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Saturday, January 3, 2015

Bring Some of the Old into the New Year


Three days into 2015 and it's so far been pretty good. The end of 2014 had some great beginnings so my resolve to define, list, swear to goodness I will do this or that wasn't as urgent. I learnt a lot about myself and uncertainty last year. I realize in hindsight the importance of consistency and hard work, as I went through 2 raises and promotions in a single year, that I mostly was focused on the working and when they were happening they were fitting and due so I never really stopped to acknowledge and celebrate myself. Not only did work need to be done, but by virtue of the new responsibilities - there was more of it. The latest change with my work made me a little less anxious about my immediate [1-2 years] future because it's where I've wanted to be for a long time and it promises to be dynamic and a great learning experience where I will really get to apply my capabilities, passions and my person[ality]. I am so grateful for it all and that change was really the result of serious, active and actual prayer. Although this is a personal post, this being a public platform, I will not get into details about incapable people's attempts to derail and undermine my great work ethic as evidenced by so many things....in the end, the universe conspired in my favor to remove me from what would have definitely led to me not being my best self. I gracefully let go of things not meant for me. HalleluYAAAR!

2014 taught me how to protect myself from people who have shown themselves time and time again... Protecting myself by focusing on those who are a positive and regenerating force in my life whilst being unbothered by those who aren't. I made new friends, re-categorized those I already had and possibly lost some in the process...but such is life - we will all be ok. I love the friends I have and the parts of my family I'm close to and see often and I can't wait to spend more time with them creating memories [that may or may not be shared here *wink wink*].

I think the best way to start the new year is to look back at the previous one. So much happens in the year and measuring our successes and accomplishments is best done in hindsight. We have all mostly learnt that new year's resolutions are not a plan. They will not be met and there is a thing called LIFE that tends to happen and trying to control what happens in the space of a year is a sure way to either fail or feel like a failure at the end of it. Yes make plans for specific goals, hope for the things your heart desires and keep on being yourself. Some of what we want to happen in the space of a year will take a lot of work on our part, but putting positive energy out there, being a good person and genuinely doing good unto others has a way of creating such good karma that things we never imagined or planned for start to happen. Let yourself enjoy those moments and use them to inspire and fuel more good and excellence out of you - it will quickly become a viciously positive cycle that cannot be derailed.

I want to travel more, get an almost routine for fitness, write more and grow in my friendships and relationships to others and be more engaged than I am a content loner sometimes. I also want to deliberately dedicate and designate time to my 2 projects passions outside of work as building blocks for my future. More on those another time - when there is sometime to tell about them you'll definitely read about it. In enjoying the year and the 362 days left, I would like to be more FOCUSED. I watched a TEDx talk with Cobhams Asuquo, a Nigerian music producer extraordinaire who is blind, called "The Gift of Blindness" where he talks about there being no excuse for failure. About his blindness being a blessing that insulated him from the distraction that is sight - literally (walking into a store and not being distracted) and figuratively (being focused on goals and achieving them). It's an excellent and inspiring glimpse into the struggles that shape greatness, with or without disability, but I've selected his last words as the most poignant:

"Do not excuse failure, on no account, for no reason. Trust even when you have no reason to and finally, and I do not mean this literally, be blind to be focused."

I shall. Woza 2015!


_______________
*@afropolitaine*

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