'Tis the Season.

photo by Cecila Luna (@sehsee)

Tis the season! Not just for jolliness, Christmas, fudge brownies, chestnuts roasting, faux fur vests, and family fun (although that clearly is a part of the season- other than Jesus of course!!). I love this season because it is perfect for preparing for new beginnings.  Tis the season for reflecting, restructuring, and rebuilding.

Over the past few months I've been reflecting on me - learning about who I am and learning to love the woman God has called me to be. I think in our 20s it is so easy to become distracted by basic mundane things surrounding us, we often forget to put our journey into perspective.


Tis the season to be a doer. To make moves. Move into a place that allows you to discover your purpose. Here are some things I've found useful in bringing me out of 2014 and into a purposeful new year that will be filled with opportunity, testimonies, and life.

1. Welcome hard work: These days in order to be successful you need to make cozy with a certain pal named drive. Drive will help you achieve what you've set out to do. Yep. It's very simple. Once you welcome hard work, are up for the challenge, and persist through obstacles, success will come knocking. Say no to procrastination, negativity, and lack of preparation. With Drive, you'll be ready to get up, get out, and do work.

2. Step out of your comfort zone: After all, it's no fun to be boxed in! I find this zone to be a dangerous one. Danger zone if you will. All this zone does is drive you down to hardship. When you are given opportunity, you will either run from it, or struggle immensely as you try to figure out what to do once you are faced with challenges. Yes, you might be content and complacent in your current situation, but if you haven't learned anything in quite a while it may be time to reevaluate your surroundings and recognize that your comfort is boxing you in.

3. Be resourceful: Read, write, ask questions. Get a mentor, get a friend, get a role model. Pray. Resourcefulness is all about preparation. Preparing yourself to be capable of dealing with new challenges. Work consistently and diligently as you perfect your craft and dive into your purpose.

4. Learn how brilliant you are: 
Brilliance is the ability to tap into what you already have: creative ingenuity, innovative suave, illuminated elegance. Brilliancy is about light and vibrancy. Find that light and vibrancy and build on it. Exercise your creativity. "When your light is exploited and shown to the world, the world will be drawn to it."

5. Trust God's timing: This is a rather important one that we all seem to forget. If you already work hard, believe comfort zones are overrated, are a vivacious reader, and are a regular Einstein, then it's time to exercise patience. Easier said than done, right? It often takes rejection, hurt, and innumerable hurdles before we realize that closed doors are meant to be closed, and open doors are worth waiting for. Your prayers haven't gone unanswered.God hasn't been shutting down all your dreams, He's just preparing you for the moment when He makes them come true. God sometimes allows us to delay pursuing our purpose because He is maturing us and preparing us for what is to come. Keep growing, praying, and trusting. Allow God to produce excellence in His time.

6. Take a leap of faith: And do so blindly. Trust that all your faith, intuition, hard work, and tenacity will cause you to land right into the palm of God's hands.


'Tis the season to have hope for a bright new year.