Usually at the start of every new year, people will make resolutions and create vision boards highlighting the goals they want to accomplish by the end of the year. Sometimes they are successful and other times they are not.
For me, the start of a new year provides a great opportunity to reflect on the previous year which includes the progress I have made, the lessons learnt from challenges faced and the ways in which I can improve in different areas of my life.
This reflection is important because it helps me to refocus and plan. Over the years I have learnt some valuable lessons that I keep in mind as I reflect and even more importantly, as I plan for the year(s) ahead.
Things to consider
1. Commit everything to God.
“Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.” (Proverbs chapter 16, verse 3)
It is so easy to leave God out of our plans and I am guilty of making plans and at the last minute giving it to Him for His stamp of approval. However, this is not the way it should be. God desires to be a part of the process every step of the way.
Committing our plans to God means that we are sharing with Him from the very inception, and as we do, we wait on Him prayerfully, and allow for Him to direct our steps.
2. Seek counsel.
“Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.” (Proverbs chapter 15, verse 22)
As we plan, it is wise to get advice from someone we trust or from someone who has experience in the area that we are making plans. This is important because sometimes others can see flaws in our plans that we cannot see because we may be too emotionally involved, biased or even blinded by our passion.
When we seek counsel from an emotionally neutral or a well-learned person in an area, they are able to offer constructive criticism, find loopholes in our plans, provide alternative solutions and even help us to create a better plan. This requires us to be open and honest with the individual(s) and be willing to listen and integrate their ideas, corrections and advice into our plan.
3. Take things in strides.
Years ago, I used to write my resolution list then try to complete them all at once. This caused me to become frustrated and overwhelmed and would finish the year not completing anything on my list. Since then, I have learnt to create my list, then clearly outline the steps and time needed to complete each thing on the list.
These steps needed to be SMART, that is specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-based. Also, while you can work on your different goals concurrently, it is okay to work at them one at a time. Know what works best for you!
I have learnt too that sometimes things will happen that will make me have to put my plans on hold or abandon them altogether. In moments like these, I ensure that I am not feeding negative thoughts about myself and my situation but reminding myself of who I am according to God’s Word. I have learnt too that sometimes when my plan doesn’t work out, it’s for the best (especially when I have surrendered it to God) and most times something better eventually comes around.
“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.” (Proverbs chapter 16, verse 9)
4. Learn from failures.
Have you ever failed at something and then told yourself that you were a failure? I have. And I have used that moment, that failed attempt, to define who I was and allowed it to push me into depression. But failures are not meant to keep us down or give us permission to throw a pity party for ourselves or sit in defeat. Instead, our failures should be used as stepping stones to pave the way forward, a valuable lesson I dare not forget.
The beauty of failure is that it teaches us how to be resilient and start again stronger from the perspective of knowing what does not work. This will help us to realign our focus, adapt and change. As we learn from our failures we grow, most times from a place of humility. This is because our failures can cause us to be embarrassed and even ashamed, but they also remind us that we are not in control. God is, and He offers grace and love for every failure we will experience.
Visualising our plans and clearly defining our goals helps us to have a clear picture of what to do in order to get where we want to go. Our plans don’t also go the way we want them to and sometimes we may even fail, but we can always learn from our failure. We must never forget to include God in the process as we plan and follow His lead as He orders our steps.
“Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails.” (Proverbs chapter 19, verse 21).
Rose-Ann Durant is a young Christian from Kingston, Jamaica, who is currently living in Barbados. She is the 2021 Basil Sellers International (18-30) Awardee and in August 2021, became a contributing writer for Victorious By Design, a digital and print media group that seeks to encourage women of all ages to walk victoriously into all that God has called them. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, going to the beach, river, and spending time outdoors.