We all make new years resolutions with great intentions on achieving the goals that we have set. We say that we are going to save more money, lose weight, stop a bad habit, start doing something that we have been needing to do. We are enthusiastic about making the changes that we have said that we are going t0o make for about the first 3 weeks. Then, next thing we know we start to slack off for whatever reason. We make an excuse that justifies our actions {in our head} and say that it is just this one time. But then it happens again and again until we have sabotaged our goals. I am guilty of the same thing. Year after year I have set out to make a change but didn’t follow through. But I have come to believe that a lot of us may have been putting our focus on the wrong things. I can’t speak for anyone else so this is coming from my own experience, but with belief that it may help many of you make this new year your best year yet.

The number one thing that Americans want is to be happy. We all want to live our best life. We all want to be able to enjoy our days on this earth. And we all set out to find that happy place in our life. New year resolutions are always part of finding that happy place. We think that if we have more financial stability, better physical health, a more successful career, or better relationships we will reach our happy place. While all those things will bring you more happiness, it will only be temporary. Before long you will find something else that needs to be better so that you can be happy.

I kept looking to external things to bring me that feeling of happiness and completeness. I would set my new year goals only to fail at achieving them. On top of failing I created guilt and shame that wrapped around my heart and slowly started to suffocate my self-worth. And that would set me on another journey to find my happy place but with the inner dialog of “I’m not good enough to achieve what it is that I want.” Every time that I did not achieve what I set out to do it was slowly killing me inside and causing other problems in my life. Finally, not long ago, the Holy Spirit brought truth to my attention that changed everything. I was failing because I was searching in all the wrong places.

In the book of Ecclesiastes King Solomon talks about how he has searched, tried, and had all of the earthly and personal possessions that a person could have, yet it was all meaningless, like chasing the wind. All his wealth, status, land, wives, nothing could give him the happiness that he was searching for. The only thing that brought him the joy and contentment that he was searching for was his relationship with God and living the life that God intented for him to live (following His commandments). I, you, we, can never have the true joy that we search for until we look in the right place for it. It does not, and never will, come from any external achievement. It can only come from within ourselves. It can only come from being and doing what God has created us for. It comes from being the person that God knitted you in your mothers womb to be. It is by using the gifts and talents that He has given you to do good works on this earth. It comes from you accepting who you are and who you are not. From taking off the mask that the world has caused you to put on and being the best version of yourself each day. It comes from knowing that you are loved and accepted by the one that created you, even though you mess up all of the time.

I say all of that to say this, instead of looking to the outside for your happiness, look within. What is missing? What have you had the desire to do that you have been putting off? What about yourself that you know needs to change so that you have inner peace? What grudges or resentment towards others do you have that you need to let go of? What have you had on your heart that needs to be done but you have been procrastinating? What are you doing that you know is not right or is not good for you and you need to change it? None of us will ever reach the level of peace, joy, and contentment that we desire until we align ourselves with God and step into the person that He created us to be. Once we do that we won’t need any material thing to try to fill the void that we have inside because the void will be gone.

Start this year off by taking a deep dive within your heart and ask the Holy Spirit to show you your truth. What will make you stand taller, smile bigger, breath lighter? What will rid you of the dissatisfaction that is lingering within? What will make you be the best version of yourself on a daily basis? And get prepared for the battle to step into being that person, into being who you were created to be. And it will be a battle with ignoring feelings, overcoming habits, changing thought patterns, doing different actions, but it is well worth the fight. And always remember that you are never fighting alone and to always cry out to God for the grace and strength to do what you need to do. You are the key to your ever lasting happiness and God has opened the door waiting for you to walk in.