I'm trying too hard

An issue of the Chidera Peters Dispatch (CPD)

Can I just say that I think it’s really cool that you open and read or maybe scan through my emails every Sunday? It encourages me to keep showing up here, so thank you, I sincerely appreciate it.

I put up an AMA (Ask Me Anything) question tag on my Instagram stories yesterday and got many questions. One of them was regarding my hiatus on Youtube. In case you didn’t know, this week makes it 5weeks since I last uploaded a video on my channel and the longest I’ve ever been away from youtube. At first, it felt strange not to shoot a video every other weekend, but now I’m indifferent. I plan to get back at it sometime soon, but before then, I’ll need to put a structure around it.

👣 Step out of your comfort zone

I need to improve at networking. And each time I say this out loud, I get comments like, “but you’re so outgoing. You come across as a people person”. Well, laugh with me then, LOL. I attended an event earlier in the week, and people were networking when I arrived at the venue. I went straight to my seat, pressing my phone to avoid looking out of place. I still struggle to randomly approach someone and engage them in a conversation. And yes, it’s such an irony, given my personality type😭.

A recent image of my fine self

BUTTTT! At the end of the event, I took the bold step, walked up to some ladies, and did the impossible. I networked!😂 and guess what? I met two amazing ladies, and one even shared a detailed itinerary for my upcoming trip. So you see, good things happen when you step out of your comfort zone.

😖 This is how I know I’m learning

I learnt something about my work style this week. I realised that I over-communicate; by this, I mean I tend to explain A LOT. And no, no one brought it to my attention. It dawned on me after my boss asked a simple question, and my answer was five sentences long, with the actual answer to his question being in the very last sentence 😅. All the extra fluff I added to my answer stressed him, and I could tell from his response. I reflected on my reply and then dug deep into my messages with colleagues to see if there was a pattern. And there was.

I realised I was trying to overcompensate - to prove that I was actually working, mainly because my work is remote. But that isn’t necessary; I know I’m doing the work, so having to prove it in my responses is an extra stress no one asked for. I lowkey felt bad after realising this and shared my discovery with my husband, and he said something that gave me perspective: If you don’t make mistakes, how’ll you know you’re learning? I’m new to this Manager thing, but I’m definitely learning and improving on the go. Simple and concise communication is best.

The Chidera Peters @chiderapeters_

I just realised I haven't been communicating concisely at work and don't know how to feel about it. And no, no one brought my attention to it; I discovered it myself. After thinking hard, I realised it comes from a place of trying to overcompensate and proving that

💭 What’s on my mind

I want to host an event in London🥳. I haven’t fully fleshed out the idea, but it’s been pressing in my mind for a while now. It’ll be an event for women to discuss, learn, eat and connect. To be the first to know once the event detail is out, please join the waitlist ASAP.

📹 My new videos

💷 Get good with money: I shared ten money lessons from my early twenties.

👩‍❤️‍👨 Best advice from pre-marital counselling: Children are a third party in marriage

And it’s a wrap for today. Till next week, please intentionally drink water this week and use sunscreen. Have an amazing week!

XOXO - Chidera