Crossover: Lessons from 2012 – By Valentine O. Ogunaka @naijamatta
Hello friends, welcome to the New Year! I pen this piece because there is tremendous joy in my heart. To have made it into 2013 is something we ought to acknowledge God and give thanks. Of course, by all our imperfections and multiple sins, it is privilege that we see this day.
The prime purpose of this piece is not to get you emotional, but to charge you mentally—to reflect on last year, review your regrets and glean from my most embarrassing experience. 2012 remains the ‘worst year of my life’ because I lost my verve from the outset. It was distressing, but looking back now I don’t think there is any reason to rue it. In fact, the diary I used for the shoddy year has ultimately become a scroll of lessons against future setbacks. It is now my dearest possession even though I can only swank on a shitload of mistakes.
My mistakes—I cannot retch them out in phases. I just have a few lessons for you. And hopefully I’d reveal that what started out badly ended on a note of appreciating the good, uncanny things of life.
It was shortly after the January subsidy remonstrations when I realized something had dented my confidence. I couldn’t tell exactly what but was disappointed in my dying faith, in myself and in everything! At first I had thought I’d be right if I attributed such mishap to the bungled revolution where protesters were killed and NLC defected at its climax. To some extent I was because like the many scoundrels of that movement, the wanton behavior of our leaders rulers destabilized me and distorted my long-standing devotion in the pursuit of happiness.
And it crept into my personal life…
In the year 2012, I bared myself to many discouragements. I struggled with my emotions. I vacillated in making decisions. My penchant for writing evaporated. Then came hell. In the month of April, to my chagrin, I lost my voice. I couldn’t sing again.
These went against the plans I had drafted into my resolutions on 31st December 2011. I cried within not knowing I was in my learning curve. Heaven knows best in the course of my ordeal; I rediscovered my spark and eventually completed two novels.
My resurgence inadvertently put me in front this New Year as I am brimming with enthusiasm and ready to brave it. Let me spill some lessons on your path. In a nutshell, these are my prescriptions:
ü Self-confidence comes before any talent. It is enough to set you on the path of excellence. Get it!
ü Consistency is a product of inconsistency and practice. Know this!
ü Unplug your mind to distractions
ü Do not fight your fears. Simply shoo them away.
Remember, the better you believe; the best you can give. A glass of optimism, a basket of faith and an iota of hope will lead you out of darkness and into light. I do not mind to sound preachy…Put God first!
Thanks for reading…wishing you a wondrous year 2013.
Valentine O. Ogunaka
I am on twitter @naijamatta
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