The Key to a NEW Year

It's that time of year again.Today your social media feed will be full of resolutions, goals and ideas of how and why this year is going to be different. People are ready for change. "2017 is going to be different than 2016." As the clock counts down to midnight, there will be a new resolve to do things different...starting tomorrow.Here is the challenge: Life isn't transformed by RESOLUTIONS, it is transformed by DECISIONS. A lot of them. Each and every day. A thousand little ones and a few big ones. It is good to make goals, but life is shaped by the decisions we act on - not simply wishing things to be different.[quote align="center" color="#999999"]Life isn't transformed by RESOLUTIONS, it is transformed by DECISIONS.[/quote]At different times I have spent the days leading in to a new year thinking about what I want to change. A few years ago I wrote a post about things I "UN-RESOLVED" to do. At the end of the day, it is the decisions that we make that will determine the course of our lives.So, do you want 2017 to look different than 2016? If so, it has to get down to the level of the decisions you make, not just the desires and hopes that you have for change. With that in mind, here are 3 questions to ask yourself as you head into a new year:What is guiding my decisions? Motivations are powerful. Each of us are influenced by so many different things: family, job, health, money, insecurity, vision, passion, dreams...the list goes on and on. In your life, what is it that influences and guides your decisions? I've met people who seem to be guided by their past, living life through the rearview mirror. Others seem to be guided by a sense of faith and vision for the future. Some use a compass called fear for every decision, and they live a life motivated by worry and "what ifs?". All of us has a compass that we look to. What is yours?What needs to change in my thinking or beliefs?Every decision we make is tied to a belief. This is why it is vital to not just focus on changing external actions. We must remember that fruit is always connected to a root. As a follower of Jesus I have learned over time that when I give Him space to transform what needs to be changed on the inside, it leads to the right change on the outside. Is there a belief or a pattern of thinking that needs to change in you? Reflect. Pray. Think. Ask. When we get the right belief, it often leads to the right behavior.Am I willing to be uncomfortable?Change always brings a level of pain. This is where most of our well intentioned resolutions fade. You and I both know that the gym is going to be slammed for the next two weeks, then it will be back to normal. Why? Because going to the gym consistently is uncomfortable. It isn't easy. If you want change this year, are you willing to get uncomfortable in your decisions? Most people don't face change until the pain of remaining outweighs the pain of change. Get uncomfortable. Be willing to face the pain of making the decisions that need to be made, because the pain of discipline is much easier than the pain of regret. I'd love to hear from you! What are some questions you would add to the list? What are some keys to seeing change that you have experienced in your life? Share your thoughts below.