I ripped out pages and cut out words. I wrote down goals and crossed them out. It was time for my annual vision board party of 1. With the way this year ended, it was the last thing I wanted to do - but seeing how it's shaped such great years since i began, I decided to swallow my pride and hurt feelings and get to it. I cut everything I wanted to use to encourage and inspire me in this new year. Because more important than any resolution is my commitment to positive energy.

I don't want to wish anything away or fill my thoughts with things I'll only truly commit to doing in the first two weeks of January. 2016 isn't about tangible goals for me. It's about creating a true, lasting change. It's about doing what I've never done before. It's about attaining the power needed to do for me, what no one else can. It's about digging within and pulling the inner most me to the forefront. 

My 2016 will be about freedom. It'll be about me breaking free from the bondage these past 26 years of life placed upon me, and fearlessly unbuckling these shackles. It's about leaving fear, doubt, worry, discontentment and envy right here in 2015. Right here on this page. It's about being cleansed and purified to be used wholly (holy). It's about unleashing the Christ hidden within me. The Christ that's been nestled uncomfortably underneath pride and ego, next to the last piece of my broken heart and the Bible scripture I forgot to recite before making bad decisions. 

My 2016 is about diving into this freedom. It's about choosing freedom. It's about ushering it into my life wrapped in a blanket of peace and happiness. It's about keeping that blanket so tightly wrapped that nothing can force these things out or away. It's about enjoying the 15th, 16th and 22nd day of the year, on its day and not before or after. It's about living in the now more than I ever have. Embracing each moment to create lasting memories. 

My 2016 is about development - not in the form of tangible things or accomplishments but soulfully. It's about planting seeds and nurturing them enough to bloom. It's about giving birth to a new woman - a better woman. It's about battling the things prohibiting me from doing so, and winning. 2016 is about winning. 

My 2015 was about purpose. It was about launching this here blog, trademarking this here brand, and finding a professionally fulfilling job. It was about listening to God's word and achieving all that He told me to. It was about fearlessly being led to the next part of my life. It was about floating from one goal to the next until my to-do list was entirely checked off and I could proudly spout my resume during networking events and on Facebook statuses. 

But my 2016 isn't about goals, or things or dollars. It isn't about projects, or jobs or people. It's about me. It's about not letting these things keep me locked in a cage any longer. It's about freeing myself, my mind and my spirit. It's about emptying myself of the lies, hurt, inadequacies, mistakes and sin of 2015 and being filled up anew. It's about being whole in my flaws and in the things I may not accomplish. It's about being content in my this-is-too-hard and I-don't-want-to-be-here moments. It's about allowing my cup to run over with love I may not deserve. It's about letting life happen the way it will, and embracing it as it comes. It's about welcoming the good and the bad. 

It's about feeling as complete to myself as I seem to others; it's about freeing myself enough to be able to. It's about breaking these chains. It's about me. It's about freedom. It's about joy. 

My 2016 comes with no resolution. Those shackles are coming off tonight.