Resolution Confession

Posted on by beautybeyondbones

I’ve got a bit of a confession: When it comes to New Year’s resolutions, I am a bit of a non-traditionalist.

Maybe it’s because I’ve never been able to truly keep one. Maybe it’s because I get annoyed with the mad rush at the gym, of “resolutioners” that make working out a nightmare for the first 2 weeks of January. Or maaaaybe it’s because, I’m sick and tired of hearing about the juice cleanse that Karen from accounting is suffering through!

Here’s the thing about resolutions.

Because, contrary to the tone I’ve expressed thus far, I do, actually love and appreciate them. However, my mindset towards them is a little different than say, how your personal trainer is making them the be-all-end-all.

The truth is, taking a step back, evaluating your life, and recognizing areas that need a little extra attention, and a little improvement or change – that’s important! If there’s one thing that’s true for us humans, it’s that we’re all glorious works in progress. And there is beauty in the mess, my friends. Figuring it out is part of the process. It’s part of growing. It’s part of life.

But here’s where I veer off the path a bit when it comes to New Year’s Resolutions…

Resolutions leave out the biggest change agent – the biggest catalyst – the biggest factor of all: God.

All these resolutions – they all are self-reliant. I am going to do this. I am going to change XYZ, I am going to improve this, or manifest that….when the fact is, we should be bringing God into that process with us.

That which we are resolving to do — is awesome!! And kudos to you for recognizing that area that needs improvement, or an opportunity for growth or change. But by golly, invite God into that evolution with you! Because He is the One that is truly going to bring about any long-lasting, sustained change of behavior, or manifestation.

Alone, I can do nothing. If left to my own willpower, or own decision making skills, or my own self-discipline, I wouldn’t even last a day! But by bringing God into the equation, we’re given a divine strength that would make even the most powerhouse celebrity trainer green with envy.

I know for me, there’s a lot I need to work on in 2019. I need an increase in patience for sure. Especially when it comes to my love life, and the unfolding of the rest of my life. And while we’re on that topic — how about trust, too.

I’d like to spend more time in prayer. Be more gentle in my thoughts to myself. Be more generous with my time for others.

All of these things, instead of trying to do it all on my own, I’m going to just hand them over to God, and invite Him to work on those things with me, together.

Because if there’s one thing my recovery journey has taught me, it’s that

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. – Philippians 4:13

So Happy New Year, friends. Thank you for blessing me with wonderful friendship and love in 2018. I pray that 2019 be full of peace and growth that come from a life surrendered to Him!


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260 thoughts on “Resolution Confession”

  1. Happy New Year Caralyn! And you make an excellent point about resolutions. I am doing again this year a One Word focus which I believe is the Lord’s word to me. This is the seventh year I have done this. It has been a growth experience this year. I will be posting the word for this year on my blog after I am done writing this note here! The Lord bless you and your family! Jim

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    1. Thank you so much Amy! I love that practice. So meaningful! i will try my best to join you in that every day! 🙂 You’e inspired me! hugs xox

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  4. Dear Caralyn, Happy New Year! I opened the Bible app on my phone this morning and guess what popped up?

    A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps. Proverbs 16:9

    Yeah, New Year resolutions come with so much baggage and pressure. It’s become such a “thing” that people feel obligated to make SOME sort of resolution. And there’s the heady rush of the New Year, pumping up expectations and aspirations. Better to calmly assess and prayerfully approach any plans we make.

    That said, I pray that your 2019 sees all sorts of progress for you. One thought for you – you want patience in seeing your life unfold. Perhaps you are like the Jews of Jesus’ day in this: they were so busy waiting for the Messiah that they missed Him.

    Not only will your life unfold, it currently is! Don’t miss the slight movement of the petals of the flower that’s you TODAY! And every day! We need time lapse photography to see a flower unfold, because it happens so slowly. Perhaps the beauty of it is in the slowness. Don’t be too anxious for it to be open and miss the actual opening. Hugs and love to you and yours!

