I have a cold allergy.
Yes, when it’s cold two things happen: I either lose my voice or shiver to the point where this wheezing sound emanates from my chest like a symphony.
This is why it doesn’t make sense that I currently reside near a coffee plantation in one of the chilly, cold places in Kiambu County in Kenya- so please don’t ask me why…I just love my apartment.
I sincerely do not.
There are days when work takes the bulk of my focus and then Saturdays when all I want to do is sleep, eat, sleep and drink coffee while listening to my spotify playlist.
There is something about how I choose to live my life and what I value- and for the girl in me seeing my Mom bring us up on her own, taking on jobs, consultancies to be able to provide for us-every time I want to take a step back, I see her and I keep on pushing. Working, setting up goals and tasks to secure financial independence-and this has had me thinking of all the times I should have prioritized rest but never did- and whether I would know when to catch a break.
Until then, I am learning- I am learning to embrace that little girl and I am doing this by:
So, yes I do not have the work life balance locked in, and the greatest lesson I am learning is that it is okay.
May is here and I have read 28 of 100 books in my #GoodreadsChallenge.
It’s been a bit slow on my end, taking time to recover and it’s meant more time reeling from the after effects of medication and less focus on books, however with my family around, I finally got to unpack the boxes in my living room that got here this January.
I still have a room that I haven’t cleared out because I am still settling in my the apartment I am renting. Moving cities was exciting until I had to unpack most of what I had. Let’s get into books now:
Currently reading The First Woman by Jennifer Makumbi– and if you are looking for a story set in Uganda, with vibrant characters who refuse to be ignored- then please read this book. It gets an automatic 5 stars from me as you follow Kirabo, from her grandparents home, to her Father’s house, her relationship with her friends, women in her life- and her aspirations, while also acknowledging that she wishes to meet her Mother just once.
When I’m done with this, I want to travel to other worlds created by Leigh Bardugo- because why not? I also want to read up on power, corruption, factfulness and mental health-so I got a little bit of everything waiting for me in the following books:
But first, I am definitely digging into Nathan Filer’s This Book will Change your Mind about Mental Health.
I am being more intentional with the books I read this year, mainly because I also want to gain expertise and improve on my skills in my professional life, and it’s dawning on me that there are so many books that I can read and learn from. When it comes to nourishing my writing, would you believe me if I told you that fantasy, poetry, free verse and prose are what I’m drawn to right now? It’s like a yearning to experience and also learn from other writers how they create other worlds, what they bring to the quests their characters go on and why.
Looking forward to a productive month and to fully recover and get back on my feet this month, until then, have a great weekend.
Before you go, what are you reading?
This was a prompt I couldn’t ignore because I love fruits and just naming five sounds like selling myself short, yet, I’ll still do it.
Here are my absolute favorites:
Take a minute- open a new tab and go to www.pexels.com and search for ‘career woman,’ and tell me what you find.
This is what I did first in responding to this question, ‘what is your career plan?’
We are in May 2025- and we have seven months to the end of the year and rather than a long-term stretch of where I want to be, I truly want to share projects that I am working on:
And if you were to ask me what my career plans were in 2020-they were not as I have shared, but over time I learned that there are diverse pursuits that I can aspire to, not just one area of specialization.
In the morning, some time between ten o’clock and noon.
Late into the night, sometime between 11pm and 3am.
I used to be so certain but I am learning that it actually depends.
I have learned not to beat up myself over most things, however when it comes to giving people the benefit of the doubt…on this I still struggle and there was a time when I worked with someone for over 4 years, and he’d do and say things and I would have this gut feeling that he doesn’t mean well and shrug it off…I did this for 4 years until I started hearing from my colleagues, and field teams that he was talking ill of me and asking them not to trust my leadership when I got promoted, and a month later I quit work.
Looking back, I’m glad that I was able to quit and I’ve learned not to ignore my gut feeling.
The best thing I did was to cut all ties and ensure that I have no links or ties, with that part of my work, and continue to be intentional about the things I tell myself.
Over booked time slots on google calendar
30% phone battery
Those snippets of c-drama on facebook sponsored ads that give you less than 3 minutes of a drama and then to continue watching ask you to download dramabox app on google, why?
Tax return statements…
Unused stationery…I collect pens and notebooks, if I don’t write on any, it makes me feel like I have failed in something.
Late night calls from my Mom or Sisters…
Walking on Nairobi streets and someone is steadily walking behind me even when I side step to give them way…they still maintain that pace.
Thoughts…snippets of random thoughts as I work
This book I am writing
I have made many decisions in the course of my life that have led me to where I am now, however the one that was vital and drained me was the decision to step down from my job last year.
It was the decision to move on, to seek better and go where I am valued and respected, and above all to go where kindness resides. Of course, in most work places- this is not readily available but when I stepped down- it was from knowing that I would treat people better wherever I went.
I thought of ignoring this prompt, you know the kind of thing that you don’t want to get sucked into but you also can’t stop thinking about…well, it’s got to be questions like this. Simple, innocent, like they’re just curious and want to hear from you.
And then, the one place that came to mind was Red Ginger it’s in Nairobi, and I love it because the first time I visited was because I was being treated to dinner on my birthday, and ever since whenever I think of Indian cuisine- it’s the only place I recommend.
nilichoandika 