The end of 2024 was a wake-up call. I walked into the year unsure of where I stood, unsure of what I wanted and unsure of who I was becoming. I’ve always been indecisive yet oddly optimistic, constantly reassuring that life would “just work out” somehow. Uncomfortable thoughts seeped into my head, and I soon realised the harsh truth. Nothing changes if you do not change yourself.

The year started, and I confronted something I was trying to avoid for years, finally putting myself out there. On New Year’s Day, I posted my first Instagram post after nearly four years of hiding from the world. They were nothing serious, just a few silly pictures in my back garden, but for me, breaking that barrier was symbolic. I stopped watching life from the outside.

The opportunity of working regularly helped build the discipline I much needed. No more drifting through weeks not being productive. A routine gave me stability, and from stability came clarity that was much needed. This pushed me towards my writing again, something I’ve always been nervous to commit to. I reached out to my friend Izaiah, someone whose work ethic I’ve always admired, and asked for the opportunity to write a feature story about his journey and how it built him. That story became the spark of what is Beyond the Pitch, the blog which is now an extension of who I am.

Summer was the turning point. Going home to Nottingham, a place where I often feel isolated, was something I feared. But isolation became a blessing. The chance of being away from the noise of London allows the space to ask the question I’d been running from:

“Are you ready to evolve?”

I started building my website in early June, spending late nights learning, designing, deleting, rebuilding and creating what eventually would launch in September. I have something that finally belongs to me, a place I call home. My voice. My platform. My direction.

My fitness journey also became the backbone of my growth. When I looked at the mirror and stepped on the scale months before the summer, I knew I wasn’t doing enough. I didn’t feel like the person I wanted to be. Through consistency, 5 days a week of training, tracking my steps, counting my calories, even on the days I thought of giving up, all led to me eventually losing over 10kg, feeling the best I have felt in years. But the biggest change did not come from the physical side; it was the mentality. I learnt the true value of consistency, resilience, and self-respect.

Summer wasn’t just work or self-development either. My brother’s wedding in Spain, where I was there as one of his groomsmen, reminded me of the importance of what true connection feels like and what it means to show up for the people you love.

Carrying all of these experiences to my return to London for my final year made me feel sharper. Confident in what my true purpose is, it has laid foundations that I’ll look back and be grateful for. Between university, coaching and writing weekly for Beyond the Pitch, I’ve found a rhythm I never thought I would flourish in.

2025 has been the year I’ve gradually grown into myself. A year that began with taking accountability, accepting that no change would be made unless my actions followed suit.

My goals for 2026 are simple. Carry on. Elevate everything I’m doing. Stay consistent and focused on what I truly want. Become the person I know I’m capable of being.