Culture | January 8th, 2020

5 New Year’s Resolutions For This Year’s Vision Board

By: Mia Uzzell

The long-awaited ball has dropped at Times Square and the jovial festivities of the New Year are now over. With fireworks out of earshot, it is time to officially wind down and reflect introspectively on how to maximize the next 366 days, courtesy of the leap year, to the fullest. 

Although Twitter has shunned the annual declaration of “New Year, New Me”, the platitude is still fastened to the personal growth abound in 2020. Straying away from the idyllic use of the phrase, a new you is waiting on the other side of steadfast dedication to evolve when all of the odds are stacked against your treasured list of resolutions. 

So, before penning a vision board party with the girls into your new decorative planner, here are five resolutions that need to be cut and pasted into the new year.

• Self-Love (Forreal This Time)

In the list of buzzwords that have trickled down the timelines of social media, self-love rose to the occasion this year. Mostly in captions accompanying photos of glitter facemasks and candle-lit bubble baths,  the word was diluted to a quintessential “feel good” phrase revolving around lush beauty routines.

So, for this new revolution around the sun, the reclamation of the word in its true definition is the top priority. Florida State University student Jaylynn Pierre says “Wholeheartedly loving my authentic self is something that’ll be worked on.” In its purest form, self love may take loving up on insecurities or trying to change toxic habits, but the end result is an ultimate gratification in oneself. Rid the self-love cabinets of luxe skin products and add some TLC to delving into truly loving your flaws and all.

• Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff

Whether you’re religious, spiritual, or simply an adorer of the good vibes only mantra, Neibuhr’s Serenity Prayer is the perfect sentiment to take into consideration during the stress of school, work, or just life itself.

The meditation instructs to “accept the things [we] cannot change” to muster “courage to face the things [we] can”. It is a glaring reminder to conserve ourselves for the things that truly matter.

Ready to fully employ discernment on what deserves her energy into her new year, Hampton University student Olivia Walker says, “I am focusing on the things that I can change moving forward and not stressing over the things I can’t.” Although seemingly paradoxical, it is achievable to take a page out of Walker’s book and find a tranquil balance in the midst of stress.

• Let’s Ditch Fear

In 2019, the monumental release of “Homecoming” on Netflix captured the hard work that led up to Beyonce trailblazing the stage of Coachella as the first black woman to headline the Californian festival. 

To even the individuals outside of the Beyhive fandom, it was clearer than ever that the mother of three’s success didn’t fall into her lap as a cosmic gift, but as a result of giving her all. Even clearer to the audience was that we all have the same 24 hours as Queen Bey to reach our goals. The key ingredient that keeps us at our dreaded 9 to 5s instead of living on the pinnacle of success is a deeply rooted fear of inadequacy or failure.

Kansas State University student Alyssa Byers says, “There’s a quote that says ‘your biggest blessing is on the other side of fear’.” Using the quote as the luminous vision at the end of her tunnel, Byers says, “I believe I’m going to receive one of my biggest blessing yet if I can just overcome fear.” Try journaling as a mechanism to sift through the fears that need to be challenged this year. 

• Mediocrity

Also keeping us away from our greatest potential is mediocrity. In our daily commute from home to school to work and back home, an adjustment to the mundane nature of the lifestyle allows complacency to slowly creep in.

Slowly, but surely, mediocrity begins to make itself at home and the glisten of our wildest dreams feel ephemeral. Brynn Walker, a Jackson State University student athlete, says she is no longer settling for averageness.  “Whether that applies to school, relationships, or work on the soccer field,” Walker says there’s never a time to settle.   

• A Tribe Called Blessed

Other than the pure relatable comedy it provided, Mara Brock Akil’s “Girlfriends” was sure to make the nation insatiably crave a solid circle of “ride or die” friends to lean on. The sitcom encapsulated how formidable any woman can become with girlfriends by her side through every trial and tribulation.

“I’m leaving people who don’t have my best interests at heart no matter how ‘close’ we are,” Rachelle Montgomery, a Lincoln University student said.

The freshman believes for her resolution to work it is important to try out a new formula for the people who covet a position in “the squad”. As for this formula, you may ask, it involves adding individuals who uplift you to the heavens and subtracting those who burden you to the pits.

Which resolution are you adding to your New Year’s list? Let us know on Twitter @journey_mag, or show us your vision board on Instagram by tagging @journeymag !

Featured image courtesy of @skylarmarshai, illustration courtesy  @originalmiadiamond