New Year Resolutions - The Ribbon in My Journal

Starting the New Year Right

Phyllis Inspiration 34 Comments

Oh my goodness, it is time for New Year’s resolutions! Or maybe you have already made yours and have already broken them.

Of course, the first one is to lose weight. Ok that’s over.

Then, to get organized is a popular one. That will take time. But it’s doable, maybe.

How about writing the date correctly before March? 2016 not 2015!

And there are many others that we try every year. Why do we do this? I have a friend that refuses to make New Year’s resolutions, that way it is a guaranteed success. I think that is a pretty good idea.

So for this New Year I think we need to make some challenging, non-traditional resolutions. I’ll go first.

  1. Write a note to a special friend expressing thoughts on our friendship.
  2. Learn something new during this New Year.
  3. Finish something I started from last year (calligraphy).
  4. Try a new dish at my favorite restaurant, instead of the same old thing I order every time.
  5. Put a flower on my desk or table often. A little spark of beauty every day is refreshing.
  6. Sit in a different chair at the table.

Ok, it’s your turn. What is your New Year’s resolution? I know many of you have special ones to share, and we would all love to hear it. Sharing encourages others.

What is your New Year’s resolution?

Victoria Jan/Feb 2016

Comments 34

  1. I love this blog! Your resolutions are perfect. Something that can be done and will make things just that much nicer or beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing your idea. And once again, I am sharing this with my ladies group as we are planning to share our resolutions for our program next week. Happy New Year and lots of love…

  2. I am in the process of planning and creating a vision board for 2016, of the goals for each area of my life, personal, business, emotional, physical, spiritual, and fun. Personally, I want to treat myself well and give myself permission to have more fun and enjoy life more. I also want to continue to do as much as possible for others, to help when it is needed and to be there emotionally for friends and family who need support. Business-wise, I am writing out my plan and spending more time with my business to reach the success level of which I know that I am capable, and in the process help others reach their goals and beyond. Emotionally, I want to build a stronger mindset, but I also want to remember times past and rejoice in those memories of those in our family who have passed on, and cry about it, if I want to do so. Physically, I have cut sugar out of my eating and am following a plan to lose the 50 lbs that I have put on over the past 35 yrs. Spiritually, I will pray more, listen harder for what God wants in my husband’s and my life. I am also ordering the Bible that you mentioned Phyllis, love it! For fun, we are going to travel more, downsize and move, possibly internationally, read more, do jigsaw puzzles, and sometimes just do nothing if that is what we feel like. We have both worked for over 45 yrs, and a little downtime is in order. Sorry, I was so wordy, but perhaps it will give others an idea for their goals.

  3. This year, i would like to be ‘still and trust God’ and fully depend on Him and to follow where He leads. I would love just to be led my Saviour, because i think many times, i have not listened and therefore not fully blossomed in my gifts and accomplished what i was supposed to! Whether as a wife, mom, pastor, in my business and my job, commitments, friendships,etc.. I want to see God manifest and therefore choose to remove limitations!

  4. smile more. extend helping hand of love and kindness to everyone. helping the less fortunate and to show the love of God.

  5. Phyllis, your readers are truly some of the loveliest in spirit across blog land. I am inspired by their wisdom through their faith. Amen to all the aforementioned resolutions. I like, “Be still and know that I am God.” When we listen we can hear Him. His purpose can be ours, too, in this New Year. Joy and love for you and yours in 2016.

  6. OFFER KINDNESS TO THE “FACELESS” PEOPLE,,,, We are surrounded by them. If you think not, the focus is on self and not others, as it should be.

  7. All I ask or want is peace and harmony to continue in my life…. Yes I should watch my diet and do some exercising but all in moderation is good enough for me…. I do not set crazy goals because they never seem to work out!!! A few adjustments here and there… And of course always be kind and sensitive and loving to friends and family, which never comes hard for me because I love them so much!! And to all of you a very Blessed New Year!

    Warmest Wishes,
    Denise

  8. I resolve to grow in grace, in all ways and always. I understand that this almost always involves pain of some sort, but the prize is certain because of the cost.

  9. I refer to my New Year’s thoughts as a Mantra. Last year an old hymn kept playing in my head-“Just a Closer Walk with Thee.” I would repeat this every day and sometimes more. It would become the very essence of my being as I walked with my Mother through decline and then her journey to Heaven.

    This year it is:
    Lord, how can I Iove you more today?
    How can I find ways to worship you?
    How can my words bring honour to you?

    I spend so much time asking for perceived needs I often miss out on true worship. I think this will help me to be a better wife, mother, grandmother and friend. I also want to finish things from last year, keep fresh flowers in the house and learn lots of new things. Thank you Phyllis. Let us all find joy in the journey.

  10. I have had the same trio for years.

    Be kind, life is hard enough.
    Always do your best.
    Love God.

