December Rain!!

It's day 356 of documenting 2025.
9 days to 2026!

I didn't mention that yesterday was Sunday, right?
Well, it's Monday and I'm not in school! 😄
No books or lectures,
No compulsory uniform or stress.

I woke up in my uncle's house after a wonderful night's rest.
My phone was at its lowest, 13%.
And where we went to, there's no light. Unfortunately 🥲
My aunt allowed me use her power bank and that's how I'm able to type this.

Asides that, it's all good over here.
There's food and fun, especially with my cousin and brother around.
My cousin came with her friend for the holidays, so we're a group of four now.
It's all good vibes 😎

Well, we did chores in the morning.
I was charging my phone then.
After that we cooked breakfast using the firewood method.
I can't count how many times I had to wash my hands off charcoal or how many instances my eyes watered from the smoke.

But it was all worth it.
The meal, plantain porridge with beans was so delish 😋
So tasty that I ate two plates, and was still full in the afternoon.
I had already washed clothes before we started cooking, so I took my bath and changed clothes.

I got my phone, which was already full by then...and by the time I turned on my data, I saw 30+ messages waiting for me.
Well, I wasn't surprised...just wondered if I was going to enjoy my holiday like I wanted to.

But a course rep's work is never done 😏
So I went into the world of WhatsApp, answering messages and sending new ones.
I got so many messages....from groups and work, coursemates and other course reps alike.

Some people, I had to encourage...
Others I had to get back to...
And some, I had to make them understand that we can't be in a relationship.
Yeah....just one month in school and several guys are already asking me to be in a relationship.
The headache 🙄

From 98 percent, it got to 68 percent by the time I was done and ready to go offline...spending over two hours just on one app.
By then, it was evening time and I went for a stroll with my cousin and her friend.
It was nice and quiet...
We also got to know a few stores where we could buy things.

We got back just before nightfall and I took my bath so I could change my clothes.
And here I am...typing to document how my day went.

On to the next!
Let's see today's highlights.
And then we do the usual...my take and concluding thoughts.
Diving in....

365 Days With Self-discipline
📌 On Taking the Initiative

"I’ve trained myself to propose solutions instead of ask for them, to elicit responses instead of react, and to be assertive without burning bridges.
To have an uncommon lifestyle, you need to develop the uncommon habit of making decisions, both for yourself and for others."
Quote by Tim Ferriss

You need a lot of self-discipline to take the initiative instead of taking the easy way out and waiting for somebody else to act.
It’s easier to present a problem and ask for solutions than to suggest some yourself.

It’s easier to delegate the responsibility for the decision to someone else, essentially freeing yourself of the discomfort of having to make a decision in exchange for losing control over the situation.
To obtain better results in all kinds of endeavors, become the person who takes the initiative.

If you’re dealing with a problem that affects others, instead of only
presenting the problem to the group, propose several solutions. Resist the temptation to be lazy by relying on others’ ideas and come up with your own.

I used to work with a few business partners and I can tell you that there’s nothing better than an associate who doesn’t merely wait for the solutions, but offers them himself or herself.

 
And the reverse is also true: there’s nothing worse than a collaborator who only brings you problems and expects you to solve them all.

In addition, become proactive and react as quickly as you can.
Yes, it’s uncomfortable to stand out and take the initiative while everybody else is looking at you and judging you.

 
However, ultimately, he or she who acts first is the leader; immediately reacting to situations also trains you to overcome hesitation and to develop a habit of taking action.

For example, if you’re walking down the street and somebody looks like they’re about to faint, overcome your social fears and ask them if they’re fine.
Such a small decision of yours might mean the difference between life and death for that stranger.

I was once on a bike ride with a friend when we noticed a man lying down in the middle of the sidewalk, blood dripping out of his ear. Nobody stopped to help him, and yet he was a stone’s throw away from a church packed with people.

Who knows? Maybe nobody offered to help because they were afraid to take action or thought that somebody else would take the initiative.
Fortunately, we attended to the man and the ambulance arrived quickly to take him to the hospital.
What if nobody had stopped to help him for several hours?

Taking the initiative is often uncomfortable, but that’s just one more reason to do it.
Don’t react; act.
Don’t present problems , present solutions.

Don’t shrug it off by saying “whatever”; choose an option if nobody else is willing to do it.

Okay, here's my take on this...
Taking the initiative requires courage, which most people lack.
I think that's why most prefer to just take the other option of not involving themselves when the situation demands.

I won't talk about myself...
Because sometimes, I don't take the initiative.
Other times, I do what needs to be done, even under pressure.
I'm still a work in progress 🥲

Okay, anything else I want to add?
Well, yeah.
First things first...
It's raining over here!
I actually couldn't believe it, because it's the harmattan period.
It ain't bad tho...I actually like when the weather gets cool 😁

Next thing, I feel vulnerable...as I'm not in my normal school environment.
I admit, I've already adjusted to the way of life on campus, and now that I'm at my uncle's house, I feel like I have to adjust again.

That's how it is for me.
When I move to a new place or environment, my usual system of operation gets disrupted.
Then I have to start over in setting up a different system for adjustment.

It's the festive season, but I still got work to do...
A presentation and quiz to prepare for as well as research homework.
And there's no light here...for me to charge my phone constantly.
God help me! 🙏

I think that would be all for today's documentation
Thanks for reading 🎀
You can always catch up on former posts and series by visiting the main website, Documenting 2025.
It's a lot of posts and a lot of experiences to read, but it's worth it.

See you in the next post 💜