“There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen” ~ Vladimir Ilyich Lenin.
Can’t believe it’s been almost 2 years since I last posted here. 2022 – 2023 was wild!
2023 especially was my MEGA year. Everything in my life got bigger and better. Because of how crazy everything was, I’m gonna organise my review into 3 sections:
- What went well
- What didnt
- What I’m planning for 2024.
What Went Well
My Career – I got a new job. Crazy how our best laid plans pale in comparison with God’s. After 5 years working on financial inclusion at the Lagos Business School, I wanted to return to tech. Seemed like all the exciting projects and funds were over there.
But then God led me to stick to international development. 8 months later, I’m interviewing with the world’s largest agric research network. And I got the job! Pay’s great, it builds on my previous experience and I can now proudly say I’m a career comms professional.
This also meant, while I’m still within the development space, I changed themes – from financial inclusion to climate change.
Backpacking -Travelled to 3 countries this year – Zambia, Kenya and UAE – and stayed in some of the nicest hotels. Have I told you how much I like staying at hotels?
Attended COP28 in UAE (in spite of the visa ban on Nigerians!). Honestly, it still blows my mind – attending the biggest climate conference in the world, in my freshman year, in Dubai. Amazing! Got to meet a lot of my colleagues and CGIAR senior management.
Nuptials – Attended SO MANY weddings in 2023. Even 3 of my best friends got married (and I had bestman duties at one of them). It always thrills me to see my friends happy. And being a part of that happiness.
Spirituals – Back in 2017 I said I’d like to pray a lot that year. Well I finally got round to doing it in 2023. I prayed my heart out. And I have my new church family to thank for that.
What Didnt
Book slump – Reading Newsletters, blogposts, and social media threads are good. But the best way to learn a subject is to read a book on it. And sadly, I didnt do much of that last year.
Rather, I mostly did that thing where you learn just enough about a subject to be functional but not proficient. What I adopted in 2017 as a survival skill is now a bad habit. Aargh!
Still Single – Really believed 2023 would be my marriage year but life had other plans. We’re still looking for love. Fingers crossed.
2024 Plans
Because of how fast everything grew career wise, I didnt have time to consolidate and be strategic about important things – finances, personal development, even my friendships. So this year, we’ll be doing just that.
2024 is going to be BIG travel wise. I’m gonna fill up that passport with visas! And my phone with pictures.
Will finally learn French. I cant be working this close to the UN and not speak a second language.
I will read more books and novels. Last time I read a novel was 2022. It’s crazy! I didnt even read Brandon Sanderson’s Lost Metal (which I had been waiting for since 2018). So, obviously I’m too busy and I need to fix that. For writers, reading is both leisure and self development, as long as you’re strategic about it. So, strategic we shall be in 2024.
I will also be writing more “me” stuff. There was a time when I blogged my thoughts at least 5 times a year. As you can see from the blog, that was a lifetime ago. I will be changing that.
Find love and get married for real! I mean it has to be this year, right? 😂
That’s it.
It’s a new year and so many possibilities. Let’s make memories.
Photo by Mantas Hesthaven on Unsplash
Ibukun Taiwo 