LIFESTYLE

Voices of Faith: New Year. Same Me. With Love.

By Kenyona Sunny Matthews
Special to the Record-Courier

New Year. New me. We all see the post from friends up and down our timeline. People promise to try and change habits. Habits they have deemed unhealthy or wrong. I am going to the gym. I am going to read more. I am going to eat out less. A new year lends itself to a new beginning. Some people want to look for hope and drive change in their lives. For those who choose to make these promises: Good luck! New Year. New you.

Keyona "Sunny" Matthews

Others believe this tradition is a setup. It is a cruel way to treat yourself. Most people will not reach their goals. These resolutions are a form of torture rather than motivation. How is that helpful? Why set an arbitrary goal and force yourself into a mold? Especially when it may be an unhealthy change. Many are saying no to making any New Year's resolutions this year. They will not make what they see as empty promises of change. They don't see value in the pressure. They love themselves as they are. New year. Same me.

My approach to the birth of a new season is a bit different. I plan to chart a middle-of-the-road journey. I make no promise to change my outward appearance or to commit to a typical resolution. I will not focus on a new me or rely on the same me. Instead, I will challenge myself to do more for others. I will look at how I show up in the world and not how others perceive me. People will get the same me with a twist.

These last few years have been rough for so many people. I feel we need to do a better job caring for one another. As I prepare for the new year, I turn to my faith. One verse sums it up for me. “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”- John 15:12.

I will make no promises of improvement based on my own needs — no promises to lose weight. Or read more. Or save money. I will not turn away from the tradition as a whole, though. I make a promise to be much more Christ-like. To love, support, and help others. In a world where people fight on airplanes, I plan to choose kindness towards others.

My New Year's resolution is to appreciate and love the humans I see everyday. I want us to act from love instead of hate. I will do my best to live this virtue out loud. I love you. I will do my best to nurture a common good for all people. NEW YEAR. SAME ME. WITH LOVE.

Sunny Matthews is a mother, community leader, advocate, and organizer. She is passionate about affecting appreciable change whether it’s through writing, speaking, providing diversity and inclusion training, pushing for policy change, or supporting candidates that move us closer to finally having a just world for all. To connect, reach out to her at dimensionsofism@gmail.com.