By Alice Maryniuk

Why settle for a New Year’s resolution when you can develop a new you? If you are ready to turn your life around, then this is the year for you. Here are 11 steps for creating a new you in 2011.

Know who you are. Self-discovery is essential to discern your passions. Explore your interests with attention and not condemnation. Love and accept yourself. Take personality tests, discover your interests, and know where you shine.

Clearly define your goals. Be specific and write them down. If you want to lose weight, how much weight will you lose? How will you lose it? What eating habits will you change? What type of exercise will you do? Who will you be accountable to?

Take responsibility for your own life.  Let go of excuses, and stop blaming your circumstances for your failure to live the life you desire. If you want something – go after it. Trust that God will lead you on the right path. Proverbs 16:9 says, “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.”

Learn to say “no” to what doesn’t belong in your life.  Weed out and get rid of clutter and chaos. The goal is for every task you do to feel exactly like what you should be doing. If you have too many things to do, then it’s time to prune out some of them. Everything you do should flow freely from your heart’s desires, not out of an obligation imposed by others.

Keep reminding yourself of the big picture.  Sometimes we get discouraged and lose focus. Type out your goals, and carry them with you. Put them on the fridge or mirror. Make them into a collage, or post them at your desk. Put them into an acrostic and memorize them. Do something each day towards your goals. Proverbs 4:25 says, “Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you.”

Train yourself to develop good habits.  We are creatures of habit. Experts say it takes 21 days to develop a habit. Old habits die hard. Decide ahead of time which habits to break and which ones to establish. Think about what time you want to wake up and what time to go to bed. Get your body used to good things like eating more fruits and vegetables instead of chocolate and potato chips.

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Make it easy to succeed. Have a morning routine. Put your clothes out the night before. Put your alarm over by the door. When you get up in the morning to turn off the alarm, you will already be by the door. Keep walking towards the restroom, and put on your jogging pants. Now head out the door and go for that walk; before you know it, you will be home and having a shower. Get rid of all junk food so that the only option is to have a fruit salad or raw vegetables.

Be willing to take risks. Courage means being brave to act in accordance with your beliefs, in spite of criticism. If you want to accomplish new things, it will require you to get out of your comfort zone. The Bible tells us that faith without works is dead. Do what scares you, and get rid of the fear.

Share generously what you have been given.  Begin to use what you have to affect positively people in your sphere of influence. It is important to recognize your desires so you can develop your gifts and use them to nourish others. Luke 6:38 says, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.”

Let go of hurts of the past. If you want to move on to new things, then you must forgive yourself and others. Inner healing starts with admitting the truth about ourselves, even when the truth hurts. It’s time to admit what is bitter within you and let go of it. Stop thinking about those negative things. Acknowledge it, forgive, and forget it.

Take care of yourself. Block off some time to do what needs to be done. Maybe you need extra sleep, a good laugh or time to write in your journal. Maybe you need to simplify your lifestyle, destroy all your credit cards, have fewer vehicles or down-size your home.

Instilling these steps into your life will make dynamic changes in your life. Start now to make this year the best one yet.

  Recommended Reading:

Did you think to pray by R.T. Kendall
The Destiny of an Overcomer by Matt Hardy
Say Yes to Your Dreams by Harold L. Taylor
Wake Up Your Dreams by Walt Kallestad

January 2011