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The Cleveland Observer Team
Be Certain That You Are Not Alone
Happy 2025! As the beginning of a new year always brings plenty of uncertainties with changing political climates, personal matters, weather, and you name it, I want to remind you of some things you can be certain. You can be certain that you have people who love you. You can be certain that who you are today may not be who you are tomorrow, the day after, or the day after, and that is wonderful. You can be certain that your voice matters and speaking your mind beats silence any day. You can be certain that you can and will grow from all the hardships that may come with the new year. And most of all, you can be certain that you have a community here at TCO ready to support and uplift your stories through it all.
Sincerely,
Lisa O’Brien, Writer, The Cleveland Observer
Breathe Deep and Move Forward with Compassion for Yourself and Your Community
As we step into 2025, let us take a moment to breathe deeply and reflect on the journey that has brought us to this point. Every new year offers a fresh chapter, a blank page, and an opportunity to write a story of hope, growth, and resilience.
This year, I encourage you to embrace the power of possibility. Even in uncertain times, there is strength in small steps forward. Every act of kindness, every effort to connect, and every moment spent lifting one another up has the potential to create ripples that extend far beyond what we can see.
2025 is a time to dream boldly and work diligently. It is a year to learn from the past while moving forward with renewed purpose. As you set your intentions and goals, remember that progress is not always linear, and growth often comes in moments of challenge and perseverance. Be gentle with yourself, and celebrate every win, no matter how small.
I also encourage you to look outward and find ways to contribute to the greater good. Whether through volunteerism, mentorship, advocacy, or simply being a source of encouragement to someone in need, your contributions matter. Our collective strength lies in our ability to uplift one another and build a community rooted in compassion, understanding, and action.
Imani Capri
Managing Editor, The Cleveland Observer
A New Attitude
Leaving 2024 let’s not agonize over the things we did not do, but the things that we have accomplished no matter how small. As we move into the new year, let’s go forward embracing joy, with a new attitude, in expecting new opportunities, new relationships and new challenges. Let’s remember we are never too old to learn, to grow, to develop. Let’s encompass positive thoughts and exhibit positive energy.
Let’s trust that this new year will bring blessings in abundance to all our TCO staff and readers.
Happy New Year!
Carla Calhoun
Focus on The Process
Focus on the process, not on perfection. Doing so positively improves the possibility of reaching any goal. (adapted from Winston Churchill) We are often our harshest critics. We expect no errors and immediate success. This year, let us give ourselves physical, emotional, and mental grace in all we do. We owe that to ourselves.
Marva White
Editor, The Cleveland Observer
The thoughts we entertain have the power to shape our lives and give us Peace.
Everyday we make decisions take actions and experience emotions based on what we think. It is often said that our thoughts are like seeds planted in the soil of our hearts. When we nurture them they grow into what we eventually become. Taking control of our thoughts is the first step in taking control of our destiny. There is a battle being fought in the quiet corners of our mind and every moment we are presented with a choice to entertain thoughts that uplift and empower us or to dwell on those that discourage distract and destroy.
In this struggle it is essential to recognize that we have the power to choose. This process of taking control of our thoughts begin with becoming aware of what occupies our minds. We are not mere victims of our circumstances or of our minds. We can choose to reject thoughts that lead us into fear, anxiety, and doubt and replace them with thoughts that bring us peace, confidence, and hope. With self-awareness comes power, the power to change.
For many of us the key to controlling our thoughts lies in faith. When we place our trust in something greater than ourselves we can shift our focus away from the worries and distractions of this world. Faith redirects our attention toward what is true noble and good.
Our faith act as an anchor keeping us grounded in hope, even in the stormiest of circumstances. The work doesn’t end there. Renewing the mind is a daily process just as we nourish our bodies with food we must nourish our minds with truth.
Have you ever heard of 5X5X5+5 = Peace? Next Month’s “Words of Encouragement 2025” will explain.
By Ron Calhoun
Publisher, Editor-in-Chief, The Cleveland Observer
