“It’s a new dawn.  It’s a new day. It’s a new life for me and I’m feeling good.” – Nina Simone

This is me all 2019.

The picture above is a perfect depiction of me in 2018. So many times it appeared I was down and out, but knowing God kept me, I was able to smile through it all. My teacher neighbor once said to me, “If you ever want to make God laugh, tell him your plans.” As I sit and watch so many people talk about their goals, resolutions and dreams for 2019, I cringe knowing very few have factored in God’s will and his timing. The most difficult thing I’ve learned in my short life is that nothing will come to fruition until God determines the time is now. Until I discovered this, I found myself feeling defeated as if I hadn’t put my best foot forward. Please understand, I don’t walk into a new year without a goal or a plan but I’ve learned to plan keeping the unknown in mind. Here are a few things I do in an effort to start fresh and gain some sense of achievement each year.

1. Declutter – I clean my closet and dresser drawers four times a year with the final cleaning being in December. Sometimes, our space is so “busy” it causes a lot of noise in a room filled with silence. Getting rid of old things that are not of use to me anymore not only clears my space but my mind as well. This helps me to be reasonable even in my thinking.
2. Set goals – I don’t have a long list of goals. I typically set three long term goals (faith, finances and family). Within these long term goals, I set monthly short term goals. This gives me a clear vision of being on track or having the need to adjust.
3. Create a “wish list” – After cleaning my area, I am able to determine if I have a need for anything. Based on things I have determined I need or want, I create a wish list and a timeline for purchasing items. This keeps me from spending frivolously and keeps me partially on track for my financial goals. I’m working really hard on this one. The first few months I do well and then I fall off track when it’s time to travel. I feel like I need a whole new everything to take a trip.
4. Book selections – I do three devotionals a day and having researched devotional journals and having the appropriate materials to start the new year definitely helps me kick start my year. I also have a line up of self help books I am interested in reading and the order in which I wish to read them.. The books are all saved for later in my Amazon cart so don’t spend a lot of time fishing for reading materials throughout the year.

These are just a few things I use to get me started on a good note. As you bring in the new year, it is my desire that all of your goals are met and all of your prayers are answered. Let’s step into 2019 with our best foot forward and cheering for our neighbors. As we watch others celebrate victories, let’s learn to celebrate with them. My pastor constantly says, “When we see our neighbors receiving a blessing, we should celebrate with them because we know God is in our neighborhood.” So cheers to the best year ever and blessings on blessings on blessings.

XOXO,

Sharicka