What I’m Refusing to Carry Into the New Year

I love New Years resolutions. Not because I’ve found it particularly effective to set a major life change goal in January, but because I love goals. Whether it’s updating a vision board (I have one beside my desk), making a to-do list to plan my day, or having coffee with my husband to plan our financial goals, I’m a big proponent of planning. It’s part of holy hustle for me – making a plan with goals that I can track so I can work hard when it’s time to hustle and rest well when it’s time to recharge. Without a plan, I flounder, working harder but not smarter.

Ultimately I’m a fan of resolve instead of resolutions.

I have my own set of goals for this year, a list that probably looks a lot like yours. Living a healthier life, focusing on my family instead of chasing fame, checking off some really big God-sized dreams. But this year, instead of simply adding MORE to my life, I’m choosing to intentionally leave some things behind in 2016.

I believe that God is always working in our lives to do a new thing – and I can’t accept anything new when I’m clutching tightly to the old. So, to make room in my life and my heart for what God has next, I’m choosing to walk into 2017 without:

Uncertainty – God has given me some beautiful talents, skills, and dreams and I’m tired of doubting them.

Anger – Some things happened with my career and with community last year that left me broken. I was hurt badly by a place and people I loved and respected, and by the grace of God I’ve been able to move forward with kindness through the hurt. But I’ve also been angry. I’ve waited for public acknowledgment of my contributions, an invitation to be included, a message from those I thought were friends, and none of it has come. I can’t allow any of that to continue to impact my life as God works to heal my heart, so the anger and frustration stay in 2016 and I’m choosing to move forward with forgiveness (even if I have to choose that path every morning).

Seriousness – I take myself far too seriously. When a friend asked what silly hope or goal I had for this year, I couldn’t think of anything, because “silly” isn’t something I do easily. I want to take a few cues from my daughter this year and lighten up. I want to laugh more, dance randomly and refuse to wear uncomfortable pants (she’s 5. it’s a thing.)

Jealousy – This might not be a popular sentiment, but I’m a big fan of unfriending and unfollowing people on social media who make your heart heavy with envy. That doesn’t mean I don’t want to intentionally curate a community of women who think, look, dream, and work differently from me. I love that! What I don’t want is anyone taking up space in my feed who doesn’t feed my soul with their words or who distracts me from the path God has me on. If I dread seeing someone in my social media feed, I might just need to take a break from their posts so I can spend more time where God wants me – focused on Him, my family, and the community He has given me in my real life.

What are you leaving behind in 2016? What have you been holding onto tightly that you need to lay down so God can do a new thing? I’d love to offer you this free download to help you plan this year: 12 simple goal setting pages and a holy hustle printable.