Yes, another year — 2023 — is in the books — a tough and challenging year for many of us. The calendar has now shifted us into a New Year — 2024. This shift into a New Year often raises the practice of making some resolutions for the New Year. Many times, if we make these resolutions, it doesn’t take very long for these to be forgotten or we realize we have failed to do what we wanted to do. In this article, I want to address the positive effects of making resolutions, especially for those of us in various stages of recovery.

Two pluses of making resolutions

Two factors come to mind in looking at the positive nature of making resolutions. The first relates to the 12 Steps. Step 1 speaks to the powerlessness that comes with addiction. The second factor relates to my belief that addiction tends to flourish in isolation. I see making a resolution as one way to empower ourselves by stating what we want to do to move forward in our lives. I also see that we can ask others to support us by sharing our resolutions with them and possibly also being accountable to them for doing what we say we want to do.

Making resolutions

As we look at the heart of making a resolution or resolutions, a couple of thoughts come to mind. First, at the heart of any resolution is something that is important to you as you consider where you want your life to head in this New Year. Resolutions can help us identify how we might accomplish our dreams and visions of who we want to be moving forward in our lives. For me, issues around self-care are important as I age. What might be some areas that are most important to you now? Let these be at the core of your resolutions.

Second, be concrete when you make your resolutions so that you know whether you are keeping the resolutions you have made. For me, it is exercising at least three times a week, especially in the winter. For you, it might be attending weekly recovery meetings or making a call when you are triggered.

Third, take advantage of the support of others. Although it may seem risky to you,  let others know what you are resolving to do. My belief is that resolutions often disappear into the ether because we try to do them alone. Going it alone has several disadvantages, one of which is we don’t do what we say we want to do, and we have another year of failed resolutions.

Fourth, as you consider the resolutions you want to make, make them manageable. Be realistic — don’t resolve to try to do something that is over the top and possibly out of sight. It is easier to build on success than failure.

Conclusion

I believe making resolutions and keeping them can be a very important part of staying and growing in recovery. This year, try to give resolutions a chance to help you and be sure to let others help you in keeping your resolutions. Don’t travel alone!

Mark T. Scannell is a veteran 12 Stepper who believes that communities or Villages are essential in helping people recover from our addictions. It is very difficult to travel alone. His most recent book – The Village It Takes: The Power to Affirm – explores this theme. He can be reached at gasscann@bitstream.net.