Focus.

That is my word for 2022. 

With all the things planned for this year as well as the unexpected curveballs that seem to be thrown our way from time to time, it can be easy to slide off course. After all, life as you had known it no longer exists. You have had to learn new ways of doing things. You have had to adapt and adjust our behaviors to keep stress levels down while juggling more roles and responsibilities than you have ever had before.

That can be enough to discourage a person from staying on track.

Discouragement can lead to deferment.

But does it have to?

Discouragement is simply a loss of confidence in what you, at one time, believed you could do.

When you feel discouraged, remember the vision. The vision that excited you about what is possible. That is where your focus should lie.

Focus helps set aside time to think about the best actions you should take.

Focus helps you be productive and get things done.

Focus keeps you on track when you slide a little to the...

It is now 2022 and one of the rituals I spent the last few days of 2021 doing was removing things in my personal space that no longer serve me or bring me joy.

“Why am I keeping this?”

This is the question I ask myself with each item each time I go through the process of purging things from my home. The item can be articles of clothing, documents and pieces of paper, kitchen appliances, or home décor just to name a few.

As I begin to reflect on how I acquired an item--whether it was a gift or something I purchased, the lingering question screams inside my head, “Why am I keeping this?” 

Sure, we keep some things because of the sentimental value they possess or the memories surrounding them. And then, there are some things we keep because we say we are going to do something with them, but never get around to it. Or, we keep clothes in our closets that no longer fit because one day we think we will get to wear them again.

But guess what?

While we...

Here we are. With less than one week left in this year, many of us are still wondering about what next year will look like.

How much longer will we be in this pandemic? 

Will we be back to normal?

If you’ve been watching or reading the news, I would say we already know the answer to those questions. If there is one thing the past almost two years has taught us, it is to have a plan. 

Businesses have had to learn new ways of doing business and taking care of their employees.

Churches have shifted to streaming services and offering small groups online to maintain the power of community.

Families have adjusted to working while simultaneously caring for elderly parents and facilitating virtual learning for their children.

One thing we can expect to remain normal is change. Changes, expected or unexpected, may test our sanity and provide opportunities to showcase our resilience and perseverance. Change serves as the catalyst (and even push sometimes) for growth and...

As I drove through a nearby shopping center this past weekend, I watched the masses hurry in and out of the department stores. Those heading in had various looks on their faces. Some with determination and focus as if they were on a serious mission. Some with stressful looks as if they had no clue what they were looking for or what to get. Those who emerged from the stores heading to their vehicles after making their purchases seemed to have looks of relief, contentment and excitement. Perhaps, some even felt accomplished having completed some major shopping a week before Christmas.

The presents that were bought may have been for family, friends, coworkers or even someone they do not even really know too well (think White Elephant gifts). Isn’t it interesting that some of us invest a lot of time (and sometimes, money too) in search of finding something that we hope another person will like or appreciate? What if we didn’t buy something for someone else? Would we cease to...

As we approach the end of another year, a lot of us are in reflection mode. Our minds are full of questions swirling around what we did, didn’t do, should have done and why we did not do. There are a lot of lessons we capture to make sure we are not asking these same questions this time next year.

For some, this pandemic has forced them to consider how they want their lives to look like going forward. Is it time to start that new business? Is it time to embark on a new chapter and change jobs? Is it time to release some relationships that no longer align with your values or who you are becoming?

There are so many decisions to make. So many paths you can take. However, the first and most important decision to make is to actually to choose an action. Action requires effort. Effort does not need to be huge. It just needs to happen. Whether it is making that call, getting out of the house to meet a potential client, applying for that new job, or choosing to relocate someplace new...