New Years Resolutions vs. Rosh Hashana Teshuva

We are now a week into the Hebrew month of Elul.  In the past week, I have been blessed to attain a pretty good perspective on the purpose of this month.  I want to thank all of those who have contributed to this perspective (Rabbi Doniel Frank, through his book "How can I change for Heaven's Sake?", Rabbi Brody's chodesh Elul shiur, and the Tiferet Rosh Chodesh video).

This month leads up to Rosh Hashana (the "head" of the year).  Generally, this month is seen as a month of reflection, and what we call "teshuva."  Teshuva is often wrongly translated as "repentance."  Repentance sounds scary, but in reality it is a very non-Jewish concept.  To repent includes feelings of guilt, regret, and sadness.  The experience of Elul does not need to include those emotions.  Instead, Elul (אלול) is often described by its acronym:  אני לדודי ודודי לי.  "Ani l'dodi v'dodi li."  This means, "I am to my Beloved and my Beloved is to me."  In an ideal situation, this refers to our relationship with G-d.  The true root of the word Teshuva (תשובה) is to RETURN.  It's as if we're saying, "Sorry G-d, I went a little off the path that I was supposed to be on this year, and I am now finding my way back to You.  I am now figuring out the steps I can take in order to return."

This concept leads to the quintessential difference between the concept of a "New Year's Resolution" and the reflection done in the month of Elul, leading up to Rosh Hashana.  It is the difference between resolutions that are made to make you feel better about yourself compared to those intended to bring you closer to G-d.     If you are generally healthy (someone obese with an eating disorder is a different story), losing 10 pounds will not have a significant effect on your spiritual ascension.  Spending 10 minutes a day in prayer will.  It's the difference between vowing to keep your kitchen cabinet organized and trying to keep your heart and mind organized throughout the year.  It is a process of reflection and resolving on a spiritual plane rather than the physical one.

I would love to hear people's thoughts on these concepts and if anyone is open to sharing, their own reflection during this month.