Halfway Here, Holding Gratitude

Second half….

Is it just me or is this like a mini new year? I feel the need to sit, take a close look at the past six months and reflect. So I’m going to do just that in the hopes that someone reading this can get something out of it - and I get to document.

I had a feeling 2025 would be a game changer for me but I don’t think I really knew just how much. She came fast and she came with demands and expectations. I’m thinking that’s why the first half feels like three years.

I started January with my first award - 100 change makers on the plateau. I felt seen and it was a great way to start the year. I was in the trenches of trying to cough a book out of me - a book that felt late since the original plan had been to publish by 30. I had given myself the deadline of the book launch on my birthday so that was my main focus. I also worked on a dear friend’s project where I interviewed her for her album release and it was my first try. I think it went pretty well, you be the judge - watch it here.

February came in with a brand collaboration with Fasasi Studios and I had an incredible photoshoot that turned out to be my book photoshoot. I felt like a princess with Uzoza Signature on the makeup and Kchalya couture on my outfits. Enterprise and Heels joined the chat as we were working on two projects over there - Our first physical international women's day event and the launch of our new initiative, Girls can Build. My second son, Mckrim turned four. My baby was growing up too fast.

International women’s day on march 8th was a revelation. Women came to celebrate with us and I realised that somehow, somewhere on this uncharted, zig zagged journey of mine, I had picked up corporate event management skills. I’m not complaining since the plan is to see how much I can learn and do. We launched the Girls can build Initiative at the event and prayed that the vision would be realized. It started to, as we trained our first set of girls at St Louis Girls college on the 22nd of March.

Book release was in full swing by the time April came around. I was working with my editor to make it up to standard and trying not to drown in anxiety. Between the end of march and first week of April, I lost two family members and everything spiraled. How I got through that phase must be attributed to God. Nothing else could have gotten me through. Vinci turned seven. SEVEN! I have a seven year old? I still remember when I was seven years old. But oh well, now we have one. Gratitude.

May. My Pinterest was full of book release event ideas and new author tips. If I was going to do this, I wanted to be as prepared as possible. So I went all in.

Book release countdown, Sneak peaks, BTS, Content, all of it.

I learned things like ISBN and Copyright laws. I started searching out PR opportunities. I did all I could to raise awareness. I did my best, and hoped to God it was good enough. It was.

The Book launch was incredible. The turnout was unbelievable and all my anxiety and fears melted away. I could see God shaking His head at me like “You didn’t have to go through all that, I had it covered”. I was officially an author at 32 and I now get to reach as many women as possible with the message. Gratitude.

June was full of conference planning. At just two months to the Annual Enterprise and Heels conference, we were knee deep in confirming speakers, securing partnerships and getting a premium turnout. We’re still on it. Join us here! We had another Girls can build training with my alma matter, Air Force Girls Military School and it was a full circle moment for me. In the same hall where I received training as I was about to graduate, clueless and curious about what the future held for me, I got to train these girls who were now wondering what the future held for them.

It had me really reflecting on the journey. It’s been long and it’s been tougher than I ever imagined but being able to write about my last 6 months like this, being able to do the work I do and raise the family I have and show up everyday to do what I can with what I have, I will be the first to say that it was absolutely worth it.

What will the next six months bring? Hopefully rest haha. The conference is my last big project for the year and after 2nd August, I hope I can take off somewhere where slow mornings abound and casual interactions with the internet replace whatever this relationship with my laptop is.

Happy second half y’all. How was your first half? I’d love to know - you can leave a comment here or reply me via email!

Thanks for reading — I’m so glad you’re here.

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