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New Beginnings: Resolutions to Set You Up for Success

During January, so many of us set out with the best of intentions: Exercise more! Sleep at least eight hours every night! Eat more vegetables! By the end of the month, suddenly there is a wave of treadmills showing up on Facebook Marketplace, and a frozen pizza in the oven. However, I am here to remind all of you to take heart! There is still hope that we can uphold our resolution to become better at discerning in this New Year. 

Too often, I find myself frustrated with how much work discernment takes. Discernment requires committing time to prayer, and I know that my days are often very full, and it is hard to set aside even more time for prayer. Another hard part of discernment is deciding who to open up to about important decisions. I know that I felt incredibly vulnerable when I first told people that I was discerning whether to become a sister. I also find discernment difficult because of how much time it takes. I generally like to have a well-organized plan in place for my life, and discernment requires me to trust in God and God’s timeline for my discernment, which might not match my own!

Because of the challenges with discernment, I find that having some good habits in place is helpful so that we stay with the process, instead of giving up and moving on to the next item on our to-do list. First, establish good habits around prayer. If you don’t already have a regular time you set aside for prayer, then start there. Once there is an established time, then using that time for discernment is much easier. Second, form relationships with people who will be in your corner. Discernment is not something that can be done alone, especially for serious and life-changing issues. Having people who will support and listen to you through the process is incredibly helpful, as well as people who can offer advice. (These people don’t necessarily have to be the same ones!) Third, cultivate a few practices that help to nurture patience, whether through meditation, breathing exercises when stressed, or recognizing what is under your control and what is not. Journaling might be particularly helpful here! Finally, a bonus way to help us with discernment is to develop a practice of gratitude. Being aware of the gifts that we have already received helps us to trust in God more deeply and to recognize God’s presence in our lives. When we approach discernment from the position of recognizing God’s goodness, then it becomes easier to believe that God will lead us to a place where we can experience God’s goodness and to share that goodness with others. 

Blessings, 
Sister Katherine Frazier, OP

Exciting news!  A Sister Reflects is now available as a podcast. Check out the show at the links below or enjoy this English audio version of "New Beginnings: Resolutions to Set You Up for Success" on Spotify. 

• Amazon Podcasts
• Spotify
• Apple Podcasts