
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
4. Stay grounded
5. Learn how to say “no”
6. Surround yourself with like-minded individuals
7. Take care of yourself
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!