What a year, hey?
I am still struggling to believe this year was one year, or that it was a real year at all.
In all honestly, 2022 was a great year for me in all aspects of my life.
And as fate would have it, as if in effort to balance out the good, I also experienced my greatest loss – my mother transitioned into the next realm.
Even in losing her, I find spaces to be grateful for my community, my career, and in my personal life – and below is my list of gratitude in 2022:
1. My Mother’s Life
My mom was sick. So sick, for so long. She fought so hard so we could grow up and experience life with her, and I am so grateful for the 20 years of fight and life. She sacrificed her comfort so she could continue to live with us. I am deeply grateful for all the life and love we got to share with her.
2. My Mother’s Rest
I am so grateful my best friend is no longer living a life of pain. As much as I will miss her (I cannot even begin to imagine what(ever is left of) life will be without her), I am deeply grateful she is resting. She did a great job, and deserves her crown and rest.
3. My Father’s Love
Never failing, never changing – always in my corner since day one. In my eyes, still the greatest father to have walked this earth. I’m forever grateful for my father’s love and support.
4. My Siblings’s Friendship
I often think of what my mother would say of how we have kept together. She was the glue in many ways – always checking in on each of us; and now that she is gone, we have really become each other’s keepers. I am very grateful to call them my friends and people I can always depend on.
5. My Best Friends’ Community
If I didn’t know I had community before, I do now. My friends have done every inch of showing and lifting me up on days I didn’t even know I needed it. I am grateful for each of them, and all the ways they continue to show up for me.
6. My New (York) Friends
The most recent additions to my life – and yet still quite monumental. Friend I am enjoying calling my own, and having a bit of a good time figuring out what the potential of a life for myself in this city/country will look like.
7. My Team’s (staff) Resilience
I left my team completely alone without their captain, and I think they were ready to steady the ship and be without a captain. Their resilience and continued growth is just amazing to me, and they inspire me to keep going as an entrepreneur.
8. My Employer & Workmates Mentorship
I stepped away from my business because I felt I personally needed professional growth, and boy was I right. I have learnt A LOT working for my current employer – more specifically from my workmates and my supervisors. In case I ever return to fulltime entrepreneurship, I know I will have nothing short of great lessons to carry back with me.
9. My Business Partners’ Continued Trust
Retaining the trust of my businesses’ partners and clients especially as I left was dicey, but I am so grateful for the few who did take a chance on us, and continued to give us business and keep us afloat.
10. My Financial Stability
I am so grateful to have a steady flow of income. I think for the first time in my life, I can say I am no longer chasing money, and that money is chasing me. I am deeply grateful for that.
11. My Home
I love that I have a place I love to call home – a little place to call my own that I am absolutely in love with.
12. My Mental Health
My mental health has never been so stable – so healthy. I feel very centred and deeply at peace. A first in my existence, and I am deeply grateful for that.
13. My Hot Baths
Speaking of my mental health – I cannot be without my hot baths! They are a huge part of my day, and I am particularly grateful I live in a building that does not bill me for utilities because I just know I would be running up the water and heating costs lol
14. My Spirituality
I have a lot of reflections on my spiritiuality, and I hope to have the correct language to put them into words some day. I am grateful I had the courage to step away from organised religion when I did, because it made me question and discover so much about (my) spirituality and the world that we live in. I am still learning, and hope to continue learning and discovering for as long as I live.
15. My professional Mentors
My professional mentors never cease to support and guide me. Most of them say they have guided me to a point they can no longer guide me. I feel like a child raised, and I am deeply grateful to have been raised.
16. My Academic Supervisors
My academic journey has been such a breeze – thanks to my very supportive and enabling supervisors. They make me love academia so much, I could stay.
17. My Research Career
Speaking of staying, I cannot saying I am not considering a career in academia. I am enjoying my current research, and I think I wouldn’t mind a life of doing exactly that, over and over.
18. My Media Career
My media career has been on the rise this year! Where to begin! I organised an entired conference! I hosted the live stage of a conference segment! I judged the World Miss University! When it comes to growth – my media career has been given the room to grow. I have been given spaces to challenge and prove myself, and I am so grateful for the opportunities.
19. ICFP Team
A special shout out to the ICFP Media Team (hey Matt! Hey Christina!) – for betting on me and co-creating FPNN with me and the rest of the 2022 ICFP Media Scholars. I am excited for what lies ahead, and I am grateful to have been given this chance.
20. World Miss University Team
Another should out to the World Miss University Team (hey Regina! Hey Mr. Park!) for always betting on me, and giving me room to grow as an individual but also as a brand. You always have a way of making my year.
21. My Malawian Virtual Community
I fell in love with Facebook this year (yes, I am getting old). The kindness and support Malawians continue to show me accross all platforms but more specifically on Facebook is not something I take for granted. I may not be able to acknowledge or respond to it, but do believe that it is seen, and it is very much appreciated.
22. You.
Everything I have become, as a media professional and otherwise is because you continue to grant me your audience. You read, you like, you reshare, you repost, and I am so grateful so were able to take yet another journey around the sun with me. I hope to be able to pour back into you in all the ways you pour into me.
Wishing you the happiest of holidays, and a prosperous new year ahead!
About the Author
