Happy New Year, guys! It’s not too late to say that, is it?
As is the usual fashion, when a new year comes like this one did yesterday,
most of us already have our long lists of resolutions waiting.
This year, I have chosen to do just one thing with this
blog: Put up posts on Mondays and
Fridays (Come hell or high water). Mondays will be for random posts and on
Fridays, reviews on movies/series, depending on what I have scheduled
in my Cassiedaves Blogplanner.
Before I run away from the topic, I want to give massive
hugs to my readers. You are awesome people! I sincerely appreciate the love
you’ve been showing me and my utter laziness towards writing. I hope you keep
sticking with me.
For the “clean slate” type of people like me, here are (In
no particular order) ten things to do this January:
1. Major goal anyone?
It’s January, you’ve written down your long list of goals and
you have the entire year to fulfil them. Sometimes, we get overwhelmed trying
to achieve these goals all at once, so the interesting thing to do in a month
like January is to pick the major goal. This task could be quite herculean
because, a few goals can be on the same levels of importance, but they can
still be narrowed down depending on priorities.
Once you have picked the most important one, make sure you
are able to set it rolling and if possible, achieve it before the month runs
out. If this goal is achieved by the set deadline, you are well on your way to
receiving the best striker award.
2. Save Save Save
Save in any way you can! Financially, morally,
every-other-something-ally-you-can-think-of! Saving is one term that has earned
its way into my favorite bank. No matter how small, saving always ends up being
really useful at unexpected times. The internet, being an information hub is an
advantageous tool for saving facts. Don’t be left out of news flying by every
second, they can be useful in business, personal life, even financially! You
should subscribe to Google Alerts,
it’s great for that. You even get to choose what news you want in your mailbox.
I also came across this handle on twitter and on their website, you can save a certain amount of
money (no matter how little) towards a certain period of time. It’s amazing how
small numbers can magically transform into big numbers!
3. Who doesn’t love a challenge?
Challenge yourself to try new things. These things are
usually the types that never make it on your interests list. Back in school, I
hated Computer Science and had to even further deal with it once I got admitted
into the university. I still hate it, but I’m trying to see if I can learn
coding. Some schools are teaching it online for free and so far, the only one I
have registered to is Code Academy.
You should check it out, their website is so beautiful and easy to navigate,
you would think you were about to have the best meal of your life!
4. Everyone has a brand
A brand can have different definitions, depending on the
person. I have two brands – my entrepreneurial business where I sell caps (more
coming on this pretty soon) and my writer/poet brand: Lola Ogunnupebi. In a
month like January, you can research the different strategies, techniques,
methods in which other people in the same field have employed to grow their
brand(s). Check out their journey, what makes them unique and use these as
inspiration to form your brand’s identity.
If you already started, this is a fantastic month for
reviews and future needs/goals for your brand. Constant brand development is an
essential part of brand growth and there is no better time for that!
5. Stare the year in the face
So it knows you mean serious business! Just like you did for
January, assign other goals to other months in an order of priority. I’m not
saying that some of our goals are more important than the others, it can be
easier for execution when we plan accordingly and follow that plan the way I
follow food (which is really strongly).
6. Give gifts that keep on giving
One thing I think I want to do more this year is give. No
matter how little. I know Christmas isn’t going to be for another eleven
months, but who says it can’t start early? There are amazing causes to support
on GoFundMe, you could also register to
give blood on Haemo.
It’s also still a gift if you can start a campaign on any crowdfunding site. We
all need to help in every way we can.
Another way to gift is to help other peoples’ voices be
heard or even tell your own story (ies). You absolutely do not have to be a
writer to do this at all. Stand To End
Rape (STER) is one platform you can contact, to volunteer as writers or
story tellers.
7. Mini Self-discovery/Rediscovery
Pick a place to visit this month. Let it be away from
everything else familiar. Sometimes, there are parts of us we still haven’t
been introduced to. You don’t have to travel to this place, it should just be
one to give you solitude. Reflect on everything and every step you’ve taken,
are taking or about to take and think of ways to better achieve them.
8. Who wants coffee?
Drink more coffee this year. Because I’m liking it and I
want to initiate you into its awesomeness. If I ever get addicted to coffee,
please blame Nana Aisha Salaudeen for this hehehehe!
9. Smiles don’t kill, do they?
It is super liberating to smile, guys. The internal tension
a smile reduces is out of this world and it’s reception is magical. Even in
situations where you can’t seem to make yourself smile, try. Take a deep breath
and pop out those gorgeous babies that the English language have decided to
call teeth and smile! It calms, it’s peace.
10. Let’s pick a song
We all (well, maybe most of us), have a song that takes us
back to some goal or want or action we have neglected, yes? Create a playlist
on your phone (with any fun name you want) and collect songs that remind you to
either take things steady or never give up, songs that inspire! Listen to them
often to remind yourself of where you are going. Don’t forget to have fun along
the way!
What is your January looking like? Do you think I’ve left
out some salient points? Let me know in the comment section below!
Till Friday, xxx.
