The dust has settled from the holiday, and it’s now time for me to start focusing in on the upcoming new year. I have to say that setting goals and writing them down is one of my favorite things to do. I have a couple, yes a couple, new planners ready to be marked up with dates, goals, notes, etc. I’ve always had an obsession with journals & planners. I think part of it is the pretty designs and the other part is the art of writing things down.
Sure, I have my iPhone and a notepad on there, but the feeling of physically using a pen or pencil to write things down, is no comparison to typing on a tiny keypad. I’ve always been a list maker and need to have a paper list in front of me especially if I am grocery shopping. You won’t find me staring at a list on my phone, I’m bound to forget something!
The new year also brings up talk of resolutions. You know, talk about how you’re going to lose all this weight, how you’re going to get into the best shape of your life…we’ve all been there done that. I don’t remember now how many years ago I gave up setting up a “resolution.” I had countless years before and guess what, I never made good on them. In the first three months of the year I may have, but come June, everything I resolved to do on Jan 1, was well out the window.
At this point in my life, I feel as though I’ve gotten a much better handle on being realistic. And I like to set intentions for myself. I stay away from making big goals in terms of physical health, because for me personally, it’s not healthy for my thought process. Instead I like to look at things at a big picture and determine, what can I do in life that will overall impact multiple areas of my life in a positive manner? I also will update my vision board for the new year as well. I was amazed this past September when I looked at my goals and how many I actually had achieved, without really realizing and remembering they were on my board. It was quite a proud moment for myself as I took down the goals and placed a few new ones up there.
So, instead of focusing in on a “resolution” for 2019, I am choosing a word to hold on to. To use as somewhat of a mantra. My word for 2019 is BOLD. Some of the definitions of bold include: (of a person, action, or idea) showing an ability to take risks; confident and courageous. (of a color or design) having a strong or vivid appearance. fearless before danger. showing or requiring a fearless daring spirit.
Traditionally, if you’re someone who knows me, I play life pretty safe. I play by the rules. By no means do I think being bold means not playing by the rules. But it’s more so breaking out of a comfort zone and making moves that may result in a few failures before success.
So what do I hope to be bold with?
Leadership. 2019 is bringing a couple leadership opportunities my way. One in serving as President for a local non-profit group and another in paving a way for my own networking group within the community. When I think about the past, such as high school, I was involved in many groups but could be defined more a follower. I was content with staying in the shadows and going along with the majority, even if I did have an idea I may have thought I was better. I’m thankful I’ve grown from that and have respected myself enough to realize that if I have idea, it should at very least, be brought to light. You never know how you can change a situation without speaking up and letting your voice be heard. It may not always be taken into consideration, but knowing you tried, that’s the important part about it.
Trying New Things. I love to try new things, whether it’s a new type of cuisine I’ve never eaten, a new place by travel, or something different in the community. I think one of the best ways to grow as a person, is to try new things, even if you think you might not enjoy them. I feel like people often think they have to travel far and wide to discover new things, but one of my favorite ways to broaden my horizons is exploring things in a short proximity from where I live. There are no doubt places and activities right here in my city, that I haven’t discovered or given a try. I’d also like to try a legitimate hip hop dance class. It seems strange to take a dance class in you 30s, but I love music, I love to dance…so why not? Being bold in trying new things adds color to our lives.
Decisions. If you’ve read Rachel Hollis’ book Girl, Wash Your Face you’re familiar with the chapter that discusses being a “recovering people pleaser.” Yes, that is spot on me. I spent the majority of my life, doing things that would benefit everyone else, but myself. This eventually lead up to what I consider half of a mental breakdown and an awakening in my 30th year of life. This guided me to my counselor, who, by the way, is the most amazing lady. She helped me flip the switch on a lot of things in my life, including my “yes” attitude. It’s always been difficult to say no. That would include saying no to family, friends, colleagues, clients, etc. I always felt, and still do from time to time, that by saying no, I’m disappointing someone. And in reality, I might be, however, it was extremely important for me to realize that sometimes saying “no” is the best thing for ME. Burnout is real and let me tell you, it does not feel fun. Learning to be BOLD with my decision making, has been creating such a positive balance in my life & I plan to continue this and being even better at making decision in 2019.
Appearance. This is something I’ve been working on for a few years as well. Being bold in your appearance doesn’t mean you have to wear flashy items or clothing that are far out there. To me, being bold in your appearance, means not caring what society says you should and shouldn’t do with your hair, your clothing, your makeup, or your style. SO many of my friends will say “oh I can’t wear (some clothing piece) because _____” or “I could never pull that off”. Friends, especially the ladies reading, yes, you can pull of whatever you want. What you need though, is confidence and to know your self worth. When I started to focus more on what I wore that made me feel good, everything else just kind of came together. When I was worried about losing x amount of weight, I started to value myself on a whole new level. I decided that it didn’t matter what number was on a tag, if I liked the style, then I’d make sure it fit me properly, so I could wear it.
A few years ago I made the effort to wear lipstick, because I like it! And now, it’s one of my favorite ways to complete an outfit and look! I completely understand and respect that, as women, it’s not always easy to feel great about ourselves and our appearance. We have a whole lot of things telling us what we aren’t versus what we are. But I my hope for any woman in my life, is that you dress in a way that makes you feel beautiful and unstoppable. Because when you can walk out of your house feeling either one of those ways, you will have all the confidence you need for the day.
There you have it. I’m about to be BOLD in 2019. I look forward to the opportunities that may lie ahead of me. The new places I may discover. The new people I will connect with. I look forward to a brand new year to uncover one month at a time and to be open to what may be out there waiting for me. May 2019 bring you all the things you need to live boldly.
Photo by Dahli Durley Photography Bodysuit & Blazer by Eloquii Jeans by Old Navy Shoes by Free People
#success #bold #encouragement #motivation #gratitude #life #lifestyle