Hello April: My Birth Month Smells Like Success

Feels good to finally be saying hello April. I mean, it’s my birth month and for the first time in a short while, I’m excited about my birthday. I’m actually screaming in my head right now, if it was not late yet, I would actually be shouting and dancing, lol. Before I get carried away with excitement, Happy New Month to you. I hope you can perceive it too because April smells like success on this end.

Let’s get this straight! Is it just I or everybody feels like they are too young to be clocking whatever age they clock every year? I’m here trying to make sense of days I would add to my age just to seem cool (I know we are together on this). Now, I would gladly take away from my age just to look cool. I mean, where exactly am I running to? I want to be forever young. Is it too much to ask?

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Hello April: Life Update From March

March seems like the fastest month yet in the year 2021, lets see if April will shock us though. The month went like zoom zoom zoom and I’m here trying to make sense of what tangible things I did in the month of March. To even think that this time last year, we were on total lockdown. Gosh, that period is one I’m not sure I want to ever experience again.

This time last year, I was hopeful. Hopeful that the lockdown was going to end just before my birthday so I could have the birthday dinner I had been longing and saving for. I could remember that I had wished that the pandemic paused and then played after my birthday, lol. Right now, I’m just thankful that my money converted to this blog right here that you’ve grown to love so much.

Life Update

Not many people would know that I was partly jobless until March. Yes, I had writing gigs running but I didn’t have a monthly paying job (not your idea of a monthly paying job though). The good news is, I onboarded a new client as a social media manager in the month of March since I had to drop my previous ones. Thankfully, I also had my writing gigs going so it was a good month in all.

The accountability group spanned through March and it was one experience that has taught me leadership skills and also made me doubt my skills as a leader at the same time. It is one experience I won’t trade for anything. I mean, people were vulnerable with me and they trusted me enough to share their struggles, surreal. The energy dropped towards the end though but I’ll get if not all, some of the group members to share their thoughts with me.

Out of the two books for the month, I’ve finished one and I’m just about to finish the other one. The Smart Money Tribe by Arese Ugwu one book I was glued to from the beginning to the end. Not just the storytelling skill, the gems in the book are definitely worth my time. Sell Like Crazy by Sabri Suby is one book I’m taking my time to read, the reason why I’m not done reading it yet. It’s a ‘why am I just reading this’ kind of book.

Even though I would not say with my full chest that I’ve moved to Lagos, truth is that you’ll find me in Lagos mostly these days. I’m putting this out here just in case you have job offers for me and maybe enjoyment offers too. Baby girl is down.

Hello April: Lessons from March

This is the part where I drop the disclaimer. Be careful how highly you think of me and my lessons to avoid disappointment. Simply put, some lessons don’t have to be super serious, and guess what, that does not make them any less of a lesson. That said, here are the top 3 lessons I learned in March:

1. Seeking help does not mean you are weak

This is one lesson the accountability group taught me. Who made the rule that you have to show up having it all figured out? I know what it feels like to think it’s not okay to be vulnerable and I can boldly say it’s not a nice place to be. Seeking help is not a sign of weakness, know this and know peace.

Open your eyes and see the pool of awesome people you are surrounded with. Friends who will not only listen but would also get you the help you need. What if they lose respect for me? Would you rather die in silence? To think that nobody even sends you. Seeking help is a sign of strength and growth, what would you do differently now that you know this?

2. Hello April, we are blowing our trumpet

I used to be reserved about the things I could do and the successes I have achieved. Partly because I didn’t think I was good enough and partly because I thought it was not nice to blow my trumpet. Now I know better. I would not have gotten my current client if I was quiet about my skills.

Know this, the world needs to hear you and nobody will do justice to the noise we’ll hear except you. Make noise about your small wins, shout yourself out, carry your matter on your head, put your works out there even in their imperfect states. Let us know what you are about. That’s where we are at now.

3. Ask for what you think you deserve

I should tell you this first, don’t ask for anything if you know deep down that you don’t deserve it. If on the contrary, you know you deserve a thing, by all means, ask. Nothing is fair, not even life, and if you do not demand what is rightfully yours, it’ll be handed to someone else just in front of you.

Let nobody talk you into accepting less. Make inquiries about know how much your service costs, dare to ask that you are paid in full for your job. You are worth it, don’t let them silence you into believing you are not. Don’t be used, wise up my dear.