By Ayodele Taofiq-Fanida

A story was told of a woman who had been ill for years. Her family spent so much on tests and treatments, but no answers were found. One day, after countless diagnoses, it was discovered that she was battling stage three cancer. The question on everyone’s lips was: How did this go unnoticed for so long? Hearing this, her condition became worse, and hope seemed lost.

One fateful day, a friend visited her at home after hearing of her struggles and challenges. Overwhelmed by emotion, the woman broke into tears, crying heavily. Her friend comforted her, but she continued crying. After a few minutes, her friend suggested something surprising: ‘Let’s go for a walk’. But the woman resisted, saying, ‘I can’t! I have been told to stay indoors, as death will come soon’.

Undiscouraged, her friend gently encouraged her again. After much persuasion, she agreed. As they stepped outside, something miraculous happened. The sunlight kissed her skin for the first time in years. She noticed the vibrant flowers lining the pathways, their colors igniting a spark of joy.

Along the way, she met people, some facing even more severe challenges, laughing, chatting, and living their lives. Her friend turned to her and said, ‘Can you see that you have been killing yourself slowly? You have bruised your self-love, shattered your self-esteem, and allowed fear to imprison you’.

The friend continued, ‘A lack of self-love, belief, and esteem is often why we fail to become the best versions of ourselves. When we embrace self-esteem and self-love, we break free from the shallow judgments of others and the limitations we impose on ourselves. We become stronger, more resilient, and more determined to achieve our personal best, no matter the obstacles’.

As 2024 comes to an end, even though you have been bruised, rejected, failed, knocked down, castigated or battered. Maybe yours is debt, pain, court-case or setbacks that you can’t share with anyone; panic not, my friend.
I urge you to rise gently and rise again. Step outside, breathe in the fresh air and feel the warmth of the sun on your face. Start to rebuild your self-love, self-esteem, self-worth and fresh power. These are the foundations of everything we do and the keys to living a fulfilled life.

So as we step into 2025, I leave you with this question: Do you love yourself enough? Struggling to answer it? Never mind. Not many people do. But what if, starting now, you made a simple promise to yourself that ‘in 2025, I will love myself just a little bit more each day’.

Say it. Believe it. Live it. And as you do, I hope you discover the incredible person you truly are.

Ayodele Taofiq-Fanida is a clarity coach, counsellor and trainer with mandate for nation building, marriage and relationship, career growth and development.