2009 was a roller coaster ride! I was engaged, married & divorced; pregnant, but lost the child; the funding for my youth leadership program was suddenly cut so I was transferred to work at other programs twice in 2 months; my cousin who was like a brother to me suddenly died at the age of 31 while other family members were in and out of the hospital and numerous celebrities & public figures who I grew up watching on TV, reading about in the paper and dancing to their music passed away . . . yet through all this I shaked loose my skin and came out stronger with a promotion at work, but more importantly renewed confidence & love for myself!
I usually don't make New Year's resolutions because I tend to make changes in my life consistently throughout the year. I've realized I have my own internal calendar ridding myself of old and bringing in the new each April & August (spring and summer cleaning). Another realization I have made about myself is that I tend to hibernate in the winter, not leaving my house for anything that's not work, thus most of my productivity and personal growth also happens in the spring and summer. But it's 2010 and it's not only a happy new year, but time for a happy new me!
My new motivation to ignore that its winter when all I wanna do is snuggle and sleep was sparked by 2 things. First, after all the partying was over I woke up early on the morning of Jan. 2nd turned my TV on and watched Dr. Wayne Dyer speaking to thousands of people about his "Excuses Be Gone" paradigm. Then Second, that afternoon I logged on to the "MVMT 30 Day Do It Brunch" where hundreds of people around the world engaged in Vimeo led by Rolando Brown (the man who GROWS things, MVMT)& Jullien Gordon (author of "Good Excuse Goals", Dept. of Motivated Vehicles). Thank you brothers, I learned so much!
As a result of being motivated by watching the live stream and talking with folks in the chat room, I have taken several small steps within the last 24 hours. Starting with a new tradition of making changes and being more alive during the winter by making new year's resolutions!
I will . . .
1. stop over thinking and start doing
"Live out your heart and less in your head" - Thoreau
2. affirm my dreams and create time & space for them
3. ask for help and support from my extended family and friends more
4. finish writing a book this year (there are 4 works in progress I have worked on & off for the past 10 years. no more excuses, no more distractions!)
5. reconnect with old friends & contacts and stop making excuses like "Queens is a Black hole" LOL
6. be more of me and less of who everyone else expects me to be
"I would rather be alone for who I am, then be loved for who I am not" - Wayne Dyer, Exuses Be Gone
Simply put my new mantra is . . .
Affirm, Be, Create, Do!
May you have a happy new year and a happy new you, too!
