It’s the 14th day of January 2025, and I have just one question: how did we get here so fast? January is supposed to be the month that takes its time but now, we have more or less 2 weeks to move on to the next month?
Let’s not even talk about the holidays ending. One minute, I was soaking in all the Christmas vibes, with Jollof rice and salad being my daily sustenance; the next, January hit like a thief in the night. I think the universe was in a hurry to humble me because transitioning from holiday mode to real life feels like being yanked out of a dream and into an Excel spreadsheet.
Honestly yeah, since the beginning of this year, which is literally 13 days ago, I’ve been feeling like the motivation fairy forgot to sprinkle my portion of magic dust on me? Because, everything just feels... heavy. Waking up in the morning and the first thing I think about now is, "So, I'm actually an adult, and I am supposed to be responsible for my life and choices now? Wonderful! Who signed me up for this?" The things I was so excited to achieve at 11:59 PM on December 31st 2024, now feel like a group project where I’m the only team member. I just lack the motivation!
And speaking of resolutions, let’s take a moment to laugh at my gym plans. I told myself 2025 would be the year I become "fit and fabulous." So far, the closest I’ve gotten to a workout is lifting spoons of rice to my mouth. Baby steps, right? At least, I'm lifting something.
I even went as far as writing “motivational quotes” on my daily journal, hoping they’d give me a jolt of energy every time I look at them. Spoiler: they didn’t. Instead, they’re just staring at me, judging me. Who knew inanimate objects could be so passive-aggressive?
Switching from the holiday mood back to real life has been ughh, unwanted! Work resumed, but my brain didn’t get the memo. Emails are piling up faster than my laundry, and every task feels like a Herculean effort.
I miss the holidays when my biggest worry was to decide whether I wanted to wake up to eat or sleep some more, or wake up, eat and then go back to sleep. Now it’s all deadlines, responsibilities and 4 AM alarms. Can I request a holiday extension? I’ll write a petition if need be and I know a couple people that'll sign with me.
Okay, let me not sound like a total pessimist., because I promise, I'm not. I'm a very optimistic person (so they've said). There’s a tiny silver lining in this cloudy January. The year is still young, and I have time to figure things out. Sure, I’ve been unmotivated, but maybe that’s my cue to start small and ease into my goals rather than trying to sprint right into the field.
I’ve decided to celebrate the little wins—like writing this article (yay me!) and resisting the urge to hit snooze every morning (progress!). Maybe if I stack up these small victories, I’ll eventually build momentum, lol.
So, how’s 2025 treating me? Honestly, it’s been a mix of sluggish mornings, pep talks from my inner voice, and moments of "maybe I can actually do this." But here’s the thing—just this morning, I decided to pick myself up, grab a journal, and pour out everything exactly as it tumbled through my mind. Writing down all my scattered thoughts, emotions (or lack thereof), and goals for 2025 turned out to be the motivation I didn’t know I needed.
Through that process, I managed to organize my thoughts, and while I might not have the grand picture figured out just yet, I’ve mapped out small, actionable goals and a step-by-step approach to tackle them. And before you ask—yes, I’ve already started taking those first few steps toward achieving these small wins.
If you’ve started smashing your goals already, I applaud you—you’re the real MVP. But if you’re like me, still finding your footing, don’t sweat it. We’ll get there, one baby step (or spoon of rice or 30 minutes more sleep) at a time.
Let’s toast to a January filled with holidays nostalgia and the hope that February will bring the vibes we need to truly kick off the year. Cheers!
All images are mine.
Thank you for reading!