Reflecting and writing about how the year has been is gradually becoming a norm for me. The process has been useful every time. Read about my 2018 review here.
This article is divided into 3 parts, you may click on any of the titles to navigate to that section of this article.
- Overview of current year’s goals
- Highlights of the year
- Vision 2020 (Not like Nigeria’s)
Overview
At the end of my 2018 review, I made a list of things I wanted to do in this better this year and of all the items on the list (though most are vague and immeasurable), I was able to commit to about 7 out of 11. See details below:
- Wear more shorts. I’m telling you this is so therapeutic. Yes, I did!!!
- Continue spending time with my wife. We’ve been glued together throughout the year.
- Take mentorship and mentoring more seriously. I didn’t give this much attention
- Get more active in church. I believe going back to music (singing or playing the guitar) is going to stretch me more than resolving to media. I didn’t do anything about this either, shame on your Rufus.
- Consciously monetise gospellyricsng, the store especially. We need to make money and expand fah! Na so I dey talk. I really need to be a doer. How can you assist me with this goal?
- I didn’t read my Bible more than anticipated personally this year, I need to do this better. Of course, I will read more books than this year. Bible and getting closer to God is always a recurrent one on annual goals, innit?
I thought about this recently and I said a prayer “Dear God, as I switch from listening to music to audio bible during my workouts, let me find strength and delight in your word. Amen”. Say it with me if you’re like me. - Do I want to learn a new programming language? I’m not very sure about this, the need for this is yet to come up.
Need for this didn’t really show up but I picked up BASH programming and a new framework, Vuejs. I’m currently working on a project using Laravel + Vue. - Travel and travel more. Yes! Yes, I made two major trips this year; to Abuja in October and Dubai in December (Thanks to Team Cregital) and both of them with my wife.
- Of course, nurture more meaningful friendships. Who wasn’t in my life in the last year that is now a big part of it? I can only think of a few names 🤦🏽♂️
- Work out! Work out!! Work out!!! Yes, I’m really glad I did this. See more details below
- And a very important one: make more money!!! I can’t say yes, because human wants are insatiable, neither can I say no because I was able to afford most of the convenience and comfort I could. Praise be to God through whom all mercies flow 🙌🏼
Highlights
This is basically a recap of the loooong year 2019, speaking of the great, the not-so-great and the low highlights of the year. I’ve divided these into different sections for proper journaling and I’m going to start with one of the things I’m quite proud of; fitness.
1. Fitness & Body
I worked out 93 times this year!!! Insert Milly-rocking gif here 😊
I started this journey last year but I didn’t track my workouts. I did this year and it made a lot of difference. It is believed that what you don’t track/measure, you can’t improve and that’s one major step I took this year – installed an app to track the days I went to the gym.
Workouts per month in 2019:
January – 4
February – 1
March – 1 (Jogged with Wifey)
April – 1
May – 1
June – 4 (Ran twice, once with wife, Went to the gym twice)
July – 13
August – 14
September – 10
October – 17
November – 19 (Wifey went with me 11 of those times)
December – 8
Total: 93 times
Besides this, I also got stronger. When I resumed back at the Gym in June, my benchpress was at 20kg x 10 rep, now I’m at 40kg x 10 rep.
The more I see workout as just part of my normal day—and not some separate and potentially optional endeavour—the more I succeed in not missing a day, and I’m glad about the results I’m seeing.
💪🏽
— Rufus Oyemade (@Oluwarufus) November 8, 2019
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I also explored some vanities in the year by using body and hair care products. I turned to the guy that uses Shanyi Organics shampoo (you should check ’em out) for hair and beards, separate soap for face, bodywash and use one for my hair and Shanyi for beards.
I’m most impressed with my beards. Sweet fluffy facial hair 🧔🏾
2. Work: Cregital & Disha
One of the things I wanted in 2018 is to become a partner but after a lot of soul-searching and talking to senior friends, I wasn’t sure it’s something that aligns with how I see myself in the future. Not every one will work in a space and become a partner/co-founder, and that’s perfectly fine. Regardless of the title, we can all show up at work every day, give and contribute value.
I became a partner at Cregital in January. Thanks Evans, it’s a call to do more and that we shall do.
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On the product side of things, part of our plan since 2017 is to transition from being a fully service-based agency to a blend of products and services and we were able to launch two great products this year:
- Disha Signatures: Create HTML email signatures easily. Choose colours, layouts, add links and banners. Engage and increase sales from every email sent.
- Disha Pages: Create, edit and publish a beautiful responsive website instantly. Zero code/design thinking required.
You should check these out if you haven’t.
Just about the time the year is rounding up, I also got an award of recognition from #YTech100.
I also got invited to share at Printivo’s Linchpin in October, it was an awesome time engaging with the team
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3. Personal Project & Products
It’s been another remarkable year for gospellyricsng, we clocked 5, hit 9.3 million total page views with 2,065,867 visits this year alone. Again, thank you to everyone that believe in what gospellyricsng represent, my contributors – Ifeoluwa, Setemi, Bolu etc, thank you so much for an amazing year.
