It’s February, and for some of us those New Year’s resolutions are becoming distant memories or perhaps turning into a nagging guilt.

What in the world were we thinking when we decided to commit to change?

I’m still working on my commitment to get in good shape for my 50th birthday. I’m turning 52 this year.

Truth be told, I never thought it would be this hard. Perhaps I underestimated the effort and life change it would take.

I often rationalized my lack of progress away because I was busy and had more important priorities — there are only 24 hours in a day, people. Give me a break!

I came to realize that when we make a significant goal in our lives — like losing weight, getting in shape, quitting smoking — it affects every single person in our life.

Many of my smoking friends have struggled to quit time after time only to start again. They tell me so much of what they do is connected to smoking.

A commitment to stop smoking often changes friendships, routines and more.

And although I’m trailing behind in my fitness goal, I refuse to give up because the goal outweighs staying the same — and I don’t what that.

If I compare myself to homeless persons struggling with addiction that have taken over their lives, I am amazed any of them succeed in getting clean and sober.

I’m sure they, too, rationalize their commitment away.

I’m sure many of them might think if they get sober for a few weeks, they can go back to using or consuming just a little bit of the substance and still function properly.

Maybe stopping the practice disrupts routines and relationships — things that have become constants in their life and things they fear of losing because without them they feel helpless.

You and I both know people that struggle with alcohol and drugs, and we all hope they would just get sober because their lives would be so much better.

I don’t think anyone likes being addicted.

I imagine it feels like hell on earth.

But attempts at quitting often fizzle with everyone else around them being affected.

Sadly, I see many people cycle in and out of alcohol and drug addiction every day.

My hope each time is they make it a little further in their sobriety then the time before.

If they do, they begin to learn where they stumbled and can watch for it next time.

If often takes years to recover from addictions.

Alcoholics Anonymous would say it’s a lifetime struggle. What holds true for all of them — and everyone else — is that making significant life changes for the better is a huge commitment.

We must have a goal that outweighs staying the same, staying the way we are today.

Thinking something is bad for us is usually not big enough of an incentive to make real change happen.

What we all need is hope things will be much better if we begin to take those steps today.

— Floyd Perras is the executive director of Siloam Mission.

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