“This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it”–Psalm 118:24 (NLT).
Did you know that 97 percent of New Year’s resolutions are never fulfilled? Oscar Wilde wrote, “A New Year’s resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other.”
Although 45 percent of us make New Year’s resolutions, many eventually ditch them, with 75 percent making it past the first week and 46 percent making it past the six-month mark.
According to research, most fail at following through because of unrealistic expectations, like “I’m going to lose 30 pounds by February 1.” While there is nothing wrong with making resolutions, when we set the bar too high, we are setting ourselves up for failure. What if we decided, just for today, we would do one thing to improve our physical, emotional or, more importantly, our spiritual health?
Author Jim Liebelt offers the following suggestions in hopes we might incorporate some into our daily lives.
- Just for today, resolve to pray.
- Just for today, resolve to say, “I love you” to someone.
- Just for today, resolve to appreciate the world around you.
- Just for today, resolve to save money.
- Just for today, resolve to forgive someone.
- Just for today, resolve not to compare yourself to anyone else.
- Just for today, resolve to create some warmth in your home.
- Just for today, resolve to exercise.
- Just for today, resolve to read from the Bible.
- Just for today, resolve to eat less.
- Just for today, resolve to prepare for a future event.
- Just for today, resolve not to demand the last word.
- Just for today, resolve to make the most of that day.
- Just for today, resolve to learn something new.
- Just for today, resolve to eat a food you enjoy.
- Just for today, resolve to say, “Please.”
- Just for today, resolve to laugh.
- Just for today, resolve to do something unusually nice for a family member.
- Just for today, resolve to forgive yourself.
- Just for today, resolve to sleep in.
- Just for today, resolve to spend some time with family.
- Just for today, resolve to be kind.
- Just for today, resolve to give someone a choice.
- Just for today, resolve to make someone laugh.
- Just for today, resolve to do something nice for someone outside of your family.
- Just for today, resolve to say, “thank you.”
- Just for today, resolve to pay someone a compliment.
- Just for today, resolve to do something relaxing.
- Just for today, resolve to do something nice for a complete stranger.
- Just for today, resolve to do something out of the ordinary.
I would also add, just for today, let us rejoice and be glad in the day the Lord has made.