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Happy New Year 👋🏾,

I hope you had a great Christmas break and managed to get some much-needed rest (and maybe a mince pie or two).

I’m so excited for this year and all the things ahead. This is the year we stay focused, put the work in, and go after what we want. Let’s make it happen!

Now, I’d actually drafted most of this newsletter back in December. It was going to be about lessons learned in 2024, but there’s one lesson I feel I need to share after receiving some news on 24th December that completely changed my perspective.

If you’ve been keeping up, you’ll know I wasn’t well for the last six weeks of 2024. I was dealing with severe stomach pains, which turned out to be an infection. But what I didn’t share at the time was that the doctors were running more tests because they thought something “sinister” might be going on.

When the doctor used the word sinister, I awkwardly asked, “What do you mean by that?” And then he said it:“Some of your symptoms could indicate the Big C.”

At first, I kind of shrugged it off—I think it was my way of staying calm—but later, when I was alone, it hit me hard. What if it was cancer? The symptoms fit. Suddenly, it felt very real. And yes, I made the mistake of Googling.

I didn’t tell many people. I called it “something sinister” when I did talk about it, but when I told Sheri, she immediately knew I was holding something back. I couldn’t bring myself to go into detail; even saying it out loud felt too overwhelming.

When I went for my MRI, lying in that machine, my mind went to some dark places. A single tear rolled down from my right eye (don’t ask me why it was just the right one—it’s weird what sticks with you).

I wasn’t thinking about work or achievements because, honestly, they didn’t matter. Ok, that’s a bit of a lie—I did think about money and whether my life insurance and will were up to date. But mostly, I thought about my family. What would happen if I wasn’t here?

Would I see Zeek grow up, graduate, get married, or have kids? How would Sheri cope with everything? The thought of missing those milestones was crushing.

Things felt even more real when they did a biopsy. That was the moment I realised that this could actually be cancer.

On Christmas Eve, I went to the hospital to get my results. Sitting in that waiting room, I was a mess—sweating like mad even though it was freezing outside. I must have gone to the toilet several times to wipe my sweaty head with tissue (the joys of being bald). When they finally called my name, I struggled to get up. It was like trying to hit a personal best on a squat and realising you’re stuck at the bottom.

Thankfully, the results came back negative. There’s one thing they’ll keep monitoring, but I don’t have colon cancer.

When I got home, I hugged Sheri and Zeek like I never had before. I just couldn’t let go.

This whole experience gave me a serious wake-up call and reminded me: TOMORROW ISN’T GUARANTEED.

It made me realise I’ve taken the little things for granted, expecting them to always be there. While last year was amazing for business and achievements, I know I could have been more present for friends and family. I’ve been better as a husband and father, but I let myself fall off the radar with others because I was so focused on work. This year, I’m making a conscious effort to stop using busy as an excuse and be more intentional about spending time with the people who matter.

At the same time, I’ve learned not to worry about other people’s opinions.

I used to let this hold me back—worrying about what people thought of the content I was creating on social media or if anyone would even read my newsletter. But life’s too short to let fear stop you from going after what you truly want. So this year, I’m doing me. I’m focusing on what truly matters, going after my goals unapologetically, and yes—I’ll still be watching anime and taking naps.

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Here’s to a year of success, happiness, and, most importantly, good health. Let’s make it a great one!

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