It’s that time of year again, y’all. New Year, New Me, New You, New Boo—blah blah blah… We know how it goes. We make these public service announcements to the world on how we are going to change for the better. Like your homegirl who gets rid of the toxic guys on her roster because they have been stringing her along and she is just plain ol’ tired of it. Trust me, I have been there and done that (and I just want to say, whether it’s January 1 or your God-given birthday, please stop letting people play in your face).

It’s that time of year when we know the gyms are going to be overly packed because people turn into fitness and health gurus overnight. (By the way, I love my BBL Queens, but please spare us with the Tummy Teas this year. Y’all are better off giving the world the name of your doctor; I am sure you would sell more. Again, I love y’all, but those teas can’t come). I am a regular gym goer at LA Fitness, and I remember being so upset this time last year because I could not use the squat machine for booty gains in a timely manner. The gym was overcrowded. I started working out at 6 in the morning instead of 7—to beat the crowd. I was mad when I had to change my schedule, but I was able to change it back after two months because people were not fully committed. And don’t even get me started on the amount of “I’m cutting people off” posts that circulate on social media during this time of year…

In December, we often reflect on every missed goal and opportunity. And it seems that every new year we are quick to dream, to manifest, to aspire, but the results are not resulting.

Now do not get me wrong, I am not coming for anybody who participates in self-care, self-empowerment, and goal setting during this time of year, especially since I am big on purposeful living. Whether it’s eating more healthily, going to the gym, buying a new car, getting a new job, starting the new business, getting a raise or what have you, I applaud you. However, waiting until January to pursue your goal—instead of whenever your right now is—creates room for failure.

It’s sooo trendy for people to wait until January to become someone totally new, but what bothers me about the new year is how we have become programmed to wait for self-improvement, prolonging our own real results. We subconsciously create a habit of putting things off that we claim matter to us. There are certain character traits that help our goals and manifestations come to fruition, and allowing a goal to be an option is not a trait that breeds results. So, I have to ask: Why wait for anything that you have the power to start right now?

Discipline, commitment, persistence, and willpower are traits that do not just magically turn on in January. These core values are built over time and are more likely to guarantee that you achieve and progress in all aspects of life. Homegirls, if you know he is toxic and ain’t no good, you have to be willing to make the change today. Use your willpower. Having him on your roster, day-in and day-out, makes it harder for you to stand on your decision later—prolonging the achievement of your goal.

I am not above reproach here y’all. I have said time and time again I want to finish my book. But because I refuse to prioritize this book, here it is 2 years later and I am still talking about how I need to finish it. No results to show because I have put it off time and time again.

If we want real change, progress, and results in 2024, we need to actively work at our goals. Daily. When you drag out your goal, you risk it never happening. I hope this inspires us all to execute on our dreams this year, so that in 2025 we have significantly improved across the board.

What are some goals you can work on today?