August Rundown…
The Month I Didn’t Want To End…
I watched the clock as we moved from August into September and, low-key, I felt sad because August is a month I genuinely want to keep replaying. I’m not ready for it to end. But then again, what’s that saying? Everything that has a beginning has an end. So I guess… that’s the end of August.
Hmmmm, August.
I’m not sure I have the right words to describe this month, but I’d like to think it was my best month yet. And honestly, I think it might be. Let’s do a little rundown, shall we?
I started August by attending a wedding, and it had actually been a minute since I went for one. I honestly had such a good time. I danced, ate, laughed and, most importantly, I thought I looked really good which is funny because, in my head, I had already decided I was wearing a long black dress. Only for me to try it three days before the wedding and discover that it needed serious alteration. And of course, I did not have the time for all that. Thank God for House of Gloria (My sister lol ) and her questionable habit of always buying clothes. An orange dress came through! Interestingly, I was supposed to wear that exact orange dress to a wedding last September, but I woke up sick that morning and couldn’t attend. So I guess the dress simply said, “My time will come” and come it did. I really loved my look and, honestly, I loved the wedding too. I had such a good time and danced till I left around midnight.
The next day, I was at the airport picking up a friend, Jojo and her husband because I was hosting them for a couple of days. It was so lovely having them around. And, if I’m being honest, it made me realise how much distance really affects friendships. I hate to admit it, but sometimes you can love someone deeply and still realise that physical distance changes things. Having her around again reminded me of how nice it is to just be together, eat together, gist, laugh, do absolutely nothing together. It was really good having company.
Earlier this year, I told myself I wanted to get two certifications: the Designate Compliance Professional (DCP) and Certified Information Privacy Professional Europe (CIPP/E). I took and passed the DCP in April, so the CIPP/E was the one staring at me menacingly from the corner. I paid for the CIPP/E in January, which meant I had a whole year to take the exam. But of course, paying for the exam is one thing. Actually booking it? Different problem entirelyyyyy. I kept telling myself I would take all my exams before June. June came. Nothing. July came. Still nothing. Lol. At some point, I realised I was just procrastinating, so I closed my eyes and booked the exam for August 1st but it was cancelled and I had to reshedule for August 14th annd let me tell you something: I was NOT confident. I didn’t think I had put in as much work as I would have liked, so I went into that exam with the mindset of, “Let me just attempt it, see what the exam is like, then I’ll come back and rewrite.” Hmmm. God said, “Rewrite where?” Tell me how I ended up scoring 428/500. I was SHOCKED. God is genuinely good because that result was not giving “I came prepared.” but I am glad that the little effort I put in paid off in the end and of course Thank God for good success.
I got back to the office and immediately ordered a chicken sub from City Subs because apparently passing a professional certification deserves carbohydrates and since discovering City Subs, I have realised that Subway has serious competition. Bruhhh, that sub is too good. It tastes like sin. I am obsessed. It is actually becoming a problem.
I may not have been as consistent at the gym this month as I would have liked because of the exam and a couple of other things that came up.
BUT.
I clocked 5 MILLION STEPS.
Five.
Million.
Steps.
And I was genuinely proud of myself. When I look at where I started and where I am now, especially in just two years of taking walking serious, it reminds me that progress doesn’t always look dramatic. Sometimes it’s just putting one foot in front of the other literally. So yes, maybe I didn’t spend as much time in the gym this month, but I’m still celebrating the journey because 5 million steps is not beans at all.
Remember my earlier post where I said I really wanted a new job? Well, I didn’t get a new job but I got a new role and honestly, this is one of my biggest wins of the year. I transitioned into Data and AI Governance, and if anyone had told me a few months ago that I would be sitting here saying, “I actually really like Data and AI Governance,” I would have laughed but look at God. I started the new role on August 3rd and honestly, I love it here. The people. The peace. The wisdom. The leadership. The learning. Everything. I’m still in awe of how quickly God can change your story. Sometimes you think you need a completely different door, but God simply opens another one where you are and suddenly you’re like, “Ohhh. So THIS was the plan?” I’m genuinely happy here, and I’m looking forward to this new phase, learning new things and seeing where this takes me.
August was also my birthday month! I turned a year older on the 28th, and I honestly couldn’t be more grateful for the love I received from friends and family. The cakes. The gifts. The messages. The amazing perfumessss. At this point, I have enough perfumes to last me till next birthday. I don’t take any of it for granted. It takes a lot for someone to take out of their hard-earned money, time and resources to celebrate you, and I really appreciate everyone who showed me love in one way or another. May God bless every single person who celebrated me.
