At this very moment, 2022 has become 2023 and people all around the are saying “Happy New Year.” People are reflecting on 2022 and planning great and wonderful things for 2023. Today, I am jumping on the bandwagon as well. Sit back and check out my thoughts on 2022 and my plans for 2023.
I Didn’t Get it All Done and I am Not Ashamed
I did not have a perfect 2022 when it comes to my business. There were several goals that did not reach. There are some areas where I came up short. There are things I should have accomplished, that I did not accomplish. Some of my dreams did not come true. If I am going to be honest, I know where the blame for the failures should be placed. It should be placed squarely at my own feet. When I did not work my plan, my plan did not work.
There are many ways I could react to how 2022 played out. I could make up excuses. There are a million excuses I could toss out. I could also hang my head in shame. But I won’t. I’m already carrying too much to pick up some shame. If your 2022 was like mine, don’t pick up shame. Take a moment and look at things very differently.
When you succeed, be happy. Hold your head up high. Enjoy the success that you have worked for and earned. On the other hand when you fail. When things do not go as you plan, remember all that you are carrying. When you do, realize that you are carrying too much to pick up some shame and go forward. Revamp where needed. Revise when needed. Do whatever you need to do to push forward. But, no matter what you do, do not pick up shame, that is a burden you do not have room to carry.
The reality is, that there are negative people, thoughts, and circumstances that come up every day. I did not want these things to bother me. I did not want the negative to rule my day or my life. I wanted those things gone. It is a non-negotiable matter. It is my strong and fervent belief that words have power. Therefore if I say the negative has to go, it will go.
A few weeks ago I took stock of my plans for the year and what I achieved on that list. In many ways, I succeeded. In many ways, I came up short. I sat down and took stock of things. I reviewed the key performance indicators. I discovered what the problem was in the areas where I came up short. The problem in every area was me. I didn’t do the work. I didn’t work smart and instead worked hard in the wrong places.
One thing I know about myself is that if I want something and work for it, I achieve it. Therefore the success I wanted and was not achieving was the fault of no one but myself. The lyrics in this song remind me that as Jesse Jackson once said, “if my mind can conceive it, and my heart can believe it, then I can achieve it.”
I am looking forward to 2023 and beyond. I am looking forward to all the wonderful things I will do. I will carry many things over the course of the next 12 months, but one of them will never be shame. One of the things that has always made me feel better in my business pursuits is working with a soundtrack.
Get a Theme Song for Your Business
One thing I am bringing with me into 2023 was a playlist of songs. Many people select words at the beginning of each year to guide their actions throughout the year. The words are selected with care concern and hope for the future. I do something a little different. I select songs to guide me each year. For 2023 I have selected “As” by Stevie Wonder, “Out My House” by CeCe Winans and “Soulmate” by BLizzo, and “My Shot” by Lin-Manuel Miranda. These songs I have selected to help guide me in 2020 have words that speak to my head and my heart.
From the song, “As,” the following words caught my attention:
We all know sometimes life’s hates and troubles
Can make you wish you were born in another time and space
But you can bet your life times that and twice its double
That God knew exactly where he wanted you to be placed.
The song “Out my House” gave me the following words:
God is for me so I’m not afraid
My escape is already made
And His life it was the price He paid (Price He paid)
“Soulmate” gave me the words:
‘Cause I’m my own soulmate
I know how to love me
I know that I’m always gonna hold me down
Yeah, I’m my own soulmate
No, I’m never lonely
I know I’m a queen, but I don’t need no crown
The final song from my 2023 playlist, “My Shot” gave me the words:
Don’t be shocked when your hist’ry book mentions me
I will lay down my life if it sets us free
Eventually, you’ll see my ascendancy
These songs are on a special Spotify playlist and I will listen to them when I wake up each morning in order to get my day off to a positive and strong start. From experience, I know that if things get hard during the course of the day, listening to my special playlist will give me a boost. I have always been encouraged, inspired, and motivated by music. When I start my day with my official playlist for the year, I am always reminded that I can succeed if I put in the work and the music encourages me to put in the work.
Want to read more about motivation and getting things done? Check out the following:
Take Action Now and Get Healthy All Over– While it is important to have good physical health, we must also strive to have good health mentally, emotionally, sexually, spiritually, and financially. Click here to read more.
and
Inspiration – Find it and Use it to Take Action Now When you know what inspires you, you can use it to take action now and get things done. Click here to read more.
Also, check out our Confidence Tip of the Day YouTube channel for hundreds of videos on creating the confidence you need to succeed.
Be like Janus and look both backward and forward.
As I enter 2023 I am excited. There are great and wonderful things on the horizon for me. I have established lines of business that I expect to be profitable. I have brand new lines of business that I hope will be profitable. In all that I do, I plan to keep away negative thoughts and ideas. When negative thoughts, ideas, and people come along, I will show them to the door – literally and figuratively.
At the same time, as I go into 2023 I will be ever mindful of my part in my success or failure. I will look carefully at what I want. There will be lots of hard work. I will grind it out each day until I own the success I dream of attaining. I am responsible for myself and my actions. Because I am the star of my show, I decide the outcome. That is a beautiful feeling.
Take a moment now to be like the Greek god Janus looking forward and backward. Evaluate 2022. Look back with reasoned, objective, and experienced eyes. What were your highs and lows? Can you identify the teachable moments you experienced? After your backward reflection, look forward to December 31, 2023. What do you want to see on December 31, 2023? Now figure out the steps you have to take to get to that ending point?
It is wonderful to wake up, say “Happy New Year” and realize that the world is your oyster and that you can make it what you want it to be. So grab a fork and eat it up!
