It's been an incredible year! A year that has been nothing short of extraordinary. Grab your seat belts, because we're about to embark on a rollercoaster of memories, achievements, and lessons learned. I started the year with so much uncertainty, but my confidence was only in God.

My year started out with a couple of resolutions, just like yours did too😊. 

Learning & Development 

2. I had the goal of reading 12 non-academic books (self-help and spiritual) this year. I finally did it! If you have read my previous yearly reviews, you will know how I have struggled to stay consistent with reading. I usually would start but never finish, but I broke that jinx this year 💃💃💃💃. These books transformed me mentally, spiritually, and socially. 

One thing I did differently that really helped me was explore a lot of reading options. I read some books in hard copy, some in e-copy, and others in audio. I sometimes combined the audiobook and the e-copy. This changed my reading game. Another hack I discovered was dropping any book I wasn’t  getting along with. It happened with one book I read halfway through; reading it came with so much struggle. It is important you enjoy what you’re reading  because excitement builds the momentum necessary for reading.

3. I finally addressed the elephant in the room. I wrote my temporary driver's license exam, passed it, and got my temporary license. I also learned how to drive this year, guys 💃💃💃💃. This is a great achievement for me because I have procrastinated since 2019. 

Mindset Transformation

4. I resolved in my heart that for all the semesters left in  my masters program, I would make a 4.0 GPA in each of them. Excitedly, I made a 4.0 in the two semesters of this year. When I made this resolution, it felt unreal to me. Even though I had said it, my mind had not yet caught it. I underwent a mindset transformation at the beginning of the year, and this helped set the pace of my year. I am so grateful this transformation happened.

5. One of my objectives was to ace the comprehensive exam for my Masters degree. As the day was drawing closer, I got so tense. It finally happened in May 2023. I passed one set of the exam and failed the other. This news came with so many mixed feelings. I was happy, sad, and scared. I had just one attempt left to ace the second set of the exam. I finally took the second set of exams in October, and guess what? I aced the exam. It was the most exciting news I received in October. My reaction was wild; I recall running around my class and rolling on the floor. I was just saying Thank You, Jesus!!!

Creativity

6. If you don't already know, I am creative, and one way I express this part of me is through graphic design. I had multiple opportunities to create amazing products this year. I designed two distinctive t-shirts for my church and my church anniversary magazine (this was a huge milestone for me). I became a member of the student organization where I majored in designing (Student of Color in Business). I held the position of Marketing Director. I explored a lot and learned so much. One lesson I read from "The Go-Giver" has made me very conscious of every design I do, and that is to always give more value. I am excited that I stretched my boundaries this year. See my portfolio. I also won a creative award in my school for an artwork I presented. It was a defining moment for me 😊. 

Habit Stacks Up

7. As the saying usually goes, "Habit stacks up". I experienced this firsthand this year in two ways. Firstly, I decided to take my personal hygiene routine to the next level. I decided to start intentionally brushing twice daily (morning and night before bed). At first, it was difficult. I designed an A4 poster (shown below) and pasted it on my bedside. The message on the poster was all I needed to hear. Sometimes I have already laid on my bed to sleep, then I see the poster. Immediately, I would have to go brush my teeth. It finally became a part of me, and all through the year, I have kept this routine at least 95% of the time.

Secondly, I decided to upgrade my career path. During the summer, I decided to take a course on SQL. I started it but then stopped. My accountability partners held me to it. I recall how one of my accountability partners made me realize that it was a very important skill in the industry I was going into and also made me see the ripple effect it would have on my life as a person. Then I decided I would study for 2 hours every day. I printed a 30-day challenge calendar and pasted it on my wall. Every day I completed the hours, I would mark that day as completed. I did this for about 16 days out of 30 days. Although I didn't finish the duration I planned, the proficiency I developed over this period helped me land my dream job (data analyst) on campus a few months later. You can get a copy of the 30-day  challenge calendar for yourself here.

Unwinding, Travel & Adventure

8. While crushing goals, meeting deadlines, and being productive are important, it is also important to rest, catch your breath, and just unwind. I have realized that this is  an important part of being productive. No wonder the popular saying states that "all work and no play make Jack a dull boy." I found a hobby this year, which is playing badminton. I find it so refreshing. I also explored card games, board games, and Jenga. I also had a couple of friends come over to my house. I visited some parks and saw a couple of movies.