And oh… because apparently buying drinks wasn’t enough, I decided to make tigernut drink for my teammates. I could have just bought Coke and Fanta like a normal person. But noooo. I wanted to be different and honestly, I’m glad I did because the prayers and compliments I received ehn… Apparently, it was the best tigernut drink they’ve ever had in their lives. You see that saying that you haven’t met everyone who will love you yet in life? In this case, they simply hadn’t tasted the best tigernut drink in the world yet and yes, I said what I said. But beyond the jokes, making it myself was a little way of showing love, and I’m glad I spent the time doing it. I’m also super grateful for my teammates. They make work lighter, easier and genuinely enjoyable.
My birthday was on a Friday, and the next day, Saturday, I went with my family to watch an interactive play. It was our first time experiencing anything like that. Initially, I wasn’t even feeling it because it was drizzling and we were outside, and I was already wondering why I had agreed to this but eventually, I relaxed, opened my mind and ended up having a really good time. I think that’s one thing I’m learning: sometimes the experience gets better when you stop fighting it. I really enjoy trying new things, even when they don’t immediately seem like my thing which probably explains why I also went for a Lagos Trivia Night with the TCI community. I travelled with TCI in 2024/2025 and since then, I’ve remained part of the larger community, so it was really nice to meet people again and answer random questions together. We didn’t win the prize because apparently knowledge is not enough but we came 4th out of 52 groups, so I will absolutely be taking that win. Top 4, baby! Honestly, I’m just grateful I got to experience all these different things this month.
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I also went to the beach this month, and I think my soul needed it. It was such a last-minute decision. My niece had a play date at the beach and I just decided to tag along with her and her mum,my sister. And I’m so glad I did. There is just something about the beach that makes me feel so much at peace. I walked around listening to music, dancing like I had absolutely no sorrow in the world, daydreaming and just enjoying being present. I could spend hours at the beach doing absolutely nothing and still have the best time. I think I’ve said this before, but I really, really love the beach and getting to experience it with my niece and sister made it even better. We had such a lovely day, and of course, there were amazing tacos involved because what is a good outing without food? It was one of those simple days that wasn’t planned or overthought but somehow ended up being one of the days I’ll remember. After the beach, we went to say hi to a very good friend who was briefly in Nigeria, Wale. It’s always such a good time having Wale around. He is one of those friends you can have a conversation with and somehow, before you know it, he’s praying for you and honestly, I’ve learnt that from him. Sometimes, we have long conversations with people about what they’re going through, we give advice, listen, encourage them and then we just say goodbye. But sometimes, you can simply end the conversation with a word of prayer. It doesn’t have to be elaborate. Just a simple, “Let me pray for you.” I’ve come to appreciate that so much. It was lovely having Wale around, even if it was only for a little while. Some people just have a way of bringing warmth, wisdom and good energy whenever they’re around.
And then, because August apparently wanted to give me a new personality, a friend’s friend introduced me to gardening. I don’t even have a garden yet, but I’ve started with basil and the other day, I saw the roots growing and I was genuinely so excited. Like… I GREW SOMETHING. Maybe I’ve found a new hobby. Who knows? Let’s see how long this lasts before I forget to water it. But for now, it feels really good to nurture something and watch it grow.
September, I don’t know if I have any major plans for you yet but I do have one challenge. My colleagues and I are attempting to walk 10,000 steps every single day for the entire month of September, and the most consistent person gets a gift. Will I make it through? Let’s see. I mean, I do love a good hike challenge, so maybe I have a fighting chance. I also feel like I’ve become a little too lazy and laid-back lately, so perhaps this is exactly the accountability I need.
Anyways… Goodbye, August
August was honestly an amazing month.
No major bad experiences. Lots of laughter, New experiences, A new role, A new certification, 5 million steps, Birthday love, Family, Friends, Good people, A tiny basil plant and so many reasons to be grateful.
There are months you survive. there are months you endure and then there are months you look back on and think, “Wow. Life was really good here.” August was that month for me. I’m grateful to God for every single part of it. For the things I planned. For the things I didn’t plan. For the things that worked and even for the things that didn’t and while I would very much like to put August on repeat, I know life doesn’t work that way.
So…
Cheers to September.
May it be kind to us.
May it bring us good news.
May it bring us growth.
And may it give us even more reasons to say, “God, you really did that.”
Till Next Time,
Star Girl xxx
