Years ago, I made my last New Year’s resolution and it is the only one that ever stuck. That resolution was to never make a New Year’s resolution again. Given that a mere 8% of them actually come to fruition, it’s become more than socially acceptable to make empty promises and then joke about the inevitable failure. In fact, it is probably more expected that you don’t keep your resolution than it is that you make a whole-hearted attempt to achieve the goal you’ve set. Not only does this speak poorly of commitment, it also reflects unfavorably upon our ability to provide accountability to others.

New Years Resolutions Lack Intentional Personal Growth

In 2007, I created a list of what I called “intentions” as a means of achieving personal goals. Looking back on that list, I now find it to be filled with nonsensical ego-massaging desires. But it was a step in the right direction. I followed up that list with some suggestions for how you can make better resolutions should you choose to go that route. In that post, I noted:

God made you and He made you beautifully. Realize that you are a beautiful person and that you do not need to change yourself. That does not mean you cannot grow.

I still feel very connected to that statement and believe it to be undeniably true. However, I would state it more concisely to read:

God made you beautifully so you need not change – but don’t deny His gift of personal growth. If that connects with you, please tweet it out!

Fast forward to the year 2011. Between my 2008 year of intentions and that new beginning in January 2011, I had been broken, battered and brought to my knees in many respects. Adversity? Yes. Difficult? Indeed. Impossible? Not a chance. Opportunity for personal growth? Absolutely! For 2011, I established my first set of annual affirmations. I found it to be important to help me remember who I wanted to be.

How Affirmations Sharpen Your Life

affirmation: 1. the act of affirming or the state of being affirmed; 2. a statement of the existence or truth of something; assertion

Someday I will detail exactly what led to that decision. For now, know that I was living in a black hole of a life and was really desperate for a pivotal transformation. I drafted nine commands that represented needs in my personal life. I wrote them on a sticky note and posted it on the inside of my car’s sun visor. I read these nine lines daily. Several times daily in fact. They represented affirmations of my desire to grow in key areas of life. They are provided at the end of this post and I invite you to make them or an iteration of them your own if you so desire. I followed the practice for the next three or four years with different statements of affirmation but these represent that pivot of life change and really, truly becoming accepting of God’s will for my life. They represent my willingness to be open to potential and to be who I was created to be by my maker. In many regards, it was just the beginning of my “real” life. And, without further ado, here they are. I welcome your thoughts.

• Focus your eyes.
• Free your mind.
• Color outside the lines.
• Stand tall.
• Take action.
• Move ahead.
• Learn from it all!
• God’s on your side,
• Be nobody’s doormat!

I hope this post inspired you at least a little. If you want to get more great reading to help inspire your personal development into who God formed you to be and serve the way you were meant to serve, please get the free eBook, Greater Desires.