It is common for individuals to make New Year’s resolutions at the beginning of each year. Unfortunately, most of us don’t follow through with our New Year's resolutions. We often don’t follow through with New Year’s resolutions because they are often too difficult or they are not reasonable goals.
While we should encourage others in their New Year’s resolutions, we can also try out some unique New Year’s resolutions that will more likely help our spiritual, emotional, physical, and mental well-being. Here are four unique New Year’s resolutions to try this year.
1. Spending More Time with Jesus
The first unique New Year resolution that I wanted to mention is the resolution to spend more time with Jesus. While this may be a common resolution we make each year, and sometimes, we may not be the best at following through with our resolution.
Spending time with Jesus is crucial to our relationship with Him and our growth as followers of Him. By neglecting to spend time with Jesus, we are more prone to fall into sin, listen to the lies of the enemy, and hinder our own Christian growth.
Spending more time with Jesus means we talk with Him in prayer consistently. The more we spend time with Jesus, the more our relationship with Him will grow stronger. Just like any relationship, we have to take time with the other person — in the same way; we have to spend time with Jesus to truly know Him.
The truth of the Lord is found in His Word, the Bible. We talk with Him in prayer, and then we hear back from Him through reading His Word. Jesus loves to hear from you, and He is never too busy to talk with you.
The normal resolutions that we see promoted are never associated with spending more time with Jesus, nor is there any emphasis on building a stronger relationship with Jesus. As believers, our top priority needs to be on the Lord. Jesus died in order for us to be redeemed and given eternal life.
We owe everything to Him as He is our Savior and Lord. Choosing a unique New Year’s resolution, such as spending more time with Jesus, will be sure to help your overall mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional health throughout the year. Turn to the Lord and take time to rest in His great love.
2. Reading the Entire Bible
A second unique New Year’s resolution is reading the entire Bible. While this may sound daunting at first, it is a great resolution to make this year.
By reading the entire Bible in a year, you will be able to have a stronger relationship with Christ and a richer knowledge of theology. The Bible is not just any book — it is the actual Word of God.
The Apostle Paul tells us, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The Bible contains everything we need to know about God and learn about Him.
There are many Bible plans circulating among ministries and websites that you can try out. On most websites, they will have the option of reading the Bible in a year.
You can keep track of your Bible reading on an app on your phone, or you could print out a copy and check off the days as your progress in your Bible log. Reading the Bible in a year is not unreasonable as it is a great use of our time, and it can be done in a year.
If you would rather read the Bible straight through from Genesis to Revelation, that is great too. However, if you prefer to create your own order of reading the whole Bible in one year, you can do that also.
Maybe starting in the gospels and working your way through the New Testament before reading the Old Testament might sound like a better plan to you. No matter which method you use, you will obtain great knowledge, comfort, and peace from taking time to read the Bible each day.
3. Work On a Positive Self-Image
A third unique New Year’s resolution is working on a positive self-image. A common New Year’s resolution is weight loss.
Numerous ads on social media and in magazines at grocery stores try to influence us into the diet culture market, yet we don’t have to be pulled under by it. Diet culture is extremely popular in the modern day.
Instead of promoting a positive self-image, the world tells us that we have to look a certain way. The “certain way” of the world is in congruence with diet culture. With this mindset, eating disorders and disordered eating are bound to be a result.
Instead of trying to manipulate the way you look through extreme weight loss fads and diets, work on cultivating a positive self-image this year. Accept yourself as you are and practice working on a positive self-image.
Replace negative self-talk with positive self-talk. Whenever a negative thought comes into your mind of “I’m fat,” “I’m ugly,” or “I’m not enough,” replace those lies with the truth of Scripture.
Instead of believing these lies, remind yourself of Psalm 139:13-16, Genesis 1:27, and Ephesians 2:10. Each of these Bible verses reminds us that we are God’s beautiful and wonderful creation.
This year, choose to make the resolution to work on a positive self-image. While it can be difficult at times, when you finally accept yourself as you are, you will feel so much better about life, your future, and your relationship with your body.
With different trends coming in this year, it’s best to turn away from the lies of diet culture and work on loving yourself just as you are. God doesn’t want you to hate yourself. He wants you to cultivate a positive self-image and know that He says you are beautiful just as you are.
Ephesians 2:10 tells us, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” As Ephesians 2:10 tells us, we are God’s handiwork. Everything God created is beautiful, including you.
Never doubt that for a moment. You are wonderfully made by the Creator of the universe (Psalm 139:13-16). God loves you, and He wants you to treat your body well. He doesn’t want you to hurt it or cause yourself to develop an eating disorder.
As someone who has struggled with anorexia for half my life, I strongly discourage anyone from slipping into the trap of diet culture. It is an easy hill to fall down, but it is a mountain to climb out of.
4. Seeking Out a Support System
Seeking out a support system is another great New Year’s resolution that is often overlooked. Whether you struggle with mental issues or not, seeking out a support system is vital for your own well-being. We all need trusted friends to be there for us in our struggles.
God didn’t create us to be alone. He wants us to be able to have trusted friends to turn to when we are in need of support and encouragement. We all need help at times, and there’s nothing wrong with asking others for help.
You can also seek out a support system in the form of a therapist. Therapy is nothing that should be looked down upon because it is very helpful when you are struggling. Therapy has helped me in many ways to heal from the scars of the past.
If you have heard others say hurtful things about therapy or about those who go to therapy, don’t take it to heart. Therapy is a wonderful thing, and those who choose to go to therapy are exercising great bravery and strength to show that they are ready to heal.
Seeking out a support system might not be the first idea that comes to mind when you are thinking about New Year’s resolutions, yet it is a much-needed necessity that we all need. You can even craft an idea of who your support system is or how you can start one.
Great places to build support systems can include talking with a therapist, seeking support from your pastor or friends from church, or your family. God loves you, and He is your biggest supporter and encourager. You can always turn to Him.
For further reading:
How Should Christians Approach the New Year?
5 Spiritual New Year’s Resolutions: A Philippians Bible Study
Why Do We Sing Auld Lang Syne at the New Year?
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/Alvaro Moreno Perez
