“It was a hard year–I was dealing with depression,” Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs told Instagram followers on New Year’s Eve. This statement is undoubtedly the echo from many– 2019 was a rough one.
While you may have experienced a year of hardship, you must evaluate everything you’ve walked through because it will help you to uncover the pattern of your life and reveal the strategies you need to win in this new season.
This last decade has brought about many beautiful gifts into my life; I got married to my best friend, gave birth to three additional angels, and became a full-time entrepreneur. I completed some of my travel bucket list picks, but some dark days almost caused me to forget the beauty created along the journey. I have made up my mind that I will not allow the experiences that haunted me in the last ten years to hinder me in this new decade. It feels like I got a ‘do-over’ a second chance to get it right.
If how I started this year is any indication about the flow of 2020 for my life, then I’m on the right track.
Here are seven keys I received from Oprah Winfrey:
- The sun always rises.
Oprah shared a story about how she’s always excited to open her blinds every morning because one thing is sure is that the sun will rise. Sometimes because of the storms in our lives, we forget that joy comes in the morning. The constant in pain is that eventually, the pain will go away, and that should give us hope to continue on even while life is pressing us. - When you get clear, everything clears up. Where there is no vision, the people perish. Do not go through life without a plan. Write the vision and be intentional about accomplishing your goals.
- Be present –set boundaries. Being present tells the person that they are essential to you. We must set boundaries and teach others how to respect them. You don’t need to answer a text or email right away! When it’s all said and done, we only have the moment we’re in, so treasure it and be present.
- Life is not a straight line. Our lives have constant movement and change, and we only have power in our stream. Accept the moment for what it is, then decide what you’ll do about it.
- God will exceed your expectations. Oprah shared a story about when she lived in a little house in Mississipi. Oprah dreamed of having a home with six trees in the yard but now lives on a fantastic property with 3,000 trees. Yes, she’s Oprah, she paid someone to count every tree in her yard. What we want for ourselves are pennies when compared to what God has for us!
- Be still. Find time every day to pray, meditate, practice gratitude, and serve others. Martin Luther King Jr said, Not everyone can be famous, but everyone can be great because greatness is determined by service.
- You are powerful beyond measure. There was once a time when Oprah shrank every time someone said, who does she think she is, and soon realized that she was doing the world a disservice when she didn’t accept how powerful she is. Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.-Marianne Williamson.
“The true meaning of courage is to be afraid–and then, with your knees knocking and your heart racing, take a leap anyway. Let’s make 2020 the year of transformation and triumph. Beginning first and foremost with what makes us well.”
Oprah
Nothing changes until something changes, and the first thing to change must be our minds, and only then will our lives follow.