BONNE ANNÉE

As the year comes to a rapid close, I have been taking stock of all I have learned, the growth I have achieved and what could be done better as I move on to the new year. The turn of the new year could help some feel like they could turn things around or do better with their desired goals. I learned today that out of the 129 million Americans who make New Year resolutions, only 8% manage to achieve their goals in the year.

While New Year resolutions are great, I tend to think they should happen at the end of a learning phase in people’s lives. It is the best way to achieve paramount success. You simply evaluate your life and fix whatever is not working right or at least make an attempt to do so. Setting realistic goals and evaluating them quarterly or whatever works for you- weekly or monthly, is one of the best ways to achieve desired goals. New Year or not.

One of my resolutions is striving to seriously not care about what people think of me. This statement is deeper than what you just read. To be honest this one thing could reshape anyone’s life for the greater good. At least I hope to one day come back and read this blog and be glad I made this one resolution and did one other thing right. All the time I spend patching up my weaknesses and shortcomings with temporary masks of perfection, could be spent being honest about my brokenness and getting the necessary help where needed.

I finally figured out the scripture “God gives grace to the humble”. How about we switch it up to “God gives grace to the honest”. I had taken pride in stating that honesty is the creed I live by, but I realized that I’ve been dishonest about my own wounds for so long. In fact, pride is not far away from who I am. I pride in my strength and I had put multiple bandaids on my wounds for years until I started to understand Grace. Walking in Grace is walking in freedom.

A few weeks ago, I posted a random question on Instagram about who we think we are, who people say we are vs who we truly are..
This question dealt with me personally as I came to see the relevance of how this shapes a person’s life. It is unnecessary pressure to focus on what people say or think of you. You will never win that battle, except you are ready to live for people’s opinions for the rest of your life.

Hubby and I started the show “Travelers,” and we saw how historical records and social media posts are far from the reality of our everyday lives.
The travelers are people from the future traveling back in time to save the world from impending peril and doom centuries from now. They choose their hosts by taking over their consciousness just before their historical time of death. I think it was hysterical that some of their hosts had “fake/falsified” information that jeopardized the mission of the travelers. To the world you are one version of who you say you are and to your family you are a different version. Ultimately when we are alone, we are the true version of us. Alone, angry or happy and peaceful. Content or insatiable.

What a world? Everyone is either perfect or we are a dishonest bunch angrily expecting the same of every person encountered. Pastor Ryan spoke so powerfully today as he spoke about what I had written for today’s blog. It was like a sign for me. I sat there listening and confirming what I needed to do better for myself. If I did this one thing for myself, every other person would benefit from the real me.

I want to challenge my readers as we enter into the new year to spend time evaluating who we are now vs who we aspire to be. Not because society or religion demands it, but because it is important for self awareness and success in all areas of our lives.

Do these things for you in 2018 and beyond

Be honest
Be real
Be self aware
Be confident
Be happy
Be humble
Be loving
Be cheerful
Be peaceful
Be kind
Be YOU

I hope to see you all on the other side soon!

HAPPY NEW YEAR

And lastly, thank you for always reading.

Love,
Kemi Gwan
A woman called Grace.