Resolution by Joan Cabras via Pixabay. CCO

Here we are, eleven days into the new year. So, how you doing on those resolutions?

Did you know that after two weeks 71% of us resolutionists are still going strong? It’s week three where we see a dip in the percentage of those staying true to their plan—and, trust me, you don’t even want to know the statistics for week four. But alas, psychology offers us a bit of understanding in our failure to keep our resolutions by pointing out it’s not really our fault that we backslide on our promises to self, because many of them are the result of “cultural procrastination,” an effort to reinvent oneself. (Quite a task to take on anew each year.)

We make resolutions to motivate ourselves, which is good. The problem is many of our resolutions require a change of habit, such as: eating too much, smoking, not exercising, poor money management, etc. And truth be told, bad habits are hard to break!

Another reason our resolutions are so easily broken is because we tend to attach them to unrealistic results. Meaning we think that if we lose that 15 pounds baby number three left us with 22 years ago, every aspect of our life will be perfectly and wonderfully changed. In the world of Psychology, this is known as “false hope syndrome”.

Now here’s the good news my dear sisters! Our hope isn’t in a resolution. Our hope is in Christ, and when Christ is our hope, we can make a resolution that we can keep. One that is simple, realistic, and doable. One that will help us create a good habit instead of focusing on a bad habit. One that will perfectly and wonderfully change our lives. And the bonus, we can do it together!

I invite you to join me and women around the world as we strive to enhance our prayer life in a very simple way. WINE contributors, Lisa Hendey and Sarah Reinhard, have gathered together reflections from over 80 CatholicMom.com contributors in their new book The Catholic Mom’s Prayer Companion: A Book of Daily Reflections, and they have invited women to join them for a 2-minute refreshing read and reflection each day for the next 4 weeks. (Totally doable!)

Getting in the habit of prayer is one resolution that offers true hope and will radically change every aspect of your life. And if you miss a day, or two, or three, don’t worry, you’ve got your sisters in Christ here to help you, and you have a Father in heaven who is always putting prayer on your heart.

Hope you will join us in making prayer a habit in 2017.

 

How do I participate? It’s simple!

1    Request to join the St. Terese Facebook group here.

2    If you haven’t already- purchase The Catholic Mom’s Prayer Companion: A Book of Daily Reflections

3  Check your Facebook feed each day after you have read the daily readings from the prayer book and join in the discussion!

 

About the Author:

Kelly Wahlquist is a wife, mother of three, inspiring Catholic author and speaker residing in Minnesota. She is the founder of WINE: Women In the New Evangelization, Assistant Director for the Archbishop Harry J. Flynn Catechetical Institute, and contributing writer for Catholicmom.com. Her book Created to Relate: God’s Design for Peace & Joy encourages and inspires women to live fully their beautiful God-given gifts for building relationships. She is the creator and editor of  Walk in Her Sandals: Experiencing Christ’s Passion through the Eyes of Women. Kelly travels the country speaking to all on topics that inspire us to live the New Evangelization, but has a special love for speaking at Catholic women’s events.