‘Tis the season for self-evaluation and new beginnings. What better time to unlock and harness the power you hold within, especially on this special day January 11th, 2011! Try these five tips to make 2011 all that it can be and more.
SET THE DATE
How many times have you put off finishing your degree, volunteering in your community, or like me, starting a family? The only thing between you and accomplishing your goal is yourself. Let’s shout from the mountaintops “The time is now!!!” Enough saying that we’ll get to that project someday. Let’s pick a date to begin the small steps that will lead to fulfillment. Mark your calendar, tell a friend, tweet and Facebook about it. By committing to accomplish our goals, they will become a reality. By publicizing it, our friends and family will see to it.
CONTROL YOUR WEIGHT
I am a lifelong athlete, but an injury a few months back sidelined me for three months. After rest and many physical therapy sessions, I was back to form. However, my mind more than my body remained out of shape. I had slacked off and liked it. Sad about the hole I had worn in the couch, in December, I got my groove back. Even after five months off, I find that just as easily as I had slipped into bad habits, my body is embracing the good ones. Now, I am active three times a week and love how I feel. I shaved off a few pounds and sleep better at night. I urge you to join me in this one! Whether it’s a Zumba class, basketball with the fellas, or running around the playroom with your kids, punch up your activity level and see the affect it has on your bottom line.
FIND A MATE
Find your perfect match in 2011. Not to imply that you need another person to make yourself happy, but it can be nice to have someone to cuddle with on a chilly winter night. Step outside of your comfort zone. Try online dating. Accept a date with someone outside of your race or socio-economic class. As long as you navigate these uncharted waters with the same care you would your own swimming pool, what have you got to lose? For those feeling lonely but not in the market for a new romance, perhaps this year you will surround yourself with new friends. Church groups, sports teams, and travel clubs are great resources for meeting like-minded people. Take a leap and sign up for language lessons or salsa classes. These are great ways to put yourself out there without the pressure of expectation.
GET YOUR CREDIT STRAIGHT
If you are anything like me, the global economic crisis has been extremely burdensome. As a result, I have exercised a little denial in the handling of my finances. As with the monster under my bed, I decided that if I don’t look at my credit score, it can’t hurt me. So. Not. True. In my vacation from financial responsibility, my once excellent FICO score tumbled well over one hundred points. In an effort to self-correct, I have vowed to order a copy of my credit report this month and to tackle each chink in my financial armor one by one. I also set monthly reminders on my computer and PDA to remind me when bills are due. Who’s with me???
REHABILITATE
Let this be the year you work on the relationships that need a little T.L.C. Whether it’s with your family, your God, or yourself, your soul will fly higher without the weight of anger, hurt, and resentment on your back. Face those skeletons in your emotional closet head on. If you feel ill equipped to accept this mission solo, it may be high time to enlist some help. Consult a therapist. In our community, this remains a foreign concept. I have done it and would recommend it to ANYONE. It enabled me to examine my actions and the intentions behind them in ways I never would have on my own. Having a neutral perspective on your life experience is very powerful and may be just the support you need to restore yourself to the amazing person you were always meant to be.
I look forward to the challenges these efforts will pose in the coming months and will update you on my gains and setbacks throughout the year. I urge you to share as well.
Here’s to our best year yet!!! A New Year, a Powerful You!
~Shana Peete
Photocredit: Holidayspot.com
Founded in 2007, Ladybrille® Magazine is a California based pioneer digital publication demystifying the image of Africans in the west through contemporary African fashion and celebrating the brilliant woman in business and leadership, with an emphasis on the African woman in the diaspora. Our coverage includes stories on capital, access to markets, expertise, hiring and retention, sales, marketing, and promotions.
