Resolutions
I’ve been taking a rather informal poll to see how many people have a new year’s resolution. Turns out…not that many. I guess it’s out of fashion. I get it. Maybe it hasn’t worked for us in the past, so we say, “I’m not falling for that again.”
I’ve always liked resolutions though. I like new years and new months. I occasionally get excited about Mondays, which really irritates some people. I love the idea of a fresh start. I enjoy thinking about “what worked last year” and “what I could do different this year.” I journal a lot, and there are always pages about the old year and what worked and what didn’t. Then for the new year, there’s pages of what I hope to see happen over the next 12 months, with a broad plan of how to get there. I have physical goals, work goals, relationship goals, and even emotional/spiritual goals. I warned you. I like this new year stuff!
I tend to think of them as INTENTIONS more than resolutions. To resolve is to take a very firm, line in the sand, kind of stand. I’ve RESOLVED to lose weight, or not eat sugar, or declutter my home, or exercise more often. I like to think I made progress on those things, but it’s not something I stuck to every day of the year. A goal is softer. It’s something I’m shooting for. It’s a direction I hope to go. And an intention, that’s even better. It’s more like a mind-set.
A few years ago, it became very popular to have a WORD of the year. I get that. A word is something we can focus on. If I had to turn my pages of goals/intentions into a single word, it would be balance. Yup. I’d like to have more balance in my life. When I think of balance, I think of forward motion, but in a calm way.
So what about you? How do you approach the new year? I’d love to hear from you. Just drop a line in the comment section below.
As for 2023, may it bring us many good things and the love of family and friends.
Vannetta
Comments 104
I’m bad at keeping Resolutions. I fo have one that I always follow & that is to be kind to everyone every day. It’s not hard to be kind to people.
No resolutions actually mentioned, but am trying to eat healthier!! I’m a type 1 diabetic so it’s a must!! Happy New Year Vannetta and crew ♥️.
Happy New Years! I will be doing the Swedish Death Cleaning this year. I have already started. Are you familiar with it?
Audrey
I used to make New Year’s resolutions, but after a couple of weeks, I consistently break or fail to observe the resolutions. So, I’ve ceased to make resolutions. I never bought into the Word of the Year. However, I do believe in getting inspired and motivated in different areas of my life. For instance, I want to lose a few pounds and am returning to a Weight Watchers (the new WW) meeting this very morning to get inspired. I regularly recommit to exercising more, and I am already pretty consistent in getting enough sleep.
I don’t do resolutions. I just take each day as it comes and trust God to lead me through.
Do not make resolutions. Did enjoy your blog
Happy new Year to you.
I no longer make resolutions. I definitely like your idea of INTENTIONS, though.
I’m thinking about the word GRATEFUL, trying to be more grateful, each day.
I’m looking forward to reading more of your books in 2023. (Three words, constant in my life, are CATS, BOOKS and COFFEE!)
Happy writing!
Cats🙀,books and tea (a 4th, Chocolate!)
My goal is to lose weight, have lots to lose it may take me more than a year to lose it, but then I can buy new clothes
I like the idea of BALANCE – this is what I need more of in my life!
My one word would be Faith.
Happy New Years! I am excited for all your new books that are coming out this year. I like to make resolutions as they call them. I am bad about not following thru with them. I have good intentions though. I am trying to get healthier and lose some weight. I also want to spend more time reading my bible.
We have a new grandbaby that was born in August. I retired from my job of 22 years to be his babysitter while my son and daughter-n-law work. So that is a new and happy change for us.
We are so blessed with him. We never thought we would be grandparents.
Tne start of a new year is a good time to “ponder” things we might like to change in our lives. The desire to lose weight is a constant. However, I have decided to keep a journal of “books read” this year. Each entry will include: date read/title of book/author/a brief synopsis and whether or not I liked it. I’m midway through my third book “Hiding Her Amish Secret” by Carrie Lighte.
I liked your comments about the typewriter. I too learned on an old typewriter. When you were getting near me end of each line, a bell would ding, so you would know to advance the carriage to the next line. 😁
Happy and blessed new year to you and your family, Vannetta!
I’m looking forward to reading more of your books in 2023.
More time with family and friends.
I’m one of those people that would make resolutions and not stick to them. It gave me a sense of being a failure so I don’t do it now.
Goals are, however, a much better way to make changes and improvements in my life.
