I Do Not Believe In New Years Resolutions

An optimist stays up until midnight to see the New Year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves.”

This Bill Vaughan quote sums up the challenges for New Years. For some it is a chance to make better plans, others a chance to see the past finally disappear. Beginning as far back as 153 B.C., the Rome mythical king, Janus, had two faces, one looking back and the other forward. May people can hardly wait for the each New Year to bring about a change in their life. My question is, why wait?

I have never been a fan of New Year’s resolutions because of this very point, if something I am doing needs changing, why would I wait for a certain date on a calendar, should I not make the change as soon as I know it needs changing? Waiting for New Years to make a resolution gives freedom to live in a less that perfect state. Biblically, once I know or become aware of the need for change, I need to act. Waiting to change for the better is never an option. An example of what I am writing about is in the following three bullet points. What would relationship be like if we waited?

• I will not be over my anger with you until next New Years!
• Although lying is wrong, I still have a few months more before I change!
• Stealing, next year I promise to quit, but until then it is OK because it will be my New Years resolution!

Each of these examples are silly in themselves, however, in essence, this is what a New Years resolution does, puts off to the future what needs to change today. Therefore, seeing it is January 2, 2012 here is my New Years resolution, "To change something that needs changing at the moment of discovery rather than waiting until January 1, 2013!" Happy New Years!