“What am I living for and what am I dying for are the same question.” ―Margaret Atwood
When gratitude is all you have…
You see, I’d planned a long overly indulgent post that was to reflect on how 2018 went for me. It was going to list in detail all the amazing experiences, collaborations, partnerships, friends, and memories 2018 packed into a backpack and firmly placed on my back to carry into 2019.
From turning a milestone birthday to crisscrossing the globe in over 20 trips on various assignments, speaking engagements, and award ceremonies that would take me from China and Tanzania to Uzbekistan and Swedish Lapland, it was going to be a long-winded breathless post that would have highlighted all my awards, achievements, and adventures.
My focus word for 2018 had been to “evolve” and by year’s end, I’d grown in more ways than I’d ever anticipated. Along with it came even more clarity and my focus word for 2019 was delivered to me.
I tried.
I really tried listing everything month by month like I did celebrating 2017, but the only emotion I could get down and out was “thank you”. A deep sense of gratitude to everyone who has helped me get this far, gratitude to those who stepped out of the way and didn’t hinder me because they didn’t understand, gratitude to everyone who has ever mentioned my name in those important rooms that needed to be opened from the inside, gratitude to those who gave me wider platforms to share my voice, and gratitude to those who didn’t try to project on or change me.
Staying this long in the game comes with resilience and perseverance. One that requires riding out trendy waves and flowing (read: transitions as opportunities) with change in my well-tested boat and not getting swept up catering to transient attention spans.
Because perseverance is a direct result of knowing your purpose and being tenacious in its pursuit. It requires a deep sense of self awareness. Of knowing that the path you’ve chosen to travel is the only one you’d rather be on, and the mile markers along the journey are further validation along the route.
If you’ve stuck with me through the years, thank you for your support and love. If 2018 brought you into my life in a positive way, you were meant to be in my circle and I am grateful for you.
Here’s to what 2019 will bring for us all and my wish for you is to fully step into your purpose and show up in all your unique glory.
Thank you!
PS: I took lots of memorable photos in 2018 and I’ll probably do a separate post sharing my personal favourites with a few anecdotes.