Today I’ve finally felt ready to reflect on myself, the year 2022, and the journey to date. I was having a tough time reflecting because of all the emotions this process brings up. But now I am ready.
As I write this, my mind goes back to the events of the past two years, and how they have impacted me. I looked back to 2022 from one of my notebooks and I realized how adventurous the journey is of adulting, growth and becoming the best version of yourself. One thing that consistently stood out for me is that progress is a daily habit, and not just a one time occurrence, that’s marked by big achievements. The major achievements are great, but the real winner is the person you become everyday, from constantly refining yourself.
2022 was a year of massive transformation in my personal life and my career. Everyday was a battle between falling back into old habits or forging new healthy habits, which in time proved to be the best decisions I made.
I am especially proud of the milestones I hit in 2022 career-wise. I got really good at frontend development, specifically in JavaScript, Tailwind, and Vanilla CSS.
I also contributed to Open Source through the Jenkins Project. This was part of the 2022 She Code Africa Contributhion, an Open Source program for ladies across the globe. This experience marked my journey into Open Source, where I have now been advocating for more participation, and involvement from my community.
I also got into developer relations through SpaceYaTech, a community that was launched in April 2022. Through SpaceYaTech, I spearheaded online events, co-hosted podcasts and led partnerships that grew our community, increased engagement and helped partner organizations achieve their goals.
I also got featured in the National Newspaper 🎉 🎉 !! This was nerve-wracking because the idea of having your face in millions of publications was too much to comprehend at the time. But it gave me an extra boost of confidence to continue building my skills in tech and helping others along the way.
Things I’m letting go of in 2022
Ruminating over failure and missed opportunities. This consumes a lot of mental and emotional energy that could be redirected to something more important.
I want to manage my time better and reduce content consumption. I can consume, but I will not let it take up my present time. Social media continues to be an endless vortex of dopamine, which I’ve been a major victim of. After all, it’s hard to resist all the cute cat videos 😂, and all the amazing content creators who give us moments to laugh, content that we can relate to, and a shared sense of humanity through the stories they tell. But there needs to be a balance between consumption and creation, and this is something I am working hard to manage.
I release the spirit of being small. This has been a major challenge for me, considering the environment I grew up in, the silent expectation that you should “be seen, and not heard” I now know and keep learning that I can embrace my full essence without dimming my light. There is enough space for everyone to be the best and most authentic versions of themselves. I’ve also learned that the stories we tell of ourselves are a HUUUGE part of our identities.
What I Look Forward to in 2023
I look forward to creating high-quality experiences and forming more genuine connections. This cuts across my career, friendships and intimate relationships. I realized that setting a high standard across all areas of your life removes the clutter and noise while exposing you to a better quality of life.
Calling out my BS and holding myself accountable for my choices, decisions and actions. This has often been a challenge for me because it’s often easier to blame other people, events and circumstances. Plus It’s extremely humbling to “Kujiita mkutano” (Swahili for calling yourself to a personal meeting) because it means coming face to face with your shortcomings, your excuses, your ego and the deliberate choices you made. So that’s something I look forward to doing more in 2023.
Managing my time at a granular level. I realized that a lot of time gets lost when you set a project for completion in one day, one week or one month. Why? Because then your mind registers that you have one day to complete it. But is it one day, or is it a few hours within the day? Is it one week or is it a few days in a week when your productivity is at its highest? This insight helped me see how much time was leaking through the minutes and hours, yet I was telling myself that I have one day or one week to complete a task or project.
All in all, these are just a few of the things I wanted to capture in my end-year review. Hopefully, and God-willing, I will check in again in 2023 to report the great tidings that occurred in 2023. Have a happy new year and a prosperous 2023 🎉 🎉 !!!