365/365

What are you grateful for?

My favorite quote of all time is “A lot of things can happen in a year” Now, more than ever, I have more understanding of it.

When I first said this earlier in the year, I said it with so much certainty because I knew that 2022 was going to be an eventful year for me.

I knew I was going to start my business, my sister was going to get married, I was going to graduate from university and all that so of course, a lot of things were going to happen therefore, alot of things can happen.

But now, looking back, it just blows my mind. 12 months, 365 days, that’s a lot.

I’m so grateful for 2022, the year did me good.

In 2022, I held on to certainties, absolutes and in 2023 there aren’t any.

Now, I’ve realized that the only certainties I’ll get are the ones I’ll actively plan for. The ones I work towards so now, I’m writing a plan.

And to think I’ve always hated these cause I’ve never really stuck to them but, I started planting in 2022 and if I don’t find ways to grow my plant, it will die.

So, I’m making a plan. With a handful of reality and a sprinkle of the supernatural.

I’m able to do this because mentally I’m ready for what comes next, not because it’s the last day of the year and it’s about that time to fill in that expectation form.

It’s no shocker that around this time of the year, there’s always pressure to make a plan and change your life, to prepare for the new year and get your pass to say “new year, new me”.

Although this is good, I’ve learnt that it’s better to learn your cues as a person and work with it. Be the person you need at the moment and not the person you think you should be.

By this time last year, I didn’t have a list. I was exhausted mentally and I didn’t want to deceive myself again like I had always done in the previous years so, I let it go and became the person I needed.

Does this mean I planned to fail? No. Because of this, I became more open to my cues and more willing to tell myself the truth.

Because I allowed myself to breathe, I slowly started to become the person I wanted to be. I started understanding the areas I needed a lot of work and the areas where I thrived.

Now, see me at the end of the year, making a list.

As you enter the new year, remember that there’s no hurry to be, or to do. Life isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon and you’ll slowly get there when you start having open conversations with yourself. When you start giving yourself what you need and not what you think you should need.

It’s just January, and it’s just 2023. Your life doesn’t start and end in January so take a deep breath and relax. Everything will work out well in it’s time.

So, instead of looking for ways to be better for the new year, you can look back at this year and write down all the things you’re grateful for.

Count your blessings, you’d be surprised what God has done, that might be a good place to start.

So, I’ll go first…

I’m grateful for family and the genuine friendship I experienced this year.

What are you grateful for?