I don’t do New Year’s resolutions. Every day it seems I have some kind of challenge that comes forth, like “yesterday I got irritated by this, today I’ll handle it better” or “oops I forgot to do this yesterday, today I’ll get back on that track.” Simple things like that.
Keep up the great writing!
No resolutions for me….just living in the present moment, always.
Some of my 2023 goals: Start traveling again. We have a bucket list of places we want to see and things to do before medical issues and age make it impossible or impractical. Fully vaccinated and boosted we are again making plans and praying we can carry them out this time. Second would be to find new places to photograph critters in their natural habitat and hopefully getting some we haven’t seen before. Hubby and I both love photography and it’s something we can share the experience together whether traveling great distances or on our front porch. Third is to work on getting healthier meaning continue to follow in the direction I’m going on pain control, try my best to lose weight (which is very hard between age, lack of mobility and the love of baking) and do all I can to stay mobile. Last, but surely not least, is to explore more new to me authors while continue to read those that I can’t get enough of. There always needs to be time to unwind, relax and enjoy a good book.
My word this year is TIME – take one day at a time, take time to adjust when things change and take time for yourself in order to be more helpful to others.
Many years ago I made a New Year’s resolution to never make another resolution. I’ve done an amazing job keeping it 😂
Now a days I make goals. I do a much better job of keeping these. They tend to be more concrete with actionable steps to achieve them.
My word for 2023 is Simple. I don’t make a resolution but I do make a goal list of things I would like to achieve for the year.
I so look forward to your book’s & their characters. I don’t make New Years Resolutions because they usually don’t last. Happy New Year to you & your Family!
Ready for new books. Keep ‘‘em coming!!!!! No resolutions for me. My way of thinking is just trying to be healthier this year. 😊😊
I made a resolution in 2022 that I kept. I promised my husband that I wouldn’t purchase any new books or yarn for myself and would try to use yarn I was stashing and books I haven’t read that I own. It worked. I didn’t buy one book for myself although I wanted to and I hardly did any knitting so I didn’t even think about new yarn. I really want to move and he says I need to some “decluttering”. So I have made the same resolution for 2023.
The New Year will find me crocheting blankets for charity, reading (I have a goal of 40 books on Goodreads), getting back into adding info to my family tree on Ancestry.com, taking good care of our three cats, and walking 1-2 miles a day……..Happy 2023 to everyone!
I do not make New Year resolutions. Instead I try to do the best I can and take life a day at a time
Happy New Year! I look forward to reading more of your books. I am enjoying the Dystopian series-Kessler Effect. This is a very different type of genre for me to read. It can be intense. It’s very interesting. I don’t make actual resolutions. I just want to be more of a light and a blessing to my family, friends, church family and strangers. I want to be more sensitive to the needs of others and act on that. Thank you!
A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR from one Chapman to another. I never make resolutions and just try to be the best person possible to my husband,, family and friends.
I have broken many resolutions that I have made in the past years. I think I resolve not to resolve and to live the best I can with a deep trust in my Heavenly Father.
Happy New Year! Your book news is great. You will be busy. I don’t do resolutions or words. It just doesn’t work for me. I plan to try to read more of the books on my Kindle and books I own, rather than requesting so many books to review.
Not much for resolutions. I do agree with you, Balance is definitely what I need. Will try to reflect on this. Thanks!
I don’t make New Year resolutions. They don’t work for me. I start out the year hoping I can be a better person this year than I was last year. More helpful, kind, loving etc.
Prioritize!! Putting what is most important first and all else will fall into place. 🙂
Take one day at a time and read more .
I don’t make any resolutions anymore. I just go with the flow. Thank you for all you do for your readers. Love your books. Happy New Year
I haven’t made any resolutions or picked a word for the year.
Have a blessed weekend.
Years ago I would do a “resolution”. Well over the course of the year it would change so often that I didnt remember my first resolution. So than I started to set goals. And again it would change so often. So then I changed to monthly goals. These I write down on a monthly calendar that I made. It included Bible reading, house, sewing, cards, books, misc. And if for whatever reason a particular goal did not happen or get finished I could visually see it on my calendar and move it to the next month. I really love this way of seeing my goals in front of me all the time. And then there are some that just get crossed off for good. What was I thinking? type goals. LOL The last five years I have been using this system and it works for me. I have gotten to where I print some letters in color ink. Thank when I am done with the year calendar, I will stamp something on the pages, so each month is pretty and fun to look at.
I don’t do resolutions. I just try to do the best I can.
