Baby Steps

They matter

If you have ever been around a small child trying to walk. You would appreciate your ability to walk around without stress.

Hello dear friend, how are you doing today, happy weekend and welcome to another wonderful week where I get to share a letter with you.

In today’s letter, I have positioned my thoughts towards a particular mindset that I wish to change.  A lot of time, we are stuck as humans, defining our purpose and strength by what we see in others, or should I say the advancement and growth we see in others.

The woman on our street selling profitably and becoming the champion of market hustlers, the friend whose business is advancing daily, the social media influencer who showcases their newly bought house, the celebrity who just opened a bigtime restaurant on the island, the family member who just traveled out of the country, the sister who just bought a brand-new car, the brother who just got an international job.

Sometimes, it is truly normal to ask certain questions like what are we not doing right or why does it seem like your timeline is slow.

My youth pastor once told me that he would leave Nigeria one day, he said it with much passion because he was convinced that being married already with kids and all couldn’t stop him from giving his family what he had always dreamt of. He has always been of the opinion that anything is possible, but we only have to try and not give up.

After years of this conversation, he is happily living in his dream country with his family.

My youth pastor is not the case study of this letter. But I shared this with you so that you can be encouraged.

Baby steps matter and it’s what I call or refer to as the struggle but definite process. Every child struggles to walk initially, the times when we laugh and make videos of them, when we chant and hail them so they won’t fall.

I have had the privilege to watch some beautiful children grow and during this period I have been excited, elated and so much eager at the same time, just to see their growth. Trust me, some of them are all grown up.

Dear friend, my reason for taking you back to kid’s entertainment is to help you picture life from the angle of a baby, trying to take his or her first step, to help you understand that even if the body statistics don’t match, you are more or less like a baby trying to take their first steps. And what I mean is whatever it is you are going through.

All your pain, baby steps

All the disappointments, baby steps

All the struggles, baby steps

All the tears and sweat, baby steps

This doesn’t mean that you are backward in anyway, so let’s pause for a while. I was having this conversation with a friend recently and he told me that he didn’t ever believe that he would finish school, not to talk of working in an international firm. He went on to talk about how little steps matter in our lives.

Those times in school when he didn’t have money for the next days lunch or transport fare to school, when his school fees hadn’t been paid yet and he was super worried. He wondered how all those pressures disappeared. Now, there are fresh ones!

Oh, yes there are always new challenges.

This is quite one major reason I loved my conversation with him, it wasn’t about how big he had become, it was about how he had come past the oceans of trouble he felt couldn’t surpass, which in turn only meant that he could surpass whatever life threw at him.

Baby Steps.

This week involved a lot of conversing with people and networking, I had the opportunity to talk to a startup co-founder and she was excited to share her tales of eve and the story of how she shunned procrastination, negativity and just kept her eyes on the price.

She explained that when she wanted to start her recycling business, she had absolutely no idea what she was going to do, she had heard from one or two people that the business was profitable but she had no one to help her through. After going for a church camping activity, she met someone who shared the same dreams like her, they talked and talked and talked but laughed at the end because they had no money.

However, they didn’t stop dreaming and researching, they didn’t stop making plans. She explained that her partner knew more about the business than she did, so he started drafting a strategy and sourcing for money. 3 years later, they were still with their dreams, plans and looking around for money. They had started but they weren’t what you call a business.

Baby steps.

I am glad that as at the time I spoke with her, the business was in fact a business and a successfully growing one at that.

Typically, I know that these things are not easy.

A friend of mine, the owner and designer of Acme Laura Bags shared her story on Instagram, the story of a University girl who had a dream. The dream to create the best quality leather bags in Africa.

I must say that she is currently living her dream and that is because I have seen her grow from sewing these bags in her parent’s home to getting her own space and also manufacturing in large quantities.

Trust me, my Acme Laura bags are treasured properties and I know I have some Acme Laura Women reading this letter.

Baby Steps.

I know you must be wondering, if failures ever happen in between these things. Of course, they do, but striving in the midst of it all and refusing to give up is the most important thing ever. I call it the ‘Chill, it’s going to be Alright Factor’.

When my older sister, Casandra Ayodele decided to start her YouTube business, she had pretty no idea how or what she was about doing. So, she took some courage up her sleeves, researched and shunned procrastination.

She started it and it was quite the baby steps and I must say that from growing 100 subscribers that seemed like a struggle, she has been monetized and surpassed 5000 subscribers on YouTube.

Baby steps.

Today, I encourage you to take those baby steps, even if you are afraid and clueless, even if you don’t know how long the roads going to be, even if you are still struggling, no matter what the situation looks like. Just do it.

Dear friend, in the event that you are currently stepping on the ground you so desire, doing what you love and improving yourself, I want to encourage you to keep at it, because you are so courageous you deserve a hug. I know its not easy or going to be, it may be tiring and stressful, you may spend money you don’t even have or are managing, you may feel like giving up, but remember; baby steps.

And I know a God who sees your hard work, commitment and passion, and he will supply all your needs.

To everyone here who wished me a happy birthday and celebrated me last weekend, I am super grateful and I love you all.💕💕💕

Dear friend, it has been a pleasure writing to you and I officially welcome you to another dispensation with me.

This new year for me will be filled with a lot of book writing and more letters. This year will be another path to rediscovery; a book I recently started writing.

Hold strong and don’t give up. You are a success and I want you to know it.

I hope this letter made you smile and I sincerely hope that you tell someone about it by sharing, liking and telling me in the comment section if those baby steps are already in progress.

Till next time

Warm Regards

Amanda Sibi.