This Nigerian Life.

Sharing personal stories and my thoughts on life.

Why this, why now?

I got “laid off”. Or rather, my contract was “discontinued” as the HR lady said on our monthly catch up call back in late January. We were well into the new year and there I was hustling away on a strategy doc for 2024 when the bombshell dropped. Naturally, I closed my laptop and took the rest of the day off to process the situation.

You know the old saying “all good things come to an end”? Well, nothing really prepares you for that ending. I had been thinking about leaving for a while. The signs were there; shrinking budgets, massive layoffs left right and centre. 2023 has to be the most mentally & emotionally draining year of my seven year stint at Google. And to top it off, being a contractor means no fancy post- employment support. LOL.

Nevertheless, how you react to endings makes all the difference. When that call came, I was torn, but upon deeper contemplation, I realised that it WAS time to move on. I lacked the courage to make the leap myself, so the universe gave me a little nudge, and I had to roll with it.

Photo by Austin Chan on Unsplash

What do I do with my life now?

Rest, trust the process. Try new things.

That's the message I received during my moments of meditation and prayer. Turning to God for guidance on this change and what steps to take next forced me to come to terms with the answer. But being told to rest was hard- what do you mean rest, in this economy? Lol. But rest is what I needed. Capitalism be dammed!

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Transitioning requires being comfortable with uncertainty, which is where trust becomes essential. I had to release the expectations I and others placed on myself. You know, those immediate "what's your next move?" inquiries. Well, my friend, at the moment, I'm simply enjoying life. As I job search.

Transitions take time and trying to rush through them is just my ego's way of succumbing to fear. Right now, my focus is on shedding my old identity, delving deeper into self-discovery, pursing creative projects( like writing) and living with more mindfulness.

Work often becomes intertwined with our sense of self, so when it's suddenly taken away, it's easy to feel lost. But it doesn't have to be that way. We're complex beings with many layers, and we shouldn't let one aspect define us.

These past couple of weeks have been a whirlwind, but surprisingly, mostly positive. I'm incredibly thankful for the unwavering love and support from my friends and loved ones. Every day, I'm reminded to seize this opportunity to pursue what truly matters to me, as I bid farewell to old identities, take some well-deserved rest, and gear up for whatever lies ahead.

What to expect

This newsletter will be home to my thoughts about life and the world around me. I’ll share about my travels, creative and professional pursuits, or anything I fancy. I hope you follow me on this journey.

Here is what I’m currently enjoying:

• This conversation between Esther Perel & Brené Brown on Artificial Intimacy.

• This brilliant film Afamefuna on Netflix.

Thank you for reading 🤎

A photo of what would be my last Google work trip. Cape Town, South Africa, December 2023 .

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