I am reading the Bible through with Tricia Goyer. She has a Podcast that I listen to. So far this is January 6 and I am still reading. Hopefully I will read the Bible through this year!! I will also be reading your books!!
I love to have a word for the new year. Balance is a great one! Mine is devotion, but I think I’ll add balance tot. It’s so important! Blessings!
I don’t do resolutions but I also don’t do goals at anytime of the year. I’m a daily list maker, it’s how I get things done.
I’m going to TRY to downsize, get rid of stuff that’s excess
I don’t really make new year’s resolutions either. I do like the new year though. It’s a chance for new beginnings and a year of new hope!
I want to do more for the Lord and life a better life for Him.
I like your word of balance, I also need that word in my everyday life. I tend to, well, often, not balance out tasks. So I’m going to aim for a better balance in my daily routine. Thank you for this “word”! Also thank you for sharing your wonderful gift of writing with us. I am looking forward to your new releases.
Dear Vanetta,
I like your idea about “intention.” I actually pick a word for the year (this year’s is SIMPLIFY). However, after reading your post, I realized that I need to set some goals under the Simplify word! To start, I need to identify ways to simplify my physical self, my mental self, my emotional self, my spiritual self. This at least gives me some steps under each of these “sub-words” to use in order to accomplish my goals in each of these simplified areas! Thanks for the blog – it helped me!
I don’t make resolutions, I make hopes. This year my hope is to learn to stress and worry less. Let God take more control.
I don’t make resolutions or goals for the new year new years is always another Year that I have been off candy this year is 7 years happy new year
I have stopped with New Year’s resolutions. Maybe I set them too high or maybe I am just bad at following through with them. At our Christmas Eve service at church, we have a time of reflection. I like to look back, see where my weak and strong points are and ask God to give me strength and wisdom in those areas. I then try to focus devotional time and reading in those areas.
Our word would be “simplify ” or “downsize”. It’s amazing the amount of stuff that is collected over the years.
I don’t really make resolutions either, but I do have a couple of goals I want to work toward. One is to exercise daily and the other is to paint something every day–watercolor is my hobby. I love to read and am currently reading Amish books. By the way, I love your books in that genre.
Hello Vanetta, I tend to think along your lines you mentioned as well. I am a list maker and it is so good to cross things off…now if only I could just cross them off without adding one or two or more to the bottom. lol I used to do the one word for the year thing, but it never really felt right to me. Your word, “balance” is a good one that is kind of a natural thing for me to want to do…I am a Libra, the balance symbol…lol. I don’t really go by all that, but it’s just a fun thing for me to know. Best wishes for a very blessed New Year.
I don’t make resolutions. I know I can’t keep to them. When I lie in bed at night, I think of all the things I could do the next day. Next day comes, nothing gets done.
Sorry Vannetta, somehow I left out on n in your name in my previous comment
My word for this year is contentment. As I’ve been thinking on this, it’s been interesting to see how many scriptures jump out to me as I’m reading that can apply to this!
I don’t make New Years resolutions because I have a hard time keeping them.
No resolutions for me. They never seem to stick.
Happy New Year! I so look forward to reading more of your wonderful books in 2023!
Blessings,
Linda Thomas
Hi and Happy New Year! Well, I used to make New Years Resolutions, but I never kept them, so I gave up on them. For the past couple of days I do choose a word and my word for this year is Hope, to have Hope in everything. I like to start the New Year as a New and Better Start on Everything . Have a great weekend. I enjoyed this post.
I don’t make resolutions, per se. I did set a reading goal of 55 books in 2023.
I am going to take each day as it comes and try to make the most out of it. Resolutions never last long for me!
Happy New Year ,
I’m all about the one word! Still working out what that will be for this year. Last years was Completion. The Lord has done many things this past year bring about His completion. Truly a learning experience as well as a learning curve.
Thank you for your ✍️ writings. God bless and continue to give you inspiration.
I once learned how to crochet and have forgotten how to start. I’m going to figure it out this year. Always being kind and patient is my goal.
Love the idea of intentions instead of resolutions. I don’t make New Year resolutions, but I know I need to develop more of a grateful heart. And I could do with a lot less worrying too!
Hi!
My intentions for the new year is to be more faithful to reading Gods Word and more faithful for caring for my physical body. (Exercise, hydration, vitamins, good food)
Happy New Year!
