In This Decade…

1. We know our worth.

In this decade we will not beg anybody to see that worth if they do not see it. We will not teach anybody to value us, because we know that there is nothing we can do to make someone value us unless they themselves want to. We do not determine our worth from external things, nor from how much money we make, nor from how successful we are. We certainly do not determine our worth from the opinions of the people around us. We even more certainly do not determine our worth from our significant other, or lack of one. We realise and accept that our worth comes from the fact that we are made in the image of the living God. Our worth comes from the fact that we have been created with a purpose, and only given that particular purpose because God believes we can, with his help, live up to it. Our worth comes from the fact that our lives are not accidental, but intentional in every fiber, crevice and intricate detail of our being. Our worth comes from the fact that we are loved by the Creator of this Universe, so nobody can tell me jack otherwise.

2. We don’t budge with our standards.

In this decade, our ‘yes’ is ‘yes’ and our ‘no’ is ‘no’. There is no debating what we accept and what we refuse to accept. There are no exceptions. Why? Because we believe that what belongs to us cannot miss us. We will not teach anybody’s son or daughter the correct way to treat us, because the right people will do so effortlessly. We will adhere to our glorious standards because we believe we are deserving of those standards being met. Why? Refer to point number 1.

3. We work tirelessly, intelligently and relentlessly for what we want.

In this decade, we will create the future that we wish so badly to see for ourselves. We will be patient and determined to meet our long-term goals. We will not only have faith that these goals will be achieved, but we will work relentlessly towards them. Our faith will not be dead (James 2:14-26). We will grab every deserving opportunity that is handed to us, and squeeze whatever success we can make out of it. We will be focused. We will not only chase the bag, but invest in learning how to make the bag chase us. We will not give up until everything that belongs to us is ours.

4. We will rest.

In this decade, despite the grind, we will intentionally rest. We will remember that even God, after creating the work of creation, eventually rested. We will remember to take care of ourselves and our mental health in order to stay healthy. We will go out with friends, take ourselves on dates, and go outside to take a breath of fresh air. We will appreciate the value of rest, and we will not allow ourselves to be burnt out. We will know that, yes, money is great, but money without health is not. Money without any form of love is not. Money without liking yourself is not. We will take time to discover our hobbies, discover our interests, discover what makes us excited, and then we will grab hold of those things and milk every bit of life out of them. Because if not, what’s the point of this all anyways?

5. We are financially literate.

In this decade, we will do away with the terrible habits with which we accumulate and spend money. We will educate ourselves on how to manage our money, and how to make money work for us. We will not have poor spending habits, but take the time to learn how to spend wisely. We will not depend on previous formal education to teach us how best to survive in this economy, but we will do our own research in order to thrive in it. We will not be lazy, nor sluggish, nor half-hearted when it comes to this, because we realise that how we spend money does not only affect us but affects our families and future families. We will be intentional about this because we know that the path that lies ahead of us requires intention, and passivity will just not make the cut.

6. We are not proud.

In this decade, we realise that in order to grow, pride cannot remain. We understand that constructive criticism must be welcome if we ever want to progress. We will stop being stubborn when we are told of negative traits about ourselves, and rather think of how we can use that information to grow. We will not shut people out when they remind us of the parts of ourselves that we dislike, but use that as a further motivation to improve (Nonetheless, we will not entertain toxic people who delight in letting us know of our shortcomings). We will be humble and not see ourselves as above anybody else, but always leave room for learning.

7. We are exercising discipline.

In this decade we will take purpose-driven steps to reach an end-goal. We will no longer accept only having dreams, but we will adhere to the necessary procedure that is needed to achieve those dreams. There will no longer be room for thinking more than we act. Once we think it, we are doing it. PERIOD. We will meet deadlines before they are due. We will be intentionally punctual. We will intentionally open our Bibles. We will wake up to the first alarm. We will become strangers to ‘snooze’. We will become enemies with procrastination. We will fight wars with passivity. We will train our bodies and our minds to do what needs to be done, whether or not the process is pleasurable. We will go to the gym when we say we will. (That’s going to be a sticky one for some of you still…me being the worst for this one..)

8. We are not limiting God.

In this decade, we are giving God a chance to show us who He is, and who He can really be in our lives. We are erasing and unlearning what we think we know about him, and allowing him to reveal himself to us. We are getting to know God as our friend, rather than as just a deity. We will realise that God – the one who created humour, love, fun, silliness, peace and everything that bring us joy – wants us to experience him in this way too. We will drop our pride and preconceptions and give him a chance to let him do his thing, which he best knows how to do. We will accept that Jesus did not come to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him (John 3:17). We will be more open to the fact that his love is not a common thing, but is personal and intentionally for you. We will not limit the one who is limitless.

9. We are being kind.

In this decade, we will be considerate of the lives of those around us. Those who we like and those who we do not like as much. We will remember that everybody is really going through something. So we will be kind. We will not let our characters be altered by the behaviour of others. We are dropping this modern proverb of ‘being nice gets you nowhere’, because it shows that your niceness was never about just being nice anyways. It shows that your niceness was for selfish gain. We are being kind because that is the right thing to do, not because of where it can take us. We are being kind because human beings are inextricably interlinked, and our actions impact the next person whether we like it or not. We are being kind because we don’t know who needs it. We are being kind because we don’t know who is contemplating when they will choose to have their last breath. We are being kind because our hearts in this decade must be filled with love in order to live wholesomely, and kindness is a wonderful expression of love.

10. You will know that what is for you will be for you.

In this decade you will know that what is for you will be for you. What is for you will be for you. What is for you will be for you. So don’t you dare settle. And don’t you dare forget your worth so much that you beg for somebody to see it. Don’t even try it. We have left all of that in the past. In the decade that is ahead of you, please believe that what is meant to come your way will inevitably come. Please remember this when things do not go according to plan, or when life starts spiraling in a way that you did not imagine it to. Please remember that to everything, there is a purpose. Do not force things that are not meant for you to remain in your life, for they will either bring you immense pain or rob you of immense joy. And I don’t know which is worse. If you happen to encounter a person that you think you will spend the rest of your life with, and then it doesn’t work out, do not force it to. Maintain your dignity and self-respect and walk away, knowing that there is always better-suited for you. Exercise patience in this decade. When the job that you thought was destined for you doesn’t happen to come your way, despite you having all the necessary requirements, do not let it break you. Be upset, you will hurt, but you will heal. Realise that the path that lies ahead of you, that is ACTUALLY destined for you, has a much greater purpose than the one you imagined for yourself. Remember that in all these things, faith, patience and diligence work hand-in-hand. Follow your gut and don’t settle. Please.

All in all, let this be your declaration in this decade. Speak it into existence. For these next 10 years will determine a lot of our lives paths. So make sure this next decade is a good one. And always be willing to learn.