The Journey of Self-Discovery

Tools for Personal Growth and Overcoming Obstacles in the New Year

I have always loved New Year’s. Many people do. When we were young, and there were no digital calendars, I used to love each month when I would turn the calendar to the next month. It was a rule in my house that I turned all the calendars. It felt as if I was saying goodbye to last month; If I loved changing the months, I really liked the New Year. It doesn’t really make any sense to many, but it was like my chance to start over, to start again, to make another run at it.

I was thinking about this very thing earlier this week. In just a few days, it will be 2025. It will be 111 days till the NEW YEAR when you read this. When one year closes and another opens, it is an excellent time to think and consider how we can grow and improve in the New Year. Self-evaluation is crucial for personal development, spiritual growth, and even strengthening relationships. Here are a few tools to help you think through how you will prepare for 2025.

Think about 2024

1. What goals did you accomplish?

2. What are you proud of?

3. What obstacles did you face? How did you overcome them?

4. What important lessons did you learn?

5. Are there things you wish you had done differently?

Now, think of those things considering three areas that I challenge you to work on in the next year: personal growth, spiritual growth, and your relationship with your family and spouse. As we think, we can look into our strengths and weaknesses and see areas where we want to improve.

Personal Growth

1. What skills do you need to gain or enhance?

2. What targets can you set for this year?

3. How do you plan on mentoring and being mentored this year?

4. What about your health? Do you think you might want to get in better shape, eat better, and get your stress under control? I have spent most of my life very obese. I am sorry for that now. Thanks to my dear daughter-in-law, I learned about the carnivore diet. I dropped about 60 pounds. My obesity probably had a large part to do with 21 days on the ventilator because of COVID-19. Eating sugar and refined foods probably fed the cancers that I have dealt with for 12 years. Just think about it, and I would never condemn you because I know where I lived for many years. Not eating bread and sweets can be difficult, but in my case, it is worth it.

5. Do you plan vacations, getaways, time to unwind and get out of the pressures of life, ministry, work, and business? If not, that might help you greatly. It will also bless your family relationships.

Spiritual Growth

1. Do you practice daily quiet time, prayer, meditation, and Scripture truth?

2. Has your Bible reading time become a mindless habit or nonexistent? Maybe it is time to work on the most essential part of who you are.

3. Are you holding on to bitterness and unforgiveness that simply adds stress and anxiety to your life and does nothing to fix any problem?

4. Do you work at thinking about others and what they are feeling, especially your wife and children?

5. Do you live a life of gratitude?

Strengthening your marriage and family

1. Do you practice active, intentional listening? That means do you hear what others are saying, or are you preparing your arguments while they talk?

2. Do you express appreciation and gratitude regularly? Sometimes, we wait until it is too late to think about what a person means to us. Giving flowers at the funeral will never take the place of love and gratitude expressed while they are alive and can hear it.

3. Do you address conflicts calmly and constructively, or is this an area you want to improve in?

4. Do you have regular date nights, activities together that you both enjoy?

5. What daily rituals do you have as a form of connecting?

6. Do you express affection regularly?

7. Are you open with each other?

8. Are you closer today than ever before?

9. Is there something you need to get right between you to continue forward?

10. Is it possible that you take advantage of, use, your spouse rather than treat them like you would want to be treated

Put your plan into action.

1. Keep a journal, write it down, and document your plan for growth in all these areas.

2. Talk with someone, a trusted friend, partner or family member about the plans otherwise, without the accountability, you might never grow like you really want to. It is amazing how we live up to the expectations set for us.

3. Check your progress regularly, monthly.

4. Be grateful for your growth and celebrate what God is doing.

5. Remember, it is better to set growth goals than accomplishment goals. Work the process and let the product take care of itself.

We can transform our lives if we grow personally, spiritually, and in our relationships. There is no reason that 2025 can’t be your best year yet. I know it is still early to think about what you will do next year, but if you plan now and start now, your growth will be unlimited. It will be tiny, but as the old saying goes, “inch by inch, it’s a cinch by the yard; it is hard.”

Great things are going to happen, so trust God, grow, and work to make a difference with your life.