November was Lovely.
It’s already the last month of the year! How time flies. I feel great, because I have attained a measurable degree progress this year.
At the start of November, I had one goal in mind: make every single day count. And I did.
The Perfect Start
I started my annual leave, which was something I had been looking forward to for months. For most people, leave is for relaxation. For me, it was a perfect chance to spend 20 days at home, actively upskilling without overstretching myself. I had CLEAR goals:
- Enhance my cloud engineering skills through my AltSchool Africa diploma
- Improve my technical writing skills
- Build an online presence
- Keep track of my masters degree assessments and prepare for exams which was to commence in December
Every day was carefully planned. I gave myself time to study, reflect, write, and of course, enjoy some personal time. And guess what? I’m proud to say I published six whopping articles on APIs, Bash, Networking, IP Addresses, USSDs and October.
The Structure
Because I thrive on structure, my mornings begin with a peaceful breakfast, then I commence my tasks. By mid-morning, I would pray duha prayers, and continue my courses. My master’s degree assessments took the spotlight, because I had to catch up on alot of classes I missed. The AltSchool diploma kickedoff on a rather slow pace, so I had no difficulty completing my weekly assessments in a day. In the evenings, I would sit quietly to write articles and read more about technical writing.
It wasn’t all smooth, because there were moments when I felt overwhelmed. Every step reminded me why I’m on the path to create a future where my skills have real impact.
Ramping Up
On my ramp-up plan, I focused on Networking and Bash, which I tied directly to improving my technical writing skills. Slowly but surely, I’m building my portfolio as a technical writer, and every step of the journey makes me so happy.
A big step I took was reaching out to business owners through cold DMs on Twitter. I messaged three people, had meetings with two, and even signed a technical writing contract with one.
Although the second meeting didn’t lead to a closure, it was far from a loss. Before the meeting, He assigned me a task, and from it, I learned tips and tricks on identifying leads and sending good cold DMs. That knowledge alone made the entire interaction worth it. We failed to close because he was seeking a sales lead generator, while I am more of a technical person. I admit that sales is not my thing, and if you’ve read my article last year, you would know I don’t even like it!
Building In Public
Another area I pushed myself into was posting on Twitter and LinkedIn. I posted at least five times, and the engagement was genuinely encouraging. But I’ll be honest, I got burnt out midway. Consistency is hard, especially when you’re naturally shy. Towards the end of the month, I saw a tweet that said “Your life will shrink or expand in proportion to your courage” and that one lit a fire in me.
Moving forward, I’m renewing my intention to post strategically and with purpose, since I am self-aware enough to know posting daily is not sustainable.
The Lighter Side…
November was not just about work. Spiritually, I got better with my amount of daily adhkars, and it felt good. Mentally, I felt stable and relaxed. Turns out being away from a fast-paced environment with deadlines was exactly what I needed. Financially, I was comfortable since I didn’t need to fuel my car or buy lunch at the office. Even though I did treat myself with takeouts when the cravings hit.
I also attended a fun fair, which was lovely. The highlight for me was discovering the creamiest coconut drink vendor which i’m currently gatekeeping, lol. The day before resuming work, I had a private cinema experience, which was a perfect way to conclude my leave.
Back to Work and Little Wins
Upon my resumption at work on the 21st, I received a plethora of compliments that emphasised I looked happier and more relaxed, and honestly, they weren’t wrong. I also finally subscribed to an Azure account to start building cloud projects. Shoutout to Microsoft’s documentation team, because their learning resources made it a smooth experience for me.
Now for the small wins that made me proud. I spoke up at the salon when the stylist started plaiting my hair sideways instead of straight to the back. Again, I didn’t let it slide when i noticed a fuel attendant began filling my tank from ₦5000 instead of ₦0. These might seem minor, but for someone who rarely speaks up, these moments felt like significant wins.
To top it all off, an uncle visiting from Qatar left me with some good liquid. What a way to wrap up November. Sweet!
Final Thoughts and Key Takeaways
November reminded me of the power of being intentional. Every little, consistent action contributes to building the bigger picture — Structure, Discipline, Balance, and Continuous Learning.
The month wasn’t perfect, but it was mine. It was Growth. Balance. Focus. And a quiet reminder that I’m right where I needed to be. As I head into December, I’m ready to keep the momentum going.
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