2023 is almost upon us! No reason waiting until New Years Eve to start planning ahead! I’m starting now! I declare and decree that we will limit or stop making differences between us (whoever you are or whatever you do) and them (that thing you deem to be a weakness in the other person). For the life of me, I don’t understand why we feel like we have to always make these distinctions as if we are so much better than the next person because of that one descriptor. Well, I sort of know why. As humans, we are just so tribal. We want to be in groups, any group, doesn’t matter. “You drink water? I drink water. Let’s hang. Just us though, not those soda drinking folks.”

I mean the simplest things like folks drinking 64 ounces being used to divide us all the way to the most egregious descriptors such as race. We must stop. These are just descriptions to give you hints about a person’s personality (possibly) but most importantly, just ways to describe us to others. But it’s not all encompassing. I’m a woman 1st. I’m black 2nd. You can put those two things together to describe me but those things are so minimal when it comes to who I truly am.

Now that I have your attention, let’s work on a list of distinctions/stereotypes/prejudices that we will NOT take into 2023! It’ll be a challenge for sure. But I believe in you. You can do this. It’ll just take a little practice. Let’s start now. So here it goes…Ahem. To ALL the shit we will leave in 2022. LETSGOOOO

Things NOT allowed in 2023:

Blacks vs Whites

Republicans vs Democrats

Liberals vs Conservatives

Team natural vs Creamy crack

Stay at Home mom Vs Working moms

Breast feed Vs Formula

HBCU Vs PWI

Public school Vs Private

Travel ball Vs REC sports

Rich Vs Poor

Church Goers Vs Bedside baptists

White collar Vs Blue collar

Americans Vs Others

Heterosexual Vs Homosexual

Single parent Vs 2 Parent households

Long hair Vs Short hair

Inner city Vs Suburban

Fat Vs Skinny

Dark skin Vs Light skin

Vegans Vs Meat eaters

FaceBook Vs TikTok

Apple Vs Android

Stuffing Vs Cornbread Dressing

Sugar Vs Salt in Grits

I have an idea! Instead of focusing on our differences, let’s focus on those things we have in common. Don’t think we have things in common? What rock have you been under? Actually we have a LOT of things in common. We just have to take the time to discover them.

In 2023 let’s start to normalize being kind to one another, getting to know people we don’t normally hang with, let’s see each other for our true character and not these made up distinctions that often disqualifies or excludes great people from our lives.

Truth be told, we are leaving a LOT of “money on the table” as we say. Meaning we are missing out on developing some good quality and valuable relationships due to these stereotypes and our limited beliefs. We gotta do better! We must do better. Our lives depend on it!

In 2023, I wanna meet people that don’t look like me, that don’t live on my side of town, that don’t work in my career industry. I want to befriend someone that’s not my age. Someone whose family dynamics are totally opposite as mine. Someone who has different values, different beliefs, a different background, etc.

After all, we are all just people. People. People. People. People. We are not those words. Those descriptors are just our lazy attempts to excuse our own limitations to give the next person an honest chance to share with us the things we don’t have capacity to receive.

Thanks for your attention. And remember you are your own competition.

Competition of 1