I’ve always felt like the start of the New Year was a very arbitrary time to start new habits, kick old ones, lose weight, etc. I also never feel like mid-winter is the best time to try and motivate yourself. I usually use my birthday as my “new year” to have some new goals.
I had my birthday this last weekend and it was, as I’m sure you can imagine, VERY low key. I turned 26 so I wasn’t planning on a big birthday bash, but it is interesting to see how much events like birthdays have such loss attached to them during our current world situation.
In keeping with my low key birthday celebrations, I tried to keep my resolutions pretty low key. The reality of my next year is up in the air with COVID and with a baby coming. It would be pretty pointless to make grand goals that could never realistically be met.
Here are my New Years Resolutions for 26:
1. To live this year with open hands
I have learned already with all the plans that have changed in my life and with the uncertainty of what’s ahead to keep my hands open. God is teaching many of us this right now and I don’t want the lesson to go to waste in my next year.
2. To take any chance I have to interact with the Word
Even before COVID changed the reality of what “church” or “bible study” has traditionally looked like, I have known that my normals of interacting with the Word will look different once the baby comes. I don’t know what “quiet time” will be like with this little one. I’m pretty resolved to take each opportunity that’s presented to me to interact with the Word.
3. To invest in people and friendships
I don’t want to let parenthood put a divide between me and my relationships. I want to make sure that in the changes of my life, I don’t make anyone feel left behind. I also will need to allow myself a lot of room for grace. Grace for when I mess up, grace for when others aren’t understanding, grace for all that’s in between those points. It’s all a learning process.
4. To take risks in making good relationships, learning to be vulnerable again
Between COVID and pregnancy, I have really felt isolated. It’s been a slow shift in reality for me, between job changes, life changes, just normal life changes. The groups of people I could call on to talk to are spread out and not the same anymore. In this next chapter of life, I don’t want to doubt myself and the appointments God has set up for me. I know I will need a community to raise this child. I need to be intentional to build that for me and my family. I don’t want to be passive and miss out on what can be there. I know it will take trial and error, but I want to walk forward to whatever God has for me.
5. To survive to 27
I’ve been waiting to make this joke for. so. long.
Dozens of Us 