Welcome to 2018! Thank God we are here! So much happened in 2017. So much so that it took me two additional months to write my “beginning the New Year” blog post! I can’t express how happy I am that 2017 is over and like the saying goes, to think in the past is to be in a depressive state. But, to think into the future is to be in an anxious state. So, this year my goal is to focus on the now. As a psychotherapist, this is something I preach to my clients regularly. However, I don’t always practice what I preach.
2018 has brought in such joy already, with Black Panther being released in February. I had the pleasure of experiencing the film with my two sons. I can’t explain the joy that came over me to see beautiful, powerful, main characters that were unapologeticaly Black. With all that 2017 has forced into our lives, new president, forced ideals, and overt racism everywhere you look, it’s hard to stay mentally healthy.
When talking to my parents shortly after the election in November of 2017, I pleaded with them in panic, “what are we going to do”!? My dad explained, “Leslie, we’ve been through much worse. Think about it. I saw Nixon become president. I remember when schools were becoming desegregated, and the tension in the south during the Civil Rights Movement. We must always go on”. Those words were profound to me and have continued to reasonate. When I hear people say what’s the big deal about Black Panther I believe my dad’s sentiments sum it up quite nicely. These little wins or instances where we can truly love on ourselves and be proud collectively should be celebrated.
So, with that, lets live in the now in 2018! What do you want to do? Who do you want to be? Be it, today!
