By Debb Hackett @debb_hackett

We are well into January 2023 (how did that happen?) and most of the decorations are away. Not my Christmas tree. Nope. But other than that, our focus has switched to the new year. Our youngest was the only member of Team Hackett to stay up until midnight. By 0930 the next day, she wandered into our bedroom and announced she had four resolutions. Our eldest promptly pointed out (in that helpful teenage way) that the majority of resolutions don’t last the first week.

I haven’t made resolutions this year, but I do have goals I’m working toward. They’re goals to do with deepening my faith, time with family, writing, and my health. And they’re ones I’d like to achieve. So, here’s my plan for staying resolute in chasing my goals. Hopefully this’ll encourage some of you to stick to your plan for 2023.

Take stock

Prayerfully, figure out the important areas of life. The ones you need to focus your time, energy, and resources on. I use a planner for this and have several key areas – like faith, writing, marriage, family, and health. Career, friends, service, church etc. could be others. But deciding on your priorities is a good way to make sure you progress in those areas. After all, a map is no use, unless you know where you’re going.

Make a plan

The next step is to decide what you want to work on in each area. I’m all for big dreams – Ephesians 3:20 reminds us we serve a God who does immeasurably more, but I do recommend making your targets measurable. That way, on the hard days when life steps in to thwart your plans, you can be encouraged by the progress you’ve already made. If you can build in some accountability, that’ll probably help too, and means you’ll have someone to celebrate your accomplishments with.

Factor in rewards for the toughest challenges

Who doesn’t love rewards? I know I do. For the hardest to achieve goals, I highly recommend setting markers along the way with rewards when you get there. For instance, I’m trying to lose weight. For every twenty percent lost, I have a different treat. It might be a facial, an item of clothing (it’s a Binge Jesus hoodie), or a massage. Pick something well within your budget that would really make you smile.

Get organized

Whether you’re a pantster or a plotter, you do know how to organize. How do I know this? Because you’re a functioning adult. You have managed to network enough to know about this blog and subscribe. I have to believe you can make a list. So, write your goals down. Write down the steps to get there. I use My Brilliant Writing Planner, bullet journals are very popular too, as are Levenger notebooks. But you know what? A legal pad or a Post-It note work just as well.

Bathe everything in prayer

As with everything in life, start with prayer, pray about it while it’s being done and pray at the end. With my targets, I’m actively trying to put Jesus in the middle of all of them. That way when the temptation comes to quit, there’s a whole other level of accountability. But also, a whole other level of grace and encouragement.

Let’s face it – who doesn’t want The Lord as their cheerleader? So, friends, let’s take stock, make a plan, and glorify God together. One of my goals this year is to be intentional about time with my children. I’m doing that with bedtime stories, game and jigsaw nights and mommy/daughter dates.

Your turn – what’s one thing you’d like to accomplish in 2023, and can you say out loud (or write down in this public forum) that you’ll stand resolute and pursue that goal?

Writer, broadcaster and speaker Debb Hackett has been a radio journalist for more than twenty years. Married to a Royal Air Force test pilot, Debb has written a Bible study for military wives.

A regular contributor to the Advanced Writers and Speakers Devotional Arise Daily, she’s also been privileged to writer chapters for Write Well Sell Well. For now, based near London, England she’s having lots of fun working on a contemporary romance series and was an ACFW Genesis award semi-finalist in 2020.

When she’s not writing, Debb can be found leading worship, playing bass or skiing. If you can swing by her house while she’s making scones, that would also be a win.