10 New Year Resolutions Suggested by Acharya Prashant
Man has always been attracted to the new. But attraction alone is not enough, especially when one is resistant to leaving the old ways. 'New' comes with an opportunity to change, and equally with a responsibility to act upon that change.
Bridging this gap between attraction and action, Acharya Prashant guides us with practical resolves that possess the potential to bring real development in our spiritual pursuits—if followed honestly!
Here are the ten pointers to bring clarity or liberation into your life:
Reveal the Secrets to Your Diary
Keep a diary aside to routinely write down how many minutes you spent of the day on your liberation, and note how many things in the day you shouldn’t have done but your self-destructive tendencies—hormones, impulses, bodily urges, mind patterns, influences, etc. made you do them.
Show this diary every week to someone to whom showing it might be dangerous or revealing. Someone who can guide you rightly.
Where is Your Money Going?
In your monthly expenses, note down how much you spent on bringing clarity in your life, food, body, sense-gratification, pride, attachment, and so on.
And after that, did you have anything left to spend on bringing clarity or liberation in your life?
Stop! Reflect.
In the entire month, wherever you were present, how much of your presence was liberation- oriented?
In all of your daily travels, how many journeys were for liberation?
Wisdom Literature is a Must
Every week, set a target to read Upanishads or Scriptures and complete them. Also, after reading, note down the essence in your diary.
Compassionate Diet
Every month, give up one thing from your food and beverages. And add one or two new things. At the end of the year, 12 things should’ve been removed and added.
Don’t give up only those things that cause you harm. Give up those things that cause harm to animals, in the form of exploitation.
Facts for Mental Strength
Everyday, from any category of the world— be it History, Science, Religion, Geography etc.— you must learn at least one new thing.
Learn a new thing from a Wikipedia article everyday. Spend about 15-30 minutes.
Sports for Physical Strength
Choose any one physical sport and, before the year ends, gain enough expertise in it that you may competitively play this physical sport with any one.
Pave the Way for Music
Learn a new skill, preferably something related to singing or playing a musical instrument.
Raise Your Voice for the Right Cause
In order to raise awareness towards environment and the violence towards exploitation of animals, become a volunteer or part of an institution focused on such a cause of raising awareness.
Be a Helping Hand
If you don’t have a shortage of money, take the responsibility of food and education of a poor child.
This doesn’t mean that you go somewhere and pay the money, but in fact, make sure of the proper development of the child by being actively involved in her/his holistic development.
Treat her/him like your own child. It’s not necessary to bring him to your house, but it is imperative that you prioritize his overall development by giving your time to the child.
