Return of the Mack: 7 Promises I’m Keeping in 2018

I’m back, Mavericks!  I’ve been away for entirely too long – way longer than I planned. The year 2017 was a wild ride that literally ended in flames (a story for another day), but I am ready to emerge from the ashes.  I’ve never been big on resolutions, but I do make good on my promises.

Here are seven improvements I’m promising myself in 2018:

1. Stop apologizing so darn much. “I’m sorry for the delay.” “I’m sorry I can’t be there or do that.” I’m all for a well-placed apology, but overdoing it robs us of the right to be human. Life happens; I’m one person, and I can’t be all things to all people. Everyone, including me, will be okay.  And quite frankly, sometimes, I don’t mean it.  In the famous words of Nene Leakes, “I said what I said!” I’m gonna let myself off the hook.
2. Give myself permission to rest. Part of the reason I’m so tired all the time is that I don’t know how to rest.  I realized recently that even when my body isn’t busy, my mind is.  When I’m not physically working, I’m still working, and I feel guilty if I’m not.  I find myself looking at my not-so-free time and feeling so bad if every waking moment is not filled with some accomplishment.  But guess what?  When I wear myself thin trying to get everything done, I end up too tired to do anything I set forth to do.  That’s the real tragedy.  I’m going to stop looking at relaxation as time wasted not accomplishing anything. The fruit of rest is renewal.  I’ll make self-care a priority, even if it means scheduling it.
3. Get (more) organized. I have been list and logistic obsessed since I was old enough to hold a pen.  I’m the kind of person that packs for a vacation from a spreadsheet and plans wardrobe down to the drawers. I feel much better when I have a place or system for everything.  I’ve always been aware of all the digital advancements in organizations but I never stick with them.  Enter the Happy Planner!  I’m trying a disc-bound planner for the first time and I think it’ll perfectly appeal to the creative and organizational sides of me.  I have a feeling the satisfaction of touching paper and scratching things off a list will motivate me to keep it up.
4. Invest more energy in the things that make me smile. Like this blog!!  Doing things you don’t love is a sho nuff dream-killer.  It’s not 100% avoidable, and it may not have an immediate solution, but dad-blame-it, I’m reversing the curse, one day at a time.  I got a taste of it last year, as I got to sing more, start this blog, travel, and spend more time with friends and loved ones.  I found that every moment I spent feeding my happiness  gave me the energy to withstand those life-sucking tasks that are a necessity right now.  And it gave hope that the latter tasks are temporary.  When you taste what is good, it inspires you to chase it more intentionally.
5. Change my relationship with food. For my health and my wealth. My life literally revolves around food, and I am determined not to be slave to it anymore.  In 2018, may my wallet get fatter and my stomach get flatter.
6. Change my relationship with money. As I have alluded to previously, my life experiences have caused me to have a precarious relationship with money. Some days I’m way too fiscally conservative and other days I’m regretfully loose and eating it all (see #5).
7. Change my relationship with God. John 15:15 tells me I am a friend of God. John 1:12 says I’m a child of God. Ephesians 2:10 says that I am God’s workmanship. The Word is littered with affirmations of who I am in Christ Jesus, yet I have walked as if I don’t know or I am less than.  It’s pretty universal, no matter what beliefs we ascribe to that how we behave and what we achieve is often a reflection of how we see ourselves.  I ask myself,” How much more effective would I be if I acted like I was wonderfully made?”  Or if I believed like I was beloved and highly favored, with access to immeasurable power?  For me, it starts with making my relationship with God a priority and practicing greater faith.

We all know that change is inevitable, but anyone who says it is is easy is a bold-faced lie.  It certainly takes faith and fortitude to withstand the challenges of life, but I am poised to make this year the best year ever.  For real, for real this time.

What does your comeback look like?  Drop the mic in the comments below. 

See Also

My Fibroid Story – Part 1 – The Monsters in My Uterus