Thank You 2017, Hello 2018

2017…what a year! We were blessed with the official Black Panther movie trailer, Cardi B went No.1 on the Billboard 100 with a couple Grammy nominations and Harry & Meghan eradicating racism with the announcement of their engagement(!)

On a personal level, 2017 was a great year for growth!

I grew spiritually, physically, emotionally and mentally. Over the course of 2017 I was able to see dramatic improvement over being in control of my thoughts and actions. I thought hard before acting out, proactively managed my thoughts by being present and speaking positivity and encouragement over myself and others.

I worked on building new friendships and putting myself out there more. I was able to work on old ones too, maintaining friendships that I knew will not only bless me but I could also enrich. I really realised in 2017 that in this life we can’t survive as an island, we need to build strong connections with others who we can count on for help but also for good times and memories. I was also able to evaluate relationships that I knew weren’t good for me; mentally and emotionally.

It was a year where I was able to stand strong in faith and prayer over everything in life. With belief in God’s promises knowing that delay is not denial and things have their perfect timing.

2017 also taught me to be grateful in the small things too. As a society we tend to focus on the bigger picture or goal and forget the treasured moments along the way. For instance, I almost forgot that I gained an internship/Vacation Scheme, spoke to school & university students about my career accomplishments so far, travelled & still boost up my career and life experiences because I was so focused on trying to attain that Golden “Training Contract” Ticket (or maybe I just have bad short term memory).

2017 was just an overall fantastic year of growth and building a strong foundation for a successful 2018 & future. Coming into 2017, from such a destructive and troubling 2016, I have been able to walk stronger with more confidence, now knowing that 2018 can’t be anything but epic.

Below are a few steps practical steps that I’m taking into 2018 to apply to my resolutions and goals, to make it the best year yet. Think about using these points and apply them to your situation:

• Speak out even when your voice trembles

Whether that is talking about your experiences or what you believe in, speak up and confidently about it, in public or private. There’s power in your words. It builds strength and confidence. If you’re in pain or troubled, speak to someone, a friend, a teacher or councillor. It is better to release your pain than keeping it in, allowing you to move on up.

• Be that support for someone

We cannot survive this life alone. I’m a witness to how badly things can turn out if you live in isolation. If you’re able to help and support someone, do so. If you need help and support, reach out and ask. No matter how hard it may be, asking the right person will make things easier, ease the pain and clear the path for better things to come.

• Enjoy life

Live your best life! I can’t express this enough! Life is short and we only have this one. Attend that event, go to that gig, book a flight & travel and treat yourself to something. Create your memories, live in the moment and be PRESENT! Nothing worse than going through a year with no memories or new lived experiences. This will allow you to enjoy new experiences whilst you work equally as hard to achieve your goals.

• Dream BIG and work HARD

Thanks to my mentor my mindset on life has changed 100-fold to where I now dream  BIG! Dream about things I want to achieve for myself and want I can do to help others  work to see their dream come into fruition. Whether that is in your career, personal life or finances, dream as far and wide as possible, research and work towards it!

So here is a farewell and a big thank you to 2017 for all the lessons learnt and accomplishments achieved and a massive grin and milly-rock into 2018.

Comment below and let me know how 2017 was for you, the lessons learnt and what you hope to achieve in 2018!