Happy New Year, it’s resolution time! Are you someone who gets into New Year’s resolutions? If not, I encourage you to give it a try. The flip of the calendar is a good time for self-change because of its fresh-start feeling, and making a resolution or two is one way to show God you know he loves you and you’re willing to do better for him.
But even if you’re reading this well past January, there’s never a bad time to take up New Year’s resolutions that will benefit others.
According to numerous websites, most resolutions revolve around getting in shape, losing weight, and learning a new hobby. While this sort of self-improvement isn’t bad, this year I’d like to encourage you to consider making goals that have a positive impact on others.
Here are some ideas!
Hi, I’m Lauren Thell, author of Christian YA fiction and blogger for teens who are ready to exceed the world’s expectations.
In This Article
BECOME AN ENCOURAGER
An encourager is someone who says to someone else, “I know what you’re doing will make a positive difference in the world. Keep it up!” Think of a time when you’ve persevered and succeeded because someone encouraged you. (This website is one such example for me.) You can do that for someone else.
The world needs more encouragers and fewer critics!
Give it a try:
INCREASE YOUR AWARENESS OF THE THINGS THAT DON’T DIRECTLY AFFECT YOU
Do you know what it’s like to be negatively affected by something that benefits others?
Do you know how many Christians face death every day in other parts of the world, simply for being Christian? Are you aware of how many people in your community face abuse at home or have no home whatsoever? If you live in the city, have you ever considered the challenges of living in a rural area, or vice versa? Do you know what it’s like to be negatively affected by something that benefits others? Have you ever spent time with a person who depends on a wheelchair for mobility, is missing one arm, or lacks eyesight?
This is called being able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes, and as far as meaningful New Year’s resolutions go, it’s an uncommon yet high-impact sort of self-change that will benefit others. Compassion begins with awareness.
Give it a try:
- Read Philippians 2:4
- Check out How to Help a Friend Through Depression
PLEDGE TO GIVE YOUR BEST IN ALL YOUR WORK
I once worked a job where I received two raises in the first four weeks. Why? Because I worked hard, and my boss decided he was willing to pay extra to ensure my continued employment. After all, hard workers are hard to come by.
What was the job? Housekeeping. At a boys’ camp. Totally not glamorous. But everything worth doing is worth doing well.
Everything worth doing is worth doing well.
Think of a time when you benefitted from someone else going above and beyond in his work just for you. A few nurses and waitresses come to mind for me. It doesn’t matter whether you’re working a low-paying starter job delivering pizzas for Pizza Hut or a high-paying job as an executive for one of Wall Street’s Big Five. Your hard work could be the thing that makes a difference in someone else’s life. Give it your best.
Give it a try:
CLEAN UP YOUR LANGUAGE!
Clean language isn’t just a Biblical command. It’s a sign of respect for those around you. In contrast, foul language is a blatant form of disrespect. You might not realize it based on your friends’ speech, but the f-word is not regularly used by all English speakers. If you’re flippant with profanity, that’s a sign you haven’t matured beyond yourself as the center of your world.
Clean language isn’t just a Biblical command. It’s a sign of respect.
If you’re really looking for goals that have a positivie impact on others, cleaning up your language is a good start.
Bonus: Consider learning a new language as part of your New Year’s resolutions to benefit others! I’m not talking about learning French so you can show off. Choose a language that will help you serve someone in your community. American Sign Language counts!
Give it a try:
Other New Year’s Resolutions That Will Benefit Others
INCREASE YOUR GENEROSITY: Look for more ways to share your time, talents, and resources. Everyone has something to give, and I mean EVERYONE. Even the homeless man can share perspective or a good story.
BECOME A BETTER LISTENER: See my post A Challenge to be a Good Listener.
GRANT FORGIVENESS: Whether it’s for a single infraction, or just learning to become more forgiving overall, the new year is a great time to let go of your hurt and anger over past wrongs.
STRIVE TO BE MORE GENUINE: Stop hiding behind the perfect facade you’ve created for yourself on social media or the front you put up when you’re with your friends. Let others see your real strengths and weaknesses, your real fears, and your real faith in the real God. Encourage others to do the same.
LEARN SOME MANNERS: I hope you already know how to say “please” and “thank you” and to not burp at the table. But if not, now is the time to start. While you’re at it, try giving up your chair for someone who needs it more, holding the door for the person behind you, letting someone go ahead of you in line, pausing to help an elderly person cross an icy parking lot, brushing up on your smile and handshake…
You get the picture. The idea is to become more aware of how your mannerisms affect others.
PRACTICE PATIENCE, CONTROL YOUR ANGER: See my post Control Your Anger So Others Can’t Control You.
STRIVE FOR TRUE JOY: This one may sound self-serving when in fact it is not. The person whose heart is filled with true joy (as opposed to the fleeting joy that comes from buying a new gadget at a Black Friday sale, for example) cannot help but be more loving and conscious of others. True joy, found in Jesus and only in Jesus, is the kind that radiates like heat from a burning hot coal.
CHANGE THE WORLD IN TWELVE MONTHS
You don’t have to have all the answers.
But, hey, why not?
Bring me your questions about faith, life, God, the Bible… and I’ll help you find the answers.
I hope that this post has inspired you to look beyond yourself when it comes to self-change. If we all start thinking about each other more, the next twelve months should be a great year no matter how the world turns!
And if you have more suggestions for meaningful New Year’s resolutions and goals that have a positive impact, drop me a message and I just might include them here!
I love this article, Lauren. So many good ideas and opportunities to consider. Thank you and God abundantly bless you and yours this New Year.
What a great read! Thank you again many great thoughts.
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