AdeOla Fadumiye

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My Hopes for 2018

FIVE Hopes I have for 2018

January 16, 2018 by AdeOla Fadumiye in Life

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
I hope you enjoyed the holidays. Mine was mostly laid back and peaceful. I made it into 2018 with my mind and faith intact, and I’m truly thankful. I’m especially ecstatic to be back with my first post of the year after a month-long break. I’m glad I took a break, because I moved a few days before the first of January and I spent most of my month-long break packing and then unpacking.

I'm still unpacking and I have boxes everywhere, but hey, it is 2018, and that calls for some rejoicing.
Why? Well, 2018 is going to be a year done differently. To start off, I am sharing SOME of my hopes for the year.

First and foremost, my 2018 hopes for the blog are

  • To keep sharing the lessons I’m learning as I live my life , and I hope to inspire you and add value to your life.
  • To get even more appropriately vulnerable with my journey [I have no desire to gaslight, dump on you or flood you]
  • To continue to shape my voice and point of view for the blog and beyond. OPERATION Explore. Define. Refine, and
  • To introduce you to some of the wonderful women I encounter in my everyday life; I plan to conduct some interviews this year. I need to develop a format and/or theme, but it is on my 2018 blog agenda.

With that said, here are SOME of my hopes and intentions for 2018.

REST
I was laying in bed one evening in December panicking about 2018 when scripture verses from Psalm 127 dropped on my heart. “If God doesn’t build the house, the builders only build shacks. If God doesn’t guard the city, the night watchman might as well nap. It’s useless to rise early and go to bed late and work your worried fingers to the bone. Don’t you know he enjoys giving rest to those he loves?” The bolded question stood out to me, however, I had already been wrestling with the theme from these scripture verses long before that evening.

One of my biggest hopes for 2018 is to experience what it means to work hard from a place of grace rather than from hustle, toil and strive. I am a dreamer, Type A, an overachiever, and an executor, and for so long, pushing myself through hard and difficult situations have always been a badge of honor. Lately, I sense God calling me to dump the hustle, toil and strive, and to let him do what he alone can do. “Grace will take you places that hustle would never get a foot into,” and he spoke these words of advice over me a lot at the end of 2017. Strive and hustle does not necessarily mean hard or good work. I’m choosing to work hard and to also rest my body, mind, heart, and soul.

LIVE FULLY W/ JOY UNSPEAKABLE
Going along with the spirit of REST, I will do more of the things I love this year. I will see stage plays and performances. I will go to more concerts. I will see a play or two on Broadway. I will go on a few road trips. I will make new recipes. I will visit many wineries with friends. I will travel a lot more.  I will go out dancing. I will choose activities that shoot my adrenaline off. I will engage in adventure. I will spend quality time with family and friends. I want to do things that make me swell and bubble over with joy. When I’m living joyfully, I find that nothing is impossible for me. The joy of the Lord is truly my strength. Without it, happy moments are not fully enjoyed, but with joy, painful seasons are bearable.

JOB STABILITY
I believe one of the source of my hustle and toil is having my hands in too many things, and I never did get a chance to breathe. My hope for this year is to have some sense of job stability, though I’m still leaning towards a mix-match of stable and steady work project over a 9-5 gig. CONFESSION: I’m nervous about a 9-5. I haven’t had one in a while, and regardless of that, it is not my style. 

I hope to be more strategic in choosing and blending my work projects. I’m currently not running any businesses, hence I have space to think through  my next steps. 

SERVICE
I'm praying through what working out my desire to serve in 2018 would and should look like.

YEAR OF BAE
In the wise and famous words of Yvonne Orji, “Dear Bae, take your time and hurry up!”

There you have it! These are some of the things I'm  leaning into in 2018.

What are your hopes for 2018?

image via

January 16, 2018 /AdeOla Fadumiye
Life
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ADEOLA FADUMIYE is a writer + editor, a project + event manager, and the creator of Pearls from our Fathers. She writes at the intersection of faith, entrepreneurship, feminism, culture, race, and inequality. Her work has appeared in Radiant Health, Big Cartel and mater mea. AdeOla also has more than a decade experience in project and event management working with non-profit, small businesses, and entrepreneurs. Some of her clients are The Naturalista Expo, Little Things Borrowed, Grace and Ivory, and N Natural Hair Studio. She earned her Bachelors of Science in Mass Communication (Public Relations and Communication Studies) from the Winona State University, and her Master in Public Health from the George Washington University. She is a 2017  StartingBloc Fellow and a 2017 alumni of the THREAD at Yale: Storytelling in Modern Media program. She lives in the Washington DC metro area.

