Make This Year Different Than Last
Christmas is (or at least, should be) a spiritual event. It is a grand celebration of Jesus. In my prior post, Reimagining Christmas, I encouraged a reclamation of the day’s true meaning and making it a spiritual experience.
Now, seven days hence, another holiday is upon us: New Year’s Day and by implication, a new year.
Is New Years a spiritual experience? For most the answer is “no,” but I think that there is meaningful significance that can be gained from this day as well.
For many, New Years is a time of making resolutions, of implementing changes with the intent of fostering a better or more fulfilled life.
While I don’t want to dissuade anyone from this practice and reaping the benefits—assuming that the resolutions are actually kept—I do want to suggest an even better approach.
Instead of waiting until January 1 to change a habit, introduce a new one, or remove a bad one, why not make changes throughout the year as the opportunity arises?
Why accumulate a list of resolutions for the new year, when incremental improvement can be made throughout the year?
Although I typically forgo New Year’s resolutions, I do use this time of year as an opportunity for annual goal setting.
(Although some may see little difference between making a resolution and setting a goal, I do. A resolution focuses on activity, while a goal addresses outcome.)
Goal setting can (and should) have spiritual ramifications, achieving things that will produce lasting and significant differences in your life, your family and friends, your community, and your world.
With that in mind, I sincerely wish you a happy, prosperous, and wonderful new year.
Happy New Year!
Do you like this post? Want to read more? Check out Peter’s book, Bridging the Sacred-Secular Divide: Discovering the Spirituality of Every Day Life, available wherever books are sold.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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