April Kitzan
I gave up on resolutions many years ago, but do have soft goals of things I want to accomplish on a regular basis. Since retiring, I’m not quite as driven since there is always tomorrow, at least to a point in time when there isn’t any longer. Goals help to keep me busy, and I am typically better all round when I stay busy!
I am determined to learn caligraphy.
Marilyn
Intentions sounds good ! Also Balance!
I don’t do resolutions anymore. Because I don’t keep them. Instead I say just do / be better. That is an arrangement of things.
I quit doing new year resolutions a long time ago. It was always so depressing to not follow the resolutions. I do try to do what I call mindful changes, but don’t stress if I am not always on task. I want to be mindful in my food choices, relationships, clothes, etc. My definition of mindful would be, “is this walking in the Spirit, having God first in my life?”
Wow! You type over 100 words per minute?????!! I am so impressed.
I understand about the stress words can have on our lives. Many years ago I realized I was trying to be perfect in so many things. I wanted the exams I performed at work to be perfect and to be perfect in keeping charts and recording test results. One night while praying I felt the urge to study the meanings of perfect and excellent. I made a decision to remove perfect from my goals and replace it with excellent. You would not believe what a difference that made in my life.
Your new books sound very interesting and have snagged my curiosity. There is something about the anticipation of an excellent book that brings a smile to one’s face and perking of the ears.
As I for one haven’t been able to keep any resolutions over the years, I have decided this year to do “what I can , when I can”. Much like your idea of Intentions! My life this coming year is going to be one of the most stressful years of my life and I want to accomplish many things (be healthier through eating & exercising, organize my home, read more books, etc.), but my already tight schedule will only allow so much “me” time. No matter what, I know I will have to make time for myself and my family. I’m also trying to find “joy” wherever I can find it everyday!
I don’t do resolutions but I try to be more mindful of what’s important in my life.
Blessings,
Lucy
I want to learn to play the Flute.
Marion
My goal this year is to live each day to the fullest,do all I can with family and friends, and pursue more church activities. None of us know what tomorrow will bring, so I want to try to be prepared for anything.
I do not make resolutions, but just have goals to pursue. So Happy New Year to all.
I have made a decision that this year I will be more grateful for the little things everyday and read more books like I was doing a couple of years ago when I reached my goal of 100 read books.
I love your books and definitely hope to read more of them. I was born and raised in TX so I feel a connection to you. Keep writing and Happy New Year
I want to get back doing my family Genealogy.
Joan
No resolutions for me!
So far so good. I have been decluttering and each day I have accomplished a lot. I have been organizing and in this house it is hard to keep organized.
The New Year has started off with a big bang!
Hubby was in the hospital for 4 days.
He was leaving the hospital as his nephew was coming in.
Hubby’s cousin died.
Various family members are sick.
A family member has an issue which is undetermined as of yet.
The appts. for January are on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 13th, 16th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 23rd, 24th, 25th, 27th, 30th, and 31st.
The rest of the year is just as bad with more appts. to come. I’m ready for this year to be over with and it hasn’t got started good yet.
I like INTENTIONS instead of resolutions too.
Love planning. Follow through… well… hope springs eternal. 🙂 The scarf you’re wearing in the newsletter pic is lovely, V. Knit it yourself?
I don’t do resolutions. This past year has been trying. My significant other had a stroke and it can be overwhelming at times to take care of him. In November I had COVID, luckily he didn’t get it, but was a challenge to have help so I could rest. I’m asking for God’s help to get 2023 back to normal.
Everyone tells me that I need to take care of myself first instead of caring for others and not myself. So far, I’m failing.
Yes! I changed from resolutions to goals a while ago. I don’t do the word of the year either, but if I had to pick, this year would be obedience. I can’t wait to read all the new adventures you’ll have for us this year!!
I love the word Balance! I just started a new job after leaving the working world to have my son 9 and half years ago. Now that he is getting older I felt it was time to head back to work. Plus our family needs the extra money to help out with the crazy prices of everything going up. It’s been super hard on our son for me to be working as he’s had me home all his life. My new job is working the front desk at an assisted living and memory care home. I’m really loving working with the elderly people. I have to get up at 3:45am to be to work very early.
My life balancing act has been:
Balancing sleep- which is a lot to take in such as going to be early, trying to not have to take naps after work, trying figure weekends out not staying up late just because it’s the weekend and trying not to sleep in just because it’s the weekend.