[THE CREATIVE] The only place I see in grand vision is when I write. It is my creative skill and I am a visual writer. Every writing coach I’ve had or questionnaire I have taken places me as a visual storyteller. This is where I get to play!⁣⠀ •⁣⠀ Give me a writing cue and before I put words to paper, I see a picture and even feel the picture and it is that picture that I translate into words.⁣⠀ [04.19.19] • 📷: @oh___socialcreative • #brokenpiecesarebuildingblocks #storiessprinkledwithgoldandsilverdust
[THE EXECUTOR] Most, if not all, of my clients, are visionaries. They cast visions and sometimes 600 visions in one minute and then nothing gets done. ⁣⠀ ⁣• I am an executor. I take ideas, break them down into logical steps, point out the loopholes and the blocks, and then make them happen. For so long, I wanted to be the Chief ExecuTIVE Officer (CEO) of something, but lately, I am deeply happy as the Chief ExecuTION Officer (CEO). ⁣⠀ ⁣• I constantly tell God, I'll be your Chief Operation Officer (COO) and your Operations Manager...you just stay working the Chief Exective officer (CEO) and Strategic manager roles. • Do you know what role you play well?⁣⠀ [04.17.19]⁣⠀ ⁣ 📷: @oh___socialcreative #brokenpiecesarebuildingblocks #storiessprinkledwithgoldandsilverdust
[THE VISIONARY] I am not a necessarily a visionary, and it took me a long time to accept this. For so long, I thought I was, or more like, I wanted to be one. We are encouraged to have big dreams, and I do, but I also desired to have grand visions and ideas for what I want for my life, career, and business. However, for most of my life, the path is usually foggy and I’m only able to see the very next step as a take a step. ⁣⠀ ⁣•⠀ I constantly engage the things in my heart, head, and hands with the people and things that are in front of me. Regardless of not seeing in grand visions, I constantly pray to have wisdom and clarity of vision on how to move and on which steps to take. ⁣⠀ • Do you see in grand vision or are you more the taking one step at a time kind of person? Or both? ⠀ [04.15.19]⁣ 📷: @oh___socialcreative ⁣. . . #brokenpiecesarebuildingblocks #storiessprinkledwithgoldandsilverdust ⁣⠀ ⁣⠀
[ISAIAH 26:3] “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” ⁣⠀ [04.12.19]⁣⠀ . #brokenpiecesarebuildingblocks #storiessprinkledwithgoldandsilverdust
[COMMONALITIES] This game is called Ayoo Olopon, and for short Ayoo. I grew up playing it, and it belonged to my culture, specifically the Yoruba's of Nigeria. It belonged to us because it was where I saw it and played it. Recently, I learned that many cultures around the world play Ayoo and each call it by a different name. In that moment of enlightenment, I realized Ayoo is not just a Yoruba or Nigerian thing. ⁣⠀ ⁣• Recently, I spent a significant amount of time with a group of women I had never met. In spending time together, we shared our lives and stories - the broken pieces and the sweet spots. My time with strangers confirmed two things I already knew...we've all got issues and it is easy to think it is just you in a bad marriage, in debt, unemployed, depressed, undocumented, in a bad relationship, suicidal, single, feeling unworthy, used, useless, etc. It is what a culture of silence and shames wants you to believe. When it is only you, no one can help you, and no one can understand you, but everyone will judge you. The TRUTH is humanity is threaded together and we discover our commonality in communities and in storytelling. You are here and you are not alone. ⁣⠀ ⁣• Just like Ayoo is played around the world, pain and hurt are universal. Don’t let the insidious power of shame silence you into thinking it’s just you because one of its aims is to keep you from joy and healing, which, my dear, are also universal. ⁣⠀ ⁣• Do you play Ayoo Olonpo in your culture/country and what do you call it?⠀ [04.10.19]⁣⠀ ⁣. . #brokenpiecesarebuildingblocks #storiessprinkledwithgoldandsilverdust #Repost @melaniin.goddess⁣⠀ ⁣
[JOHN 14:27] "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."⁣⠀ [04.07.19) . . #brokenpiecesarebuildingblocks #storiessprinkledwithgoldandsilverdust
[THE FALLACY OF OPINIONS] I was there to help with a move, but the conversation going on around and above me was pushing every button on my nerves. Nonetheless, I made a conscious choice to stay out of it, and I was determined to stay in my zen. ⁣⠀ •⠀ Then he said it, “She needs to find a husband. She is bored and needs to get married. If she was in her husband’s house, she wouldn't have time for social media.” It was then my nose flared and stung.⁣⠀ ⁣•⠀ I straightened up from placing the vase wrapped in a newspaper in a box and forgetting my commitment to stay out, I went right in. I was in. Full on!⁣⠀ ⁣•⠀ “That is a condescending statement, and it doesn’t make sense to blame her social media activities and mishaps, based on your definition of social media mishaps, on her marital status. Your definition of oversharing is subjective and also sexist”⁣⠀ ⁣•⠀ It is sexist, rude and absurd to make marriage and a husband the cure-all for everything single women go through or the bad choices we make. I am for marriage. I am for using wisdom when sharing on social media. Common sense and wisdom, not marriage, are two cures for social media mishaps and missteps.⁣⠀ •⠀ Here is to the death of flawed opinions!⁣⠀ ⁣[04.05.19] #brokenpiecesarebuildingblocks #storiessprinkledwithgoldandsilverdust
