How to Make 2023 YOUR Year!

We are nearing the end of 2022. How did you do in accomplishing some of your goals?  Most importantly, what did you do for YOU?  I feel 2023, is going to be a great year and I have started to plan for it now. Pandemic fears are almost nonexistent and life does not seem so uncertain. It is time to take a deep breath and start dreaming again. 

Are you Listening to YOU?

What is gnawing at your soul? You may feel like starting a new career, changing some of your goals for your existing career, or even starting your own business. It might be doing things for your physical and mental health or improving your relationships. Whatever it is, get honest with yourself and ask, “What do YOU want for YOU?” Carve out some time to think and reflect.  Brainstorm before the new year starts and write down your ideas. For a few years your life may have felt like it was on hold as you waited for everything from COVID to settle down. Think of 2023 as the year for you to blossom and put direction and purpose back into your life! 

What are you telling Yourself? 

You have to listen to what you want. However, equally important, you also have to be aware of the negative messages your brain sends to you. Have you ever had a dream, but keep telling yourself all the reasons why you “shouldn’t” or “couldn’t” do it? So many times the word “can’t” overtakes and amplifies to the point where your dreams never get the wings they need to take flight. When you write down your ideas, listen specifically for the word “can’t.” Write down why you feel you ”can’t” or what your fears are.  Are these real concerns or just a fabricated fears. Every time you hear them; don’t ignore, instead confront them. Start to retrain your brain and begin to confront the word “can’t” and all the excuses you are making. Discount them for exactly what they are; falsehoods.  If you don’t, this negativity, will  amplifying and squelch your dreams before they get a chance to start.

Take a Look at Realty

Once you get done erasing the fabricated fears, begin to look at the obstacles you may have that are real. When I started Pathways as a nonprofit, one of my fears was the legal aspects of creating a nonprofit. We had to do a lot of legal documents and we had no funds to do it. My fabricated fear was I did not have the ability to do any of this. I knew nothing about nonprofits and was completely overwhelmed. I told myself, “I can’t do this.” The reality was, I did not know how, but I had plenty of friends and a large network of people. I finally decide to send my plan to anyone who would listen and asked for help. Amazingly, many people responded. A law firm volunteered to do the entire nonprofit pro-bono. We also had a few people who gave donations in order to help us to get started. Getting rid of the fabricated fears and taking the first step toward overcoming the real obstacles got Pathways started and kept us going toward the dreams we have today. 

Pathways just celebrated or 20th anniversary on November 2, 2022.  We have hit so many obstacles it would take days to tell you all of them. Most of them looked insurmountable even without the fabricated fears! When this happens, I always go back to the basics. Write down my dreams, filter out the fabricated fears, and start taking small steps toward overcoming the real obstacles. There have been many times I have had to readjust my dreams, take some unforeseeable detours, and become willing to ask for help.  Every day is a new new challenge, but how I respond to them can make all the difference!

Begin listening to that gnawing at your soul. I know that 2023 holds huge promise as we all work back from a few years of unprecedented fear and uncertainty from COVID. Fasten your seatbelt and get to work writing down what YOU want. Then cross off the fabricated fears and start retraining your brain.  Stop suppressing your thoughts with all the fabricated fears. Obstacles will always be there, but get back to the basics of why you are here on this earth. Find your why and begin to make 2023 the year where you resolutely set out to make your dreams a reality!