My Non New Year's Resolution

I've never really liked new year's resolutions. I am not going to make a goal just because everybody's doing it. I need to feel inspired and really motivated, and a simple change in the date isn't going to do that for me.

However, I have recently begun a self improvement program that I am super excited about, but I want it clearly understood that I did not start this on January 1st. I started it a few weeks before the new year after I was given some divine inspiration. So, technically, it is not a New Year's Resolution.

Now that we're all on the same page, I can tell you about it.

First, let me tell you the why of my little program. It's nothing you haven't heard before, but indulge me. Let me start with the scripture Matthew 5:48.

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."

This is one of those scriptures that make me very grateful for footnotes because without some further enlightenment this scripture could (and has) make an anxious person like me freak out a little. What? I have to be PERFECT?!

But, no freaking out necessary. The Greek definition of perfect in this scripture means complete, finished, fully developed. That is a lot more doable than thinking I have to be perfect all at once!

Notice, too, that the scripture does not say to be perfect today or even tomorrow. It does not, thank heaven, give us a timeline. It also doesn't say to be perfect and then never make a mistake again.

What we are expected to do is to try each day to be better than the day before. To try to become more like the Savior.

"We need to understand that it is not possible to grow and develop...in the twinkling of an eye but rather through the process of time. Christ asks us to 'take up our cross daily' (Luke 9:23), meaning that it must be a constant focus and desire." (Elder Ulisses Soares)

We (I) need to stop trying to do this on our own. I am so grateful that through Christ's grace the day will come that I can be perfected in Him. (Book of Mormon, Moroni 10:32)

This process also takes patience, a virtue I am working hard at attaining. I am pretty much an expert at getting discouraged and wanting to give up whenever I make mistakes. That's why I love this from Lorenzo Snow, one of our Latter-Day prophets:

"It is our duty to try to be perfect,...to improve each day, and look upon our course last week and do things better this week; do things better today than we did them yesterday...We have our little follies and our weaknesses; we should try to overcome them as fast as possible."

The next thing he says really helped me, so I am going to put myself into what he said:

"If [a mother can go one day without yelling at her kids] or without treating anyone unkindly or without grieving the Spirit of God...; [she] is so far perfect. Then let [her] try to be the same the next day. But supposing [she] should fail in this [her] next day's attempt, that is no reason why [she] should not succeed in doing so the third day."

It's okay to make mistakes! That's why Jesus suffered in the Garden- so that we could repent and move forward in life and one day be perfect in him. Letting myself get depressed for days because I had one bad day is just silly, and it needs to stop. Seriously. Repent and move on.

I also love this scripture. It's one of my favorites:

"And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." (Book of Mormon, Ether 12:27)

That scripture is always such a comfort to me. I love knowing that with the Lord and some (okay, a lot) of patience, my weaknesses can become strengths. Pretty cool.

Okay, so all this stuff I just said is fantastic, but it is still pretty easy for me to get overwhelmed with all of my weaknesses and all the areas I want to improve myself. One of my problems is that when I feel motivated to change I get a little too excited about it and forget that becoming perfect is a lifetime process and think I can do it in a week. Meaning, I set WAY too many goals, which, of course, I can't meet. Then I get depressed and discouraged and think I am never going to improve. It's a vicious cycle that I am so over with.

So, here is my very simple program that I know was inspiration:

One simple goal per week, and if the week's goal went well, I will add a new one the next week, while not forgetting the previous goals. After so long those goals will become habit and won't take as much work and concentration.

You want to know how simple I mean? My first goal I made was to brush my teeth every morning (I always do it at night, but with four kids, mornings get away from me pretty fast). A simple goal that benefits me and anyone who comes near me.

I started a couple of weeks before Christmas, and I am still going strong. I missed a couple of days but didn't let it stop me. I just went back at it the next day.

My second goal was to read my scriptures every night before bed, even if it's just a verse. I've always read my scriptures, but it's been awhile since I was consistent at it. It's nice to have that back.

My third goal was to exercise every day but Sunday. That one isn't as simple, so it's been more challenging, but I am not giving up. I am not going to add another goal until I feel more confident with this one.

This whole thing isn't Earth shattering. I am sure most of you have already done something like this in your own lives. I am just a little slow. But don't worry, I'll catch up.

I'm not going to do it alone, though. That's the best part- knowing this journey toward perfection doesn't have to be done alone. In fact, it can't. He is the only one that can get me there.

I will continue to share my little journey to completion on my blog. It feels good to put it into words and hopefully it will be inspiring to someone other than myself. We are all making that journey, so we might as well cheer each other on, right?

*Much of my inspiration for how I need to improve myself came from a talk by Elder Ulisses Soares called "Be Meek and Lowly of Heart". It was given at the 2013 LDS General Conference. This is a special meeting held twice a year where prophets and apostles and other leaders of the church come to give counsel.