Almost everyone does it it. Right as they are trying to figure what club they are going to bring the new year in at, who they are going to kiss at the stroke of midnight and that perfect party outfit. They ponder what their goals for the new year will be. They decide what they accomplished in the previous year wasn't enough, that they can do better. Or they see that they didn't accomplish their previous goal and they set the same goal again. Almost everyone has a new year resolution. Even I have a new year resolution but it doesn't start at the same time as everyone else does.
My new year resolution starts on my birthday. After all, its another year God has granted me life. I still come up with a new year's eve resolution but that is usually about weight loss or financial goals. However, right as the clock is ticking down to the hour that brings me to a new age, 24 instead of 23, I begin to think of my personal growth. I think of the decisions I made while being 23, decisions I don't want to make as 24. I think of who I want to be and I start to pinpoint on all character patterns I have that don't fit into the person I want to be. Procrastination, depression, unmotivated, doubt, fear, etc. I think of everything that I can start to ground out to continue my metamorphose into the person I want to be. I write my goals down. Each a positive, negative reflections only cause backsliding. So I phrase it carefully. I say things like "I want to be more confident in myself" or "I want to be more motivated." That way I focus on the good. After all even the bible says to focus on good. "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Philippians 4:8
So as I start my 24th year, I will keep positive things in mind. That also means getting rid of a few people that are stagnant. There are people in everyone's life that need to be pruned. They are like weeds, stinting your personal growth. Tripping you up every time you try to ascend to a new level. Most of them aren't your friends, just people that put on the face of friendship because you are useful to them for the moment. But there is a select few that are truly your friends, but for their own personal reason, they aren't ready or unwilling to go through the change you want to initiate in your life with you. They like the way they live their life, and although they understand the reason for you wanting the change they don't see a need to change themselves.
That's where changing habits become difficult. The friends that still live their life the way you don't want to live yours anymore becomes a problem. You are too new in the lifestyle you want to live to be able to be around them and not backslide. Most people don't see a need to remove people from their lives when they start to change, but when the frustration of not progressing the way they want sets in and they really think about it, they start to see that they must part from their friends. You look back at the road that you traveled together, seeing every obstacle the two of you overcame together; The good times. You look forward seeing the fork in the road, and your friend has already started down the path you don't want to take without any hesitation. A part of you wants to chase after them and drag them back to take to same road as you, but instinctively you know this is a one way journey. So you take the road you must, feeling the loneliness because you don't know if the road ahead will reunite you with your friend, perhaps giving you a second chance to travel the same road together. But you trudge along, seemingly alone because its what you must do. Keeping in mind Proverbs 1:15-16, "My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path: 16For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood."
How many pivotal moments have their been in your life where you see the need to end friendships because following your friends would take you places where you don't want to go? Were you strong enough to say by to your friends or did you find yourself following after them, because you didn't want to walk alone?
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