We are officially into the new year. The new year brings new aspirations, new resolutions, and new things that we want to do that we forgot to do last year. The good thing about the new year, is with the new year you get new opportunities and new ways of being. If you have been reading my articles from past years, you will know that the common denominator of many of my articles is “more being and less doing.” Today’s Monday Morning Mindset focuses on not only more being and less doing, but how you are being and how you are doing it. Resolutions are great, the important thing to remember is that while you are accomplishing your resolution – who are you being is just as important. Are you becoming a new person and implementing new ways of eating or exercising? Or have you decided to take a more holistic look at your life and decided to focus on personal growth? All these items are great, but resolutions fail when one loses their ability to be more in their ability to let go of who they’re not. Being more is just that simple, deciding to be more of yourself. Either way, in this new year take the time to “be more and do less.”

This week’s Monday Morning Mindset focuses on “taking responsibility for where you’re at.” We all have challenges that we all will face at one time or another in our lives. The way you handle your challenges will determine your ability and maturity for growing past your past. We all come from different backgrounds, cultures, environments, family dynamics, and financial abilities. The one thing to focus on when taking responsibility for where you are is to understand self accountability. There are situations that are out of our control, things we can’t do anything about and situations that can get out of hand. With all that in mind, it’s important to remember that you are overall control of your life, your purpose and your destiny. Taking responsibility for where you’re doesn’t mean there’s going to be any immediate changes, but it will provide you with a outline or roadmap towards how to better yourself and improve your situation. The first step is to take responsibility for where you’re at, not blame others for your obstacles and to embrace change as much as possible.

In life we have the ability to be our worst enemies or our own best friends. We can push ourselves to no degree, or we could be our best comforters. In all, we have flaws either visibly or non-visibly that we share in times of deeply connected relationships. The more intimate the relationship, the more visible your flaws. We often have a tendency to treat those closest to us the worst. One of the reasons for this is because of the comfort of knowing that you will be loved regardless. Regardless of your flaws, regardless of your background, regardless of your physical ability or regardless of who you betray yourself to be – flaws are parts of you. Eventually, those intimate relationships become solidified in knowing that your flaws are not just a part of you they are you. Choosing to accept your flaws and moving forward requires great strength, admiration and the ability to want to grow. Today, take some time to review and accept your flaws and then move forward knowing that your flaws do not make you who you are. You are who you are innately by your purpose. Your purpose is what sustains you and provides you with the understanding that tomorrow your flaws may not be as visible to you as they were to you yesterday.

It is time to wake up. Have you decided to make a drastic change in your habits? Have you decided to go back to school and become an influential person in the community? Are you ready to be the person that you know you ought to be? These questions and more are becoming common conversational topics among each other. We are all searching for purpose, understanding and unconditional love. This Monday take a look at your overall self and decide who you choose to be in this moment. Making the choice could be a continuing factor of who you should be and who you will be in life.

Keeping your word is important. The average person means to keep the word, although there are situations where a person may have to break a promise or the word in reference to something they said they would do. Back in the day, keeping your word was as good as a contract. If you broke your word, you broke contract. In many instances, breaking your promise to do something meant losing notoriety and credibility in the community. It’s important to do what you say and say what you do. This week think about being honorable in what you say and in what you do.

Dr. Jaye

This week’s Monday Morning Mindset focuses on “Being Creditable.” Being credible implies that you are a person of virtue and substance. When you think of the word credibility, what do you think of? Credibility implies that you are honorable and understand the value of keeping your word, keeping your promise and keeping track of your own ethical purpose. Although there are times in life where we are unable to keep a promise, being credible adds to the conversation by explaining the reason for changes. Within situations, it is important to be honest when changes arise. In today’s world, credibility is lacking. In order ensure you were being credible, take note of how you were being, how you were acting, and how you respond in adverse situations. Being credible is more than just doing something, it’s about being a certain way on purpose.

Dr. Jaye

This week’s Monday Morning Mindset focuses on “Accepting Miracles.” We have heard the old saying “Miracles happen everyday.” This can be true for you if you so choose it to be. Where we fail in our understanding is what constitutes a “miracle.” A miracle for you may not mean the same as what it may mean for me. I choose to “see” and “experience” miracles everyday, for instances waking up. Waking up is a miracle; we slumber all through the night without any awareness of what it takes for the human body to function without our being awake. We tend to think of things being a miracle when we “can’t believe it.” Isn’t that just the opposite of what a miracle is supposed to be? We need to revaluate what we consider a miracle. Food for thought, actively think and look for miracles you can believe in – then be thankful for the experience.

This week’s Monday Morning Mindset focuses on “Compassion for Others.” Compassion starts with the ability to have self-compassion in any given situation or moment. Often, we equate compassion to the ability to relate to somebody else, compassion is also the ability to understand when another is disappointed with something or someone whether the action occurred purposeful or indirectly. It is common practice to want others to feel how we feel about a situation, but the related aspect of emotions has a tendency to misdirect our intentions to show compassion. With practicing of compassion, I’ve come to realize that it first starts with the ability to have compassion for self. Being that each situation will be different with different people, it’s important to understand that compassion is an active aspect of every relationship you have. It is important to remember that just because you may practice compassion towards another, does not necessarily mean that your compassion will be received equally. Instead of finding excuses for why something isn’t or is, find a relatable factor to show compassion within the situation and then except the fact that your compassion may or may not be by the other person(s). The real growth comes when you have the ability to exercise self- compassion and then transfer it over to compassion for others.