Law & Finance Series- The Evercore Breach: A Case Study on the Importance of Scrutinising Confidentiality Provisions

JANUARY'S COME & GONE...BUT BOY O BOY!

January was a particularly tough month for me. Even my ever so robust vocabulary fails me now because each experience, birthed by a new day, challenged my faith and sanity in the most grievous ways. 

I mean, I spent the first few hours of 2019 praying my lips out so when things started to go south just a  few days in, I wondered if my prayers had somehow slipped through God's Ears, like fingers running through water.

A part of me was convinced I had lost everything, including my sense of direction. The pain, ferocious in its seeming attempt to become my lifelong companion, lingered like a horrible smell. I cut off emotionally and physically from the people that matter most to me.

You know what, though? God is a good, good Father and when things seem to have reached the threshold, He is most likely up to something.

Whilst keeping my hopes alive for the most incredible February (and rest of the year) of my life yet, I thought to share a few of the gems I picked up while going through my own (perhaps exaggerated) version of hell.

Because there ain't no way on earth I'm gonna experience all that turmoil and mental ache and not pick up lessons too- or even worse, share them with you. 

 Just like me, I'm gonna keep the lot short and sweet so it'll be a breeze for you to get through!

1) Never let your emotions overtake your rationality. You can control your thoughts and actions in the midst of chaos. Personally, I have learned to halt my awful thoughts of worry in their tracks and replace them with likely positive outcomes. Conversely, never undermine your emotions. You are entitled to feel whatever it is you feel. Feel it and deal with it. But never let anyone make you feel insane for feeling it. You feel me? LOL.

2)  You and you alone are in charge of your happiness. Do not burden anyone else with the responsibility of creating and preserving your happiness. It is as selfish as it is unrealistic.

3) If you truly believe in something, stick up for it, fight for it. 

4) Never take anyone for granted, especially when they love you silly. Friend, family or foe, you should know that everyone has a breaking point.

5) Life is an interesting cocktail of exhilarating and dreadful experiences. It's okay to learn how to dance in the rain.

6)  Deeply contrary to what they actually believe, parents/guardians aren't always flawless in their views. They get it wrong sometimes, too. As that worn out saying goes, "no one is perfect." It's unbelievably true. Your parents and mine, even with their years of experience and expertise in the "matters of life," are still...wait for it... only human.  They are just as susceptible to errors in judgment. Couple that with age-long beliefs they refuse to dismantle and abandon, of course they get it awfully wrong from time to time. And that's okay.

7) Communication is so powerful. Speaking love languages is an actual thing. Gary Chapman, I am so sorry I doubted you. Do not  expect your love to be received with the same intent as it is given, especially if you haven't mastered the other's love language. Do you know what love language(s) your faves speak? I have learned to decipher and if that proves too difficult, I just ask! No need to complicate life  any further. 

8) It's difficult to give or receive love if you are not whole. Please be kind to yourself. I mean, even the Bible says to love your neighbour as you would love yourself. I don't know about you but that speaks volumes to me. God expects that the love you show yourself is worthy and robust enough to be considered one of the standards by which to measure how much you share with others. Did someone say preach, Pastor? Oh, stop it.

9) Rate and Respect yourself. Always. Set the standard for how you want to be treated. It goes without saying that you should treat others with that same level of respect and empathy.

10) Build a support system: I didn't fully recognize the usefulness of a living, breathing and functional support system until life came at me fast last month. Nonetheless, as soon as I had raw and unfiltered conversations with one of my most trusted girls, I was able to put things into perspective and started to feel better almost immediately. Thank you, Bea. This one's for you.

That's it, y'all.  In case you're curious, my most treasured lesson has got to be learning to dance in the rain. Know why? The rain will always come. You cannot control its frequency, but you can definitely control how you respond. And yes, I am doing lots better now. Thank you so much.

Come through February, let's be having you! :)

I'll love to hear from you. What lessons did January leave you with? Let's interact!

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