Balancing basic household responsibilities- I’m very thankful my husband and son have been working on stepping up in picking up. My husband has learned how to use the dishwasher (LOL). My son has been working on getting his lunch together for himself. He was already getting himself up in the morning, getting breakfast and getting ready for school. I have had to make him now responsible for packing a lunch for himself. Next on my list of duties is getting my son more involved in helping with the laundry. My house still might look like a disaster hit, but I’m thankful to have my husband and son trying to pickup after themselves. It’s still a work in progress, but we’re all making and efforts to improve.
Balancing me- finding time for just me and the things I love to do like reading and movies. I really have to make an effort to find sometime I can do that. I’ve found getting up early before my family on the weekends that give me time to read or watch a movie while everyone’s still sleeping. It’s not easy getting up early on the weekends, but I’m finding I enjoy the quiet and alone time.
Life is a balance and you have to roll with the punches and get into a grove and balance the things that are important to you. Family time has never been more important. Balancing your day to day responsibilities. Balancing time with God. Balancing you time. Here’s to a new year of learning to balance life!
Happy New Year No Resolutions here! But my word for this year is Faith Have a Blessed Day!
I’ve never really made resolutions. For many years I did goals for the year…I would post them on my blog and look back at them at the end of the year.
It’s been a few years once I’ve written any goals like this. I do like the new year, fresh start, having new calendars do put up.
I am just thankful for each day God blesses me with. I am thinking my one word would be peace or still.
Happy New Year to you and hubby. Balance is a great word! I’d love some balance in my life maybe I could work on it even though I don’t do resolutions.
I stopped making resolutions years ago. Either I lost interest or they were unrealistic. 2022 was tough after getting Covid and losing my vacation time. This year I’m tuning out my negative coworkers and hoping a doctor will figure out why my left hand doesn’t work anymore. Keeping an open mind will be challenging and hopefully fun too! Happy 2023!
Happy New Year! I don’t have any resolutions and I’ve never really made any. I do hope we get to visit with our kids and grandchildren more this year since we weren’t able to last year.
My resolutions are actually my day to day goals: The Serenity Prayer and the Golden Rule.
To continue to live one day at a time, not borrowing problems from tomorrow. Thankfully, I am retired, so I do not have the stress of a job outside of the home. I do volunteer work for my local library ON MY TIME. And finally, once again, I am able to get to the library to do this work–2022 was a year of knee replacement surgeries and staying away from germs, diseases, and COVID invested persons, so that I could have the surgeries. Praise the Lord, both of my legs are working and I am back to slow walking on the treadmill and swimming in the local city pool daily except Sundays.
Also busy reading on my KINDLE your books as well as working my family tree trying hard to ‘capture’ all my TROYER relatives.
Cheers!
I stopped making New Year resolutions years ago, but I do like a word for the year. I normally like to take time out at the end of the year for reflection, and preparation for the year ahead.
I don’t make New Year resolutions I just take things as they come as I say go with the flow and make the best of it. If I was to make one I guess it would be spend quality time with my family.
I start the new year by looking at it as a clean slate to start good habits for the new year! 🙂 I don’t usually do just one word, but this year I wrote out a few to keep tucked in my quiet time books to focus on during the year. Happy 2023!
I’m like you in that I love making resolutions and goals, and I love new years, new months, new weeks… new beginnings! But I tend to overachieve, fall short of my goals, and get discouraged. So, this year, I’m taking one goal per month, really working hard to solidify that new habit, and then continuing January’s habit into February while working really hard to implement a second new habit. By the end of the year, I *should* have 12 new habits gained/goals accomplished but done so in more manageable chunks rather than burning myself out like usual.
I wanted to get more organized and declutter. I been doing good so far. I’ve really gotten alot of stuff done.
I’m reading Her Amish adversary it’s so good!!
I just bought an old Remington typewriter for my grandson at a garage sale for $10. He loves vintage things. According to google it is from 1897. Tried to attach a picture but it won’t do it.
Approach with prayer 🙂 No resolutions.
Not one to make resolutions, but my goal is live to glorify my Lord and Savior. If I strive to live for Him the other things will take care of themselves.
I tend to set goals, and resolve to have them done by such a time. Having a date pushes me to accomplish the goal.
I’ll also resolve to help others, in various ways, which is ongoing.
Complain less about taking pills. Be thankful for my doctors. Learn to say No when I don’t feel up to doing something.
I wanted to get more organized and declutter. I been doing good so far. I’ve really gotten alot of stuff done.
I’m reading Her Amish adversary it’s so good!!