New Year, New Me, Yeah Right!

How many times do we hear the same thing at the end of every year, "New Year, New Me"?

January 1st comes around, where we get the momentum to push towards our goals. It's that time of year where we want to look and feel better. We want to travel(see the world), hit the gym, spend money on weight loss pills and potions. Maybe, we want to go to back to school, get a better job, have more money in the bank, or build stronger relationships.

WHATEVER IT IS! The New Year has the ability to make what seems impossible, POSSIBLE!

I mean there is nothing wrong with being excited about a second or third chance to make things different from last year or the year before. Nothing wrong with making a change for the better.

Why? Because we all want better! And, whether we decide to wait till the end, the middle or any time of the year to take steps to improve ourselves we should be able to do this freely without people already having doubt our ability to follow through.

So the question is how do we follow through? The following explains how we can slowly and surely pursue our goals and see them through fruition.

1. Pick one goal to accomplish at a time.
If you want to change your life or your lifestyle don’t try to change the whole thing at once. It won’t work. Instead, pick one area of your life to change and go from there.

Make sure to make it something that is concrete so you know exactly what change you’re planning to make. If you’re successful with the first change you can go ahead and make another change after a month or so.

By making small changes one after the other, you still have the chance to be a whole new you at the end of 2016 and it’s a much more realistic way of doing it.

Ask yourself what’s the one habit you most want to change?

2. Plan ahead
To ensure your success, you should research the changes you’re making and plan ahead so you have the resources available when you need them.

Speaking of resources try reading up on the goals you're looking to accomplish – Place like the library and the internet has a wealth of information from quitting smoking, taking up running or yoga to becoming vegan that can help you prepare for it.

3. Prepare yourself for problems ahead
There will be problems so make a list of what they’ll be. Once you’ve identified the times that will probably be hard work out ways to cope with them when they inevitably crop up.

4. Pick a start date
Let's be real sometimes picking a date doesn’t work. It’s better to wait until your whole mind and body are fully ready to take on the challenge. You’ll know when it is when the time comes.

5. Go for it
Make a commitment and write it down on a card or if you're like me, write it down in your phone's notepad. All you'll need is one short phrase that's it. Keep it on your phone, in your wallet or the wall for positive reinforcement.

Your note should have affirmations like:
I stay calm and in control even under times of stress.
I’m committed to learning how to run my own business.
I meditate daily. All is well in my world.

6. Accept failure
You will fall down but get up don't stay there long. Perseverance is the key to success. Try again, keep trying and you will succeed.


7. Plan rewards
Small rewards are great ways to keep you going during the hardest of times. After you've worked on your goals for a consistent period of time, treat yourself to something that makes you happy.

Whatever your plans and goals are for 2016. I wish you continued success and blessings. Remember, it’s your life and you make of it what you want.

Decide what you want to do in 2016, plan how to get it and go for it.

Slowly, surely, I walk away from seeking approval.
Slowly, surely, I walk away from regret and disappointments.
Slowly, surely, I walk away from people with psychotic and passive aggressive behavior.
Slowly, surely, I walk away from settling for less.
Slowly, surely, I walk away from unforgiveness.
Slowly, surely, I walk away from caring too much.
Slowly, surely, I walk away from fear.

For the fall season, I had a chance to watch a show that I now consider to be one of my favorites "Black Ink Chicago." And let me say before I get started the cast of this show, (both the men and women) are some good looking brother's and sister's, I mean natural beauty, no enhancements (which to me is refreshing to see on reality tv these days). Aside from looks is their substance mixed with a little ratchet which keeps me tuned in.

Phor, one of the characters on the show is a tattoo artists and rapper. On an episode of "Black Ink Chicago" Phor meets with his client who is an aspiring athlete graduating from high school to further his football career in college. Inspired by his clients determination as Phor started tattooing, he began to give his testimony.

Phor spoke candidly about how his mother pursued a "male-driven occupation" as a contractor, despite trials and tribulations and worked tirelessly to make ends meet for her family.

Towards the end of his testimony, Phor continues to praise his mother for not giving up, contributing her efforts as the reason for his success today.

What Phor said touched me so much that I too began to think about my situation and, my relationship with my children (specifically my oldest two because they are now seventeen and eighteen years old). I started to wonder if my children were proud of me? I wondered if my past failures and successes inspired or impaired them? I wanted to be assured that what we've been through as a family somehow strengthened them to be responsible contributing citizens to this place called life.

I went on to think further than myself. I thought, if my children were able to take what they've learned and become contributing citizens in this world, then my mother can also rest in heaven easy having known that she too has a child who took what she has learned and is the best person she can be today. That child I speak of without question is me.

Go to the dictionary, look up "Grind" and you will see Emily J Parrott.

How did she grind you might ask? Easy! When she decided to raise two babies at the age of seventeen, when she stop depending on welfare, when she went back to school to gain her GED, when she pursued her career as a nurse, when she came in late after working twelve-hour shifts, when she worked twelve hours and, still had enough energy to make a hot meal for her family.

Another lesson I credit my mother for having given me is knowing that I cannot grind out here on my own strength. I learned early on that to get through tough times I had to seek a higher source.

Now, whether you praised (Jesus, God, Yahweh, Jehovah, Allah or Tupac) was your business but, as for my mother, she was committed to staying connected to God.

I can count on my hands how many times my family and I walked into a building to worship but,what my mother did for me (I don't think she consciously knew she was doing this) but, she help me to see God bigger than four walls, bigger than you and I because she didn't set limits to how we understood God which gave my sibling's and I room to embrace Him as we saw fit.

Grinding while staying connected continues to help me to this day. And, as I pass the torch to my children, prayerfully they too will pass great lesson's on to their kids for many generations to come.

With all that has been said. It is my desire that we as parents stop wondering if we could've done better for our kids and rest in knowing all things work for the greater good.  As we watch our children grow, let's take the time to notice the strengths they have inherited from our efforts because, we have now created responsible contributing citizens to this life.  In our kids eyes as long as we're trying, there can be no mistakes.

So let's pat ourselves on the back and give ourselves a big bear hug for a job well done.  Our children will fall that is how they learn but, like our parents and us, they too will get back up, dust themselves off and keep trying and if they have children guess what? They too will see great efforts made on their behalf and make an impact in this world too. We have to keep the faith, grind and trust the process.

Wishing you all the best,
Aneesah Morine

In loving Memory of My Mother Emily J Parrott
1960-1998

I <3 this show!!