Yes!! If you’ve been here before, you know that on ocassion, I have a sometimes love/hate relationship with Essence Magazine. I just got my January 2008 issue. Mix of topics on the cover - “Denzel/Oprah’s Must-See Movie”, “Perfect Jeans”, “Ageless Beauties” (um, that sister in the orange strapless dress? Is it just me or is that dress NOT for her??), “Juanita Bynum” (part II…*sigh*)….

I flip through the first few pages of ads, skim the detailed table of contents and land here - on the “Getting the Life I Deserve” Pledge. Editor-in-Chief Angela Burt Murray suggests grabbing a friend, making copies of this pledge, completing it and doing regular check-ups with your friend through the year to be sure you’re on track.

Interesting. I’m working on something similar. so this works for me…trying to figure out how to merge this with my own idea. Tell me what YOU think about Essence’s pledge:

This is my hear to be the woman I’ve always wanted to be. This year I will put
___________________ (your name) first. Starting _____________ (today’s date), I will focus on taking the steps to achieve my goals. Ever since _____________________________________, I’ve known that I want to __________________________________________________________________________.

Today I will create a plan to realize my dreams.

1. ___________________________________________________________________

2. ___________________________________________________________________

3. ___________________________________________________________________

4. ___________________________________________________________________

Negative factors, real and imagined, will no longer be obstacles to my success. To get over _____________________ (Obstacle #1), I will stop _______________________________________.

To get over ___________________________ (Obstacle #2), I will pray that ________________________.

To get over ___________________________ (Obstacle #3), I will plan to __________________________.

I know that I will be successful because it is my dream to _______________________________________.

To stay on track, I will have my friend ____________________________ (friend’s name) check in on my progress every week/month/quarter (choose one) and hold me accountable.

This is my personal 2008 pledge to myself so that I can realize my dreams and live the wonderful life I fully deserve!

________________________________________ (Your Signature)

I mentioned to my friend Princess Dominique that 2008 would be, among other things, “The Year of the Ex’s”. Meaning….exposing, experiencing, experimenting, expressing. Exposing myself to more things that pique my interest, that I’ve wanted to try/learn/do. Exposing my talents to more people (time to stop sitting on what another friend calls my “Million Dollar Crate”…the one holding all my projects-in-progress). Experiencing new things, places, cultures…just soaking up as much LIFE as I can stand. Experimenting with what works for me, what doesn’t, tweaking things until they’re jusssst right…living outside the box, expanding my horizons, learning to be pleasantly uncomfortable as I shed the shackles of my comfort zone. Expressing myself…what I feel - truly letting myself feel it and OWNING that emotion - good, bad or indifferent. Saying what I mean, meaning what I say…all without apology. Infuse every crevice of my life with as much JOY as I can stand and swim (or float) around right in the middle of it…step away from the edges and dive right in.

So many times, we move into a “new” situation (be it a new relationship, a new job, a new house, a new car, a new year) with the same “old” way of thinking and have the nerve to expect ’something’ to be different when in actuality the one thing that truly needs to be different (and the only thing over which we have any control) is US. To me, this pledge is a signal that YOU are ready to BE/DO/HAVE/DREAM/BUILD “different”.

In a few weeks, folks will start making their New Year’s Resolutions. Others will start grumbling about how resolutions don’t work. That always makes me laugh. Why? Cause the “resolution” itself WON’T do the dayum work - that’s YOUR job. Sheesh! It’s about putting the words out there, stating your clear intention to do/be/have whatever and then matching your actions to those words step by step, little by little, day by day. Committing to it on Day One. Then getting up each and every day ready to RECOMMIT to it again.

So…you decide….

First, what IS the life you deserve? (Untangle YOUR heart’s desire from the things people have told you that you can/not do/have. Be still and just listen to your spirit & heart speak. Let that be your compass. Not what somebody else says, thinks or does. This time it really is ALL ABOUT YOU!)

Second, what’s it worth to you? What are you willing to do to get there? What are you willing to say “NO” to in order to move forward? And…what are you willing to say “YES” to? What’s negotiable? What’s non-negotiable?

Third, are you willing to commit to it each and every day, no matter how tough it gets, no matter how many “obstacles” come your way, when you slip? How will YOU motivate yourself?

Don’t get caught up in the missteps. It’s about the JOURNEY - not the destination.

Travel well!

Live DELICIOUSLY!!

:::off to contemplate my list…and my accountability partner:::

“You can achieve anything you want in life if you have the courage to dream it, the intelligence to make a realistic plan, and the will to see that plan through to the end.” ~ Sidney A. Friedman