With the excitement of the Holidays, everybody is talking about their plans for New Year’s Eve and all the great things they will accomplish in the coming year. While you are getting excited about a new year, it is difficult because your man is still in prison. It feels like the most crucial piece of the puzzle of your life is missing. You cannot figure out what your life should look like without him home. Another year has gone by — 2021 was a not an easy year for many. You might find yourself wondering if this will be the year of your breakthrough. There is a lot to process as you face a new year full of unknowns.
"While you are getting excited about a new year, it is difficult because your man is still in prison."
With the excitement of the Holidays, everybody is talking about their plans for New Year’s Eve and all the great things they will accomplish in the coming year. While you are getting excited about a new year, it is difficult because your man is still in prison. It feels like the most crucial piece of the puzzle of your life is missing. You cannot figure out what your life should look like without him home. Another year has gone by — 2021 was a not an easy year for many. You might find yourself wondering if this will be the year of your breakthrough. There is a lot to process as you face a new year full of unknowns.
Although you feel intimidated by all that needs to be accomplished to reach your goals, now is a great time to develop your plan.
It is never too late to build your dream. I promise that it is not too late for you, no matter what circumstances you are currently facing. There is a way out and an opportunity to rebuild your legacy. As long as you have breath, you still have a chance to change your story. And the best news is that you do not have to wait for your man to come home.
It is hard to think about making significant changes while your husband is locked up.
If you want to achieve your dreams, you must start hiking up the mountain of changes you need to make today. Every day you wait, your resolve weakens, and you further convince yourself that you cannot achieve your dreams. You will talk yourself into wasting another year waiting until everything lines up perfectly before you try to chase your dreams. But it won’t. Your life will never be without challenges, obstacles, or fears — not even after . Life is hard for everyone, and those who overcame were the most courageous and the most persistent.
I have met many people who despise their situation in life because they keep making the same choices every day — you cannot change your future that way. When you don’t know what to do, the first thing you need to do is figure out what you do NOT want to be. I hated being poor, and broke, and looked down on. I hated not being able to pay for new shoes for my kids, and I especially hated having to depend on government assistance to pay for my food! Well, I guess that was a love-hate relationship. I loved being able to eat and feed my children, but I hated that I could not provide for them. The first thing on my list of what I did not want to be was “poor.”
It is hard to think about making significant changes while your husband is locked up.
You must be brutally honest with yourself. I have heard many things people do not want to be anymore – things that keep them from living a healthy, complete, and satisfying life despite having their partner in prison. Here are some things for you to think about as you fill in the blank of what you do not want to be:
Poor, Lonely, Lazy, Fat, Out-of-shape, Homeless, Hopeless, Mean, Hateful, Judgmental, Impatient, Unemployed, A welfare recipient, etc…
Identify the three most significant parts of your life that you are unhappy with and want to change. Next, write down what you are currently doing that keeps you in that circumstance. If you hate being poor, you won’t look for work because you are afraid to lose your benefits. Write that down. If you hate being overweight but don’t change your eating habits, write it down. If you are lonely but won’t make friends because you are afraid they will not like you once they find out about your family situation, write it down. As you write out the actions that keep you stuck, notice how much control you have over those situations.
Now you are ready to put together your plan for next year. You know what you want to break free from and what to stop doing. Add specific steps you can take to create a better life for yourself. Start putting these action items into practice, and you will be on your way to achieving your goals! Your new year will be filled with satisfaction as you make progress. Invest intentional effort to change these three things, and you will be ready to face everything and recover as you wait for your man to come home.
Happy New Year!! I am rooting for you!
Cathy