start softly

There is no universal beginning—only your own.

Put the whip down, it's just another day.

If you need to start the year with a hard stop, pause, reset or rest; allow yourself.

Your only real responsibility is identifying your need any simply accepting it.

There is no sacred starting line on the 1st day of the year, or when the clock strikes 12 am, except when it’s an application’s due date - then your life hangs in the balance.

As one of my favorite Igbo proverbs puts it: “Mgbe onye ji tete ụra bụ ụtụtụ ya”

Whenever you wake up, that is your morning.

- 'Nifemi Brown / 25 December 2024