9. I visited one new states this year (Georgia making it three states visited)  and, in total, I visited five cities (Columbus, Detroit, Atlanta, Dallas and Houston) in the United States. In the new year, I hope to visit more states. .

Health

10. This year, I decided to take my health more seriously. I wanted to work out more. For the first half of the year, I was so inconsistent, but for the other half, I became consistently personified 💪💪💪😄😄. This year, I stayed more consistent with my workout than I have ever been  in previous years. I saw the result. It made me very agile, prevented unnecessary body pains, and made me happier  and more confident. I also intentionally started drinking a lot of water this year. I always made sure, wherever I was going, I had a bottle of water with me.

Lessons Learned

1. You can achieve anything you want as long as your mind believes it, your heart can see it, you hold on to it strongly, speak about it, and work towards it. It will become a reality.
2. God is too faithful to fail. He wants to lead every area of our lives if only we would submit to his help and leadership. 
3. Having a strong accountability system would help you achieve things you never thought were possible.
4. Every change you will have must first start with your mindset.
5. An African proverb says, "If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together." This changed my 2023 game. I found myself in the right circle of friends and network, which helped me so much in being productive. 
6. The quote “Plans are worthless, but planning is everything” by Dwight D. Eisenhower made so much sense to me. Having to plan my day most of the days in 2023 really helped me manage my time. Sometimes those plans didn't pull through in the face of reality, but they were definitely worth it. I practiced time-blocking and added events and tasks to my calendar as well. You can get a copy of the time-blocking planner here
7. Failure is not a final destination, nor does it shape your identity. Instead, it presents a choice: either rise resiliently, brushing off setbacks, or remain on the ground. It's a challenge urging you to persevere and keep moving forward.
8. Never stop dreaming, because dreams come true.
9. Little things always stack up.
10. Always ask for help. 

Conclusion

This year has indeed been a journey. I cried, laughed, was stressed, and was uncertain, but all in all, my trust was in God that He who has started a good work in my life would complete it, and He never failed. I enjoy documenting my yearly journey. It helps me see how far I have come and where I was at different stages of my life. I started this 6 years ago. You can see my 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019 and 2018 yearly review. 

How was 2023 for you? Would love to know about your experience. 

Thank you so much for reading.

Journaling has been a way of life for me for as long as I can remember, but I actively and intentionally started to journal in 2018. It helps me unpack my mind, and I find it very therapeutic. I love keeping physical journals as well as e-journals. The last six years of journaling have improved my life in so many ways, some of which include:

1. Helping me reflect, meditate, and gain clarity into situations that are happening or have happened in my life.
2. Helping me to be more conscious of how God shows up for me at every point in my life.
3. It helps me see how a crossroads situation in a certain season of my life became an answered prayer in another season.
4. Journaling helps me understand that even in the darkest seasons of my life, God is always present.
5. It helps me reduce stress, decongest my mind, and feel more relaxed.
6. It helps me deal with negative emotions.
7. Journaling provides a safe haven for me where I can express my thoughts and feelings without feeling judged.
8. It has helped me appreciate my process and track my growth.
9. It reminds me that God loves to answer prayers in grand style.
10. It helps me to be grateful to God and also grateful for the gift on men in my life. 

If you don’t journal, I would strongly encourage you to; it’s a beautiful journey to embark on. In my next blog post, I will share everything you need to know about embarking on a journaling journey.

Do you keep a journal? If not, would you love to start soon? If yes, what has the journey been like for you? Are you an e-journal person (smart devices or a personal blog) , a physical journal person, or both?

Have a great week ahead. 

Quite a number of times I have caught myself second-guessing my abilities and potential, all in the name of fear. It creeps in gradually, and I start thinking of all the "what ifs". What if I don't do it well? What if it never sells? What if nobody likes it? What if I fail? The list is endless.

Secondly, I speak to myself and keep reaffirming that I can do the particular task ahead of me and do it well. I go ahead and imagine the end even before I start.

Thirdly, I tell myself that whatever fear is saying is a lie and it only becomes my reality when I accept it.

Fourthly, I share how I feel with a close friend. They also reaffirm my abilities and who I am in Christ.

How do you tackle fear when it starts creeping in gradually?

