Finding Balance and Purpose in the New Year

A Reflective Guide (Revisited from December 2022)

I love hosting New Year’s Eve parties—not the fancy kind where everyone gets all dressed up, eats gourmet foods, and acts sophisticated. No, my New Year’s Eve parties are the epitome of old-school Midwest celebrations:

• Comfy clothes

• Crockpots full of buffalo chicken dip, little smokies, and meatballs

• Homemade treats like cookies, Puppy Chow, and Rice Krispie Treats

• All the party games

• Euchre tournaments

• Kids in the basement playing video games and board games

• Laughing so hard we cry

• Cheap sparkling wine and grape juice at midnight

• Noisemakers, hats, and all the other fun party favors

• Carhartts for sitting on the back porch

• Gunshots ringing out in the surrounding acres at midnight

While New Year’s Eve is always a blast, New Year’s Day brings a different vibe. After the laughter and festivities come the inevitable moments of clean-up, reflection, and maybe even a touch of regret.

The New Year’s Reflection Spiral

As the confetti settles, I often find myself caught in a whirlwind of questions:

• What were my goals for last year?

• How did I do?

• What should I focus on this year?

• How many resolutions should I make?

• What needs to change?

If I’m not careful, this can quickly turn into a rabbit hole of “should haves” and “could haves,” dragging me into a cycle of guilt and unrealistic expectations for the year ahead.

Photo by Oskars Sylwan on Unsplash

A Type A Reality Check

As a Type A overachiever, I’ve learned that striving for balance doesn’t come naturally to me. My default mode is schedules, deadlines, lists, calendars, menus, and goals. But I’ve realized that if I don’t intentionally work toward balance every day, I burn out.

This is why my New Year’s mantra is simple: less, not more. It resonates because it pushes back against our culture’s constant pressure to do and achieve more, reminding me to prioritize rest, relationships, and what truly matters.

A Shift in Focus: Less, Not More

Every January, millions of people set resolutions. The top resolutions usually sound something like this:

• Exercise more

• Lose weight

• Get organized

• Learn a new skill or hobby

• Live life to the fullest

• Save more money

Notice a pattern? Almost all of these focus on more: doing more, achieving more, and adding more to already packed lives.

What if, instead, we focused on less? Phrases like simplify life, reduce stress, and focus on balance, come to mind as guiding principles for this shift to:

• Less commitments

• Less time spent away from our families

• Less time on distractions

• Less stress

• Less anxiety

  

  Photo by nine koepfer on Unsplash

Embracing Balance in Every Area

As we look ahead to the New Year, let’s redefine success by seeking balance in every area of our lives:

• Work-life balance: Setting boundaries for work hours

• Family time: Prioritizing meals and meaningful conversations

• Church and community: Serving without overcommitting

• Kids’ activities: Choosing quality over quantity

• Personal growth: Saying no to what doesn’t align with your priorities

Lessons from Letting Go

When my daughter Kate decided to quit competitive dance after seven years, I was faced with a choice: push her to continue or support her decision. Her reasoning was sound, and I knew the grueling schedule wasn’t sustainable. Letting her quit taught me an important lesson: God didn’t create us to be overwhelmingly busy.

Paul’s words in Romans 12:1-2 are a powerful reminder for faith-based New Year reflections:

“Beloved friends, what should be our proper response to God’s marvelous mercies? To surrender yourselves to God to be his sacred, living sacrifices. And live in holiness, experiencing all that delights his heart. For this becomes your genuine expression of worship. Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you, but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think. This will empower you to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes.”

Transforming Your Mindset

This passage highlights four truths that help us find balance:

1. Surrender to God: Trust Him with your time and priorities.

2. Live in holiness: Focus on what truly matters.

3. Stop imitating culture: Avoid the busyness trap.

4. Be transformed: Allow God to guide your mindset and choices.

By living these truths, we’re promised a life that is beautiful, satisfying, and fulfilling—a far cry from the chaos our culture often encourages.

Moving Forward with Grace

Balance isn’t something we achieve overnight, but achieving balance is possible with intentionality. Incorporating New Year balance tips can help guide the journey toward a more harmonious life. It’s a daily journey of learning to say no, let go of unrealistic expectations, and trust that God’s plan is far better than our packed calendars. This New Year, let’s commit to a life of less noise and more peace, less striving and more surrender, less culture and more Christ.

Here’s to a New Year filled with balance, purpose, and grace.

Questions for Reflection

As you plan for the year ahead, take time to reflect on these questions:

1. What area of my life feels most imbalanced?

2. What is one practical step I can take to restore balance?

3. How does my current lifestyle conform to cultural expectations rather than God’s priorities?

4. What is one practical step I can take toward the beautiful and satisfying life God promises?