Are You Committed?

I read somewhere, “Many people look forward to the new year for a new start on old habits.” I know every year I take the time to reflect on the year past & hope for the future. I realize my failures and I make promises to myself with a twinge of guilt. I know myself. I know another year has gone by with the extra 10 pounds of baby weight. I know I still leave the laundry sitting in the baskets for days. Last year’s resolutions? February they were shoved in a drawer (the one on my list to clean), forgotten. Why do I even bother?

Yet, here is another new year. Here’s another fresh start. Maybe this year will be different. As I meditate on 2009, and when I say meditate, I really mean in between cleaning spilt chocolate milk, breaking up a squabble, administering a Hello Kitty Band-Aid, scrubbing out black marker from our bedding, and fixing lunch I mentally sort through rambling thoughts of this past year.

What have I learned from this past year? Lately, I’ve been reading the best book by Brian Klemmer, The Compassionate Samurai. It talks about being extraordinary in an ordinary world. In the book he talks about the history of the samurai warrior. They lived by a strict code of values. In fact, there are 10 codes: commitment, personal responsibility, contribution, focus, honesty, honor, trust, abundance, boldness, and knowledge. In essence their lives were full of purpose & their commitment to themselves and others allowed them to live a life of value and fulfillment.

Klemmer states, “Commit to things that are meaningful to you because you were born to make a difference in life. They only way you’ll ever see that coming to pass is when you start to make commitments”.

Where does that leave me with this New Year looming in front of me? Where do I start?

Commitment. That’s my resolution.

Committed to God. Committed to family. Committed to myself. Committed to my future. Committed to friends. Committed to the things that matter.

You were made to make a difference. Are you committed?