One month left in 2021! It’s hard to believe. The year has flown by. At this time of year, generally, I am thinking forward to what I am hoping for in the year to come. All of the possibilities for the year ahead excite and motivate me. What is easy for me to neglect is that one month still remains in this year. One full month! I will either move forward in the month of December or take steps back. I distinctly remember last year putting on several unnecessary pounds in December. I spent January just recovering. My hope is to close this Christmas season well.
December is an unusual month with obstacles and opportunities arising from the holiday season. Perhaps a great way to finish well this December is to take advantage of the unique nature of the month. Here are three suggestions:
- Finish well with friends and family – No other month of the year presents quite the opportunities and challenges for relationships as December. With forethought, we can plan the month giving attention and love to those who mean the most to us. If we don’t watch it, Christmas parties and other similar events will consume our schedules. These are fun, as long as they don’t crowd out spending time with those we care deeply about. Take a look at the schedule and plan time with your closest friends and family. In addition, think about how you might make that time the most meaningful. Is it coffee, dinner together, a movie? How might you avoid some of the typical pitfalls of the past? Are there certain subjects to avoid? How might you use this month to connect more deeply?
- Finish well with health – December can easily be considered a write-off month when it comes to our health. The restraint wanes and a few extra pounds find their way onto our scales. The exercise routines fall victim to the lure of the couch. After all, January with all of its resolutions is right around the corner (if only we kept our resolutions). Why not set as a mini-goal to hold steady for the month – to not lose ground? Doing so will not only make us feel better at the end of the month, but it will also help us enjoy the month better.
- Finish well by planning a good beginning – We still have time to think about the year ahead. Once the year starts, we can’t help but feel like we are playing catch up. The quality of our goal-setting reflects the time we put into the planning.
- Finish well with God – December represents a month that we pause, sing, and worship. And yet, the chaotic pace crushes all of our best intentions. Finish well by planning how this December will be different.
December is a month to enjoy and celebrate. As we look toward the fun, crazy schedule, let’s remember to 1) Prioritize people 2) Hold steady on our health 3) Reflect forward with hope and 4) Remember God.
Happy December!
