2017 IN REVIEW: 7 THINGS I AM GRATEFUL FOR
Hello, lovelies! In my previous post, I considered leaving a little thank you message at the tail end as I had assumed it would be my last post for the year. How wrong I was- and so thankful I am, because how awful would it have been ending the year without sharing some of the biggest lessons I have learnt this year with you? There really would have been no coming back from that, would there? 😁
So, in the next few lines, keeping it as short as I possibly can, I am going to share seven things I am really thankful for this year. With that will come snippets of some of the things I have also learnt in the process of enjoying these blessings.
If you're as ready as I am, let's get it moving.
1. GOD'S LOVE IS AMAZING!
In 2017, God well and truly overwhelmed me with His love. I think this was the year that I came to the full realization that when He says in His Word, how much He cares about me, He does mean every single word and on a very personal level, too. He loves me like I am the only one on His beautiful, green earth. I learnt how much He longs to have time alone with me, and as much as I let Him down in that area, He continues to love me like I haven't done one single thing wrong in my life. I can say confidently that I got an answer and assurance to every single thing I Prayed for this year. How amazing is the God I call Father? Incredible.
2. FAMILY IS EVERYTHING
Let's face it, no one has the perfect family and from time to time, the people you love the most in the world will upset and let you down way more than PHCN (when they still used to be called that) right in the middle of that one episode you have been dying to see. But if there's one thing I have learnt this year, it's got to be how much my family has my back no matter what. The incredible levels of support they showed and gave me so freely this year is something I'll never forget. In the process of this, it has also hit home, how important it is to show and let the ones you love know, just how much they mean to you, as much as you possibly can. While we are on this, my Mother deserves special mention here. That woman is the strongest person I know- and I mean it when I say that if I am able to be half of the Mother she has been to me, to my own kids when I have them, I'd know I have done extremely well in life.
3. THE LOVE FROM MY LOVE
LOL. I am in love. And, of course, if we haven't met personally, I do not expect you to know that. I normally would carefully keep the most personal parts of my life far away from the world wide web, but there is no way on earth this particular post would be complete without him. God sent me this man when I least expected it and caught me completely by surprise. Love was not on the agenda, it wasn't something I was actively chasing after, but God probably thought "hold on baby girl, I've got you" and sent me the most amazing man. A man in His image, a man after His own heart. My man has been very instrumental in building the woman you see today. He has taught strength, kindness, perseverance, the importance of hard work plus getting my life together and, of course, how to actually love. You think you know it all until you meet someone who lets you know, intentionally and unintentionally, how much you just don't know. I am so thankful. We are a Miracle, baby and I might have found the one, but we'll have to wait and see. 😉
4. STARTING THIS BLOG
It's funny how this flows directly from number 3. LOL. Starting a blog is something I have wanted to do for the longest time. I remember doing some administrative work for the Church choir, whilst in uni., and I would send out emails and receive compliments in return for my "ability to put words together so well." Obviously, this wasn't, in the very least, enough to inform my decision to start documenting my thoughts and sharing them online, but I knew it was something I would love to give a try. And so I did. But not without mighty procrastinating, many days of self-doubt and every other thing that stops you from chasing after what you really want. I think it literally took my boyfriend intervening and saying something along the lines of "look, you have to get this thing out by tomorrow, and that's final. You can do this" to get me moving. And boy, am I glad I did. I might not have recorded any major successes just yet but starting it at all is an accomplishment in itself. The only way from here is upwards. It will only get better. Stick with me, I have great plans.
Conquering my fears and taking my baby steps to start has taught me how important it is to "just do it." It will never, ever be all perfect. You will never have everything you need at the same time, but the growth and the disappointments will teach you all you need, and before you know it, you're out there, living your best life and being the very best version of yourself. Start from somewhere. Nobody that's anybody today started with everything, anyway.
5. I BECAME A LAWYER!
2017 will, for the rest of my life, be remembered as the year I FINALLY became a lawyer. Fam, if you know, you know too well. LOL. If you have any idea of the number of times I wanted to pack my bags and even attempted to convince myself that if I end up not becoming a lawyer, I wouldn't die. 😂
Boy, did I give my Mother and boyfriend a fair amount of the stress they experienced this year. But in the end, God poured out His grace, and we did it- I can finally practice! The tears and pain could never, ever be comparable to the type of happiness I felt walking up that stage. It was everything and more. It was worth it in the end.
I learnt all too well that the road won't always be easy, but there is no difficult journey you overcome without coming out stronger on the other side. There is not a single thing on this planet that I cannot survive. Someway, somehow, we live to fight another day.
6. BLESSINGS I HAD TO LET GO
There were a lot of ups in 2017, but also quite a few downs. There were new experiences, blessings in disguise, that I have been able to add to my ever growing list. Sometimes, opportunities come your way, but you know it would be absolute worst timing to proceed or take up that path. So, I let go of a few things I wish I could keep this year- and you know what, that's okay. It's okay to acknowledge the pain and guilt and walk through your emotions, but never let them consume you. This particular blessing has taught me how to process the emotions I'd rather not feel, and how to deal with each before it deals with me first. It's not always as simple as the few lines stating this has taken, but it will be fine in the end and you'll be glad you did. You can take my word for it.
7. AND FINALLY, LIVING MY BEST LIFE!
As I mentioned before, things won't always be perfectly in place. But, this year, I have learnt to dance in the rain and take each day as it comes. What matters most is that I have grown a little at the end of each day and I am constantly evolving in the right direction. I have learnt this year to live everyday like it's my last. Being Nigerian means that the first few seconds of this crossing my mind means saying "I will live and not die." 😂 All the same, I have learnt that while positive proclamations are so important, I can actually achieve both- call forth my blessings, and live them out at the very same time.
After losing a distant cousin, about the same age as myself, this year, I won't pretend that it didn't cross my mind how much it easily could have been me (slightly insensitive as that might sound).
This year, I decided to live my very best life, every single day and although I didn't get to achieve that full scale, the plan is to carry this mission into every single day of 2018. I encourage you, if you haven't already started, to join the movement! And prosper, we shall!
Phew, so many blessings; So many lessons. What are you thankful for? Feel free to leave me a comment or two.
Before I sign out for the year, I just wanted to thank you so much for taking time to stop by as often as you did. Thank you so much.
As you begin new projects in 2018 and carry on with those you started (or even abandoned) in 2017, I wish you all the very best. May you and your yours be in good health, love and happiness always!
Peace, love & light,
~A.J.
Comments
Post a Comment