As the year 2022 ends, I hope we spend some time in reflection. Reflection is a valuable practice, we are able to look back at our experiences with our knowledge base and create or improve our plan of action going forward. How was our year overall? What were the high points and the low points? What did we enjoy the most and what wasn’t so enjoyable? Is there room for improvement and where?
Many persons have quite a bit to say when it comes to new year’s resolutions, however, planning and preparation have always proved to be fruitful. I think sometimes I am too ambitious, having many plans for the year and not fulfilling them all have been disappointing at times. For 2023, I am taking a different approach, for each area of my life I am setting three (3) goals with what is most important for me to achieve. My reason for doing so, is that I’ve been reminded that greatness takes times, along with knowing that we should not be consumed all day, every day working towards our goals. We need to also enjoy our present, we need to live in the awareness that though we are working towards our life’s goals, we are also living in answered prayers and the fruit of hard work, which we should not take lightly by not appreciating them.
Before settling on our new goals, it will prove beneficial to reflect of our past, whether it be 2022 or before. Using probing questions such as; what was our best investment? And why? What could be done in a more efficient manner? What and who are we most grateful for and why? What is our take-away lesson(s)?
After answering those questions, we will be better able to plan for our upcoming year. I hope we do thorough planning and preparation for each area of our lives. Many of us work, and we show up for work when we are scheduled to, helping others to achieve their dreams, fulfill their goals. It’s time for us to show up for ourselves in like manner. I’m not encouraging anyone to leave their jobs prematurely, I’m simply saying we owe it to ourselves to show up for ourselves. So, whatever our dreams are, we need to work out the steps to getting there and work to achieve them a goal at a time.
As we do our planning, let us keep the “big picture” in mind. Our five (5) year plan, our ten (10) year plan and ultimately, the legacy we would like to leave behind. As a daughter of the Most High God, I want to fulfill my life’s purpose. As a mother, the legacy I would like to leave is very important to me, I think about my children and how I would like them to remember me. I would like for even my children’s children and children’s children’s children (and so on) to remember me in the valuable lessons they would have been taught. Things like character building, learning and practicing prayer, praise and gratitude. Valuing the tangible things, I will leave for them such as an insightful library and my very own books when they are published. You may share my views as well as you may not, regardless, I hope you seek to be true to yourself and show up “big” for yourself and your dreams.
See you in 2023, where we press beyond perseverance!
