The end of the year 2022 is in foresight. A few more days to end it and we can look back and count our blessings. This year has presented the good, the bad, the ugly and everything in between. On the global scale and individually, we can testify of the unusual occurrences of this year. On the global front, the year 2022 saw the Russia-Ukraine war which an economic ravaging situation was putting a lot of people in hardships all over the world. Inflations here and there with some parts of the world experiencing extreme climatic conditions like heatwaves and hurricanes. People lost homes, sources of livelihood, properties and families. Irrespective of all these happenings, we are privileged to be in the final week of the year. It hasn’t been smooth, but I am grateful for everything within the year.
Speaking to friends and family, this year was very tough. The majority based their judgements on the economic hardships faced within the year, how the cost of living was escalating, and their businesses were folding up. Irrespective of these hardships, I have also heard some incredible testimonies throughout the year. Most people cannot even account for how they survived within the year not to talk of taking care of other responsibilities. But through it all, we survived, and we are almost at the finish line with high expectations for 2023.
Personally, I have encountered my fair share of challenges in the year. My greatest testimony this year is having God and a father like Bishop Dr. Charles Cofie Hackman. Despite all the challenges, I can boldly say my testimonies outweigh my challenges. Financially, medically, in relationships, family and business-wise I experienced a breakthrough, and I am grateful to God.
One thing I have learnt is that every season comes with a lesson. What are the lessons of 2022.
One of the norms defined by Society for a very long time is to be an expert in one thing. If you are multifaceted especially career-wise, you are usually teased with a popular quote ˋJack of all trades and master of none´. This goes to say that try to be a master of something. Truthfully, it is a good advice to be a master of something. Unfortunately, this quote has been abused. The quote you have known all these years is incomplete. The complete quote is ˋJack of all trades and a master of none is better than a master of one ´.
A crucial and I can say the biggest lesson learnt in 2022 is to be fluid. Irrespective of how difficult things were within the year, I saw people with fluid personalities going through the seasons and still making it. I know you are wondering what a fluid personality is. There are several definitions for fluid. In this context, we will focus on fluidity as the ability of a thing to be subject to change and movement. A person with a fluid personality is one that can change easily and adapt to changing phases. This person does not conform to the regular norms and always look out for the extraordinaire.
One of the norms defined by Society for a very long time is to be an expert in one thing. If you are multifaceted especially career-wise, you are usually teased with a popular quote ˋJack of all trades and master of none´. This goes to say that try to be a master of something. Truthfully, it is a good advice to be a master of something. Unfortunately, this quote has been abused. The quote you have known all these years is incomplete. The complete quote is ˋJack of all trades and a master of none is better than a master of one ´.
Until recently when most people are coming to the knowledge of venturing into multiple ventures, it uses to seem impossible to do. Even with white-collar jobs, people are learning multiple skills to put them ahead of other colleagues in the same field. One sector getting a lot of hype these days is the tech field. Almost every sector is focusing on employees with tech skills aside from the required skills for recruitment. Even as a stand-alone skill, most people are interested in remote jobs irrespective of their expertise. People in health sciences, finance, social sciences, life science and environmental science are taking on some form of tech training. This will enhance their chances of getting recruited by tech companies for remote jobs. This will also give them an extra source of income aside from their regular jobs.
In the year 2022, most people that made it are people with some form of extra source of income. This made me realize that the future is not about the normal route defined by society. It is the ability to think outside the box, willingly try new things and quickly adapt to changes. We need to equip ourselves so that as the times change, we can also change.
Personally, I have tried several things I had little or no knowledge about in 2022. Some don’t
even have an intersection point with my current field. I am rather preparing myself for future occurrences. If I am to advise anyone as we prepare for 2023, my advice will be to take up training and acquire skills that can bring a source of income irrespective of the happenings in the world.
My first suggestion will be tech skills that can make you work from home. I have friends and colleagues with no tech background switching from health, life and environmental sciences to computer engineering, software engineering, cloud software specialist, data scientist, artificial intelligence specialist and many more. This is to tell you that it is possible for you to do, and it is never too late. You can devote even two hours of your time every day and take up readily available courses online and you will never regret embarking on this journey. Websites like Datacamp, Cousera, Edx, and Udemy can be of help as some comes with free certifications to build your tech portfolio. You can do it.
My second lesson is a bit personal but I think will be very relevant. To put it simply, my lesson is
to work twice as hard as I pray. One comment I kept chancing upon throughout 2022 was
people, especially Christians complaining about why unbelievers kept prospering while those in
the faith that pray more are not experiencing such success and prosperity. Sometimes I laugh at such comments not because I am happy but because of how ignorant these people are. It is true that as people of God we enjoy supernatural provision but that is not a basis for laziness. Most Christians think that so far as you pray, you can stay still without doing anything and prosperity will come to your doorstep. It is a very unintelligent to
When you look at unbelievers, they depend so much on their wisdom and strength. Most are quite disciplined and very hardworking while most people of faith are lazy and indiscipline. Things that they can even do by themselves, they are expecting God to do it for them. The distinction between an unbelievable and a believer should be that while the former relies on their strength and wisdom, the latter relies on the wisdom of God and the strength of Divinity. As the unbeliever is doing try and error to succeed, the believer hears an instruction from God and moves with it. His success is then assured. There is no room for try and error.
Both believers and unbelievers need to be hardworking, disciplined, persistent and diligent. The fact that you know God does not mean you have to be lackadaisical about everything. Even the bible says that he will bless the works of your hands. Imagine you go to God with nothing in your hand, even after blessing it, you will still have nothing. But if you go to God with something, when he pours his supernatural upon it, you can have an overflow.
This year, 2022, I had the opportunity to embark on a project. Before the commencement of the project, it felt impossible to accomplish. I didn’t have the financial capacity to execute such a project. However, I told myself that I will do what is within my control and leave the rest to God. Along the line, the challenges came but with every challenge came a solution. There were points when things were overwhelming, and I felt like giving up. But I knew how much I wanted the project I was working on. This encouraged me to seek every available help and at the end of the day, God came through.
The truth is, if after all the effort and prayers it didn’t work out, I would have assumed that it wasn’t in the will of God for me to do it within this time. Yes, I will be crushed but I would have taken a breather and come back stronger. Thankfully it all worked out and I was euphoric. This lesson has stuck with me throughout the year. I am moving into the new year and even into the remaining years of my life with it.
The truth is if you have a flight or bus at 7:00am and it is 6:58am, whiles praying to God to help you make the flight or bus, you also hasten up. You don’t say you have prayed so you will walk majestically to the terminal. As for the blessing, it is there for you. However, remember that you have to do the work and meet the demand for the blessings.
As we enjoy the festivities and holidays, use the period to wind down and think about what you
want to accomplish in the year 2023 and what you need to make that goal accomplishable. I am saying this having in mind that you have gone through your goals for the year 2022 and accounted for why some were achieved, and others were not. With this in mind, you know what you did this year that you need to change to be able to accomplish your goals for 2023.
It has been a great year and it was good having you with us. Enjoy the holidays and see you in
2023.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!
” One of the norms defined by Society for a very long time is to be an expert in one thing. If you are multifaceted especially career-wise, you are usually teased with a popular quote ˋJack of all trades and master of none´. This goes to say that try to be a master of something. Truthfully, it is a good advice to be a master of something. Unfortunately, this quote has been abused. The quote you have known all these years is incomplete. The complete quote is ˋJack of all trades and a master of none is better than a master of one.”
