23 Things I Learned In 2023
If You’ve Prayed For It Prepare For It
I don’t have to tell you, because you already know, the years are flying by. I can’t believe we have made it to see another year. Happy New Year, I’m excited for all that 2024, has in store! 2023 was an interesting year for me; it had a lot of highs, but even some lows. Through it all, I can’t complain about anything that happened last year. I had some really big wins in 2023, but I also hit my financial lowest in 2023. You can say what you want about what happened last year, but if you’re reading this, you’re alive which means you’ve made it past the threshold to see a new year. Whether 2023 was your best or even worse year, you should be grateful to have made it thru. It’s still air in your lunges which means you can make 2024 even better. My pastor preached about a reflective pause that you must do when ending one year and entering a new one. It’s time for reflection and preparation. You can’t prepare for a new year without reflecting on the prior one.
So many people are planning and goal setting for 2024, people are making vision boards and preparing for the year ahead. I challenge you to take some inventory during this time. Take some time to prepare for this new year. I’m a firm believer in if you prayed for it, you need to prepare for it, which means make room for the blessing to happen. Take some time to sit and think about how you want YOUR 2024 to be. Ask yourself questions like: Where do I want to be on this day, next year? What are some things I want to accomplish this year? How do I want to evolve this year? What are some routines that can help me accomplish my goals this year? What are some things I need to add in my life to be better? How do I want my finances to look this year? What’s my focus for this year? Break the year into quarters and plan how each quarter will look financially, mentally, physically, personally, and business wise if you have one. Proper planning prevents poor performance.
You can’t prepare for the new year, without reflecting on the old one. Depending on how your year was, it might be hard to reflect, but I promise it’s crucial if you want to grow. Look at how 2023, was overall. What’s some things you did well and areas you dropped the ball? What are you proud of? What didn’t you get to accomplish? What were the best and worse moments from last year? I completed the Year Compass Workbook (click here to download your own, it's free,) and it was such an amazing reflection. Take some time to complete it. Don’t feel rushed, if it takes you all January to reflect on the previous year, and to prepare for the new one, that’s ok. As I was doing this, I came up with lessons I learned last year. There were many lessons I learned, but I wanted to share some with you. Here’s 23 lessons I learned in 2023.
- Stop and Truly Be Present (When it’s all over, all that we have are our memories)
2. Family Is A Priority (Don’t put anybody or anything before your loved ones)
3. Keep Your Space Clean & Organized (When living in filth, your life on the outside will reflect that)
4. It’s Ok To Say No (Still learning this- You saying yes may be the crutch holding somebody back)
5. Be Mindful The Advice You Take (I’m not saying don’t consider it, but follow your own mind)
6. Enjoy The Journey (This is cliché, but you have to find joy along the way rather than the destination)
7. Be Mindful What You Digest (the things you intake or listen to have more influence than you think)
8. If It Scares You, Do It (Nothing illegal, but you have to break your comfort zone)
9. Do You, Even If It’s Different (This world tries force people in a box, you don’t have to follow the crowd)
10. Fall In love With Yourself (We’re constantly evolving and you have to love each stage you’re in)
11. Take Faith-based Risks (When things are aligned, ask God and take the risk)
12. Don’t Just Buy The Book, Read It (I’m good for buying a book and reading one page, actually read it)
13. Throw It Away (If you haven’t worn or used it in over two years, you don’t want it)
14. Get Up & Go To Church (I know you can watch online, but it’s something about going in the building)
15. You’re No Different (You’re able to do anything someone you look up to can do, just go after it)
16. Nothing Lasts Forever (When things are bad this is key, but even when things are good, things will change)
17. Make The Call (If someone crosses your mind, call or text them & let them know you’re thinking of them)
18. Be Kind (Whether you’re talking to a stranger, or loved one, it costs you $0 to simply be kind)
19.You’re Waiting On God, But He’s Waiting On You (You can’t just pray for it, you have to work for it)
20. You Haven’t Forgiven If You’re Still Holding On (God says to forgive & forget; moving on isn’t forgiving)
21. Moderation Is Key (Whether it’s good or bad, too much of anything is bad)
22. You Don’t Work Better Under Pressure (This is a lie your brain says so you can procrastinate)
23. Nothing Is By Accident (God uses everything in each season to prepare you and give you tools for the next one)
Happy New Year! I pray this year, brings you joy, happiness, clarity, and any more of your hearts desires. I pray that this is the year for transformation from the inside out. This year will be the same, if you don’t change you. Take some time to pause and reflect while you prepare for this new year!
