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A hard truth set the tone for the new year: a fatal accident in Nigeria and the stark reminder that infrastructure and governance shape lives. I share why that grief paused my urge to create and how honesty, not forced optimism, can be the smartest way to start January. From there, we move straight into the UK job market, where rising employer costs, higher NI, and a punishing tax reality are shrinking vacancies and closing adverts early. Job hopping has stalled; job hugging is the new survival skill. And no, AI didn’t replace everyone misfired attempts exposed the gap between hype and capability, while smart teams now use AI to augment real work.

When growth outside slows, the inside strategy matters. I walk through how I anchor development to manager-owned objectives, build a feedback folder that proves outcomes, and keep a burn folder that captures patterns of harm. That combo turned a workplace bully into an unlikely conduit for opportunity: I secured sign-off, delivered for another team, and gained high-stakes exposure. He still doesn’t like me, but he respects me an equation that matters when you’re a Black Woman navigating power, perception, and limited tolerance for your tears. Respect lasts longer than likability; receipts speak when rooms turn cold.

We also zoom out to geopolitics shaping markets and risk: Nigeria’s insecurity, pressure across the Sahel, and the power play around Venezuela’s oil. These forces affect hiring cycles, investor sentiment, and the anxiety many of us feel about timing a move. So I’m easing into 2026 with deliberate pace, quarter by quarter goals, renewed focus on public speaking and subject expertise, and a commitment to consistency on TikTok, blending the world of work with practical fashion and “wear your wardrobe” thinking. If the market says hold, use the hold to sharpen your edge, negotiate the package that actually pays, and make your progress unavoidable.

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Music (Intro and Outro) Written and created by Nomadic Star

Stationary Company: Sistah Scribble

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