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8 ways to make 2018 great!

“Change your thoughts and you change your world” -Norman Vincent Peale
With a new year comes a lot of optimism. And if you’re anything like me, the beginning of a new year brings the opportunity of a fresh start. Whether you’re on the “New Year, New Me” wave, or “New Year, Same Me” boat, I am sure you want to make this year the best yet! That doesn’t necessarily require large-scale changes, but rather small changes in your mindset. What I’ve learned is that if you change your mindset, your actions will follow. Your mind is literally the gateway of actions, I want to share with you some of the things I learned in 2017 that have helped me change my mindset and self-concept to set me up for success in 2018.

1. Believe in yourself

This was probably one of the simplest, yet hardest things I learned to do. As mentioned in my first post, I’ve had my share of self-doubt. Specifically, when it came down to me believing that I could become a blogger and influencer. I actually had been doing exactly what I am now for a couple of years but never believed I could officially publish the content that I was creating. It wasn’t until I began to bet on myself and my instincts that things changed. And I truly internalized one of my favorite scriptures, “I can do all thing through Christ who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13). Anytime there’s an “I can’t” thought, I immediately replace it with that scripture in my head. You have to believe in you, even if nobody else will!

2. Live a life of purpose

This one is so important. I felt as if I was meandering aimlessly through life until discovered my purpose. It wasn’t until last year after I had done extensive self-discovery, reading, reflection and prayer that God revealed my purpose. Life takes on a whole new meaning when you are living it with purpose. Days are not so mundane and the work you’re doing all of a sudden doesn’t feel like work, but rather service. You don’t do things to receive things in return anymore, such as money. You do them because it is your reason for being here, a duty, a calling. If you have not discovered your purpose, I encourage you to take some time this year to discover exactly what it is. If you know your purpose but haven’t begun the work, I encourage you to let go of fear and/or procrastination and get started!

3. Be content and trust the timing of your life

I am sure you’ve heard the saying, “comparison is the thief of joy.” Today’s society relies heavily on social media, which can be a blessing and a curse. As we know, social media only displays the highlight reels of people’s lives. We don’t see the behind the scenes grind, the tears, the sleepless nights, the fights or the mistakes made along the way. Because society is so inundated with what we think our lives are supposed to be, we can become discontented with where we are in our lives. For example, if you are anywhere near 30 years old and unmarried like me, I am sure you have felt the pressure of “getting married by 30” or “having kids.” While I know that God promised me these things, I also have to keep in mind that they will come at an appointed time and not on my time. In the meantime, trust that things will fall into place and happen when they are supposed to. Don’t allow other peoples “moves” or blessings make you feel that you are missing out or that they will never happen. Run your own race at your own speed and time. Trust the process. For everything, there is a season.

4. Stay grounded

Every morning, I have quiet time with God and myself. I read my devotional, I meditate and I pray before even checking my phone, email or the world. This is the first way that I stay grounded. The second way is reminding myself of my “why” and remembering that the reason I am here is more important than the challenges and difficulties I face. Life will never be without trials, what matters most is how you handle the trials. Lastly, I think about where I am from and the little ambitious girl from Birmingham, Alabama whose dreams were larger than life. I think about how she deserves a chance to see her dreams come to life and it keeps me humble and motivated.

5. Learn how to say “no”

 This one is pretty self-explanatory. How many times do we say “yes” to things we don’t want to because we are more concerned about how saying “no” will affect the other person over how the “yes” will affect us? I used to do this so much! I would feel so uncomfortable and unhappy just to make sure I didn’t disappoint other people. Not realizing that I was completing the task with resentment and without full commitment and intention. Let your no be “no” and your yes be “yes.” And remember, if the person gets upset about your “no,” that means they’ve become comfortable with abusing your “yes.”

6. Surround yourself with like-minded individuals

I am sure many of you have heard the adage “birds of a feather flock together.” This is so true ya’ll. In learning how to protect my energy, I’ve had to learn how to choose my friends wisely and to be selective about who I hang around and who I allow hanging around me. No, this doesn’t mean I am uptight or think I am better than anyone. This means that I value my energy and I will protect my purpose at all costs. If I am in a season where I am trying to move forward and believe God for the miraculous, I can’t be around pessimistic people who don’t believe in God. Or, if I am on a journey to pursue my dreams and fulfill my purpose, I cant hang around people who don’t believe in me, who don’t support me, or who are not doing anything to propel themselves forward. Always remember to protect your surroundings at all costs.

7. Take care of yourself

Self-care isn’t always exquisite bath bombs, body scrubs, oil massages, and aromatherapy (although those are some of my faves!). Sometimes it’s going to bed at 10 pm, saying “no,” letting go of that toxic relationship/friendship or forgiving yourself or others that may have hurt you. It may also mean giving yourself grace for not meeting impossible standards. Self-care is putting yourself first, protecting the person you are becoming, and choosing not to settle for anything less than what you deserve.

8. Untangle your feelings from your actions

How many times have we not done things we knew we needed to do because we didn’t feel like doing them? For example, I plan to wake up at 5 am daily so that I can have time for meditation and centering. However, 9 times out of 10 when that alarm goes off at 5 am I “don’t feel like” getting up. I can’t let how I feel in that moment prevent me from doing what I know I need to do. Many times we don’t act in certain situations or make moves because we don’t feel like it. You will never unlock your true potential if you go through life constantly considering how it makes you feel. Many times you have to intercept those thoughts quickly or they will change your whole trajectory.

Hopefully, this list can help you as you consider ways to make this a wonderful year! My prayer is that every year, we become better people than before. Learning from our mistakes and successes and then putting our experience to work in the future. What principle could you relate to the most? What would you add to this list, if anything? What is one valuable lesson you learned last year that you know will help you become better in 2018? Drop them in the comments below, let’s discuss!

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