I like to say that I write to release. To let go. But truth is, I also write to remember.
Because when you have a selective memory like mine, sometimes reliving moments via words is the only way to remember.
So I’m writing September down to remember. Because September was the gift that kept giving and giving. Even when it didn’t look like a gift.
May and June found me in what felt and tasted like love. July and August were for questioning the taste of love and trying to make peace with the pieces of it left over after it had turned sour.
But you see September? September was for letting go fully, for making new connections and exploring new things. For living. For belonging to myself again.
I haven’t written a taking stock post in months. It seemed like the months merged into each other so that there was nothing to write about.
Looking back, it might just have been plain laziness because there’s always always something to write about if you search deeply.
I can’t say that this is me bringing back my taking stock/ monthly recaps post but this is me immortalizing September (and a bit of the past few months)
Related: Taking Stock + Life Lately – An Update Of Sorts On Love, Work And Life As I Know It.
September was special in that it was a month of firsts. For one, I finally stopped thinking and writing about getting a tattoo and just did it. Nike style.
I remember waking up on the day of my tattoo appointment thinking how this was happening and the finality of getting a tattoo.
What spurred me on though is that every time I get asked one thing I’ll regret not doing if I suddenly have just a day to live, getting a tattoo is usually up there on my list.
So armed with that and the “YOLO” thought at the back of my mind, I went ahead and did it. It didn’t hurt as much as I expected, it was a bearable pain that thankfully didn’t go on for too long because what I got was pretty small.
The one on my wrist is a symbol that means “create your own reality” while the other is a semicolon signifying that “it’s not over until it’s over”. A reminder to allow myself morning even when life gets tough.
Tattoo contact – Oshodi +2348096762551 based off Bode Thomas, surulere.
Related – Getting Inked : My Henna Tales/Experience.
Is it weird that I’ve lived in Lagos this long and haven’t tried Go-karting or Paint balling? They’ve both been on my list forever and in September, I finally ticked them off.
What is more important to note though is that I did both activities with a bunch of new faces/people. Something I hadn’t envisioned happening if you had asked me earlier in the year.
I also finally tried kayaking, read loads of new books, watched lots of new movies, met new people and generally just let peace lead me.
Related- My canopy walkway experience, climbing the longest canopy walkway in Africa. 
Last month, I found out about an influencer workshop at FOHR and decided to try my luck by applying for it. This is the first application I’ve made this year and it’s a really HUGE one as literally thousands of amazing people are vying for a spot.
I made a list of my interests and things I want to learn/improve on earlier in the year and it hit me how I haven’t made any significant progress with that.
Applying for Fohr this past month was a way to kick-start and reignite this mission to keep learning. It is also huge because I’ve never applied for anything before. A shame right? That’s changing thankfully.
I have no idea how it’s going to turn out but I need your help to get me a step closer to being considered. If you love my content and If I’ve impacted in you in any way at all.
Please kindly leave me a testimonial over HERE as I need it to complete my application process.
Settling back into this creative entrepreneur life took a better part of my month. Though I launched the pre-order of my tee line in August, it took me till September to finalize on most of the details.
Especially the packaging. It was a lot of brainstorming + back and forth trying to breathe life into my ideas. There’s still a lot of fine tuning going on, I like how the packaging turned out. What do you think?
Please go follow my shop page on Instagram @shopcassiedaves, I’ll really appreciate it.
Shop Tees here.
Around this time last year, I put up a post sharing my five highlights of September and part of it was easing into modeling via the GTBank fashion weekend. I didn’t bother going for the casting this year but I’m excited about the event this month.
One of my highlights of the past month has definitely been the little community I somehow managed to scam find my way into just by showing up and forcing myself to leave home and go meet people. It was a month of learning, un-learning, exploring and finding peace.
Another thing that helped me get through the rough patch of trying to find myself after a love gone bad, asides from reading books, writing down the hurt, being open about it and gallivanting around Lagos was finding the Transformation Church and Elevation church on youtube/podcast. Highly recommended if you’re trying to find your way back to God.
