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resolution2Resolutions can make a big difference in your life – even if you don’t do a perfect job sticking with them. And resolutions aren’t just for January. They work in August, or September or whenever you apply them.

Powerful changes tomorrow start with positive choices today.

Which of these nine choices will rise to the top for you?

9 Resolutions Worth Making

1. Cut Others Some Slack

Say “yes” to being offended less and reserving your anger for issues that really matter.

2. Cut Yourself Some Slack

When you mess up, drop the ball or let people you care about down, do what you can to make it right, but be quick to move on and show yourself the same grace you extend to others.

3. Read More Good Books

Leaders are readers. Life-changing wisdom lies in wait on the pages penned by some of humanity’s great minds. All you have to do is take the time to read them. Here’s 26 Choice Books For You.

4. Spend More Time in Conversations that Matter

If you’re not intentional about regularly engaging in deeper conversations — ones that challenge you intellectually, spiritually and socially — those types of talks can become increasingly rare.

5. Challenge Your Own Presuppositions More Often

Being able to take a stand for what you believe is an admirable trait. So is listening to the other side and putting yourself in someone else’s shoes. Even if you don’t end up changing your position on an issue, questioning your own long-held presuppositions doesn’t just serve to challenge your beliefs—it can actually strengthen them.Resolutions

6. Complain Less and Do More

Complaining about something can offer momentary relief from frustrations, but working on solutions to the problems in our world can actually fix the things that are broken.

7. Spend Less Time Worrying

Author and activist Corrie ten Boom said in The Hiding Place, “Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.”

8. Pray More

No matter how busy you become, committing to spend more time praying—even if it’s during your commute, when you’re working out or throughout your day—is a key to growing spiritually.

9. Share More Meals with People You Care About

Open your heart and your dining room and use these shared moments to build deeper relationships.

APPLICATION: Thoughts courtesy of Jesse Carey, an editor at RELEVANT. What are your choices? Please leave a comment below. Thank you.


I write to inspire people to be real, grow an authentic faith in Jesus, enjoy healthy relationships and discover their life purpose. If this material is helpful to you, please follow me.

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Bob Jones

Happily married to Jocelyn for 44 years. We have two adult sons, Cory and his wife Lynsey and their son Vincent and daughter Jayda; Jean Marc and his wife Angie and their three daughters, Quinn, Lena and Annora. I love inspiring people through communicating, blogging, and coaching. I enjoy writing, running, and reading. I'm a fan of the Double E, Bruins, Celtics, Red Sox and Pats. Follow me on Twitter @bobjones49ers

6 Comments

  • Patricia says:

    I have already started doing some of these. #1 To cut others some slack, “Everyone is fighting a battle we know nothing about” We can get offended so easily and also unnecessarily. We don’t always know everything or understand properly what is going on. Our perspective can change once we learn things we never knew before. I keep this in mind whenever something happens that doesn’t make sense to me.

    #4 Complain less, do more. I’m working on this one. Not one good thing ever comes from complaining. It is better to focus on solutions.

    #5 Worry less and #6 Pray more go together. I”m doing this and it is working for me.

    #7 Read more good books. I am a reader and will be doing this in 2016.

    These are all great resolutions which gets me thinking of some others. Thank you. Happy New Year to you and your family Pastor Bob. May you all be blessed in many ways.

  • Sheila Dayman says:

    Thanks Pastor Bob. These are resolutions definitely worth making. I look forward to your top 10 books list. Happy and Blessed New Year to you and your family.

  • adena lowry says:

    10. To be more present in the present.
    If I can do this, then maybe I can also do # 3, 4, 5, and 6 more.
    I’m sitting on a balcony watching the ocean. So easy to say today after beating my family in 5 rounds on crazy 8s! Hopefully this will stick.
    I too am looking forward to your top 10 book list!

  • bob jones says:

    Happy New Year to you and the family! May 2016 be a year of wins for you.

  • bob jones says:

    Happy New Year! Jocelyn and I so appreciated going to Israel with you and Rob – what a start to the year!

  • bob jones says:

    Happy New Year to you, Patricia! Thank you for commenting. Good to know your thinking on these resolutions.

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