How to deal with being stressed out from not fulfilling your New Year's Resolutions
Matthew 6:34:
"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
You sit there, staring at the list of resolutions you wrote down at the beginning of the year. Stress wraps around you like a tight grip. None of them checked off. Anxiety creeps in, a constant companion. You do not want to feel like a failure, but the weight of unfulfilled goals looms large.
Every attempt to meet those resolutions feels like a struggle. You are caught in a loop of trying, falling short, and making excuses. The fear of being labeled lazy or a loser haunts you. The pressure builds, and you find yourself constantly justifying why things did not work out.
You promised yourself a better year, and yet here you are, feeling stuck. The to-do list grows, and the cycle of disappointment continues. It is not for lack of trying, but the gap between expectation and reality widens.
However, New Year’s Resolutions were flawed to begin with.
When you set New Year's resolutions, you aim to change behaviors. But here is the catch: resolutions often miss the mark. They cannot create lasting change because they do not tap into the motivation needed to turn intentions into actions.
The wish to stop or start something clashes with the intricate nature of your behaviors. Resolutions oversimplify the complexity of change. Your habits are not isolated; they are ingrained in a network of influences that stretch beyond a simple decision. Breaking free from these patterns requires more than a mere declaration on New Year's Eve. It involves understanding the deep-seated roots and navigating the complex interplay of your personality, emotions, and physical requirements. So, when resolutions fall short, it is not a reflection of your willpower alone—it is the challenge of unraveling the intricate layers that make up who you are.
What you should do instead is to set achievable goals.
Take it one day at a time. Instead of setting a goal to finish reading a whole Book of the Bible in a month, aim to read just one part each day. If you break it down, it makes the task more manageable instead of overwhelming. By focusing on smaller steps, you create a sense of achievement without the pressure of a looming deadline.
Similarly, if the thought of praying for 30 minutes daily feels daunting, consider a more achievable approach. Pray before sleeping and upon waking up the next day. This way, you avoid the stress of fitting a specific time into a busy schedule. Making your goals less time-bound allows for flexibility and eases the pressure to accomplish something abruptly.
Remember, progress is progress, no matter how small.
Taking one step at a time does not diminish your efforts; it acknowledges the reality of your daily life.
Moreover, do not chase perfection; it only makes your anxiety worse. Treat slip-ups like tripping on a rock – it stings, but you can brush it off and keep moving forward. Perfection is not the goal; progress is. So, when things do not go as planned, acknowledge the stumble, but do not let it halt your journey.
Read more:
Will my physical health worsen?