P.S
One of the places I met a few of the ladies in the picture above was at a livinginlekki hangout so I jumped at the opportunity to collaborate with her on this.
If you’ll like to network, meet new people, explore new places and leave with dope pictures of you. You should definitely come hang out with us next weekend! Send an email to RSVP and get more details to info@livinginlekki.com
I hope you enjoyed reading this post as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please leave me your thoughts, experiences/ lessons these past months and what you’re looking forward to this new month.
And let’s connect!
BLOGLOVIN || SUBSCRIBE || FACEBOOK||TWITTER || INSTAGRAM
P.S – Read these next.
– Un-certainities, What-ifs and What-nots
– 3 Life Lessons From Creating The Cassie Daves Blog Planner.
– Jazzhole Lagos Through My Lens || How A Visit Is Rekindling My Love For Reading.
– A Day In My Life As A Doctor – My Paediatrics Posting Experience.
I love the way you right Cassie, you kept me captivated all through. This was a good and very refreshing post. Yes to Elevation Church and transformation ministries, they are different from the usual preaching and that’s why I like them.
Wow, I love your tattoo, thinking of getting henna but his that you have shared a tattoo place, I will try it out. kayaking and paintballing never tried it, because I feel I need friends to go with. I would like to hang out with the community, would send an email asap. Love went bad is bad bad bad, went through one that took me down the road of depression for a year plus coupled with other things, but one thing for sure I know is no matter how bad it hurts even if tears run out of your eyes for hours, bright days come ahead. For me the realization that the clouds have different shades of white and blue by before the cloud merges into the shade lighter or darker, there is a shining line and from that moment I started looking up to the clouds whenever I felt broken.
I love your tone when you write. It feels like something you’ll want to snuggle beneath your blanket to read only for you to discover you’re nudged to live a full life and do more. I can relate to writing to remember too!
I’m always happy for your progress; especially your wins and I wish you more growth and joy than you’ve imagined.
These months have been full of the war between being afraid, believing, and being. I really can’t wait to break through all the fear and anxiety that holds me back and live life to the fullest. I’ve learned to be present in my process-even if it sucks big time. I have to be present, to take it all in, surrender it to God and get the testimony: “This is what God does to a life that is all surrendered to Him”.
I really can’t wait for better testimonies.
becauseibelieveblog.com
Glad you are living everyday your way & not letting anything keep you down.
More Taking Stock posts plis dear LOL.
Keep shining.
http://www.wumituase.com
I was a bit skeptical about your tattoo until I saw what it meant and I think it’s really cool. It kinda spurs me to create my own reality too and never forget it’s not over until it’s over.
I find the packaging of your tee line super gorgeous and I guess it must have been a lot of work putting it all together, but you did it anyway and it’s so good. I wish you all the best on your Fohr application, left a testimonial already.
September has been really good to me, I learnt to see mountainous challenges as an opportunity to solve problems, grow, and evolve into something better.
Have a sublime October! xx
https://www.naomidestiny.com
Thanks for sharing your September experience. Mine wasn’t as interesting as yours but it’s all good. I like your post because I sense love, hope, and someone who knows the value of taking steps even though you don’t everytime (I think so, from the post).
I entered this month in a bad state. Didn’t like myself as much as I used to due to some things that I shouldn’t be doing but was. But I never stop going to church, so I connected back. Saw someone I used to be accountable to in school but had lost contact with due to distance, still something I’m dealing with. We connected again, then he told me to do get a friend I can be accountable to and would be accountable for, got two friends. We are still trying to get it all together but I feel good already.
Started taking some baby steps and God has been making things work out for me.
Still expectant for more this month.
Thank you Cassie!
Cassie after you na you now! 🙌🙌
Love how you described your emotions using months and taste. You’re really such a writer mehn.
Better months ahead for us all in Jesus name.