2010: Raise the Level and Quality of Your Expectations

Okay, so we are at another transition from one year to another.  As a matter of fact, this is also a transition into a new decade, so what are you going to do?

We come to this time every year and look in the mirror, step on the scale, look at our bank account, reflect on our relationships and decide, with boldness, “I declare that next year will be different!”

It seems that with the change of the calendar always comes an inwardly-focused evaluation of what we have done in the past 12 months and many times, even further back into our past, good and bad.

It is a time of reflection, a time of anticipation and a time of great expectation of what lies ahead.  We have a real opportunity to raise the quality of our lives, by raising the quality of our expectations and putting action to our plans.  I am not talking resolutions, but decisions coupled with definite movement.  Making New Year's resolutions is nothing new.  As a matter of fact it is downright ancient.  According to some historians, the practice dates back to 153 B.C. when Janus, an early mythical Roman king, was associated with what we now use as a modern day calendar.  Maybe you have seen the two-faced figure before.

To over-simplify the story, it is believed Janus could look back on the past and forward to the future. Janus became a symbol for resolutions and many Romans looked to resolve conflicts and obtain forgiveness from their enemies before the beginning of each new year.

There are all kinds of statistics suggesting that making resolutions just doesn’t work.  So, why bother, right?  While planning to do something is a huge step, actually taking steps is another level altogether.

My pastor, Bishop-elect Ben Gibert has been teaching a really phenomenal series on the difference between setting a direction (resolution-my interpretation) and making a real decision on anything in our lives.  As a Christian, I believe in setting a direction, supported by principles in the word of God and then following through with movement.

Here are a few tips between here and there throughout the year; make a decision, raise the level of your expectation, commit your decision to writing and START.  Start with a small step and keep going everyday from now on.