Happy New Year! I’m a week late, but the year’s still new, so 🤷🏽‍♀️. I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and had a chance to spend time with loved ones. I did and I also created a vision board. I’ve never done one before. It was interesting to witness my perfectionism unfold right before my eyes 🤦🏽‍♀️. It’s been an especially great time because I’m overcome with anticipation of what the year will bring.

This year I’m focusing on writing my first novel 😱. My emotions range from excitement to fear, but mostly excitement. Who knew that lil ole me would have the audacity to write a novel?

Facing the unknown seems daunting, but I’ve grown so much over these past couple of years that I’m not paralyzed by fear. I’m going to kick fear’s ass (Yeah, I know that sounds cheesy, but 🤷🏽‍♀️). My faith won’t allow me to be afraid. That doesn’t mean I’m never afraid or I don’t have moments of doubt. It simply means I won’t wallow in fear and miss out on great opportunities that can only come my way if I make steps toward achieving my goals.

I know this might come across as the typical new year/new you type of thing, but this is really a mindset that we should adopt every day. It’s not just something we should put on a list. Choosing to find joy in everything, loving yourself (or self-care), and pursuing your dreams takes strength and encourage every single day. We have to be proactive in order to achieve our goals and conquer our fears. It’s a journey.

There will be times when we’re on cloud nine, strutting our stuff, and doing the damn thing. Then there are moments when we stumble and a small seed of doubt threatens to cripple us. What makes this a journey and not just a resolution is our ability to get back up when we fall. We dust ourselves off and keep going. We don’t give up and run back to a place of comfort.

Comfort is great, but when your desire is for more than what you have, more than who you currently are, you have to accept that you’re going to be uncomfortable. You can’t get to where you want to be without a little blood, sweat, and tears.

I used to set New Year’s resolutions, break them, and give up. This year I’m coming with goals. There isn’t much difference between the two words, but there’s something about changing the wording that makes me feel like less of a failure 😂.

I know the road I’m on won’t be smooth and pain-free. I’m fully aware of the vulnerable position I’m putting myself in. However, I know my goals are attainable and the only one who can really stop me from reaching them is me.

Circumstances beyond our control can muddle the timeline we’ve set. As long as you get back on track you’re still in the right position for achieving your goals.

My awesome, fantastic first novel has a timeline, but I won’t beat myself up or let anyone make me feel like a failure if there are delays. This is going to be a HUGE learning process. I won’t rush into it, nor will I have a blasé attitude about it. I just can’t wait to begin the project, then be in the midst of a project more serious than one of my writing exercises.

Right now I’m a big ball of “I’m the Queen of the World!” as I conquer mountainous terrains. I wouldn’t be surprised if I sang a different tune of “What the hell did I get myself into?” when I feel overwhelmed. I’m okay with that because I’m not giving up. That’s the point, right? I can’t get to the finish line unless I plow through the mud and grime. When my dreams come to fruition, I’ll look back on the experience and say it was all worth it.

So, have you set goals that’ll bring you closer to achieving your dreams? Do you have a plan in place to get you through those times when you feel insecure or unsure?