25 Gratitudes for 2025

Summary

It seems 2025 went by in a blur, as though I was drifting. While it can seem disheartening, I have resolved to go the gratitude route. I have a lot to be grateful for, which is why I'm sharing this post on 25 gratitudes for 2025.

A few months ago, my friend Rebecca told me she was reading “Outwitting the Devil” by Napoleon Hill. I tried the first chapter, but it wasn’t engaging me. Things clicked for me in chapter four: Drifting with the devil. As I thought about what I was reading, it seemed to me that 2025 went by in a blur. I felt like it was a year of drifting. Suddenly, I couldn’t point to any notable ‘achievement’ for the annual wraps. Thanks to the rebuke of the Holy Spirit, I immediately told myself that was a wrong attitude. I have a lot to be grateful for, which is why I’m sharing this post on 25 gratitudes for 2025.

As an ambitious person, the end of the year can feel disheartening, especially when it seems like major goals did not materialize as planned. But I have resolved to go the gratitude route. I am grateful to God for where I started, where I am, and where I am going.

1. Fellowshiping with the brethren. For years, I hadn’t been going to church, well, except for weddings or dedications. Occasionally, I attended online services at Heritage of Faith (HoF). However, this year, I attended church in-person frequently in the second half of the year, and was happy about it.

2. Consistent daily devotion and bible study. Since 2022, I have been following the Bible in One Year plans. I started with the KJV version, then moved on to the Message version, and finally, the Amplified version. Rereading the Bible in different versions every year has unlocked numerous insights for me during my personal Bible study. For 2026, I have decided to follow in-depth plans for certain books of the bible. Romans, Philippians, Daniel, and Proverbs, in no particular order. By the way, if you have resources related to these books of the Bible that can aid my Bible study, feel free to send them my way! Thanks!

3. Completed 2 public speaking coaching programs. I am, unfortunately, a shy person, which is why I prefer text media over video or audio. I hope to change this, as discussions with my mentors indicate that public speaking is a crucial skill for me to unlock the next stage of my career. Which is why I am so grateful for the chance to complete two public speaking coaching programs. One with a professional British actress. I participated through my employer’s personal development program. The second was with Damilola Busari, a trained media professional who is also a lawyer. This made the program richly nuanced for me. While I understand that I still have a long way to go, both programs have instilled in me the foundations I need to build upon to become a better public speaker. Now I just need to keep speaking to get better.

4. Started writing an accessibility book. Earlier in the year, I signed up for a book-writing challenge under the guidance of a seasoned writing coach, Damilola Abe. Of course, to fully engage in the program, participants needed to come up with a book idea and work on their writing tasks. My idea was to write a book about accessibility policy now that I am stepping out of the sidelines regarding digital accessibility. Hopefully, this book will be completed soon, but I am grateful for the idea.

5. UK work experience in academia. I am grateful for the opportunity to have one of the UK’s Ivy League universities (called the Russell Group) on my resume. I met excellent colleagues and learned a great deal during my time.

6. Read over 20 books. Probably more, as I only used the numbers from iBooks and did not track hard copies. This year, I read a lot outside my usual genres. I tried a book on Chinese folklore, a book on engineering, and another on mathematics. As a writer and interdisciplinary researcher, I know broadening my horizons makes my writing richer.

7. CIPT passed! Phew! I am really grateful for passing the IAPP’s Certified Information Privacy Technologist (CIPT) exam on my first attempt. I prepared for this exam during a stressful period when a lot of uncertainty was happening in my life. My main study materials were my friend Tolu’s notes and practice questions.

8. Improved my personal finance habits. This was not so much about income, but about the fact that I started dropping bad financial habits and building good ones. For example, following my monthly budgets. This helped me say no to impromptu requests from friends and family. I am grateful that joining Yewande’s group helped me build these skills and remove guilt for saying no to things outside my budget.

9. Started investing. I used to think investment was for millionaires with excess to spare. I am grateful that I started learning this year that one can start small and then compound the effort. I am still investing just under $100, but it is building my muscles.

10. Two PhD admission offers. I have been trying to secure a funded PhD since 2023. Unfortunately, none yet. Then this year, I applied to non-funded programs also and got two offers I am grateful for. Not sure yet if I would take them up. Stay tuned!

