Where did six months go?
You know what’s funny? We spend so much time looking at the week we weren’t productive, the month that didn’t go according to plan, or the goals we haven’t achieved yet, that we rarely stop to appreciate how far we’ve actually come.
So today, instead of giving you another Monday charge, I simply want to encourage you to celebrate.
Celebrate the wins.
Celebrate the progress.
Celebrate the person you’ve become over the last six months.
Look back from January until now and ask yourself, “How far have I actually come?”
Because I promise you, you’ve probably achieved far more than you’re giving yourself credit for.
As I’m writing this, I’m doing exactly the same thing.
I’m sitting here reflecting on everything that’s happened over the last six months, and honestly… I’m amazed.
Not because everything went perfectly.
Far from it.
The Year Didn’t Start Well
I’m not going to go into all the details, but I can honestly say this year started incredibly difficult.
When you talk about someone who felt beaten down…
Someone whose spirit was low…
Someone who felt like everything she wanted was going in the opposite direction…
That was me.
But one thing I’ve learned is this:
When everything around you is going left, trust God and keep going right.
Don’t allow difficult seasons to convince you that your life has stopped.
Don’t allow disappointment to rob you of your future.
In fact, if you’re reading this and you’re in one of those seasons where you feel like giving up, let me encourage you.
This is the time to fight.
Fight for yourself.
Fight for your dreams.
Fight for your peace.
Fight to live.
Fight to thrive.
Fight to become the person God created you to be.
Because that’s exactly what I had to do.
This version of me? it’s intoxicating😂
The Achievement I’m Most Proud Of
If I had to choose one thing from the first half of this year, it would simply be this:
1. I fought to become the best version of myself.
I fought to get my writing back.
I fought to pick up my pen again.
I fought to keep showing up here.
Even on the days I didn’t publish, I was thinking about this space.
I was thinking about you.
I knew I wanted to keep writing.
And somehow, little by little, God helped me find my way back.
2. Proving My PhD Wasn’t a Waste
Some of you know I’m an engineer.
Some know I’m a mum.
Others know me through the blog.
Others know me through business.
I’ve never wanted to box myself into just one identity.
I genuinely believe God has called me to be more than one thing.
That’s why you’ll find such a wide variety of topics on this blog.
A few months ago, I achieved something that meant so much to me.
I applied to review papers for one of Europe’s leading engineering conferences.
It might not sound like a huge achievement to everyone, but it meant the world to me.
Over the review period, I assessed more than 17 technical papers, many of which were also being considered for journal publication.
It was challenging.
It was time-consuming.
But I absolutely loved it.
Reading new ideas.
Helping improve research.
Offering constructive feedback.
It reminded me that even outside academia, I still have something valuable to contribute.
3. The Business Growth
Another thing I’m incredibly proud of is my business journey.
Very early on, I made a decision.
Every penny of profit would go straight back into the business.
Year one?
Reinvest.
Year two?
Reinvest again.
And now…
Year three is finally allowing me to enjoy the rewards of those decisions.
The profit margins per event are honestly mind-blowing compared to where I started.
Delayed gratification works.
Then Came the Small Bites Business…
If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you’ll remember that the small bites business almost started as a joke back in February.
When I first launched, I priced higher than many competitors because I believed I was offering something different.
I wasn’t just selling food.
I was creating an experience.
I knew that wouldn’t take off overnight.
And it didn’t.
But instead of abandoning the idea, I adjusted my strategy.
Not my prices.
My strategy.
Today, something that was making around £250 profit on a weekend can now generate around £600 profit.
The funny thing is that I didn’t simply increase my prices.
I changed how I positioned and sold the experience.
I cannot wait to unpack everything I’ve learned during our upcoming Business Wednesdays because there have been so many lessons.
I’ve made mistakes.
I’ve learned from them.
I’ve watched businesses succeed.
I’ve watched businesses fail.
Growing up around entrepreneurial parents taught me far more than I realised at the time.
Now I’m combining those lessons with everything I’m learning myself.
And it’s exciting.
There Were So Many Other Wins
There were moments that never even made it onto the blog.
Standing to teach on the podium in church again.
I was in media room today 😍
Presenting projects
Meeting incredible people.
Building friendships.
Networking more confidently.
Closing business deals.
Watching opportunities open that I never imagined at the beginning of the year.
For someone who’s naturally introverted, it’s been beautiful watching that shy girl slowly blossom.
I’m still an introvert.
But I’m definitely getting better at connecting with people.
Now It’s Your Turn
Instead of focusing on one bad week…
Or one disappointing month…
Zoom out.
Look at six months.
What’s one achievement you’re genuinely proud of?
Maybe nobody else knows about it.
Maybe it seems small to everyone else.
Share it anyway.
I’d genuinely love to celebrate with you.
Leave a comment below or send me an email.
I’d love to hear your story.
And before I go…
Don’t compare your beginning to someone else’s middle.
Keep going.
Your story is still being written.
So don’t you dare judge your year by one difficult season.
Have a wonderful week, and I’ll see you on Wednesday as we officially step into Q3 together.
Zack, what have you done to my mirror????
With Love,
Ayo
⸻
If this post resonated with you, share it with one person stepping into something new this month. We have a 10k goal. Let’s make it happen.
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