By MICHELLE LOUVIERE
Question: I had a very difficult year last year. How can I make this year better than last year?
Michele Louviere responds
: Sometimes reaching the end of a year can bring a sense of relief if that year has been difficult or painful. Starting a new year can be an opportunity for a fresh start. Unfortunately, unless you are purposeful, a new year may be nothing more than writing a new year for the date. What can you do to purposely prepare for a better new year?
First, use the ending of a year to check to make sure that you have grieved over the hurts, learned from the mistakes, and completed the needed tasks of that year. Often, people just rush through life with little thought of where they have been, where they are, or where they are going. An ending and a beginning provides the perfect opportunity to pause and evaluate.
Second, use the ending of a year as an opportunity to evaluate your current life. With a notebook, ask God to give you insight as you answer these questions – What were the highlights of the previous year? What were the greatest challenges? What did you learn during the year? What are your regrets? What was left unfinished? What did you complete? How healthy are you physically, emotionally, relationally, and spiritually? Have you forgiven everyone, including yourself, for the hurts, sins and mistakes of the year?
Third, once you have done a thorough evaluation, prayerfully and purposely create goals for the new year. Begin by dreaming of the possibilities of a brand new year. Then choose at least one measurable goal for the upcoming year physically, emotionally, relationally and spiritually. Imagine that you are at the end of 2011 and evaluating the success of that year. What would you like to have accomplished by that time?
Write the goals down for each area. After you have written the goals down, find a trusted friend to discuss your goals. Ask for that person to give you honest feedback and input. Once you have his or her input, ask that person to pray for you and to be an accountability person for you during the year. Having someone encourage and ask about the progress of your goals can help with successful follow-through.
Finally, spend time praying over your goals. Ask God to help you not just change for change sake, but to change for His sake. Ask Him to use your life to be a reflection of His life resulting in a healthier body, a more peaceful life free from hurts and pain, healthier marital, parenting, and friendship relationships, and a closer relationship with Him seen through meaningful service to Him.
: Sometimes reaching the end of a year can bring a sense of relief if that year has been difficult or painful. Starting a new year can be an opportunity for a fresh start. Unfortunately, unless you are purposeful, a new year may be nothing more than writing a new year for the date. What can you do to purposely prepare for a better new year?
Michele Louviere, LMFT, serves as Clinical Director of Celebration Hope Center, a ministry of Healing Hearts for Community Development (HHCD). You can connect with Michele by visiting www.HealingHeartsNola.org.
I had a very difficult year last year. How can I make this year better than last year?
Question: I had a very difficult year last year. How can I make this year better than last year?
Michele Louviere responds
First, use the ending of a year to check to make sure that you have grieved over the hurts, learned from the mistakes, and completed the needed tasks of that year. Often, people just rush through life with little thought of where they have been, where they are, or where they are going. An ending and a beginning provides the perfect opportunity to pause and evaluate.
Second, use the ending of a year as an opportunity to evaluate your current life. With a notebook, ask God to give you insight as you answer these questions – What were the highlights of the previous year? What were the greatest challenges? What did you learn during the year? What are your regrets? What was left unfinished? What did you complete? How healthy are you physically, emotionally, relationally, and spiritually? Have you forgiven everyone, including yourself, for the hurts, sins and mistakes of the year?
Third, once you have done a thorough evaluation, prayerfully and purposely create goals for the new year. Begin by dreaming of the possibilities of a brand new year. Then choose at least one measurable goal for the upcoming year physically, emotionally, relationally and spiritually. Imagine that you are at the end of 2011 and evaluating the success of that year. What would you like to have accomplished by that time?
Write the goals down for each area. After you have written the goals down, find a trusted friend to discuss your goals. Ask for that person to give you honest feedback and input. Once you have his or her input, ask that person to pray for you and to be an accountability person for you during the year. Having someone encourage and ask about the progress of your goals can help with successful follow-through.
Finally, spend time praying over your goals. Ask God to help you not just change for change sake, but to change for His sake. Ask Him to use your life to be a reflection of His life resulting in a healthier body, a more peaceful life free from hurts and pain, healthier marital, parenting, and friendship relationships, and a closer relationship with Him seen through meaningful service to Him.
Michele Louviere, LMFT, serves as Clinical Director of Celebration Hope Center, a ministry of Healing Hearts for Community Development (HHCD). You can connect with Michele by visiting www.HealingHeartsNola.org.
: Sometimes reaching the end of a year can bring a sense of relief if that year has been difficult or painful. Starting a new year can be an opportunity for a fresh start. Unfortunately, unless you are purposeful, a new year may be nothing more than writing a new year for the date. What can you do to purposely prepare for a better new year?