It’s time to turn the spotlight inward and take an honest look at yourself | Opinion

Whew! What a year this has been. Yet, here we are, on the threshold of a new year. A new beginning.

Or will it be more of the same? I don’t know. But being the optimist that I am, I am going to vote for a new beginning, that all the dirtiness of the old year will be blown away with the blast of the new year fireworks.

To me, a new beginning does not mean that there will be no disappointments or sadness in the coming year. It does not mean that we won’t have times of grief and sickness and setbacks.

What it means to me is that although hard times and disappointments will come (they’re inevitable), I have been given a new opportunity to be an overcomer. It means that I have another chance to put my faith in action, to be a better me than I was in 2025.

I admit, it is going to take a lot of work to get my own life on the straight and narrow. I am not perfect. Not yet. But that is my goal — to be perfect in the eyes of the Lord. That means I will practice more tolerance, be more compassionate, kinder and slower to get angry in the coming year. In other words, it means that I will be very busy, with whatever time I have left, working on me.

At this time of the year, many of us start making long lists of the things we want to change during the year. We call them our New Year’s resolutions. To some it means joining a gym to drop a few extra pounds. To some others, it means changing some habits that make us unhealthy – like smoking.

Even some churches take this time of the year to get a fresh and healthy start – both physically and spiritually – by leading a churchwide prayer/fast. The prayer/fast usually starts the first day, or the first Sunday, of the new year and lasts from 21 to 40 days. It is called the Daniel fast, named for the Prophet Daniel of the Bible’s Old Testament.

It is a partial fast where participants abstain from meat, dairy, caffeine, alcohol and processed food, and focus instead on fruits vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and water. By adhering to the Daniel fast, the participants are able to be closer to God.

I know of at least one church that is doing a month-long version of the Daniel fast, starting New Year’s Day. While it might not be for everyone, I think this is a good thing — focusing more on God and less on ourselves. Making a conscious decision about what we eat can help us grow and make us think more about the needs of others.

I am not advocating that we should all go on a 40-day fast. What I am advocating is for us to, as I like to say, turn the searchlight inwards and take a good look at who we are right now. Take an honest look.

You may not like what you see, but that’s okay. The idea is to take a good, honest look at yourself. Don’t make excuses for what you did wrong in 2025. Just study the situations and see if there is some way you can make things better.

Perhaps there is someone you need to say “Thank you” for a job well done. Perhaps there is someone you need to forgive or ask forgiveness from. Make up your mind to make right whatever wrong you might have done. And then move forward in the new year. In doing so, you will have given your soul a spiritual bath.

I have learned in the 87 and 10 months and 16 days I have lived on this beautiful planet Earth, that nothing feels better than a clean conscience.

So whether you have made a New Year’s resolution to join a gym, stop smoking, be more compassionate and kinder or to fast in an effort to grow closer to the Lord, I wish you success and a new year filled with health, peace, joy and hope.

Honoring 10 accomplished women

Congratulations to the 10 women who were honored recently at The Little Red Dress Event, presented by the Dade County Alumnae Chapter of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and the Dade Deltas Foundation.

The event’s theme was “EmpowerHER: Women Who Serve” and honored women who impact the community through their organizations.

The honorees are:

Metris Batts-Coley, serving as the first Black president of the 125-year-old Miami Woman’s Club. She also is the executive director of the Overtown Business Association, collaborating with small businesses, residents and partners to support economic development within the historic Overtown neighborhood.

Lisa Ivory, recently elected Southeastern regional director of Jack and Jill of America, a national family-oriented organization. As such, she serves 52 chapters in Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee.

Yolanda Cash Jackson, Esq., among the power elite when it comes to lawyer-lobbyists in Tallahassee. In this position, she influences state policy at the highest levels.

Roberta Moise, distinguished educator, serving as a middle school math instructor with Florida Virtual School, impacting students in Miami-Dade County and across Florida.

Paula Pearson-Tucker, an LPGA teaching and club professional and the longtime head golf professional for the city of Lauderhill. She also is the executive director of Fore Life, a nonprofit she founded to help vulnerable youth from underserved communities.

Robin Starks, Ph.D., a trailblazing law enforcement leader and advocate for justice. She has devoted over 36 years to public service and community empowerment.

Graylyn Swilley-Woods, Ph.D., executive director of the Visitors Industry Council of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB).

Shanae Turner, who for the past three years has led outreach efforts serving homeless individuals through monthly distributions of hot meals, clothing, toiletries, compassionate conversation and prayer.

Dr. Amber Williams, a chiropractor who is passionate about providing patient-centered, non-invasive care that restores function, mobility and quality of life.

Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, an eight-term lawmaker and longtime educator who has served as a teacher, principal and a Miami-Dade County School Board member. She is the founder of the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project, a mentoring and dropout prevention program for boys and young men of color.

Nyree M. Washington, Ed.D., is president of the sorority, and Flora Jackson, Esq., is president of the Dade Delta Foundation. Nikki Floyd and Loreal Arscott, Esq., served as mistresses of ceremonies of the event.