Meeting Aisha In Person

It's day 272 of documenting 2025.

93 days to 2026!

Happy New Week!

As I used to say,

"Another set of opportunities."

Before we dive into today's post...highlights and all, I would like to give an update on yesterday's outing, like I promised.

Then we can do the usual section.

Sounds like a plan!

So, yesterday went thus:

My friend and I met at the bus stop and we hugged each other as we exclaimed,

"Oh my God!

It's been a while!"

She actually commented that I was taller than last time.

(Me? tall?...doesn't feel that way!)

We don't know any hangout spots in the area, so we just sat in front of an empty shop.

Yep....we sat outside!

Another friend pointed out that we should have scouted the area to know where we could stay inside, get drinks...and talk.

I was like, "maybe next time".

What matters was that we saw each other again...after 6 years!

And talk we did!

We chatted about everything and anything that came to mind.

About our highschool classmates, about work, school and family.

We also exchanged stories of how our parents passed away.

Turns out that she lost her dad the same year I lost my mum.

It was very heartfelt 😌

Aisha hasn't changed much.

She still has the same face, the same laugh and the same stature.

She actually mentioned that she had added weight, but I didn't actually notice it because of the long hijab she was wearing.

She said she was done with school, but the closing ceremony (convocation) wasn't until next year January.

I talked to her about the online work I was doing a few months back, and she indicated her interest.

Coincidentally, my employer called this evening asking if I knew anyone for a content writing job.

Guess who I recommended? 😏

The weather wasn't so troublesome, thank God.

I got there before the rain started and by the time it subsided, I was already on my way home.

Meeting Aisha in person was wonderful...and although we didn't technically go anywhere, it was still a memorable outing for me 😊

A very big contrast to today.

Work, work, work....

And even more work...

But God was my strength through it all, and the fact that I didn't collapse or even feel overwhelmed is something to be grateful for 🥲

That's all for life updates....

Let's get into Highlights for today, and I'll add a few more thoughts.

365 Days With Self-discipline 

📌 On Extinguishing Bad Habits

"You can never truly extinguish bad habits. Rather, to change a habit, you must keep the old cue, and deliver the old reward, but insert a new routine.

That’s the rule: If you use the same cue, and provide the same reward, you can shift the routine and change the habit. 

Almost any behavior can be transformed if the cue and reward stay the same."

Quote by Charles Duhigg

Some time ago we talked about the habit loop: a cue (a signal to perform a habit), a routine (action), and a reward for engaging in the habit. 

This loop, when repeated over and over again, creates an automatic behavior.

You can use this loop to create new habits, but you can also use it to replace bad habits with more empowering routines.

For example, instead of always eating a chocolate bar during a lunch break, eat a banana. Your cue is a lunch break and your reward is eating something sweet. 

Two parts of the habit loop remain the same, but are now satisfied by a healthier alternative.

Instead of always dealing with a stressful situation by emotional eating, head out for a quick run. Your cue is feeling stressed, and as a reward you get to reduce or eliminate the anxiety. 

Running can become an alternative, healthy way of satisfying your need for self-comfort .

If you have any bad habits you want to get rid of, think about how to keep your cue and reward the same while replacing the negative routine with something empowering. 

You’ll reduce the risk of reverting to the old habit because it will only be the action in itself that changes — not your cue or the reward.

This is the whole concept of rewiring.

I've realized that the human brain is like a programmable computer.

As faulty code leads to improper functioning of the system, so does a faulty habit loop lead to faulty behaviors.

We can always reprogram our minds to think better, which will produce better actions, decisions and ultimately better behaviors.

And it all starts with awareness.

First, you acknowledge that something needs to change.

Then you decide to change.

After that, resolve to never deviate from the path of transformation that you have chosen.

As much as I want to say, "it's that simple", it's actually not simple.

It takes courage.

Well, that would be all for today's post.

Thanks for reading 🎀 

You can read more on the website, Documenting 2025.

And this is officially the latest time I've typed a post.

It's 11:18 pm (Nigerian time).

Almost midnight.

See you in the next post 💜