By Jaye Washington

Can I be real for a second? I’m over the “new year new me” mantra. Yep! I said it. I actually wish we as a society would put it to rest once and for all! And let me tell you why.

I don’t believe we can become “new” people. If that was the case every company who committed to “turning over a new leaf” and becoming more DEI-conscious allies in 2020 would be making Earth-shattering history right now. But that’s another story for another day… My point is I subscribe more to the notion that people don’t suddenly become anew, but they can become better. Better people. Better leaders. Better versions of themselves. When someone is “new,” like a baby for instance, they haven’t experienced anything. They don’t know success or failure. They don’t know what makes themselves tick. They have no idea how to navigate their emotions. Frankly, they’re green. A real blank canvas.

But imagine someone becoming a BETTER version of themselves. Someone who acknowledges that the sum of all their life’s experiences, successes, and failures have contributed to who they are as a person. Imagine someone who’s been around the block a few times taking all they’ve experienced– good and bad– and committing to using those lessons to propel them into something greater. Something transformational. Now imagine how much better our workplaces would be if leaders stood on this principle.

But I’m not here to talk about what leaders need to do. I want to talk to people because after all– titles aside, we’re all just people. Plain ole’ regular people who care about being better.

Maybe it’s too lofty for me to want our planet to achieve the betterment of self. But what if we just start with you and me? Let’s agree that in the year of 2023 we will commit to a holistic approach to becoming better. From personal goals to professional development, we will:

• Be intentional about our daily decisions
• Approach challenges with a “what is this teaching me” mindset
• Be transparent in our areas of opportunity

If we can do these three things over the next 12 months, I promise we can make waves in our families, friendships, relationships, and yes, even at work. Here’s the thing about being intentional about being a better person– it translates in all areas of our lives. And that translation creates the lifestyle shift we’re often looking for.

So let’s be done with being “new” because we recognize the value of our past experiences and we’re using it to propel us forward. Instead of “new year new me,” we’re going for “a better me in 2023!” Let’s be better! Today, tomorrow, and everyday after.

Let’s do more good. To get more results. To have more impact.
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