Kassie's Column: New Year, New Mindset

 It’s that time of the year again.

You know what time of the year I am referring to because you’ve seen it on your timeline and in your newsfeeds for the last week or so.

The time for all the 'New Year, New Me' posts has arisen. Or the things I'm doing different in the new year posts.

But check it. For this to manifest, a key element must be present. The mindset has to be changed.

Listen, this is the key.

How do I know this? I had to do it to get to where I am today. I had to do it to allow my purpose to be revealed. I had to do it for peace of mind.

Change starts in the mind.

Think about it. Pun intended.

Let’s examine exercising. You’ve decided that in 2023, you’re going to incorporate consistent exercise into your life. Your health isn’t where it needs to be, and your doctor has been encouraging you to begin a fitness regimen. You have kids you want to see grow up and become old so you say you are going to do it for them.

You start out strong in January. You’re in the gym five times a week for an hour. You’re feeling good. You’re taking your lunch to work. You’re eating so much salad you are resembling a garden.

Everything is flowing smoothly until mid-February when you are put in charge of a major project at work. Your work hours are longer. You’re exhausted by the time you leave work. And it’s cold.

Working out as a priority slowly fades to black. You look up and the month of May is upon you. And that energy you had in January has disappeared. You think about the results you didn’t see. You think about the progress you didn’t make. You think about the goals you didn’t reach.

You look up again and it’s December 31.

What just happened?

I can tell you what happened. Even though this is one example, it happens across many spectrums.

Your mindset was wrong.

You changed your actions, but did you change your thoughts?

Our minds are sponges. They soak up a lot.

But what are you allowing it to soak up?

What did you tell yourself when everything changed because of work?

Did you say to yourself - "It is always something."

Did you say to yourself - "I am never going to lose this weight."

Did you say to yourself - "I will start up again when I have time."

If you said any of these things, then you’ve already defeated yourself before you had a chance to begin again.

We can be our own worst enemies - speaking death over our own lives.

Listen. Life isn’t perfect and that is one of the beauties of it. The ups, downs, round, and rounds teach us so much about ourselves.

But it’s what we tell ourselves in those moments that are tough, hard, and challenging which determine how far we go and if we reach our goals. And it tells us everything about how we view ourselves whether we want to acknowledge that or not.

My homey Che says it all the time, "Life is hard." It can be but that is not a bad thing. Hard does not have to be a negative because many good things come out of hard times.

Hard times breed resiliency, determination, strength, courage, generosity, creativity, humility, passion, compassion, perseverance, kindness, grace, and love. They help to pull out the good in you if you allow them too. They also help to reveal those ugly parts that need to be eliminated, redirected, or reworked. Do not fight them, embrace them. But embrace them with a thought process that you can overcome whatever obstacle you are facing.

Tell yourself that! Tell yourself how awesome and amazing you are. Tell yourself you are an overcomer. Tell yourself that you will accomplish that goal or dream. Tell yourself you will lose the weight. Tell yourself you will eat healthier. Tell yourself you will become a better you in 2023.

Then, don’t get upset when you have a "setback." That’s life. And life happens. Remember it’s not perfect. But what sets you apart is how you respond to it. If you beat yourself down about it then you’ve wasted time you cannot get back. But if you say to yourself, "You know what self, you didn’t get it done today but you get another chance tomorrow. You can do this!" you will be more likely to get it done than you would be had you taken the other route.

YOU CAN DO THIS!!! The real reward is in the journey not the destination.

Cheers to 2K23 and those renewed, positive mindsets that are going to propel you forward into your destiny!