I changed my phone's security password yesterday. I have used the same password for four years. I Used it on the previous phones I have used and also on the new phone I got in 2022. When I decided to change it, I didn’t realize what I was getting into. It’s been a battle between my conscious and subconscious minds. I have found myself in the last 24 hours inputting my old password unconsciously several times. I only get conscious when I realize that it was the wrong password.

This made me remember a conversation I had with a friend some weeks ago about how 90% of our lives are controlled by our subconscious mind. As Brain Tracy said, "the unconscious data in your head influences 90 to 95% of your behavior". I was tempted to change my password to what it was before because I didn’t like the inconvenience.

I had to reprogram my subconscious mind consciously. I told myself that if I entered the wrong password three consecutive times, my phone would lock permanently. This thought has made me more conscious when I pick up my phone; even though I entered two wrong digits on the third, I had to correct myself.

This reminds me of how powerful our subconscious mind is and how much it fights change initially. For us to experience change, we must intentionally reprogram our subconscious mind through the conscious mind. This would entail telling yourself why the change you are about to embark on is important and what you have to lose if the change does not happen. Over time, the subconscious mind would follow suit.

Have you experienced anything like this? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks for reading and have a great week ahead.

Last week I visited the Ohio Statehouse which is located downtown Columbus (United States). It was a surreal feeling to learn about the rich history and culture of the state. The structure of the building and the interior spoke volumes. I was intrigued to learn that the Statehouse was largely made from limestone gotten from the Scioto River. It was interesting to know that Ohio was the 17th state created in the United States, currently has 88 counties, and Ohioans are majorly into agriculture which contribute significantly to the nation’s food. It was a great experience learning about the beautiful history and culture that form the Ohio State of today.

The Statehouse is huge, and some major highlights for me are as follows:

The State seal: This seal depicts a sunrise over mountains, which stands for progress and a new era. The Seventeen arrows bundled together represent the seventeenth state to be created in the country.

State seal

The Rotunda room with Abraham Lincoln’s statue: the room is so beautiful, and the Rotunda extends 120 feet from the floor of the room to the skylight. The details of the Rotunda are so pleasing to behold.

Rotunda room

With Abraham Lincoln’s statue

The Senate Chamber, which seat 33 senators.

Senate Chamber

The map room: This room has a very detailed visual representation of the 88 counties, and it is designed on the ground with five different marbles.

Map with all 88 counties

The Ohio Statehouse Museum Shop: Here, you can purchase various merchandise that represents Ohio.

All in all, it was a very humbling experience learning about the revolution that made Ohio State what it is today, and this knowledge helps me appreciate the state more. It’s an experience I will remain grateful for.

Photo credit: Map room  from Ohio Statehouse web and Rotunda room from Ohio Magazine.

Earlier this week, I was thinking about how life can be challenging to us sometimes, and in those moments, we really never get to understand why we go through the challenges we experience, but a few weeks, months, or even years down the line, we are able to connect the dots of what God was doing in our lives, and it starts to make perfect sense.

I am learning to be very grateful for everything I go through because God never stops working behind the scenes. Even when the enemy means it for evil, God just has a way of turning everything for his glory.

In everything, I am always reminded that the faithful God is always working behind the scenes for my good and for the glory of his name. I pray you take this along with you as you step into the new week.

Have a great week ahead.

It's been a week of reflection for me. I realized how I have had a lot of wishful thinking lately. Wishful thinking is not bad in itself, but it becomes bad when you don't do all that is required to make those wishful thoughts a reality. It is one thing to have desires; it is another thing to map out the strategies that will help bring those desires to reality and ultimately follow through with those strategies diligently.

While having my Bible study this week, two scriptures stood out to me differently. Firstly, it was Proverbs 19:2 NIV, says "Desire without knowledge is not good— how much more will hasty feet miss the way". Secondly, Proverbs 10:4 says, "He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand; but the hand of the diligent maketh rich". Also, Leslei Holares says "Stop your wishful thinking; go and make it happen".

In conclusion, desires are good, but to see them materialize, three things must be in place. Firstly, clarity on the desire. Secondly, mapping out strategies or plans to help achieve these desires. Lastly, being disciplined enough to follow through. This might require setting up an accountability system that puts you in check.

I hope you found this piece helpful, and thanks for reading.

Cheers to a great week ahead!