Celebrate small wins!

 When this year began I had set the intention to blog at least once a month. Its a few hours before the last day of the year ends and I decided better get this one post out and that will make it one out of twelve and totally worth a celebration. The year has been unlike any other I have ever lived, but isn’t that true of every year we live and every day we get to see. There is no other day like today and yet we rarely ever realise that we have never been this way before. How easy for each day to become mundane as we go through our routines.  We miss the opportunity to  tread sacredly carefully exploring a new day with opportunities that we have not seen before. We trudge through the day without expectation and miss the subtle salutations God sends our way. The invitations to experience Him, experience life in ways that we have not before. So as we close off the chapter 2022 of our lives I dare you to stop and be in this moment for all the good and at the not so good we received. 


Here are sixteen ( I know such an odd number but we gotta roll with it) lessons that I received from 2022 


1. Suspend judgement. I learned this concept at a workshop in 2019 and wow what  difference it makes. by suspending judgement you get to see your knee jerk reactions to life that are not always helpful. Choosing to observe my emotional reactions without judgement has been the greatest gift I could ever give myself. For example if a shopkeeper followed you around the shop as a black woman its easy to get upset but what if you suspended judgement in that moment, observe your reactions.  


2. Engage with curiosity: Curiosity allows you to see the ways life has led you to the habits you have.  Curious about the shop assistant following you around you observe how it makes you feel and curiously explore this and you may end up choosing to think oh at least I have an assistant on hand to answer all questions I have about the products in this shop. We all assume we know why they are following you around but I like this twist to the tale better.


3. Slow down. Make your own coffee. I love coffee and love making myself the frothiest milkiest coffee ever. You could call it a cappuccino or maybe it’s a latte but it’s the best coffee ever. As I make myself a coffee I remind myself of how precious and worthy I am. Maybe you don’t like coffee. It may be your morning tea or like my mother she loves hot water with a slice of lemon each morning. Do you but make it special. The point life can be one long rush from one thing to the next create slow moments to dwell in ever so often.


4. Breathe deeply and focus on your breath. This is the best way to calm yourself down, the best way to not say what you don’t want to say and to the outside world you look calm and nobody notices that you are fighting monsters. This is really great when you are arguing, intimidate your opponent by looking like you’ve got this under control.


4. Have a mantra, sometimes there isn’t a chance for deep breathing and all you can do is repeat to yourself what an awesome and better person you are than the terrible fool who took your parking spot.


6. Pay attention to your thoughts. I didn’t say change them. Just be aware of what you are thinking. Just try it see how it goes you could take it step further and jot down your thoughts.


7. Slow and steady wins the race. Don’t underestimate the power consistency. We always want to see the results of our efforts but sometimes you plant maize seed in October and will only harvest it the following year in March. Trust me on this one I plant maize in my garden and it’s amazing to watch what happens. All I do is bury the seed in the ground and voila a tiny plant shoots out of the ground if I miss a week or two without checking I find the tiny plants have shot up and soon enough because I forget about my maize crop a lot of the times I find it has bloomed and the next thing little maize cobs are hanging on the sides, soon its harvest time. Keyword here is I forget bout measuring progress and I am not a commercial farmer, planting maize is a hobby to feed my insatiable love for maize so please do not take this as technical advice. Unless you are thinking about the gym and getting fit then by all mean plant your seeds and forget about them. What does that mean? Well, commit to the number of times you will go to the gym and just do it. Forget about the end goal focus on the step in front of you which is getting those gym sessions in. 



8. Shower, put on some perfume, make up, clean clothes. When you are depressed, this may seem like the last thing you want to do but just do it, take that shower, feel and smell good so at least one thing feels right in the world. I don’t mean to minimise depression, actually you don’t have to shower daily if that’s too much. Just commit to doing it regularly and show up for it.


9. Dance whatever opportunity you get . Yes you are no dancer but this is not a competition. Dance because you can, while you are alive, lets make it exciting


10. Say yes to going to Lamu Island. I visited my friend and she offered to take me on the holiday of lifetime and my first response was no I couldn’t let you spend that much money on me. Glad to report I went to Lamu Island and next time someone offers to spoil me I have learned I deserve it and it’s a yes from me.


11. Get creative, cook, craft, write a poem, sing do whatever to get the creative juices flowing. The other day I made up a wordless tune in the shower and it made my heart dance and come alive. Seriously we are made in the image of the creator. Creativity is our natural habitat, make something, please do 


12. Do the easy things that come naturally to you. Life is not about doing the hardest thing it’s about who is enjoying this adventure. Anyway life already has a way of throwing hiccups and bends so make it easy for yourself.


13. Live, stop plotting and planning and waiting for the perfect moment. Live now! 


14. Allow yourself to get things wrong, its part of the process


15. Remember you are the key ingredient, the secret, the magic that makes your life amazing. Celebrate that! 


16. Lastly celebrate the small wins like I am so proud of myself getting this blog out to you before 2023. 


So here is a toast to my first and last blog of 2022! So much gratitude for the sisters who have held my hands and made this year so much more than it could have been. Love you and here is to a cracking 2023…

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