with Adriene were one of the things that got me through COVID.
Maybe you wanted to get your finances on track. Money is often an uncomfortable subject to discuss with our friends, but consider becoming “book buddies” with someone and discussing a book from a popular author, such as Suze Orman or Dave Ramsey. You don’t need to get into your personal numbers, but there may be a few specific subjects you can talk about. If you’d rather focus on finances on your own, try using an app, like Mint or Good Budget. And, of course, if budget permits, try talking with a professional financial advisor who can steer you – and your money – in the right direction.
If you’ve been wanting to pursue a personal passion project for quite some time, like a home improvement project or writing your first novel, consider taking a class through your local library or community college. Sometimes getting into a group setting and exchanging ideas and encouragement is just the inspiration we need to take the next step to fulfilling a dream. Even if you’re not ready to take such a big step, find a friend who also has a passion project and exchange services, be it a helping hand or a kind, but critical, eye.
Whenever you can, ask the people closest to you, your family and your best friends, to keep reminding you of your goal and, when possible, to join you in pursuing it. In return, help them to bring their own well-intended plans to tangible fruition. Remind yourself that Jesus surrounded himself with the best men to help him promote his mission. He called them one-by-one and because they believed in him, they followed. Always remember that your nearest and dearest believe in you, too.
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