    I also try to “Be the one who stands up” for those beings who cannot.

  11. My only New Year Resolution for 2016 is to stop using bad language. This is about self respect and demonstrating self control. It’s about a change of attitude. I don’t need to make a spoken comment when things go wrong. There are plenty of expressive adjectives in English without resorting to bad language. This may seem a minor step to others but where I live swearing is not just prevalent but expected.

  12. Happy New Year 2016! My daily goal is from I Thes. 5:16-18 in the Bible and includes three things:
    “1. Rejoice always
    2. Pray without ceasing
    3. In everything give thanks…”
    I will do this in my life and living-personally and professionally and via dancing, singing, acting, creating, making music, and playing!
    Thanks for asking. Thanks for Victoria Magazine. You daily inspire and capture how our lives are and can be “artworks in progress.” Shalom. L,Chaim!
    Dr. AnnRené Joseph
    CEO More Arts! LLC.
    moreartsannrene.com

  13. I picked a 3 Word Mantra as a guide – Clean. Create. Praise God. I searched Zazzle.com for a customizable refrigerator magnet. For under $10. I have a daily reminder of the overarching theme for the year.

  14. I absolutely love Christine’s comment above about getting birthday cards to arrive on time. In recent years I have been less than stellar in that area which makes me very unhappy. As it is handwritten notes etc. are a dying art and I don’t want to contribute to their decline! That’s my starting point. I think I’ll make some tea, ponder and finish my list.

  15. My resolution …
    To send/mail birthday cards on time ! No e-cards nor texts or emails can replace a thoughtfully chosen birthday card .
    Sounds like an easy one right ?

  16. Happy 2016 Phyllis and all!!

    I, too, am grateful to have been yet again surrounded by our children and grandchildren this past Christmas. Everyone assembled here and stayed for a week. Fun ensued…: dinners together, games and stories told of days gone by (as we are part Irish.:: many are embellished each time they are told.)

    Anyway, I tell you this because…. What more could I ask for!

    So, my resolution for this year is to make the time to pray more, to make the time for quiet meditation, to ponder (as your previous blog referred) the blessings in my life. Those include you…all the friends here on this blog, and to do for others as much as I can.

    All easy things…. But sometimes seem hard to do. Happy 2016!

  17. I need to talk less and listen more…and you if you knew me you would know how difficult this will be! My family and friends are all saints!! As for pushing the envelope, I would love to live, not just visit, in another city or country for at least 2 months. I have always lived my entire life not only in the same city but the same area of the city. This is doeable but will take some planning.

    1. Cynthia that is the truth. Letting go of the past is a great thing to do. Wisdom is gained from our experiences. Failure occurs when we hand on and let them defeat us.

  18. Great idea. Our 2015 goal was to buy a second home with land in Mississippi. We spent our first night in our newly renovated 1907 farmhouse on 33 acres last week. Goal achieved. So for 2016,I want to expand on that goal and begin working on the gardens. Luckily the prior owners over the years planted magnolias, camellias and azaleas in locations that make sense decades later. Discovering hidden gems like a large citrus tree hidden in a tangle of overgrowth is going to make this part hard work and part treasure hunt.

  19. Since Thanksgiving I have been thinking every day about how very much I have to be thankful for. I want to continue those thoughts the whole year and one of my resolutions is to write to family and friends and tell them what they mean to me. Each member of my family fills a special place in my world and in my heart and I have a host of friends who all add special meaning to my days as well. How blessed we are by those in our lives who add meaning and “spice” by the gift of “just being there for us”. We have nearly forgotten the art of letter writing with emails and texts, etc. Everyone deserves a well written note on special stationery to keep in their drawer and reread when they wish.
    I have several friends who send my a family picture each Christmas and I have saved most of those. I reviewed them this Christmas and it was so rewarding to think of all the years we’ve been friends and to see how their children and grandchildren have changed. It adds much joy to a cold winter day. You are certainly among those who bring joy to our days, Phyllis. Thank you.

  20. I’m going to try to drink a big glass of water several times during the day, starting with right after getting up in the morning, BEFORE my first cup of coffee. This is a small one, but I usually make my goals smaller, as they’re easier to meet (and that energizes me to keep more resolutions!).

  21. Instead of resolutions, I like to think of one way to ” push my envelope” for the new year. ( just wrote a blog post about that!) This year, I want to paint. I have an art degree, but since having a family and starting my antique business, I haven’t really created anything. So I’m setting a goal for 2016, to buy supplies and just paint. And then there are a few words I’ve chosen to work on, they include Give, Sparkle, and Connect to name a few. To change our lives. Happy 2016 to all of us!

  22. We are truly such creatures of habit. Your mentioning “sit in a different chair at the table” made me remember how doing so threw everything into havoc. You do get an entirely different view just by changing seats. Try it!

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