New Decade, New Me

A new decade bellows – “Hello, it’s 2020! A cool looking number, seem like a harbinger?”

A voice in my head tells me that it’s not just another new year. It’s a defining decade.

Now is a good time to have a pregnant pause. Why? “Because it’s a new season and there’s need to set the ball rolling already.”

Typical of every new year, old things are passed away and all things have become new. SugarRush is the order of the season.

Okay, calm down, let’s make sure the ball is in good condition and our stage is prepped to keep the ball rolling. A new you is not just new goals and resolutions but new mindsets and principles to guide you in the new year.

At the beginning of every year, a lot of men and women peek into high heavens, make pleasant plans and progressive projections while some resort to robust resolutions, which are incredible ingredients for a great year. Except that studies have shown that only 25% of people stay true to their resolutions after 30 days, and only 8% accomplish them. I strongly believe there should be a cure for this trend, you really don’t want to be part of that statistic. And if you have been doing great with your plans, visions and resolutions, this is a year you want to scale up and a have grander vision.

You may ask, “How do I go about this herculean process of planning and pursuing a grander vision for the new year and by extension, the new decade?” Ponder on these four nuggets:

Make It Plain: Then the Lord answered me and said, “Write the vision, and engrave it plainly on tablets so that the one who read it will run. Habbakuk 2:2

Visioning is key to the actualization of any great task. Every invention and innovation is a product of imagination. God’s plans and purposes are often downloaded in form of ‘visions’, this does not necessarily have to be a dream, trance or ‘angelic visitation’ of sort. It could be an idea, a simple thought or a deep desire. One way you can make it plan is by writing down your ‘imaginations’ or goals in clear terms and placing them in a location where you can always make reference to them. It is also good to set timelines for your goals and develop a good strategy for accountability. Suffice to say here that your goals must be SMARTER (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound, Enriching, Rewarding).

However, designing a Vision Board is another fantastic way to make it plain; a vision board is basically a collage of images, inscriptions and/or words used as a visualization tool. The images and words can be printed out, written cut out from magazine pages.

How to have a workable vision board:

a. Reflect: ponder on the kind of life you desire in the new decade till you have clearly outlined goals to be achieved.

b. Collect: gather some magazines and cut out images, phrases and quotes that resonate with your goals. You can also search online and print out relevant photos and words.

c. Connect: get a cardboard or any solid board and stick the images, quotes and phrases on it with gum – in a creative/meaningful manner.

d. Display the completed vision board in a conspicuous spot where you can view it at least once a day, preferably in your bedroom. You can take a picture of your vision board with your smartphone and use it as your wallpaper and/or as display picture on social media platforms.

After the vision has been made plain, what next?

Map Out a Strategy: it is not enough to have a great vision; it is important to have an action plan. You may have a vision to start a business, get promoted, change jobs, get employed, get married, lose weight, spend more time with your spouse or children, build a rich relationship, whatever your goal may be. Write down specific actions that will help you achieve your goals and set timelines for those actions.
Make Time for Divine Supplications: Every good intention and ambition require divine intervention. The place of prayers cannot be overemphasized in a world filled with distractions and uncertainties. Commit your goals into God’s hands. He is the Master planner of the universe.
Make Up Your Mind: “A river cuts through a rock not because of its power but because of its persistence” – it is important to note that at some point or the other, you may fall short of your plans or fail to meet your target. Pick yourself up and keep pushing. Fail forward; always remember the reason why you started in the first place and focus on where you are headed.

Finally, no matter what you set out to achieve this year; no matter the obstacles and oppositions you face, know that you are a mobile miracle – happen to life every day!

Written by Adeleke Adeite