Ernie O Dacumos Happy New Year!!!
Hi there gorgeous! First, I would like to apologize. I know, I have not prioritized this lovely website of ours (‘ours’ because this website is dedicated to you and me). Because I had more pressing content to put out and that is on our radio show “The Leader’s Edge.” If you haven’t had a chance to listen, click on the hyperlink and I am confident that it will change your life IF you apply the tools we share there.
Where have I been?
I thought you’d never ask. The last time I wrote here was September. October was a major preparation so that I could go on my only vacation this year which was in Ireland and Portugal. I was there from November 13th to November 24. It was a great experience and I would love to go back again. Then, the holidays came.
I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving and Christmas celebration. If I am being honest, I am normally down during the holidays simply because I’m away from my loved ones, especially my son (long story). But it doesn’t mean, I don’t celebrate the holidays, it just means I am a little down.
Anyway, that’s enough to share about me. I hope to hear from you in the comments below once I have published this blog post to catch up.
Moving on! Today’s topic is about the ‘New Year.’
This is my favorite holiday because it reminds me of my childhood. It’s the memory of my mom banging pots and pans at midnight to welcome the year. The delicious food on the table and the 12 round-shaped fruits – this is a must as it signifies prosperity and wealth.
And my favorite memory is jumping up and down at midnight since it means that you will grow. Well, I didn’t grow but it’s one of the fondest memories I have during my childhood because I did it with my mom and my siblings.
At this time of year, we also set New Year’s resolutions. I know I have. But I noticed that whatever it is that I have set for myself to do or accomplish in the new year, I start failing come February. I hope it’s not the case for you.
Anyway, part of my routine is to reflect at the end of each month and as I am reflecting, it reminds me of what I used to do during the New Year. I used to set my resolutions and then fail. But three years ago, I set goals and started implementing them before the New Year. The reason why I made a change is because I feel like I was making these lies to myself at the end of the year and doesn’t fulfill my promise. Again, I hope it’s not the case for you because if it is, I will share the list of lies that I’ve told myself, and how I’ve changed it. This has been effective for me and I hope it will be for you too (if applied, that is!)
What Lies Do You Tell Yourself for The New Year?
New Year, New Me!
Yes, I have used this. And it did not work for me. It’s not “New me” if I am not making a change, not just externally, but internally. I noticed that I cannot say ‘new me’ if I am not growing. If I keep going back to the same toxic relationship. If I kept avoiding doing the things I wanted to do because I was scared.
I got to meet the new me when I applied all the teachings I have learned from the Personal Development books I have read. The most important lesson I learned when I met the new me was when I was fulfilling the promises I made to myself. Though I am not saying I don’t grow each year, without intentionality to grow, I did not see my progress and did not notice its impact.
I promise to make a change next year!
This makes me cringe now. It was like a slap on the face when I realized that I was waiting for another to make a change. Why can’t I make a change… Now?!?
Dr. John C. Maxwell talks about the “Law of Diminishing Intent,” which means that the more we prolong to take action, the more we lose the momentum to do it. And it is true! I challenge you that when a thought comes to mind, do it right away. Doing so will help you feel more confident in yourself because you are fulfilling something you said you would do. The best part is you will see results right too.
My New Year’s Resolution is….
If you are setting a New Year’s Resolution and you’re reading this blog post, please know that my intention is not to discourage but to empower you. I am confident that the following year will be more fruitful for you if I share the mistakes I made and the changes I implemented.
New Year’s Resolutions is only effective if you do the following:
-Instead of making it a New Year resolution, make it a lifestyle. Let whatever it is you want to achieve be continuous, you don’t have to stop it come December 31st of the New Year.
-Build bite-size daily tasks that you can do to make it a habit. At the beginning of my journey, I learned to set non-negotiables each day. Learning, praying, journaling, etc were examples of those non-negotiables. They helped me with my growth and today, they are the habits that I have. As it is said, “Consistency is Key.”
-Set a ‘word’ for the year. I have a love-and-hate relationship with this teaching. Love it because it keeps me focused, but hate it because it stretches me, in a good way. Let me give you an example. For 2022 my word of the year was “Uncomfortable.” And yes, I was uncomfortable! But the outcome was, that I became comfortable, being uncomfortable. This year, my word is “Love”, I focused on loving others. I was focused on loving others alright, but I also learned to be more compassionate and now cry on every tear-jerker moment that I experience and/or see on movies, social media, etc. For 2024, my word of the year is “consistency.”
There you have it gorgeous! I have said it’s a “lie” because it would feel like lying when it is not fulfilled. I know you’ve resonated with these lies and I challenge you to apply the changes I made. And if you do, feel free to come back to this post in a few months and share how it is working out for you. For now, I am curious, what lies do you tell yourself for the New Year?
