It’s almost the end of January, and I am just getting to write my first Happy New Year to you.
Better late than never, right? I think that word is a bad cop-out, but let it slide for today. ????
Before I tell you what’s on my mind for 2023, I will share a summary of 2022 and the best part of my year – my hair crisis.
2022 was a year of many firsts. I got to teach Brand storytelling, work in fintech partnerships, wrote a book (featured on Bella Naija here), got featured in Financial Times UK, launched shallyalonge.com and finished my MBA. I drove myself into the deep end and got drunk with water and flappy hands! I did drown and save myself.
All I can say is, Kim K will be proud of my ugly cry. I’ll say it again – growing up na scam.
Despite all the low lows and high highs, the one thing I left 2022 with is how much I appreciate the gift of age, life and perspective. I capture all my thoughts below:
Growing I Your face marked with lines of history, a million stories I curves that forget self-consciousness I a body that sheds the weight of others clung to you for life.
You get to love again and again I Make, correct mistakes, and forgive mistakes.
Gain perspective
Learn yourself. Love yourself. Be yourself
Shed. Discover. Realign.
The epitome of
Becoming.
The truth – becoming can be tough and rewarding; but what else shall we do?
My admonition for you is this year: let us dive in, swim, grow, cry ugly cries, get disappointed and remind our brains life is about seasons. To remind myself life is about season, I choose these words – Love. Eat. Audacity. Faith.
*Eat = an awkward symbol for being conscious of the orishirishi that dives into my mouth; while also letting that orishirishi in. Balance.
Love, Shally
***
Yes, I didn’t forget my hair
I started my year with blond hair, then had braids on and later cut my hair again. I almost shaved my entire hair, but the fear of my mother’s facial expression and laughter when she saw me made me rethink this decision. I was inspired by Zendaya’s look in the last picture, while the style didn’t pan out as I hoped…WE MOVE..