Monday, December 30, 2013

New Year's Resolutions

With our kids giggling at a comic book they received as a Christmas present, I'm smiling as I start to think about New Year's Resolutions. Perhaps you find yourself in the same boat? Even if there are no kids, I hope there is laughter and relaxation during this holiday season.

I came across the following site with a very organized New Year's Resolution worksheet: (The Art of Non-Conformity: How to Conduct Your Own Annual Review). Chris' plan is much more detailed than anything I've done before, but then maybe that's why it works. I think on of the keys to his process is that he doesn't set vague, unmeasurable goals, but works towards "a road map" for the goals he wants to accomplish for the year. The entire process starts by asking some reflective questions: What went well last year? When did not go well last year? One of the pieces I like about it is that he has categories for health, finance (Income, Saving, Giving), travel, etc. You can add your own categories, too: how about a spiritual discipline? He then breaks this down into measurable goals for each section: To meet my goal savings, I need to save n about each month. To run a marathon I need to run x miles each week.

The entire process strikes me as a spiritual practice: an Ignatian Examen on a large scale. Perfect for this time of year.

And maybe to get you in the mood, how about a Weston Martyr short story: The £200 Millionaire.

Have a Blessed New Year,

Joel

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