[YOU ARE HERE] It’s the first day of April and it’s time to step out into new things. So let’s talk about walls. The ones we build and hide behind when we abandon our dreams because life whips us real good. Tall and wide walls erected with bricks of fear, hurt and insecurity. Nothing escapes it; it keeps you in and blocks others out. Sometimes our earth quakes even more and the walls come tumbling down burying us under. ⁣⠀ ⁣• It is important to examine why we hide behind walls and how we get buried under when they fall, but it is of equal importance to get out from underneath the rubble. We spend too much time wondering, “How did I get here?” instead of doing what is needed to get up and get out. So while we peek from behind our wall and now from underneath the rubbles, life decides it is done striving with fear and insecurity for our attention.⁣⠀ ⁣• The TRUTH is even underneath the rubble, YOU ARE HERE, STILL HERE! You can either sit with your bleeding hands in the broken shards of your heart and dreams or you could use, recycle if you may, these same pieces to make beautiful things. We have to push out from beneath the bricks and step back and forward towards our life, because YOU👏🏾 ARE 👏🏾 STILL 👏🏾HERE.⁣⠀ [04.01.19] #brokenpiecesarebuildingblocks #storiessprinkledwithgoldandsilverdust
[PATIENCE] Every time I pray for patience, I roll my eyes, and I both regret and hate praying for it. Why? Because I am pretty certain that God leaned in the first time I prayed for patience, snapped his fingers and said: “it is done.” I resent that he moved pretty quickly to answer this prayer and to keep answering it (I am assuming, but I am sure my assumption is right😝). It will be super nice if he answered all my other requests quickly. Requests like ensuring all my clients pay on time, meeting Idris Alba, a billion dollar in my account, a year on the beach, a nice apple bottom and that tall, dark-skinned and thickums bae that seem to be eluding me, but I digress. 🤣🤣 ⠀ •⠀ However, I know without a shadow of a doubt, that patience is what has kept me going all these years. A lot of people who know me intimately commend me quite often on my resilience. I know underneath resilience is an answered prayer called patience. ⁣⠀ ⁣• But Jesus be doing too much sometimes, just answer my prayers instead of constantly making me work for it. I may just start acting like an offended girlfriend and make you, yes you Jesus, work for my affection. Let see how you last before you scold and convict me with scriptures. See how that feels. Yeah, I THOUGHT SO! 🤷🏾‍♀️🤦🏾‍♀️ . . #brokenpiecesarebuildingblocks #storiessprinkledwithgoldandsilverdust
[THE ABILITY TO DISCERN NEEDS AND TO FILL THEM] I started praying to embody this trait before I knew exactly what I was truly praying for. However, one of my besties, @nygirltb, will forever remain dear (amidst other things)to my heart, because she pretty much did this for me when I needed it the most. In the hardest seasons of my life, she covered me financially, gave me rides to place I couldn’t get to and gave me access to rooms I didn’t have access to. She taught me the importance of stepping up especially when people can’t ask or are either feeling shame or pride to ask for help. ⠀ ⁣• I pray often to discern the needs of families, friends, strangers, and acquaintances especially when they can’t or don’t know how to ask. I pray that I’d reach out boldly and cover it anonymously when possible. I also pray that the people I reach out to would hopefully be in the right place to receive, because pride be a sucker sometimes. I know! ⠀ • I will probably pray for this for the rest of my life.
[AUDACITY: GRIT + BOLDNESS + COURAGE] I once led a small riot in high school outside the dining hall over food. It was so long ago, but I remember standing on the frontline looking Ms. Adedokun in the eyes and asking for more food. I also remember our matron once telling my dad that I was arrogant. The ride home wasn’t fun, but I never did like her, so I didn’t care what she thought of me. A lot of people were scared of her. I wasn’t and I let her know without saying a word…she could read it in my eyes and at the tilt of my nose. I knew it bothered her that I didn’t scurry when she walked. However, she was still in charge so I had little say or power. I was just an audacious teenager. ⁣⠀ ⁣•⠀ As I got older, a trait I didn’t want life to suck out of me was courage. I pray often to remain audacious in asking for what I want and in being myself, but with better intentions, balance and humility. I pray for grit and audacity often. ⠀ •⁣⠀ Audacious ⠀ adjective⠀ 1. showing a willingness to take surprisingly bold risks.⠀ ⠀ 2. showing an impudent lack of respect.⠀ [03.25.19]

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