Stacey Norman shares some inspiring words for 2024

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I say this every year because I'm not a person who believes in New Year's resolutions. It isn't like the clock strikes upon the hour and then suddenly you move through a mystical portal or vortex and all your problems from the previous year disappear and you're refreshed and renewed and you're feeling special. What is New Year's Day this year, it's a Monday, it's just a Monday. But I think what it can be is an opportunity to go again. And whether that kicks in for you today or that kicks in for you on the 17th of January or whether it's the 17th of June, it doesn't matter. We always have an opportunity to try again, to put our best foot forward and to represent ourselves the best way we can on that day and in the moment.

- Stacey Norman

There's something that comes with getting older. Firstly, it's such a privilege and an honour to get older, it means that you have been spared another day, another week, another month, another year, but as we keep getting older, we start realising quite literally that the only person who needs to give you permission to be authentically who you are and to show up for yourself that way every day is you. You're not living for other people, we're not dressing for other people, we're not pretending for other people. There are days when you are going to be required to have a certain level of grace and sometimes you got to dig deep, you gotta fake it till you make it. But when you get home and you wash your face and you put your PJ's on and you look in the mirror and it's just you and you, did you best represent yourself on that day?

- Stacey Norman

And in 2024 that's what I hope the majority of us feel. I think that there's definitely this faux positivity post-COVID where we all feel like we need to be fantastic all the time and there's a whole lot of pressure, especially at the beginning of a New Year. New Year, New Me and it's a trap that we fall into. Psychology I don't think we need that pressure, we've been through enough, the fact that we're all here, we're healthy, we get to see that new day, new week, new month, new year, is such a blessing so, allow yourself permission to be grateful and to enjoy your life. Like eat the cake, try something new, text the person, make the first move, set your boundaries, drink your water and don't be afraid to shine and take up space. We don't need to make ourselves feel smaller so other people can feel better, we're not doing it for someone else, we're doing it for ourselves and not in a selfish way that completely obliterates that balance but ironically in a more balanced way. You can't keep showing up for other people, you need to show up for you as well. Value yourself, you are the star, you are the Beyonce. Happy 2024!

- Stacey Norman