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    1. Happy new year Jeff! Oh wow! what a verse! i have never heard that one from Proverbs, but wow, I love that! Baggage and pressure – that pretty much sums it up! Thank you for your prayers and generous thoughts for me, Jeff. I can’t begin to express how much that means. And what a powerful thought. Those slight movements of petals. Love it. Send my love to Julie! May you and your family have a blessed, healthy, and beautiful year, finding joy and harmony in togetherness. 🙂 big hugs xox

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  7. The race does not belong to the swift neither the battle belongs to the strong. If God does not build the house the builder will be building in vain. God is the lifter and builder of men. Great post & Happy new year!

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  8. This is definitely a better way to start a calendar year. Remind self to rely on GOD rather than on the abilities of self. Thank you, BBB😃❤ and have a blessed year in 2019!

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  15. You hit the nail on the head! And how appropriate it is that the YouVersion Bible App verse for this New Year’s Day is “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” (Proverbs‬ ‭16:9‬ ‭NIV‬‬) May you have a very happy and blessed 2019! 🙂

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  17. Caralyn, your honesty is the reason that I Love you so much. Were you born in an other year-set, well, what can I say. You are very well grounded and for most that is not what is what some are looking for. Sad as that may seem, do not get discouraged as the real meaning of Life is there to be found. You keep being honest with yourself and you will be enlightened beyond your means. Have a great New Year, as we will be on the sidelines rooting for you. Love you John

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  18. Yes! I was just talking about this very thing with one of my friends this morning…stepping back and allowing God to choose what you should work on and be, seeking HIs kingdom FIRST and all the other things…will be added, according to His will.

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  19. I have to say a big AMEN to this!!! You are right. Even us who try and follow the gospel and apply it in our lives tend to forget the most important aspect of our lives and that is to seek Heavenly Fathers love and guidance in our lives. We forget that without His help nothing is possible but with His help all things are possible. Thank you for the reminder to ask Him daily sir His help and guidance. Happy New Year!

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  24. I completely agree – I’m not a huge fan of resolutions myself. Life shouldn’t be one long checklist, and besides, I prefer to live a bit spontaneously haha. It’s true that our culture preaches self-reliance, which is antithetical to the Christian idea of surrendering our will to God. We need to trust that God’s got it all in control.

    Happy new year! 🙂

    • Katie

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  25. Happy New Year! Wishing everyone the blessings of peace, joy, health and prosperity, as per God’s will!

    I’m not big on resolutions, but I do love the notion of bringing God into my evolution on a conscious level. As per how I want Him to help me evolve this year, I want to work hard at being on time by estimating time better. I consider myself perceptually impaired to how quickly time lapses; 5 minutes or 5 hours–what’s the difference? 😀

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  29. I was thinking how I like to get distracted from the main thing by talking about doing.
    I didn’t expect God to show up in the post.
    I have 29 years of sobriety and if it wasn’t for God, I am fairly certain I would have drunk myself to death by now.
    “At the foot of the cross!” My life restarted.
    Right on sister, write on!!

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  31. You are so amazing girl! I love following along with your journey. I completely agree with you- God is a huge factor in our willingness to change. We must include Him in our plans and He will help us succeed. It’s an honor being your friend 💛 wishing you love and happiness this year. Xoxo

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  33. I started my resolution the day after Christmas. I’m working towards weighing 270 by Labor Day. That will be done by eating well, walking, and lifting weights. On Labor Day weekend I’ll be celebrating my 28th wedding anniversary as well as a reunion with my best friends and – possibly – singing the National Anthem with them at a baseball game in Washington D.C.
    This, I think, is part of my word for 2019, “Restoration.”

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  34. Happy New Year!

    What a wonderful post. I stopped making true New Year’s Resolutions years ago. Now, I set more attainable, monthly goals through my blog. It holds me more accountable, and my motivation to accomplish them has increased exponentially.

    I knew God was moving yesterday when I received a text from a dear friend that I have praying constantly for. She had surgery last year to remove two cysts from her abdomen (non-cancerous, thankfully), and she lost her right ovary in the process. She’s been under tremendous stress with leaving her job, starting a new job in North Carolina that apparently didn’t work out so well, and now she’s starting a new job in mid-January. She sent a group text asking for help to achieve her goals for 2019. Prayer, of course. And becoming more active to help her mood and emotions. I responded by text and Facebook Messenger that Al and I would be more than willing to help her. She wants to come visit us during the summer, to hang out with us and go to Busch Gardens. I’m so excited about this, and really motivated to help her throughout the year. I want to be a better friend, advocate, and prayer partner to her.

