Key Takeaway: For many people, New Year calls for New Year’s resolutions. Here’s an interesting way to look at it differently but purposefully: five “new” resolutions you might want to write down and act on.
Do you create, and do, New Year’s resolutions?
Personally, and frankly, I don’t, because everyday is an opportunity for resolution for me. Maybe I’m just not always a sentimental guy, though. Lots of others are, and they do make New Year’s resolutions, whether or not they get to stick to them throughout the year.
This week, as we discuss the theme of newness, I’d like to invite you to categorize your resolutions as “new”. Let’s do new things. Let’s begin new journeys (literally and figuratively). All in the name of your higher purpose.
That isn’t to say that I’m dissuading you from certain resolutions you may want to make – by all means, do them! They’re your resolutions, not mine. But I want to show you a new way (pun unintended) of looking at them and thus maybe develop a new perspective on things, and life in general, for you (see what I did there).
That said, if I were to make a “new” New Year’s resolution list, here are five items that would be on said list.
1. New goals
What would your new targets be this year – or for your life in general? Perhaps you discovered something about yourself over the past year that led you to realize that there are loftier goals you’d like to set for yourself. Or you simply realize that a certain goal you had in mind the past year no longer applies to the “new you”, and you’d like to let go of it and focus on others. Or what if a long-held dream you secretly harbored over the years can be more achievable now thanks to circumstances?
For example, you may want to take it upon yourself to finally launch your own business. Or you may want to learn something you haven’t done so before just because you’re curious.
2. New passions
Related to the above, have you discovered that you actually like something very much that you didn’t expect you would, or simply didn’t know about? Those “new” passions may be signs pointing more closely towards your true purpose, and given that they’re passions, you’d be happy to pursue and hone them.
For example, you may realize that you love biking so much, and you want to devote this year to learning more about it and becoming better in it – as a part of your overall purpose of promoting healthy living.
3. New relationships
They say heaven is all about relationships with others, because you don’t need faith or hope once you’re there – and all that remains, thus, is love, which by definition is others-oriented.
Are there certain people with whom you want to forge, or even rekindle, relationships? Perhaps you need to “refresh” soured bonds with others? You may have a friend you lost touch with after school whom you want to reconnect with. Or you’ve been apprehensive about getting to know that pretty or handsome colleague of yours. 😉
4. New habits
Yeah, yeah, old habits die hard and you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. But for the young and young-at-heart like us, the one attitude that defines why we are so is our openness to learn new things or do things differently. It is this mindset that explains why the young and young-at-heart are always touted as the hope of tomorrow and live life so… joyfully and purposefully, amidst all its woes.
Being disorganized might be what’s keeping you from reaching your full potential, and you could become a tidier person in general. Or you may want to *finally* start that daily morning exercise routine to boost your overall energy levels – I know I do. :p
5. New outlooks
Speaking of mindsets, that’s a big part of higher purpose, and many people out there fail to realize their purposes simply because of a closed mind or a certain perspective they’re comfortable with. If there’s one time to get out of your comfort zone, the time is now: the most important thing on a “new” resolutions list would be outlook. Changing your perspective in life can prove to be the only medicine you need to jumpstart truly good and happy living.
Would a positive countenance perhaps start solving your problems in a domino effect? Or where you never realized there was opportunity, you could now go there and take advantage of it – eventually orienting your life around that as your purpose!
Aloy Chua 