New Year's Resolutions Suggestions updated for 2016 by Diane Webb

Image by slimmer_jimmer via Flickr

Only pick one resolution to work on at the time.  If it takes one year or two that's OK.  When you have mastered one then select another one.  The idea is to work on lifestyle or thinking patterns that, once changed, will affect many areas of your life.  Rather than working on surface things (which will have to be tackled one by one) you work on underlying or root cause issues which then will work like a domino affect and automatically address many things at once.  Please add to the list.

• Work on not wanting anything you don't already have--use "I shall not want" any time you see something you want to buy or are thinking about buying
• Start a savings account no matter how small and make regular deposits--set it up as automatic deposits if you can
• Work on not talking about anyone who is not present in the conversation--even if it's good or true
• Read the Bible every day--use one that's easy for you to read and understand or a study Bible
• Work on eating only food or drinking only drinks that have nutritional value--try to get the biggest amount of nutrition possible per meal or drink
• If you have health problems read your Bible 3 x day like taking a dose of medication (this one is from Derrek Prince)
• Work on not judging at all--this mean rating something either good or bad--not judging means no assessments, conclusions, or assumptions (this one may take more than 1 year)
• Work on completely listening when someone talks to you (no thinking about what you are going to say)
• Work on not minding the thing that bothers you the most (increasing your tolerance level for things you hate--like being interrupted, sudden changes, etc...).  This does not mean you accept or agree, it's just that you are turning the volume down on how much you let it bother you
• Work on never saying or thinking anything negative about yourself
• Work on never saying "I can't stand it" or "I can't handle it"
• Work on never giving an immediate answer if asked to so something and if pressed for an immediate answer always say "if I have to answer now then I have to say no"
• Work on being able to say "no" and stick to it
• Work on not giving or responding to guilt trips
• Work on being kind in all circumstances
• Work on assuming positive intent of others (even when it's not necessarily so)
• Work on seeking God's perfect will rather than God's permissive will