“Not everything that is faced can be changed.  But nothing can be changed until it is faced.” — James Baldwin

“When I dare to be powerful — to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.” — Audre Lorde

“To vilify a great man is the readiest way in which a little man can himself attain greatness.” — Edgar Allan Poe

“The final proof of Greatness lies in being able to endure criticism without resentment.”                  — Elbert Hubbard

Quick question.  Now that you’ve finished celebrating the beginning of a new year, what’s next on your agenda? Think about it.  Maybe 2008 wasn’t a good year for you.  If not, what will you choose to do differently in 2009?

Did you discover that you  had the courage to “let go and live” your “Big Dream(s)” in 2008? If not, take time, make time to accurately identify in plain and simple terms the main reason(s) why you repeatedly failed to exceed the imaginary limits of your own self-imposed limitations in 2008.

What, or who, are you still anxiously holding on to right now that you need to let go of by faith before you can honestly expect to excel, succeed, and achieve “Greatness”  in 2009? But first, how would you define “Greatness?”  Think about it.

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;  A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.“  Ecclesiastes 1:1-9 KJV

What “bad habits” must you let go of and replace with “good habits” before you can boldly and courageously live your life like never before?” Think about it.

What “bad choices” did you make in 2008 that you cannot afford to make in 2009? Have you failed to forgive yourself for what you did, or didn’t do, in 2008 to sabotage your own success?If not,  don’t you think it’s time you did? Think about it.

Do you finally “know yourself” well enough to feel safe and secure within the comfort of your own skin to begin “living without limits , loving without conditions, and leading like Jesus Christ did – by example?” If not now, when? Think about it.

Do you honestly believe that you have the courage to let go of what’s still weighing you down or holding you back long enough to live “for the first time” in your life? If not, don’t you think it’s time you finally started making a difference in your own life before too soon becomes too late to do so? If not you, who? Think about it.

If you don’t own a journal, go get one, or create your own, because you’ll definitely need it during such a season as this.  As always, the choice to “let go and live in 2009″ is yours alone to make.

Copyright (c) 2009 by Roderick O. Solomon. All Rights Reserved.