Happy Birthday to moi!🎈
The year 2016 was such a dark year for me, it took the daily practice of writing in a gratitude journal to get me through the year.
In 2017, my journaling process was guided by words of healing, rebirth and self discovery. The evidence is in the pudding. For the past 2 years, I had no birthday reflection; a normal blog tradition for my birthdays. That's because I was barely hanging in there.
Don't let an active social media presence fool you about the reality behind people's lives.
In 2017, my journaling process was guided by words of healing, rebirth and self discovery. The evidence is in the pudding. For the past 2 years, I had no birthday reflection; a normal blog tradition for my birthdays. That's because I was barely hanging in there. Don't let an active social media presence fool you about the reality behind people's lives.
Today I want to reflect back . Specifically on the last 730 days journey of healing + recovery in the wake of a life blindside that threatened to destroy the foundations of my identity.
Life gave me limes and I had no tequila shot or water to ease the acidity of the experience.
In the spirit of what turned out to be the beginning of my healing process in 2016( I bought a guided gratitude journal to FORCE myself to write down happy thoughts);
Here are 33 things I am grateful for this January 2018.
Life gave me limes and I had no tequila shot or water to ease the acidity of the experience.
In the spirit of what turned out to be the beginning of my healing process in 2016( I bought a guided gratitude journal to FORCE myself to write down happy thoughts);
Here are 33 things I am grateful for this January 2018.
Body
1. Good Health - No doctor's visits where required in 2017
(When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi gave my life new meaning)
(When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi gave my life new meaning)
2. Strong legs to still run and play soccer in a 25+ women's league
3. A beautiful smile that let's strangers put down their guards*
4. Post college soccer athlete CURVES for days honey
4. Post college soccer athlete CURVES for days honey
5. A brain that still works and allows me to pursue my passions
6. Having all my toes and fingers to type this blog post
7. Team Thunder Thighs👍👍
8. 20/20 vision. No Extra eyes needed for now
9. Physical fitness/ Lack of disability - that allows me to embark on many adventures and experiences that limit others physically.
10. My natural hair
( I saw 2 gray hairs the other day. Wisdom is upon me people! and we're not losing hair yet)
6. Having all my toes and fingers to type this blog post
7. Team Thunder Thighs👍👍
8. 20/20 vision. No Extra eyes needed for now
9. Physical fitness/ Lack of disability - that allows me to embark on many adventures and experiences that limit others physically.
10. My natural hair
( I saw 2 gray hairs the other day. Wisdom is upon me people! and we're not losing hair yet)
Spiritual
11. My International Family Church (IFC) family for praying for me. I mean they call and pray for me! Find you a church that randomly calls you and prays for and with you.
12. IFC young adults ministry for new like minded friendships
spiritually. People who pray over my life and I pray for them too👍
14. Being able to take part in mission trips and other community outreach projects.
15. Being able to practise my faith freely. So many are stuck in areas of the world where their religious freedoms are under attack.
Work
14. Friendly coworkers who keep me giggling like a kid all day.
15. An understanding Director who puts up with all my time off requests to travel + pursue other things*
16. Access to multiple streams of income to support my needs and hobbies financially while many are currently unemployed.
Lifestyle
17. Friends who "show up" during desperate times.
Am too blessed in this department and am still not sure how I came to deserve the amazing support systems I have in my friendships.
To my friends who read my blog, Thank You! I Love You!
Am too blessed in this department and am still not sure how I came to deserve the amazing support systems I have in my friendships.
To my friends who read my blog, Thank You! I Love You!
18. Being able to accommodate my love of playing soccer weekly. Go Peabody Triumphs!
It's my stress reliever. My Happy place. It's better than spending money to see a psychologist #MentalHealth
It's my stress reliever. My Happy place. It's better than spending money to see a psychologist #MentalHealth
19. That my work is flexible enough that I can afford to take time off and travel without going completely broke or losing my job.
20. An open + inquisitive mind that gives me the courage to explore new things. Some people are paralyzed by fears and prejudices they don't realize they're cheating themselves out of experiencing the world at large. I forge on in spite of my fears.
21. The passionate flames🔥🔥🔥 that incite me to keep pursuing my dreams and goals are still burning strong. There's nothing worse in life than either not knowing your purpose or giving up on your dreams because you feel hopeless.
“Hold fast to dreams,
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird,
That cannot fly.”
― Langston Hughes
“Hold fast to dreams,
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird,
That cannot fly.”
― Langston Hughes
22. Being able to harness that "thing?" inside my brain? my heart? my mind? that allows me to get back up after life has knocked me down time and time and time again. I've learned the skill of adapting + moving forward after rejections + failures.
23. I am grateful that my heart has not become hardened because of failed friendships and betrayals. That in spite of all the bad experiences, I am still open to love and willing to trust people. I chose to hold on to the good memories.
24.To my young friends, the high schoolers and college lads, who keep me young at heart, thanks for keeping me in the know., especially when it comes to social media...I'm not ready to lose my cool adult card just yet. Your generation is so fearless it scares and at the same time inspires me. Shout out to Lauren and Nike who are going to be like OMG you put my name in your blog! lol yes I did.
25. Freedom of Speech; a luxury that my fellow countrymen in Cameroon are currently fighting for, alongside a whole bunch of other civil rights issues. It's not an Anglophone or Southern Cameroon Issue - It's a Cameroonian Issue and his name is President Paul Biya.
26. Free Access to the internet, something the cameroon government earlier in 2017 blocked in English Cameroon in an effort to suppress their protests and prevent information from being spread internationally.
28. A roof over my head, a car to drive instead of public transportation during this harsh winter months, and being able to afford to keep my heater on 24/7 at 70 degrees. #Teambringthesaharaheat
#TeamNoWinterblues
29. The Manfriends in my life. For their continues chivalry, love and education on how their specie's behave. Every woman needs a tribe of gentlemen to decode the mysteries of the XY chromosomes.
30. My saker girls Sisterhood. Once a Sakereth , always a Sakereth
31. My pallet has no medical allergies and I can eat whatever I want. Hello chocolate covered walnuts
32.Am grateful for parents who don't add on to society's pressure for me to be married by a certain age .
33.Lastly, am grateful that I get to live in a century where freezing my eggs until I am ready for motherhood is an affordable + viable option.
_____________________________
Here are a couple of my previous birthday posts. It's always interesting to look back and see how my perspective on life is constantly changing.
2012 was my year of waiting. By
2013 I was definitely hearing the GONG of the annoying invisible biological "clock" and resented it.
2015 I turned the dreaded big 30 and had a panic attack.
Now am so over it. Life goes on.
So cheers to 2018 and as usual I can't wait to see what exciting adventures I embark on this year.
Bonne Annee!
Bonne Annee!
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