New Year’s Resolutions That Last

Gilda Rose Kalathil shares her process for making and keeping New Year’s Resolutions. 

As another New Year approaches, do you find yourself sighing at the resolutions left undone? Maybe you’re tempted to skip the ritual altogether. Yet every New Year, God offers us a gentle invitation, a fresh beginning (Isaiah 43:19).   

Over the past few years, I’ve discovered two tools that have helped me not just make resolutions, but actually live them out: a vision board and holistic goals. Both keep me focused and aligned with God’s will.  

Vision Board  

A vision board is what I create for myself with images of what it would look like when I have achieved my goal. It has pictures of me with my family and an image that says “Published Author.” It had a picture of me scuba diving before I finally got my advanced certification in open-water scuba diving. All of these have emotional responses for me.  

I’ve set my vision board as a desktop wallpaper on my computer to wire my brain to work toward achieving my goals. This visual cue trains my mind even subconsciously to notice opportunities that move me closer to my goals. It gives me positive emotional reinforcement to stay focused.   

To create the vision board, I begin the process in prayer, carefully aligning myself to God’s will and staying open to His guidance in my thoughts and desires. At times, God challenges my vision — inviting me to reexamine the values behind it and refine it according to His purpose. Having clarity about where I am headed helps me with the direction I need to take to get there. 

Holistic Goals 

I categorize my life into different areas: personal (including physical health), social, emotional, mental health, family and spiritual health, and more. Professional goals are divided based on current work and broader professional expansion.   

The first step in making holistic goals is brainstorming every actionable goal to reach my vision. Then, cluster them based on the subcategories, filtering them through the SMART approach, making each goal specific, measurable, achievable and realistic before chunking them into smaller time-bound plans.  

The plans of the diligent end in profit, but those of the hasty end in loss. (Proverbs 21:5)   

This process is time-consuming and takes me days of prayer and refining, but the effort it takes is consistent stimulation to my mind, body, and soul. This allows me to chew on the finer details and create a mindset and behavior patterns that steer me into position before the new year. Many times, I see myself developing discipline toward my goals before the next year begins.   

Surrender  

Find your delight in the Lord who will give you your heart's desire. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will act. (Psalm 37:4-5) 

How life will turn out, only God knows. I believe the most important last step to this elaborate planning is Surrender. I cannot predict my future, or what events or circumstances may come in my way, and that’s why I hand this preparation and planning over to Christ. He is the Head of my household and my life. I choose to remind myself that my dreams must not become my God.

Only God can enable and empower me to reach my vision. I make sure to let Him know that He may at any point change direction and lead me elsewhere, and I am willing to follow. 

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Copyright 2025 Gilda Rose Kalathil
Images: Canva