Have you ever thought about what matters most in your life? The life-giving things that will add value and impact to your life and the lives of those around you? It’s easy to forget these things and succumb to idle living at times.

Has this year brought your faith into question? With all that is going on in our world, I wouldn’t be surprised. I’m sure that we can all agree that we’ve seen better days. Between what feels like the never-ending pandemic, racial tension, political climate, failing economy, and all the uncertainty, it can be a fight to keep the faith and hope alive.

We all have a need for security. If you’re familiar with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, you know that this is an essential need. We all desire to have some sort of job or financial security that gives us a sense of safety and assurance. However, we may experience seasons when that security is potentially threatened.

Every now and then, I find myself wishing that life could just "go back to normal.” You know, life pre-pandemic? Where we could hug friends and family without consideration for social distance, shop and travel mask-free, and everyday life and work just seemed a little less heavy.

Resilience is a skill that we will all have an opportunity to develop at some point in time. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), resilience is defined as “the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or significant sources of stress.”

Do you find yourself getting to the end of every year with little to nothing accomplished? Maybe you started the year with all the motivation. You dreamed, set your goals, and maybe even created a plan but by the second week of February, you found yourself falling off the New Year bandwagon. .

Do you have a vision for your life? What about your vision for the year? Oftentimes we don’t make it to our destination because we’re navigating through life blindly. Vision gives direction.

I believe many people fail to realize that they are responsible for their own life. Your thoughts, emotions, actions, and daily decisions are what shape and direct your life, and you have complete authority over them.

Where do you find yourself as we wrap up the year? The holiday season has always been a natural time for reflection. Offering a slowness and richness, we find ourselves not just reconnecting with our loved ones but with ourselves — our goals, dreams, and innermost desires that we’re longing to achieve.