Change begins one small step at a time

Whenever the New Year approaches, people tend to make grandiose statements about what they plan to do differently, the long-time goals that they confidently promise they’ll actually achieve this time around and how they’ve learned never to revisit the dark alleys and one-way streets of life that previously held them back.

But the real deal is that unless we have a solid plan in place — one that we keep prominently displayed within view at all times — chances are that we will have broken most of our New Year’s resolutions by the time Black History Month begins. It’s often said, that one who fails to plan, plans to fail. That tends to be a problem with Blacks. We are great at conjuring up elaborate schemes and dreaming about wonderful fairy tale endings — sometimes spending the money before the ink on the check has dried. This year, let’s do things a little different.

If you haven’t taken some real “me time” to identify those things in your life that you know need to change, do so as soon as possible. Making a list is probably the best method, that way you can’t conveniently forget. Then, consider those things of which you are most proud from last year. Are there ways you can improve? Can you reach higher heights in certain facets of your life, whether that’s spiritual, physical, emotional, or financial improvement? With a solid plan, you probably can. Analyze carefully, plan deliberately and constantly evaluate how things are going.

Why take time to say what some would suggest is so elementary? Because humans are creatures of habit. The longer one does something, or does not do something, the more that action or lack of action becomes a part of who we are.

However, looking at all of the challenges facing Blacks in 2011, here in Miami and across our nation, we know that we must come with a different game plan for 2012 — that is, if we want to see change for the positive occur. The legendary Sam Cooke once sang, “A change is gonna come.” But was it only wishful thinking?

We have much work to do, from dethroning a Republican-led legislation in both Tallahassee and Washington, D.C., that appears to care very little about the woes of Black folk, to making sure Barack Obama gets a fair chance to complete what he started. But we need to begin to see the change and make the change happen right now. It won’t come in the blink of an eye or with the twitch of your nose — real and lasting change occurs one small step at a time.