I would like to share with you all, some thoughts and facts about my last year 2015.
The Single Best Thing that Happened
I can easily say that the single best thing that happened in the year 2015 for me, was Kito! Kito is my car, a gray colored 1998 Nissan Primera. As much as I fancy some big cars, I am a huge fan of “small” cars. Some cars, to me, are just too big. But Kito is just the right size.
The Single Most Challenging Thing that Happened
This easily, was moving back to Nigeria at the middle of last year. I got instruction to leave Cyprus, and the reason because obvious with time… I had no future there. I had an idea what life in Nigeria might be like, after 9 years in Cyprus. But I had no idea the extent of the difficulty I anticipated. That’s why this is the most challenging, and not the best thing that happened last year.
An Unexpected Joy
I think an unexpected joy from last year, would be the marriage of my immediate younger sister. I was in Cyprus when she told me she met someone. But it was shortly after returning to Nigeria that she told me that it was already serious. It wasn’t long after, that she told me that a wedding date was fixed! It was an event that brought the whole family together for the first time in about a decade or more.
An Unexpected Obstacle
The most suitable event that I can call an unexpected obstacle, was moving back to Nigeria. It wasn’t the decision that was the obstacle, but the duration of the move. I knew that I would leave Cyprus in November of 2014, after returning to Cyprus from Nigeria. Within a month or two, I realized why I had to leave Cyprus and so I made up my mind. I told my boss by February 2015, and realized that I had to stay another 3 months before I can leave. And so the months that followed, were very challenging for me.
3 Words that Describe My 2015
1. Courage: The courage to quit my job in Cyprus, and relocate back to Nigeria
2. Gratitude: After a successful daily gratitude challenge, I realized so much to be grateful for in life
3. Friendship: The last 4 days in Cyprus were very special for me. They were the second best time of my life in Cyprus, because of my friends Naskhanym and Emine.
3 Words My Closest Friend Would Use to Describe My 2015
1. Brave: When I decided to move back to Nigeria, she thought I was brave for doing so. If it were her, she said, she wouldn’t.
2. Suffering: I cannot count how many times she asked me to just “up and leave” because conditions weren’t right. But I endured, until the end.
3. Fun: It was fun not just for me, but for us both. We had a lot of fun together in the year 2015.
Who My Most Valuable Relationships Were With?
1. Sommie: She was my companion, my significant other, and the person I spoke with every other day, if not every day. We lived in different cities, but have been a major part of each others’ lives since 2010.
2. Naskhanym: You can read more about Nas here: Someone Who Inspires Me.
3. Emine: My SuperWoman and one of the best people I know. A blog post about her is coming soon!
4. Necati: My relationship with my boss was like a trial, during my last months in Cyprus. I’m grateful for wisdom in handling those months, the lessons and experiences gained from working with him
https://www.instagram.com/p/v73u6LwTmv/?tagged=superemi
My Biggest Personal Change from January to December of the past year?
In the last year, I gradually became more mindful than I used to be. I began a mindfulness journey that is still going on right now.
How I Grew
Emotionally, my willpower was tested, as well as my capacity to endure (long-suffering). Spiritually, I would say “not much”, even despite being more mindful. Physically, I managed to keep up with doing 50 push ups daily and that have yielded visible results.
Relationship-wise, there is not much to tell. The woman I thought I would marry when I returned to Nigeria, showed me a new side of her. Someone else who people thought we should marry, wasn’t mindful enough to know what’s going on. And the one person I actually like, was an intellectual mismatch for me.
The Most Enjoyable Part of My Work
Most of my work last year took place in Cyprus. The most enjoyable part of working with Blue Fox Technology, as I recall, were the perks. That includes the occasional pizza, cinema, random outings and the time we went golfing.
But on DeQeo Consulting, the most enjoyable part of working under my Study Abroad Agency, was the networking (events and outings).
The Most Challenging Part of My Work
The most challenging part of working with DeQeo Consulting last year, was the consequence of my inability to manage my time effectively. As a result, the agency’s performance dipped, and I had my worst semester since its foundation.
The most challenging part of working with Blue Fox Technology last year, was the mental burden at start of the year when I knew that I was leaving the company. It was tough for me.
The Single Biggest Time Waster in My Life this Past Year
I would say that the single biggest time waster of my life last year, were the articles I spent time reading, that contributed nothing to my life. I’m not a fan of reading, but I respect physical books and those who enjoy reading them. Nevertheless, I do read a lot… electronically!
I spend a good number of time reading articles on the internet. Later on, I got to realize that most of what I read are irrelevant to my personal growth. So in 2015, I decided to be mindful of what I spend my time reading. I only consider those things that will actually contribute to my personal growth.
The Best Way I Used My Time this Past Year
I think the best way I used my time last year, is the same way I used most of my time, every other year. Besides time spent on personal tasks, the best use of my time is often time spent for others. I value good relationships, and I put in time and effort into relationships that are valuable to me. That way, the valuable ones become more valuable, while the worthless ones slowly wither away.
The Biggest Thing I Learned this Past Year
I learned a lot from last year. But the biggest thing I learned last year was how valuable my skills and experiences were. At Blue Fox Technology, I worked like a founder, even though I wasn’t. After leaving there to Nigeria, I was interviewed by Interswitch in Lagos. Both experiences together taught me how valuable I am. For that, I am grateful.
2015 was a great year for me!