The year 2023 is over. It’s now the year 2024. Happy New Year! Welcome to something that is always a constant: change. Yes, change is constant. Yes, and as always, time never stops. For some of us, 2023 was a phenomenal year. Some of us discovered valuable information about who we are and used that information to create the leverage we needed to become even better people. We used both the year and our time as valuable tools from which we could truly grow as people. For some of us, however, it was another year full of disappointment in ourselves, a year where we continued to feel powerless and learned to cope with our powerlessness.

What will the year 2024 bring? Will this be the year that we finally decide we are sick and tired of living our lives like we used to? Will we decide we are sick and tired of being a prisoner to our minds and bodies? Will this be the year we hold ourselves accountable and become a better version of ourselves? It should be because if not now, when?

Will this be the year you decide to take control and get in the driver’s seat of your life? When will the first day be? If you take the wheel, will you finally stand up for yourself? To rise above your inadequacy and go after the life you truly want and deserve? Will you finally get back in front of the camera and emerge triumphant and proud of yourself? Can you look in the mirror and feel ok in your skin?

Do you remember a song by the Eagles called “Already Gone”? One verse went as follows:

“Well, I know it wasn’t you who held me down; heaven knows it wasn’t you who set me free, so we often live our lives in chains, never even knowing we have the key.”

You have the key, yet you wake up to the same thing every morning. So many can relate to misery or near nightmare. Life can become a bad dream. You can feel out of place in your skin, truly wanting to look in the mirror and love what you see, yet the image reflecting on you only shows the person you created. If you are still hiding in a safe zone, or even worse, in a numb zone, then it’s time to change. The emotional safe space isn’t that safe. You hide yourself from the world, and when you’re not hiding, you play any other role you need to that distracts you from your true worth and the true person you want to be. You repeat this every day.

Will this year finally be the year that you quit waiting for someone else to permit you to be great, to finally stop blaming people for your shortcomings and show yourself the same love and tolerance you show everyone else? Will this be the day you realize you’re the person holding you back; it’s up to you to finally realize that you have the key to freedom. Yes, and it’s simple and very hard.

I know it won’t be easy; you’ve probably tried before and haven’t achieved the success you need. Well, what’s holding you back? Is it simply the fact that you are not doing the work?

I’m not telling you it will be easy, in fact just the opposite, this may be the most intense journey you undertake. Yes, it probably will be. You must take control of your emotions, you must be willing to let the past go for a new future, and yes, you must be willing to set yourself free.

Will 2024 be the amazing year you want it to be? Will today be that day? You already have within you everything that it takes for that success to happen. You’re a gold star within. So: Shine. You are a hard worker and feel more positive about your future. With self-control, patience, discipline, and determination, you’ll be able to find yourself in a much better place.

If you are the person who will go the extra mile to help someone else achieve their desires and help them along the way, then you must do the same thing for yourself. You’re a boss, show up and get things done! If you want to know what success feels like, make it in your year. Let’s make this the day and year that it all changes.

Take the much-needed journey to discover who you truly are; after all, you already know that you have greatness within. So, what else is there to say? Let’s take this journey to grow and discover just how great you truly are.