11. Spent a brief time with an old friend I hadn’t seen in 7 years. I had some business in Abuja, Nigeria, which presented an opportunity to spend some time with a close old friend. It’s amazing how her daughter was just a little one the last time I saw her, but is now a teenager!

12. Reconnected with a mentor after losing touch for a while. It’s been years since I last saw my mentor, so of course, since I was in Abuja, I reached out. But he was out of town, and our planes were literally going to pass each other in the clouds. He is returning to Abuja, while I am leaving Abuja. Imagine my surprise when he offered to reschedule his flight. I am grateful we had a great time catching up, and my motivation to do more in my career was renewed.

13. Got clarity on my focus for 2026. I think I spent many months in 2025, sometimes confused about what I wanted to do. After considerable introspection and discussions with mentors, I ultimately decided on my focus for 2026. I am grateful to have reached clarity.

14. I started learning sign language with a teacher. As a later-deafened adult, learning sign language had always been on my To-Do list for years. I even got the definitive American Sign Language (ASL) book, Joy of Signing, but made zero progress. Fortunately, this year, I ended up in a group learning American Sign Language. I then signed up for 1-on-1 lessons with a teacher. Of course, I am nowhere near being proficient in basic communications, but at least I now know the alphabet, pronouns, and greetings. 

15. Engaged more with the deaf community. A key highlight of my year was attending a Signers party on my birthday! Imagine being in a room full of people communicating with each other using sign language. Although I couldn’t sign, it strengthened my resolve to learn, which I have fortunately already started. Also, I made new friends (both hearing and deaf) who are in the deaf community.

16. Spent Christmas with my family. It’s been years since I last spent Christmas with my family, since I am always in a different country each Christmas. I am grateful for the chance to spend this year with them.

17. Working on a grant-funded project. After successfully pitching the Fezzant scanner and winning a grant from UNESCO, this year was all about working on our projects in the incubator.

18. The gift of a supportive line manager. I was truly fortunate to have had a supportive manager who went above and beyond, making working in academia a rewarding experience.

19. Speaking about accessible cybersecurity at two big events. I am grateful for the privilege to talk about accessible cybersecurity at two big events: axe-con and UK Cyber Week. I got great feedback for both events.

20. An experience at the Museum of Illusions, Manchester. With little international travel this year, I did a lot of local travel within the UK. The most memorable was my visit to Manchester. I couldn’t go to the stadium as I was told the place is dry out of season. In any case, the stadium was not really on my list as I am not a football fan. But I had heard a lot about the Museum of Illusions. So that was my first stop. I loved how the experience involved curiosity, with even the short descriptions enhancing rather than removing the suspense. 

21. A roof over my head. I know it sounds unbelievable. But there was actually a time during the year I was almost homeless. Fortunately, help came through Dr. Olade. Thank you, sir.

22. My first presentation at a deaf tech-focused conference. I have attended and presented at several tech academic conferences. It was my first time learning about one focused on accessibility, specifically hearing loss. Although I did not fit the kind of presenters they wanted (students), I still emailed the organizers about my topic and was cleared to submit my proposal. Thanks to helpful feedback from the reviewers, I was able to present on “Privacy and Security Challenges of Bluetooth-Enabled Hearing Aids.” I still intend to develop it into a paper for publication soon.

23. Access to life-changing mentors actively contributing to my growth. I am grateful that at critical points in my career, God brings me the mentors I need for that period. I met new mentors this year who have helped me grow and think about things in a different way. I am especially thankful for Dooshima Dabo’Adzuana, who was always there for me and poured into me generously. 

24. Positive prognosis regarding a health issue. Following some detailed tests and consultations, I got a positive prognosis about a health issue I had been trying to sort out. 

25. Redesigning and updating my personal website. My personal website, faithobafemi.com, has been up since 2017. It’s been almost a decade. This website has brought me countless returns on investment. Earlier this year, I came to terms with the fact that it needed a redesign and an update. This is still in progress with the help of my friend Martins Osadebe, who is a web designer. In 2026, my personal website will align with my current realities and interests in privacy, accessibility, and cybersecurity.

I know the year has been a lot for everyone, and if you are an ambitious person like me, it can be easy to fall into the trap of disappointment. Go the gratitude route and watch things get brighter. Here’s to our growth in 2026. Happy New Year in advance!