So here we are, 9 days into the New Year, and what exactly have you changed? This was the question that I asked myself as I stood in the mirror this morning. Unfortunately, my answer was not the one that I would have preferred it to be. I had all of these plans for this New Year, however nothing about my current actions have resembled a desire to change. I haven’t taken any steps to be different from what or who I was this time last year. A hard truth, yes I know.

In 2014 I kicked down the door of the big 3-0! To celebrate my birthday, I invited some of my family and closest friends to meet me downtown by the waterfalls (I love scenery) as I released 30 balloons. Each balloon had a different word written on it. Each word was something that I planned to release as I kissed my 20’s goodbye and that I refused to take into my 30’s. I gave a great speech, my friends and I shed a few tears, and I released balloons, but the question is did I really let anything go? Now I’m not naïve enough to think that these things would change overnight. These were habits and behaviors that I’d grown accustom to for the last 30 years. By releasing the balloons I was making a commitment to do better in these areas. So the question still remains, am I doing any better?

Now I would love to give you all this life changing testimony that I released those balloons and I haven’t looked back…ummmm….no! I will be 1000% honest, that’s not my story. Yes, I let some things go. Yes, I walked away from some people who I needed to, but those were merely the fruits of the issues. I still have yet to completely destroy the roots. There is a message in my book called, “Kill the Root, Kill the Fruit.” I’ve found myself continuously rereading this message. It is only when you pull up and destroy the root of a plant that it will stop growing back. As long as the root is still intact, even if it isn’t the season for the fruit to grow, in the right conditions, the fruit still has the potential to keep coming back.

Killing the roots of bad habits or unsavory behaviors require us to absolutely change our minds. When you change your mind, you will have no choice but to discipline your body and spirit. Staying in the vein of honesty, discipline is something that I have struggled with and I admit I am lacking. Because I’ve seen it work before, I know that DISCIPLINE leads to DILIGENCE. DILIGENCE leads to DEDICATION. DEDICATION leads to DYNAMIC RESULTS. In 2015 I’m looking for dynamic results!

So this year, will you join me? Will you commit with me to start today? Can you make a vow to yourself that you will begin to exercise the discipline that is necessary to live your very best life? Will you kill those roots that have kept you grounded in a place that you had no business in? Now this will not be easy friends and you won’t be able to do it on your own. If we are going to be successful in this, now more than ever, we are going to have to lean and depend on God for the help and the grace to do it. I can’t wait to have this conversation this time next year so we can discuss how far we’ve come. I know that just like me, you are T.O.U.G.H. enough to get it done!