    Thank you, as always!

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    1. Hi Laura! oh wow – you are such a good friend. What a beauitful source of Christ’s love and support you are for your friend. I will definitely pray for her! I’m so glad you’re going to be able to have that time together this summer! big hugs to you xox

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  35. I love this because it’s exactly my thoughts on it! We never really did resolutions once I got married. We set goals, starting with lifetime and back tracked to now and just update those yearly. But most importantly, we pray and always seek God in what those goals are. Without Him, those are just wishes that have little chance of happening. Because we, the everyday man or woman, have a minute attention span. We lose focus and move on to something shinier and new. God is what makes it happen, and we have to trust in His timing and plan, that it is greater than anything we could imagine. That’s our yearly goal, to work towards a life that is designed to honor and shine light on Him.
    Love your post!!

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  37. The last time a ‘resolution’ entered my mind was when 2005 was the New Year. I resolved to not have resolutions that year, but I would get back on the treadmill and exercise more. Within 6 weeks, the work on the treadmill was nearly killing me, and I thought I had overdone the exercise. But by March, I realized I had something wrong with me, and by July they determined that it was Grave’s disease. Three years later, I was tired of the remission / relapse cycle and killed my thyroid, ending the cycle, but creating a different problem – only metabolism by pills alone. For some odd reason, ever since that year of not making a resolution, I wonder what the point is in the first place. Thanks for your post. It has revived the notion of a good resolution. I am determined, but not resolving, to try some of your recipes.

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    1. Hi Hatrack! oh gosh – Grave’s disease, I’m so sorry to hear that. I’ll definitely keep your health in my prayers 🙂 and hey – i do hope you try some recipes! they’re healthy and super yummy! happy new year, dear friend! xox

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  40. Happy New Year My Dear Darling Friend!
    I hope this year will be full of many blessings, good health, growth, love, joy, and many grand adventures!!!

    ❤ Alana

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  41. I think of it slightly differently, god is within us, how else could we be (literally), but free will dictates free will, without that we are not individuals inside of the composition of an omniscient god. God provides the tools, our job is to pick them up… just my take, it does NOT superimpose anyone else’s belief because I certainly don’t have the answers, just trying to find my own way as we all are, so thanks, your thoughts are truly appreciated and thought of in my every day as I journey through this life.

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  44. Wow! I absolutely loved this post- it was spot on! Thank you. May God bless you. May He be with you this year & everything you want to achieve may He bless you with. 🙏🏼💛

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  48. I stopped making New Year’s resolutions a long time ago. They were always the same o’ same o’, eat healthier, lose weight, exercise. But guess what – although I’m a few pounds overweight and hate to exercise, I’ve made it to 54 and that’s good enough for me. I now focus on changing the qualities that help make me.a better person to me and my husband: spending more time with him, doing stuff together, continuing to strive at having a great work ethic so I can continue to perform well at a job I love. If’ my husband and I are happy then it just all falls in place. And God will make that happen.

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  49. I stopped making New Year’s resolutions a long time ago. They were always the same o’ same o’, eat healthier, lose weight, exercise. But guess what – although I’m a few pounds overweight and hate to exercise, I’ve made it to 54 and that’s good enough for me. I now focus on changing the qualities that help make me.a better person to me and my husband: spending more time with him, doing stuff together, continuing to strive at having a great work ethic so I can continue to perform well at a job I love. If’ my husband and I are happy then it just all falls in place. And God will make that happen.

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  50. Great post about resolutions.
    But I think the opposite, not a traditionalist here.
    What you’re getting annoyed by on January 1st at the gym, is actually God’s will, whispering and working through the minds and hearts of all those new year resolutionists by allowing them to take action and do something different to take control of their lives, to become a better version of them, dreaming they can actually achieve a better life. God also speaks through us in new year’s resolutions!
    What you get happy for the rest of the year these folks never show up anymore so there is no line for the treadmill, is the actual failure of the current human situation, to actually act as God is whispering, giving more power to laziness, mediocrity and busyness than to health, strength and purpose.
    So agree with your desires for this year to be more in tune with your inner divinity, may you be well on your way. You reminded me of Jim Rohn “Don’t wish for less problems, wish for more skill”

    -A

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