New Year, New Me: Setbacks & Action

My best friend and I used to laugh at the phrase “new year, new me.” I think it was more so because some people make it seem as if the one minute between 11:59 pm on December 31st and 12:00 am on January 1st will miraculously make a difference in their life. For some, it does but, for most people, it only lasts a few hours, days, weeks, or maybe even a month or two. I know because I’ve been through it. It’s like we think that minute holds the power for us to be able to do the things we haven’t been able to do in the past. The truth is it doesn’t. Instead, we need to reflect on the past and identify what stopped us in the past from accomplishing our goals. Once we identify the setback we can work on eliminating it, thus giving us room to take action on really accomplishing our goals and dreams. 

Have you ever had that one goal you never seemed to accomplish? I definitely have. For the last few years, I’ve had it in my heart to move forward with my initiative to help and empower young women of color to love themselves and each other. I’ve done programs and events but not nearly what I know I am capable of. My question to myself has been “Why?” I have this talk with my business partner and close friend, Latia, all of the time. She has the same problem as me. We know our ability and we know our heart but we let procrastination be our setback from the greatness we are destined to achieve. I don’t want that to be you and I no longer want that to be me. 

I am writing this post because I know Latia and I aren’t the only ones that experience setbacks. Your setback can be fear, laziness, procrastination, confusion, doubt, lack of knowing your worth, other people, or bad habits. Whether they are created by you or created by your circumstances, don’t let them stop you from accomplishing your dreams. Whatever your setback is, it’s time to identify it and let it go! Y’all better listen to Elsa and “let it go, let it go.” Once you let it go, you can work towards whatever it is you desire. You may sit back and look at other people doing things similar to what you want to do. The only difference between you and them is they are actually doing it. They are putting in the time and work to make their dreams come to fruition. You may feel that they are having success because they have skills and talents that you do not possess. That may be true but understand that skills are learnable and that is all a part of taking action toward the things you want to accomplish. 

The word of the year for all of us is ACTION. Webster’s Dictionary defines action as “the accomplishment of a thing usually over a period of time, in stages, or with the possibility of repetition.” I love this definition because it includes three important things that are very important in the process of taking “action.” The first is TIME. As human beings, we want instant gratification when we do something. The fact of the matter is that’s not realistic. The best things come in time. You take action now and then you reap the fruits of your labor later; hence, patience is very important. The next thing is STAGES, which kind of relates to time. There are stages and levels to everything and that’s why it takes time to complete. You can’t just look at your goal and say “I will do this one thing and everything will fall into place.” For example, you can’t say “I want to be a famous singer” and think all you have to do is post a viral video on social media, and a record deal will appear in your lap. No, you have to break your goal down into stages or steps. If you want to be a famous singer, you will have to do the research and see where’s the best place to put your music online. Focus on building a fan base and take local gigs so you can practice performing in front of a crowd.  I can go on and on here but I think you get my point. You have to look at your bigger goal and break it down into actionable steps or stages. Lastly and this is the most important component and what I often struggle with, REPETITION. Repetition is what will make or break you. You can’t expect to do something one time and Voila, your goal is accomplished. That only happens in fairy tales. You have to repeatedly put in the work to get the results you want. Accomplishing your goal takes action which encompasses time, stages, and repetition. 

The time to take action on the things you want is now. Time is flying and even though we are in a whirlwind with this pandemic, there are plenty of opportunities for you to do that very thing you haven’t done yet. Do not let your whole life pass you by and you have regrets because you didn’t put your all into your goals and dreams. I prefer to try and end up where I end up rather than to not try and wonder what if. “What if’s” can taunt you and make you miserable. We don’t want that now do we?  2022 is looking like a great place to start putting action into our goals and dreams. I am putting it into the universe right now. 2022 and every year after will be my year. My year to live and not just exist. My year to be brave and put action into my goals. My year to know I am worthy. My year to know my worth and continue building it. My year to let go of trauma and pain. My year to be successful. 2022 and every year after is not just my year but our year. Our year to be and do whatever we desire. 

Below are links to planners, calendars, and journals that you can use to plan out your year goals. Most of the below recommendations are created by women of color.

HerSpace Co.

HerSpace Co. is a brand for modern women created by, Tanisha Carothersmodern and Brittani Hunt.. Their company sells the Layered Living Planner 2022, which “is more than just a planner.” It is a life system for the modern woman equipped with a yearly, monthly, and weekly calendar in addition to our signature components that makes planning and pivoting a lifestyle.” 

Herspace

Legendary Roots 

Legendary Roots is a brand started by Raven Nicole. It was created due to a need for representation and a safe space for the black community. Their purpose is to reclaim our history and celebrate black culture through powerful apparel and accessories. They sell digital planners. 

Legendaryrootz.com

Spoonful of Faith Everyday

Jena Holliday is a black Minnesota-based illustrator and author, and the founder of Spoonful of Faith, which is her studio where she creates joyful drawings of women, florals, and hand-lettered inspirational quotes. You can find her 2022 planner at Micheal’s and Target link below:

Michaels.com

Target.com

Erin Condren

This company was founded in 2005 by Erin Condren as a stationery business. They are a lifestyle brand known for creating fun and functional organization essentials for the home, office and everything in between. From high-quality planners and notebooks to custom organizers, desk accessories, and more, each product is intentionally crafted to help customers achieve goals, reduce stress, and lead more joyful, meaningful lives through organization.

Erincondren.com

Be Rooted

Jasmin Foster founded Be Rooted to create a space for women of color to see themselves in a place they hadn’t been. Weaving culture into every design and message, Be Rooted inspires customers to explore their inner muse and celebrate self. They want their customers to know, you are seen and you belong here.
Berootedco.com