Goodbye to Q1 of 2021

Do you make time for reflection?

I was having a conversation with my friend the other day about how the first quarter went. It was an interesting one because it was the first time we ever dissected a whole quarter’s rudiments. Yes, we speak regularly; we rant about work and also share our successes. However, we had never reflected on every single aspect of our lives in one conversation.

We talked about our goals and accomplishments so far. This topic was interesting because it got me thinking about everything that happened during the first quarter that I quickly forgot. We’re so used to moving on to the next once we achieve something that we forget to acknowledge our achievement and growth.

We talked about the people we met and the ones we lost. As we’re both single, dating or trying to is always on the agenda. Of course, we met some people in the first quarter that we no longer talk to at the moment. We still both have a lot of work to do in this regard. We also nurtured some old friendships, which was exciting.

We talked about the books we read and the movies/series we watched. Netflix was very comforting and also distracting during the first quarter. We both watched Bridgerton, The Crown, The White Tiger, Malcolm & Marie, Behind Her Eyes, and many more. I also reflected on the few movies I saw at the cinema; Omo Ghetto-The Saga, Godzilla Vs. Kong, and La Femme Anjola. In the book scene, we’re both studying, so reading for fun wasn’t really on our plan, but I still managed to squeeze some books in, mainly Nigerian literature.

RELATED

• Life Update – July 2020
• Life Update – November 2019

We talked about the new things we learned and the discoveries we made. New lessons and experiences from living, working, writing, teaching, mentoring, etc. As three months have gone by in 2021, we acknowledged that we’re even wiser than we were at the beginning of the year. We also reflected on the changes we welcomed and the ones we felt horrible about. Change can be so annoying, but it’s also necessary, and we both agree on that.

I believe reflecting is super important. It helps you recognize your achievements and also ponder on your flaws or mistakes. It also allows you to make better plans and decisions.

I hope you have an awesome April and a better quarter.

Take care.

Mariam Shittu