Happy New Year! I hope that however your holidays went this year, you are finding peace and balance. I’m excited that this is the year Sacred Balance will reach your bookshelves! You may be able to pre-order now through your favorite local bookstore, but there will be perks for those who wait and order directly from Chalice.
My favorite thing about January is the opportunity for a fresh start. The New Year’s holiday is our annual reminder to think about where we want to be and how we might get there. It’s an opportunity to let go of the past year, whether good or ill, and focus on moving forward. I’m not big fan of New Year’s resolutions myself, but I think the instinct to set goals for the year is valuable. Having a clear sense of purpose gives us hope and motivation. It keeps us from dwelling on regrets or wistfulness about the past.
I get frustrated with the usual conversation around New Year’s resolutions because we often focus on superficial goals. We resolve to exercise more or eat healthier, perhaps feeling guilting about our recent holiday indulgences. A few weeks later we lose track or just get overwhelmed with the demands of everyday life. Such resolutions are easily made and forgotten because they don’t get to the heart of our sense of purpose. They’re based on a sense of “should” rather than on our deeper values. As my sister Amy put it recently, there’s a difference between self-improvement and self-growth. Self-improvement is an industry fueled by feelings of shame and impossible ideals we can never live up to. Self-growth is about what kind of people we really want to be.
This year, instead of the usual focus on diet and exercise regimens, what would it be like to set a goal for personal growth? What aspects of yourself would you like to develop? How might you find a deeper sense of connection—to God, to other people, or even to yourself?Are there things blocking your growth that you’d like to set aside? Or new practices and actions you’d like to add?
I would love to hear about your spiritual goals for 2025. The poll below has a few ideas to get you started. Select your top goals and check back to see how others in the Sacred Balance community are hoping to grow this year!
Spiritual Goals for 2025
Find more balance in life
Connect more deeply with others
Explore a sense of purpose
Increase joy and contentment
You can vote for more than one answer.
I certainly would like to experience more joy, especially in these uncertain times