.png)
“A year from now you may wish you had started today.”
On our early morning walks, my dog, Buddy and I have encountered Michael and his dog, Roy. This morning after the dogs sniffed each other, I said, “Have a great day!” Michael responded, “Yeah, uh … No, have a great year!” This got me thinking about what really makes a great year.
So, what makes a great year, a great 2024? What makes up a year? 365 days. Can we have a great year without great days? What makes a great day?
This time next year, will I have had a great year? We all know we can’t have a perfect year, but what can I do, within my power, to ensure that I have the best year possible?
Psalm 90:12 states “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
We number our days by being intentional about them, realizing that our days are numbered.
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result. Wisdom is the opposite of that. Wisdom can be defined simply as “good sense.”
Living a wise life by numbering our days might involve taking a look at our daily habits. Do you want to be healthier, more fit, more spiritual this year? If so, making some changes to develop some new habits might just cause that to happen.
As James Clear implores us in his book, Atomic Habits, “You get what you repeat.” We know that, but do we really think about it? Possibly we don’t because we don’t see the results of our daily habits instantly. For example, I didn’t see the results of logging my food on a daily basis. However, over time - the results were more than I hoped they would be!
So what are the steps we take to begin to make new habits and change things that we aren’t happy with in our lives?
Think about WHY you want to change. Make it a strong WHY as you will need it in weak moments. In other words, choose a WHY that will elicit an emotional response when it comes to mind.
Set attainable goals, but don’t think you can reach them without a plan/system. Having a plan will get you where you want to go.
Talk to someone who has developed habits that you want to acquire. They are likely to have learned much wisdom in living through the formation of their own positive habits!
Just begin! Procrastination is the thief of time. All we know for sure that we have is the present moment. Make good use of it and do something for yourself.
So, Lord willing, we will see the end of 2024. Where will you find yourself then? Will you be able to look back and see the results from good habits you established? I surely hope so for all of us!
Will we look back with gratitude
for beginning today?
More to come on habits, Lose It app, weight maintenance, and random thoughts