The Year of Me

Happy New Year everybody! This year HAS to be everything you need and more; it’s a must for me. Last year, I was somewhere between Issa D. on Insecure and Michelle Obama in the middle of Becoming. I went through an abrupt job change, an identity crisis, and a flood of events that took me from living comfortably, to being the most uncomfortable I’ve ever been. I was challenged in ways I never though I’d even care to ponder. Enough about last year though, time to focus on the now…

I never believed in New Year’s resolutions until last year; I set some goals to accomplish and if I’m being completely honest, I failed at completing most of those goals. I had a great start, made even through September, then something changed: I lost focus. I was focusing so much on things I could not control that I lost sight of the things I could control. This year will different (clique, I know).

I’m dedicating this year to me: to making me better, to being at peace, to taking care of myself in ways I’ve never done. Here are some mantras I plan to live by in 2019.

1. “Being too tired is not an excuse” Full-time job, full-time mom, full-time wife, full-time side hustle: I’m always working and I’m always tired. My blog is my passion and my baby that I birthed in 2017. I NEED to work on my craft and I will. Whatever you want to work on this week, this month, this year please stick to it and push through on the days you’re “too tired.” You’ll always be tired, but your vision is more important. Your future is depending on you.
2. “Just be yourself” Now this is another cliche but be patient. I am not the same person as I was last year before I got married, definitely not the same person I was 3 years ago before I became a mom or 5 years when I was in college. I have changed so much it scares me sometimes. I’m constantly struggling with the decisions I make thinking “Is this really what I would do?” or “what was I thinking?” There’s a constant struggle between the old me and the new me and I’ve made it to point where I’m accepting that I’ve changed. Have you noticed that you’ve been moving differently, or making decisions that are new to you, or even taking risks that keep you up at night? Embrace the growth and LIVE sis.
3. “If you can’t control it, don’t worry about it” When I first started my career, I would come home stressed, upset, and overwhelmed. My husband(boyfriend at the time) would ask “what can you do to change the situation?” and most of the time my answer would be that it was out of my control. He helped me to realize that I was really stressed about something that wasn’t going to change even if I was stressing over it all night. Even some new situations have me stressed and anxious and he had to talk me through this mindset again. Make sure you’re putting your energy into the right battles and those battles will be won. Don’t stress about things you can’t control.
4. “Take care of yourself” I am constantly on the go with working and mothering and grocery shopping and more working that I forget to drink, forget to eat, and forget to REST. Sometimes you just need a couple days of good rest to reset and refocus and you deserve that. Never let anyone make you feel bad for making time for yourself.
5. “You are STRONG, you are HARD-WORKING, you are BEAUTIFUL, you are WORTH IT” I say this one over and over throughout everyday, especially when I’m stressed or overwhelmed. After watching Girls Trip last year, I was a little embarrassed that I didn’t have a personal mantra like this one to get me through those rough moments.

No matter where you are in your life right now or where you plan to go. No matter if you’re an Issa D or a Michelle Obama or just a girl trying to make it, keep pushing, keep living, keep fighting for YOU!

Until next time…