How to Make New Year’s Resolutions You Will Keep

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Are you making New Year’s Resolutions this year?

Are they new for 2025 or the same resolutions you’ve started on January 1st every year for as long as you can remember?

Ten years ago, the Most Common New Year’s Resolutions were:

1. Quit Smoking
2. Exercise
3. Lose Weight
4. Enjoy Life More
5. Quit Drinking
6. Organize
7. Learn Something New
8. Get Out of Debt
9. Spend More Time With Family
10. Volunteer
11. Travel
12 Save

The most common resolutions this year are:

1. Exercise and Get Fit
2. Eat Healthy
3. Quit Smoking
4. Save Money
5. Pursue Learning and Career Goals
6. Reduce Stress
7. Improve Relationships
8. Get More Sleep
9. Travel
10. Volunteer

I wonder how many people follow through and make these changes permanent or if most are over it by the middle of January. What if we fail to keep our resolutions because we’re making non-specific sweeping declarations?

Remember…

My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Galatians 2:20

I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

Philippians 4;13

By God’s grace, our past is forgiven when we surrender our hearts to Jesus; and our future is secure because the Spirit of Jesus gives us strength to do God’s will.

The coming year offers 365 days of fresh starts and blank pages. We all begin with empty journals and planners waiting for growth, answered prayer, and thanksgiving.

So, what if we added specific goals and resolutions to those pages?

10 Specific New Year’s Resolutions for 2025

Exercise at least 20 to 30 minutes 3 or 4 days each week.
Shop the outer edges of the grocery store to avoid processed food.
Quit smoking. (That’s specific!)
Give 10% – Save 10%- and Live on 80%.
Read 2 books each month.
Begin the day reading from the New Testament and praying.
End the day with a Psalm and a prayer.
No phones at the dinner table – talk to your family.
Stick to a bedtime and leave tech devices in the other room.
If travel is a goal start your research and pray for direction.
Ask God to open your eyes and heart to help the people around you.

And one more from Jonathan Edwards’ “Resolutions” that I believe is the best resolution of all…

Resolution One: I will live for God. Resolution Two: If no one else does, I still will.

Let’s pray…

A Prayer to Make and Keep the
New Year’s Resolutions
God Wants for Me

Father God, thank you for the blessing of another year. I love fresh starts and blank pages. Throughout the year, it’s easy for me to forget that You offer me forgiveness through Jesus and give me a fresh clean start every day.

I can’t count the number of times I’ve made New Year’s Resolutions to trust and obey Your will only to slip back into old bad habits. I know Your commandments are best for me but I’m weak and prone to following the wrong voices. Please forgive me.

I want what You want for me. I want to KNOW, TRUST, and OBEY You because I LOVE You. So I ask You to help me set goals based on Your Word of Truth and bless me with the strength to follow through and accomplish them.

“I pray that from [Your] glorious, unlimited resources [You] will empower [me] with inner strength through [Your] Spirit.” (Ephesians 3:16) I love You, Lord, and I want to live for You, even if no one else does! Please help me. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

A Few of My Favorite New Year’s Quotes

 “Tomorrow is the first blank page of a 365-page book. Write a good one.” ~ Brad Paisley

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
    do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek His will in all you do,
    and He will show you which path to take.

Proverbs 3:5–6

And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year: Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown. And he replied: Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God. That shall be to you better than light, and safer than a known way. ~ Minnie L. Haskins

The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
    His mercies never cease.
Great is His faithfulness;
    His mercies begin afresh each morning.

Lamentations 3:22–23

“New Year’s Day is a good time to fix one’s eyes on the only One who knows what the year is to hold.” ~ Elisabeth Elliot

And my prayer for your 2025…

Let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them sing joyful praises forever. Spread your protection over them, that all who love your name may be filled with joy. Psalm 5:11

God bless you in 2025!

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