And this is a cry for help: I need assistance to make the store work, if you can, please join forces with me.
I didn’t work on any new project this year and didn’t push existing ones as I ought to. For instance, I didn’t make any update (though there have been API changes) to or pushed CuratedMemes and it still had 500o visits, with one meme strangely having 289k Downloads.
I’ll pay more attention to these in the coming year. Plus, I’m currently redesigning gospellyricsng (it’s been a long time coming), a custom minimalist WordPress theme built from ground-up. This will go live in the first Quarter of 2020.
Also working on a tool for creators esp. music, this will be big:
I’ve had this product idea for 2 years & I’m finally working on it.
Gonna dedicate it to my brothers in music @iamjodeep @Talk2Danne @jay_mikee @calledoutmusic to mention afew.@MrEkemini I’m cooking Jollof, I’ll need you in the kitchen in a bit.
Release Date: Feb 01, 2020
✌🏽
— Rufus Oyemade (@Oluwarufus) November 22, 2019
4. Travels
There is a lot going on outside of the grind, making sure to take as much of life in as possible is never going to a happenstance. I’m learning to work hard and also step back once in a while to enjoy God’s green earth.
I was able to enjoy this with my wife on 2 trips this year, one to Abuja in September and another to Dubai in December (thanks to Team Cregital).
Besides travelling, taking time to rest gives me time to do other things I cherish or pursue other hobbies I want to explore. I encourage everyone to do this as often as possible.
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5. Books
Out of all the books I picked, I completed 8 this year and all of them are worth reading over and over again. I’m learning to know that it’s not able the number of books but the quality. Plus, it’s not my job to like a book, it’s the author’s responsibility to make it worth my while.
My 2019 Completed Reading List:
The top three books are my personal best for the year. I’ll recommend these any day anytime.
- Boundaries by Cloud & Townsend: This is a great read for anyone that wants to take control of their life.
- Digital Minimalism – Cal Newport: Choosing a focused life in our noisy world won’t be hard after this book
- Mating in Captivity: Unlocking Erotic Intelligence – Esther Perel: When I talk about, people think it’s about the act of sex and it’s mostly not. The book’s about sexual issues couples may have e.g when 2 becomes 3 (a new baby) and how to keep their eroticism alive.
- Atomic Habits – James Clear
- Zero to One – Peter Thiel
- HBR: On Communication
- The Mom Test – Rob Fitzpatrick
- Help, Thanks, Wow – Anne Lamott
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6. #MrAndMrsOluwarufus
Let’s just say I added this section to give this 👅 to all the people that prayed that by-this-time-9-months prayer when we were getting married last year. Where’s the fun in not taking some time to plan our life and anticipate the parental future ahead of us? 😜
In all, it’s been one year of bliss, I love my wife more and I can’t wait for all the more exciting years ahead of us. Check out our new website, we’ll announce our couples Masterclass there 😊
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Also, let me take this moment to say congratulations to my friends that got married last year and welcomed their baby this year: Olusanya Samuel & Kemi – Daniel is happy to have you; Olawale and Mayokun Akanbi – Thank you for giving us Tiwalayo 😊; Seyi & Florence Ogunjuyigbe, Olukotun Gideon & Wife, congratulations once again.
Also, congratulations to my friends and family that got married this year: Joel & Rachel Abodunrin, Habeeb & Rosheedah Sanni, Jibola & Juliana Olude, Tunde & Abimbola Oyemade, and every other person I can’t remember at the time of writing, I wish you a blissful married life once again.
7. Modelling?
I happen to take some beautiful pictures this year, some made it to Instagram while some didn’t (caption problem is still a problem. Ugh!). Through it all, I’m beginning to see I have what it takes to be a model; the height, the body, the smile, the looks, the beards! God did a good job with me. 😊
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I still don’t know the clear path to being a male model (if you know, please share), but first of all, I’ll identify as one (Add it to my bio) in the new year, will continue reading on the topic and hoping to take my shots (chances/pictures).
Plus, that social capital we gats build am now.
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Vision 2020
Generally speaking, 2020 is the year when everything I value coming closer together; faith, family, tech, fitness, and music to become a more holistic whole.
- Double my time at the gym this year i.e at least 180 days in 2020. I’ll post make a before & after post, topless.
- Pursue music actively. I have the idea of a perfect gift for my birthday this year. Able God, shower your blessing.
- Speak at 4 different events. One per quarter.
- Learn how to drive!!! I mean, I can’t be trusting God for a Tesla in 2020 and not know how to drive.
- I must join my church’s workforce by fire by force this new year. Actively serve the Body of Christ.
- Maybe it’s time I give my wife sabbatical from her monthly period. Temitayo, what do you say?
- Sell at least 100 units of Gospellyricsng shirts.
- Launch a product in February
- Launch Gospellyricsng’s new look first Quarter of the year
- $$$$$ in savings + investments by December 2020.
More importantly, I can’t wait to celebrate your wins in 2020.
Thank you for reading, happy new year.
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