I know we are almost at the end of the first month of  2017, and most would think that this should have gone out at the start of the year from day 1.  I say Pish posh, we are at the start of the year and post-holiday the best thing would be to catch our breath and pause. So let’s recap, 2016 was an interesting year, yes we will use the word interesting shaking my head not really, we are in a world sans Prince, Bowie and George Michael…

Secondly, I was waiting to see if the world went up in smoke after the 20^th of January, and I am happy to declare that there were no four horsemen of the apocalypse, making an appearance. Instead, women globally said no to business as usual, while  Michelle Obama’s face captured the emotion most of the world was feeling and almost broke the internet.

So what comes next? As we slip past the euphoria of New Year. The weird detox programs have started to lose its appeal, you feel at odds with the normal chants of hustle to you break.  And you have ditched the ideas that you most do it the way everyone is. You are now ready to get down to the business of making 2017 work for you.

A friend recently posted a video about minding your own business or as I love to call it minding your own lane, the first thing you have to ditch in 2017 is the idea that you are in competition with anyone, the only woman you have to be better than is the one you were yesterday. Leave the comparison sickness to a minimum by ditching the social media stalking, note all you are getting to see even if they are claiming unfiltered hashtags are their showreel, not the blood sweat and tears it took to get there.

Make goals that spark the very core of you,  not just focus on the business goals,  2017 is about having fun as well what have you secretly wanted to try? Is it that ariel yoga class or learning the tango or becoming a nude model for a still drawing class?

Your goals need to be personal to you, create a vision board that highlights every area of your life. Put your own personal picture in that vision board smack bang in the middle of that board. 2017 is about you taking center stage in your own time to be your own leading lady.

What does your leading lady need? Is it that weekend away, the time to take care of your body and soul, maybe it is you unplugging and spending time with people that celebrate all of you? To make this year rock, look at upgrading what you do and who you surround yourself with.

Get active in 2017 regardless on what side of the pond you are. Find a way to get involved. You may have participated in the women’s marches that happened around the world or you didn’t – you can still get involved in activities that would help other women around the world, like supporting and donating to programs and causes that help women make informed choices about their reproductive rights, like Suzyknew! for starts. Or, you could bring a bunch of friends together to collect sanitary products and donate them to women’s shelters and homeless women across your city.

2017 will be what you make of it, and you have the power to choose how your year will end.

Show host: www.shineoutloud.tv

www.twitter.com/lillianogbogoh

Instagram- LillianOgbogoh