I love the beginning of a new year. It’s an exciting time, filled with the motivation to improve and accomplish more in the coming year. Many of us make big resolutions every January (whether we keep them or not). Even for those who aren’t fans of making resolutions, it’s hard not to dream about the possibilities that a new year brings.

In general, I’m a fan of them. In fact, I don’t think resolutions should be reserved solely for January 1. It’s important to resolve each day to do something better, help others more effectively, and learn more about ourselves and the people we love. These daily resolutions come to shape who we are, allowing us to grow and move forward.

But there is one big problem with resolutions. Whenever we resolve to do something differently, there is an unspoken notion that whatever we are currently doing is wrong or not good enough. The backlash that comes with makeovers and self-improvement is a focus on what we think we lack, don’t do well, or need to change. If we fail to keep them, our resolutions might even leave us feeling personally defeated.

In the midst of thinking about my own resolutions for the coming year, I turned on the TV to watch Extreme Home Makeover. I’m sure many- if not all of you have heard about this show. If you haven’t watched it, you need to catch at least an episode or two. And seriously, keep a box of Kleenex with you.

What I love about this show is that it really puts things into perspective.


Did you know?


…More than 1 billion people worldwide go hungry each day.

…40 million people in the United States alone live below the poverty line- which, to put things in perspective, is about $22,000 per year for a family of four.

…Only 28% of U.S. citizens have a college degree.

…And, a staggering one in eight people around the world do not have access to safe, clean drinking water.

When I think about the reality of these statistics, I am reminded of how much I take for granted, and how incredibly blessed I’ve been in my life to have a great education, a job, healthcare, and the ability to cover all of my basic needs.

When we aren’t surrounded by the deepest kinds of struggles- those who cannot feed their children, or vote, or escape from an abusive relationship, or go to school- it’s difficult to put our relatively small concerns into perspective. By helping amazing people in communities around the country who have limited resources, shows like Extreme Home Makeover remind us of what we’ve got.

We all struggle- maybe right now, you are dealing with a failing relationship, a toxic friendship, a death in the family, a job you don’t enjoy, a pile of debt, or a serious health problem. Many of these issues are ones we each come to face at some point in our lives.

If you are going through something hard, then it’s more important than ever for you to focus on the positive.Focus on all of the things that are going right. Focus on what you’ve had the pleasure to do, see, and experience that most others in this world have not. By shifting your perspective, you’ll often find that it becomes easier to deal with the handful of things that really aren’t going well.

So think about your resolutions. What do you want to do in 2010? Get healthier? Make more money? Buy a house? Switch Careers? Graduate from college? Whatever it is, put in perspective.

Why do your resolutions matter to you? Are they truly important? Whatever you are getting down on yourself for…does it really matter? Is it that big a deal? 

Remember who you are. Remember all that you’ve been given. Even when things are going wrong, remind yourself that billions of people are struggling in deeper, harsher ways than you are right now. Give back whatever you can to those people- that may just be the best gift you could possibly give yourself.

If you are going to make resolutions, resolve to see things differently and count your blessings. You might find that the most important thing to makeover this year is your perspective.