Did you know that most New Years resolutions made on January 1 are forgotten about by January 17?
Why does that happen?
It happens because the person started with a shallow reason for changing from the start. With shallow
reasons, it doesn't take much pressure for them to get uprooted!
To succeed, you need a better approach.
Establish a
deep reason for change from the beginning. Then, remind yourself of that reason with every step in the right direction.
That will help you stay grounded and focused, even with daily life
pressures.
Even though your new habits may feel uncomfortable at the beginning, they are sinking into your procedural memory each time you practice them.
Why is this important?
Think about this: Wouldn't it be terrible if you had to re-learn how to brush your teeth, comb your hair, or drive
to way to work every morning?
Thankfully, you don't have to do that. God gave you a wonderful gift called your procedural memory.
This ability allows your brain to memorize patterns. That way, you don't have to re-learn tasks that you do repeatedly.
You just do them without thinking about them much.
When you keep practicing your new healthy habits each day, then they gradually become part of your procedural memory.
What was uncomfortable at first now becomes
comfortable!
However, it takes practice and time for this to happen. That is why patience is so important for permanent change.
Can you imagine what would happen if babies learning to walk took the same attitude that some adults do regarding change?
At the first, second, or even 3rd fall, they'd say, "Forget it. I'm a failure. I never do anything right. I might as well just stay as I am. I can't change."
Imagine a world of 40, 50, 60, and 70 year-olds crawling around in diapers! That would be a disaster,
wouldn't it?
But babies keep practicing walking until their legs get strong and walking becomes second nature to them.
So it will be
with you if you don't give up.
When you let time work for you, your memory will become your biggest ally in staying on track.
Determine
that this year, you will commit to a New Year's Resurrection.
And this time next year, you will be living in newness of life as God promised:
Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4)."
Happy New
Years!
Be Blessed in Health, Healing, and Wholeness,
Kimberly Taylor
Creator of the 'Take Back Your Temple' program