What specific small steps might you take to make this a different year for you?
Happy New Year!
There is an adrenalin for me as I step into a new year, for new beginnings always bring the excitement of change, new opportunities, and intentionality for better living. Whether I am working on stopping something or starting something, the possibility that this will lead to more peace and joy is infectious. I suspect for many of you, too, stepping into 2025 and out of 2024 is a hope-filled moment! You do not really know what will be new or better, it just seems that it is bound to be an improvement from last year.
One of the things I notice about new beginnings is that if I do not have help, I often do not stick with the plans and desires I have. My thoughts about what I want to do, are often short-lived as the adrenalin of ‘new’ wears off. It does not take long for me. Paul reminded us of this in Romans 7:15, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.”
We talk regularly at Faithful & True about the need to have accountability to prevent you from doing things you do not want to do. I want you to consider finding accountability, or encouragement, for those things you want to do. The ‘new’ you want to put into your life. It is easy to think about accountability to help you stop things. Today I want you to think about accountability as help for starting things!
As you ponder the new year before you, I pray you will be intentional about becoming the person God called you to be. In that vision, what specific small steps might you take to make this a different year for you? And will you find encouragement from some specific people in your life who will regularly check in with you about your plans? Loving accountability will help you stay connected to the ‘new’ of 2025.
Debbie Laaser MA, LMFT, became the Director of Faithful & True, in 2019 after her husband, Mark's passing. She has facilitated therapy groups, individual counseling, and 3-Day Intensives for betrayed wives for over 20 years. Debbie is the author of several books, and her recent research project, "Posttraumatic Growth in Relationally Betrayed Women" was published in the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy.