31 | Going Forward

Photo: Isaiah Oluwasemilore Aladesanwa, SEMZY 

Wherever you are, be all there. Live the life you have imagined. — Henry David Thoreau

Today, I turn 31.

When I clocked 26 in 2021, I wrote an article Semzy @26: You are part of the journey  at that time, I was much younger, and very much open to many things, and then the clock ticked till I turn 30, today it is 31, this is how much time has fly.

As I prepare to write this, I paused, not because I’m tired, not because I’m afraid but because reflection is power. I have seen life from zero, from birth, from innocence to awareness. Those who know the story will tell that I have seen life from dreams without names to visions with weight, and I have always followed through. I have learned that life does not unfold in straight lines; it curves, it delays, it tests, it teaches.

On relationships: I have known relationships that stretched me, shaped me, and sometimes broke me open so I could heal better. I have loved, learned, lost, and grown wiser. Every connection taught me something about boundaries, purpose, patience, and self-worth. I no longer regret what didn’t last; I honor what it taught me.

On Career: My career has been a journey of becoming. First of starting with little, carrying ambition quietly, showing up everyday even when applause was absent. I have learned that consistency matters more than noise, and integrity more than speed. I may not be where I imagined years ago, but I am exactly where growth required me to be. Am I there yet? No. Will I get there, absolutely - Yes!

The Bible says, “Tell the children of Israel to go forward.” That instruction is not just historical, it is personal. 

At 31, I choose to go forward, not into fears, not sideways into distraction, not stagnant in comfort, but forward into purpose, into alignment, into the life that has been quietly preparing for me as I prepared for it.

I thank my God, I thank the universe for conspiring, aligning, correcting, and redirecting me when I couldn’t see clearly, I thank the people who believed in me, supported me, challenged me, prayed for me, mentored me, and stood by me, sometimes silently, sometimes loudly, but always meaningfully, and to those who doubted me, you sharpened my resilience.

31 is not an arrival; it is a declaration - I am trusting the process without abandoning the vision. This year, I will continue to walk boldly, speak clearly, choose wisely, love deeply and work diligently, yet remain grateful to God, life and those who have gone before me.

Here’s to growth, grace, and going forward, without turning back.

Happy 31st birthday to me. ✨

Remember my name: Isaiah Oluwasemilore Aladesanwa, SEMZY!