By Scott Mims
For those of us who are fortunate enough to gather around a dinner table on special occasions, the holiday season usually brings about thoughts of indulgence—or, perhaps, overindulgence—in our favorite foods.
Then there’s New Year’s—the holiday that brings with it thoughts of a fresh start; a clean slate; a new chance to replace bad habits with good ones.
Every Jan. 1, people resolve to eat better, exercise more, and work toward a healthier lifestyle.
Unfortunately, the mention of a New Year’s resolution is often met with a backlash of jokes about how short-lived one’s commitment will be. It seems that most New Year’s resolutions are doomed from the start.
Joking aside, what is the key to a successful New Year’s resolution? How can someone truly bring about change in his or her life?
According to Tony Hughes, pastor of Walnut Creek United Methodist Church in Clanton, faith is the ingredient that can turn a resolution into something that lasts.
“It’s a very normal and natural thing to think of January 1 as a new beginning, and I have always thought and preached that God is a God of new beginnings,” Hughes said.
Hughes described how life is full of beginnings—a new month, a new week, and even a new morning every day of the year.
But the kind of inner change most people desire seems to be something deeper than simply hanging a new calendar on the wall.
“If you combine the meaning of faith and resolution, you get affirmation,” he said. “It all depends on our attitude toward the change and our resolve to make the change happen, which is where the word resolution comes from.”
Hughes outlined three aspects of change from a faith perspective, the first being forgiveness:
“Forgiveness brings a new beginning,” he said. “With God, forgiveness is instant if we’re asking in the right way. When we seriously turn to God, God will seriously turn to us.”
Secondly, we must have some kind of prompting. People don’t develop bad habits overnight, but an individual can realize the need to change in an instant. This could mean either stopping an unhealthy behavior, or picking up a positive one.
But without a plan, a resolution is likely to fall flat. Which brings Hughes to his third perspective: that we do more than talk about it.
For someone who wants to lose weight, this could mean a trip to a health club.
For someone who needs to get a handle on finances, it could mean forming a family budget.
“Resolutions are oftentimes too soon forgotten,” Hughes said. “If we affirm that we need to change and affirm how we are going to change…faith can mean the difference between a forgotten resolution and a lasting affirmation.”
Debra Florea, a member of Walnut Creek, might tell you that it takes a strong core support group to make things happen.
Florea leads a group called First Place, which combines exercise, healthy eating and Bible study.
The group holds weekly meetings, during which each member must “weigh in.” This way, each member is held accountable to the rest of the group.
“Having to weigh in kind of keeps you accountable,” Florea said.
First Place includes literature with daily Bible studies, healthy recipes and more.
An important part of each meeting is discussion of the past week’s Bible study topics.
The members also pray and exercise together. Exercises have included kickboxing, jumping jacks and jump rope.
There are seven members of the Walnut Creek group, and three have reached their goal weight.
In its first year, the group has lost a combined 200-plus pounds.
“I feel like I have a bunch of sisters now,” Florea said. “The support is a big help. That makes all the difference.”
Anyone is welcome to join the group. For more information about First Place, call Florea at 280-4090 or visit firstplace4health.com.