WWJD (WHAT WOULD JANUARY DO?)

It’s day 77 of January and 2025 already feels like 2024’s remix—same beat, just louder and more chaotic. First order of business back in the office? Highlighting all the year’s public holidays on my calendar. Because let's be real, surviving until the next public holiday is a current life goal.

Walking into the office with forced 'bubbly bubbly' energy is exhausting. As I said in the previous blog, I don’t know about 2025. It’s already demanding more from me than I signed up for. Sure, some of it makes sense—growth and becoming the person I aspire to be and all that jazz—but other things? Let's just say 'softness is a strength' is my new mantra. There are already emails to respond to and items I was apparently supposed to "circle back to" in 2025 are staring at me like, “We’ve been waiting.” Meanwhile, my last nerve is still mourning the holidays, and my brain refuses to cooperate—it’s on strike, refusing to QWERTY. And let’s not forget, if you’re a Kenyan, we’ve been forcefully enlisted in 24/7 activism. The country’s vibes are on a constant "reject mode," and it doesn’t look like there’s an exit strategy anytime soon—at least not until, well, you know who finally exits the stage.

I am officially in 'surrender mode' for the rest of the year. I am letting the Holy Spirit guide me, whispering 'This Way Please' like a GPS. But while waiting on that still small voice to direct my steps, I occasionally glance to the left, to the right, and... okay, maybe a little too far into other people’s business. I mean, err’body seems to have their life together already. My timeline is flooded with gym selfies – everyone's getting their 'sexy back' while I'm still trying to remember what 'sexy' feels like. Then there are those who planned their January leave perfectly, their social media overflowing with beach photos while I endure the 98th day of this endless January. Then there’s the group back on their grind like they were never off it. Meanwhile, some of us are out here praying fervently not to run into the same clients who ruined December by ghosting on their payments. By the way, what’s the biblical protocol for clients who don’t pay? Like, WWJD? (What Would Jesus Do?) Because some of us are still trying to make it inside the gates of heaven but God’s children keep testing our peace. Or maybe we should ask, 'WWJD?' (What Would January Do?) Would she forgive their debts, or would she seek a more practical solution? Or would she offer a unique blend of compassion and wisdom in navigating these challenging situations?

Anyway, the truth of the matter is, a lot of us are yet to come to terms with the reality that we are not the same. We often feel like we're supposed to be keeping the same pace with the world around us, marching to the same beat as everyone else. I love social media— this digital village that has connected us, served us tea while simultaneously pushing us to drink our water and mind our business… I love it. It has also become a surprisingly decent side hustle for some – bless those influencers! But can we be real for a minute? The more it evolves, the more it succeeds at becoming the ultimate envy machine. No matter how zen I am and stand in the mirror to remind myself “I am big, I am brave and that I am beautiful”, it won’t be long since I innocently log in to quickly check a few things but then get bombarded by someone's triumphant post about their 6:00 am gym session. Suddenly, my leisurely breakfast felt like a direct attack on my elusive ab dreams. Another is in Dubai living their best life as a "rich auntie," and I am thinking how I can get the same body eating chocolate and not add weight. Someone else has launched a business that’s already trending. Meanwhile, I am wondering if I’d pay less NHIF tax next month if I was self-employed; and if I could actually afford to be self-employed without going broke in the first month.

Comparison is the thief of contentment. 

It makes us focus on our neighbours rather than look into our own mirrors to see who our greatest competition is. Our eyes wander around to take note of other people’s stewardship to set a standard for our own-when journeys and definitions of success are different. I am having to embrace the truth that each of our lives have their own rhythm. We are not meant to be carbon copies of anyone else. Our journey is uniquely ours, with its own set of challenges, triumphs, and lessons. In my quiet moments lately, a question has lingered: “Could I bear the weight of the anointing that fuels those lives that I envy?” If I truly knew the price tag – the sacrifices, the sleepless nights, the crushing weight of responsibility – would I still raise my hand and say “Me too”? Would I not cry out, 'Lord, I'm good right here, thank you very much!'?"

Life isn’t about matching someone else’s rhythm. It’s about dancing to the beat of your own drum—a beat that was designed specifically for you by the One who knows you best. God didn’t create you to live someone else’s life or follow their tempo; He created you with your own unique purpose and timing. You have a responsibility to dwell long enough in the presence of God to not only know who He needs you to be but discern the times and understand when He needs you to become so. The amplified version of Philipians 1:9-10 puts it this way:

"And this I pray, that your love may abound more and more [displaying itself in greater depth] in real knowledge and in practical insight, so that you may learn to recognise and treasure what is excellent [identifying the best, and distinguishing moral differences], and that you may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ [actually living lives that lead others away from sin].

Perhaps what January would do is be content. I tend to think of contentment as "being more thankful than continually displeased." January, the month that comes in like a lion with all its hustle, demands, and resolutions, might just remind us that true peace comes from embracing where we are—not rushing to be somewhere else. While we're busy looking left and right, comparing our journey with everyone else’s, January might quietly whisper, ‘Be still. You’re exactly where you need to be.’ Maybe January knows that the secret isn't in the sprint, but in finding satisfaction with what’s in front of us—one day at a time. After all, it’s not about hitting the ground running, but about learning to walk steadily with gratitude.

When we try to copy others or live at their pace, we disrupt the unique melody God is composing in our lives. When you focus on your own responsibility, you become relatively unconcerned with other people's stewardships. There’s a training needed and a reframing of your mind that eventually changes how you experience life.

You know what a goal of yours can be this year? To be a growing version of yourself. That, you can be. You can be like that every single day. Appreciate your journey, however different it looks. Psalm 37:23 says, “The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him.” Your steps are guided by Him. Trust His timing. Trust that your drumbeat, no matter how slow or irregular it may feel, is leading you exactly where you need to be. I have made a decision-that while I do my best this year to keep in step with the spirit, I am going to find humour in my journey. Sometimes, it really is never that serious. Laugh at your missteps, and celebrate your progress—no matter how small. Whether your dance is a steady rhythm or an experimental shuffle, own it. It matters, because no one can move you like you move Boo! The only life that you get is the one that God gave you, so live it and remember- God is rewriting timelines, not failing them.