About me
I have always spent a lot of time thinking about life, people and the choices we make. I bet that comes from being naturally reflective, or simply from having lived life through several changes to know that life rarely follows the neat and clear path we have imagined for ourselves or are socially accustomed to.
I grew up a shy and timid child, and much of my adulthood has involved me trying to find myself in a world that demands we show up in a certain way. Learning who I am and becoming more comfortable with that person is what I have spent much of that time doing. The first time I ever wondered who I was, I was eight years old, and it was during one of those Christmas holidays in my hometown, Ilesa, where my grandma lived. I remember looking into her rustic full-length mirror in her bedroom and wondering, who am I? Who would I have been if my mum was not my mum or my dad was not my dad? That curious eight-year-old mind still lives within me, a few decades later.
I have built a business, actually maybe a couple, starting from scratch, experienced success and failure, faced rejection, moved countries, started again, changed direction more than once and navigated the unexpected twists and turns that come with work, relationships, faith and life.
Faith is an important part of how I see the world. It shapes how I think about myself and the values I hold dear: integrity, responsibility, relationships, hope, resilience and purpose. I don't have everything figured out, and I am comfortable admitting that. Perhaps that is what fuels my insatiable desire to keep learning.
I write because I reflect a lot. Sometimes I find myself thinking about leadership and work. Other times it is faith, identity, culture, family, relationships, reinvention, travel or something seemingly ordinary that has made me stop and think. Writing gives me somewhere to explore those thoughts and what they might mean.
I am particularly curious about self-awareness and that question about who we are. You can imagine a question I have carried from when I was eight: who am I, still recurs often in my mind. And this is not simply who we say we are, but who we are becoming through our experiences, decisions, relationships and beliefs. I also think a lot about what it means to live and build with clarity, integrity and purpose when life itself is constantly changing and putting a tremendous amount of pressure on us.
I don't always write because I have the answers or I know it all; rather, I do because it is how I find my way towards the answers to the questions I have, and sometimes it is simply a way of exploring the unfinished thoughts in my head.
Other Things About Me
I love lazy mornings and long walks in the park, and I suddenly appreciate the sunshine more now (if you know you know). I am also equally fascinated by city skylines and beautiful high-rises, which are my current obsession.
A long time amateur landscape photographer with a long-range camera still sitting firmly on my wishlist. I enjoy deep conversations with my very small circle of friends, and I have a particular appreciation for a well-styled, professionally cleaned space. Do you blame me, introvert who once owned a décor company?
I also love good food, preferably dangerously spicy food. Hey, in case you missed it, I am Nigerian!
I love to travel. Experiencing different places and cultures has opened my mind, challenged some of my own assumptions about life and people, and reminded me that there are many different ways to see the world, connect with people and live a fulfilling life when we are open to perspectives beyond our own.
Thanks for reading about me. Drop me an email if you would like to connect: hello@mofolukeayoola.com
