End of Year Note – Grateful and More…

There is a lot to say as a lot has happened. Might be cliché to write I do not know where to begin, but it is true: I have no idea where to begin.

My snarky mind screamed, ‘start from the top, sis!’ shortly as I finished writing that. I may or may not have laughed out loud, but it is precisely what I intend to do. Tell the story from the beginning as I remember it.

Grateful and more… is a phrase I’d use, to sum up, the entire year.

Yes, I am grateful for certain perks this year. They might not be things that matter to you, though I doubt this, it does to me. 2021 brought me these things and made me experience them in a new light. I would say read with an open mind.

So, as I previously stated, I would start from the beginning.

In my vision sheet, I wrote down what would be my watchword at the start of the year: 2021, my year of knowledge, productivity, and accomplishments. It’s debatable if I followed through on that, but one thing is certain: my perspective, expectations, and ambitions for my life have shifted dramatically.

Ten things mattered most to me at the time. I wrote them down, breaking them down into sizable bits that explained their significance and required monthly actions from me. I wasn’t just trying to manifest, attract my desires by writing them down; I was also making them clear for quick check-ins.

Did the pandemic present any impedance to achieving my goals? well, not necessarily. I was, if anything, obstructing my progress. You’ll find out how soon enough. But first, I’ll take my wins.

I’ve never felt so connected to my friends and family as I did this year.

I have folks that I can call true pals. It’s not all in my head; I’m theirs as well. With my friendships, I am deliberate, constant, and open. I’m new to the dynamics of having a healthy friendship; not that I haven’t made genuine friends before, but this time I don’t want to lose them. As a result, I go above my usual to ensure this. Just like they’re doing too. I am truly grateful for the balance and opportunities that my network has brought to my life.

My relationship with my immediate family has always been good, but it has grown much stronger this year. We’re all adults now, and it’s not easy, but we put in the work. We communicated more, conducted more family activities together, and are currently constructing our home together, which is another thing I am super grateful for. Of course, we had to figure out time and money for all of this, but we’re doing it and it’s been rewarding.

Professionally, I studied for and took some exams for my 9 -5 job, and boy was that hard. After so many years out of school, academic reading isn’t as simple as it once was. But that is about to change. I have plans for the new year, but it has been a tad challenging this year. However, I did it. The results aren’t in yet, but I’m confident they’ll be positive.

I did some more at work as well, and I totally dominated the speaking engagements game. This was one of my main priorities, being able to host and talk to a huge audience, and I was able to do so not once, not twice, but multiple times this year. Every quarter I had the opportunity to speak at work and with others. By others I mean, I got some external gigs. Yes Yes.

And because I displayed commitment and a willingness to put in the hours, I received a favorable evaluation at work throughout the year. This was another top priority goal for me. I am glad I was appreciated for my efforts and I intend to continue in this vein in the coming year.

On a personal level, I purchased and read more books this year, and I shared my musings on the blog and other social media platforms so people can know what I am about. I haven’t made any money yet, though from all of it. This is one of the areas I look forward to in the new year.

I also volunteered for causes that I am passionate about. Still volunteering. One is a Health NGO and the other is a youth-centric action-based civic education platform. There are others, but I kind of prefer these two, best. 

I had a terrific regimen for staying in shape, swimming, and dancing up until the third quarter of the year. For glowing skin, I also had a routine. I had made several out-of-town trips, part of my adventure plan. It wasn’t perfect but I kinda had it together.

It was great that I had a budget sheet as well, where I was recording monthly expenses, planning, and investing. I was convinced I was winning the finance game but in retrospect, around mid-year was when the first hints of what would turn out to be my worst loss of the year appeared on the horizon.

The ripple effect of this regrettably had far-reaching consequences.

To avoid being a long read, I’ve split this note. The concluding part of this note would be shared in another post. Happy Holidays