Where do you see yourself in five years?" Such a question was commonly asked some time ago. And you would usually hear people say things that are mostly optimistic or profound. I, too, would join in to give similar responses. The truth, however, was that my responses, at least, were coming from a place of fantasy and not certainty.
A few years ago, I was still studying at the university. I knew that mechatronics engineering was something I really wanted to study as a course, so much so that I would choose it again in a different life if I could. Robotics, artificial intelligence, and automation have always fascinated me, and so any projection of what my future could be surrounds them.
I grew to be the academic kind who would study adequately and score good grades. Taking my education level a little further into the masters programme and even a little beyond became a large part of my purview. Between those times and now, some things have changed about my perspective, however.
I started to see beyond the academic picture and scope of education and more into the things that would bring fulfilment and achievement based on my passions, values, and principles. I started to explore newer thoughts and go on adventures into different things.
2023 was the first year that I actually set realistic goals. When the year ended, I initially thought that I didn't meet many of those goals. It turned out that I had actually met many of them, but I didn't realise it until I looked over them again. In hindsight, those goals weren't wider than a year and were only relevant in certain areas for a while.
So my responses that were not coming from a place of certainty were resulting from the fact that I wasn't exactly having anything concrete that I was working on to get to "where I wanted to be." And then things changed along the way.
Firstly, I am not the person I could have imagined myself becoming years ago. I have had certain experiences and exposures that have taken me down new paths and contributed to who I am now. For one, content creation was never in the picture, and now it is something that I know I want to invest in myself for.
Starting this year, though, I didn't sit down like I did before to set goals. Somehow, I felt much different and didn't want to feel the pressure that came with seeing everyone get so proactive about goals and plans. And then slowly, I started to form what I would like to be the path I would follow.
It's all a little foggy, actually, I would admit. I put so much attention on responsibilities, relationships, and the necessity of making ends meet that I don't look and also focus on what's next in the next few months and years. Surely, these are excuses, but self-assessment is my way forward.
"So I am breaking up today." I said to a friend a few weeks ago. "I have to revoke my agreement to a role that was likely going to bring me more burden that I didn't have the capacity to carry at that time." I continued. And it was all part of this thing that I am trying to carry out for my self-preservation—mindful shedding.
The plan now to open myself up to realising even bigger plans in the future is to root myself in solid foundations. Although I am way different from who I was years ago, I am nowhere near something I would like for myself as an individual or even someone's father.
It's the last day of the second month of the year, the 29th of February. Things are rather slow than I would like them to be, and a little rough, too. And for a long time now, taking things up a notch and accelerating myself to a much more desired state for myself is the long-term goal for this year.
So looking through the Hive Ghana prompts for the week, it aligned with my reflections lately, and this new entry into my journal will be something that will take form as time passes as I keep steadfast to follow it through.
