Raise your hand if 2024 has thrown you a curveball or two. (Don't be shy, I see you all!) Life has a way of testing our resolve, sending challenges that whisper, "Maybe this year isn't the one." But hold on, dreamers! Before you pack away your aspirations and settle for a lukewarm 2024, let's revisit our goals, let's take a pause and evaluate how far we have come. There are obvious reasons to give up for young people in Nigeria and just live life as it comes, the recent dollar increase has thrown a lot of business in thinking and evaluation, layoffs and comprises, but hold your breath, you are not alone.
Lately, I have been wearing my proud cloak of a church boy. The church used to be a second home to me, the two places I love to be are with my family and the church, however, that has extended to places such as the orphanage homes, on road trips, at events of friends and family, seeing myself execute solutions at the workplace or to SME or just offer counselling and business advisory to people. These new places are not entirely going to rub me off of the joy that comes with being a church boy (in service of others, humanity and God). I overhead a discussion with my mum once when she was complaining about me always being in church, in my defence, the neighbour told her to be grateful to God that if I am not in the house, or attending computer training, I will be found in the church. It's been over 12 years, but the conversation is still evergreen in my heart.
Have I strained from that? Yes, but I am back, on the ground with the reality of my second home, however, maybe not in the fullness of being physically present in the church in the number of hours I previously dedicated to being there, but in true service and worship through humanity and good works. In my recent conversation with Priscilla, we discussed the high standards we held of people back in the days who later fell off or began to struggle with their faith and lifestyle and how quite several comments made then were not from the place of love but of condemnation and hypocrisy. A few years now, I finally know what it feels like to be held by standards, to be unforgiven by others, to be judged, to be faced with the world's several interpretations of my actions, if only, they walked in my shoes and know that, even in my ignorance, I did my best within the knowledge at my disposal. Could I have done better on certain things? Yes, if I had better understanding, knowledge, exposure and insight.
Hence, its time to Reconnect with your "why": Why did you embark on this journey in the first place? Reconnect with the passion that ignited your goals. Rekindle the fire that makes your heart sing and fuels your determination. This is not the time to surrender your dreams to the hibernation of unfulfilled resolutions. This is the moment to rekindle the fire, to dust off your ambition and march boldly into the rest of the year.
Most importantly, remember, this is your journey. Walk it at your own pace, embrace the detours, and never lose sight of the fire burning within you. 2024 still holds endless possibilities, waiting to be unlocked by your determination. So, shake off the January dust, reignite your passion, and forge ahead with the faith that you can achieve anything you set your mind to. This year is yours to conquer, one step, one spark, one triumph at a time. It doesn’t matter how far you think you are lost, its time to start again.
Maybe its day One again but its worth every strength and faith to start again.
Cheers to getting it better.
Olajide
Cheers to getting it better 🥂