Uncommon Path Network

Dear Path Finder,

I pray you find your purposeful path, walk audaciously in it, and inspire others to find theirs too.

As we approach the end of the year, I want to invite you into a more vulnerable version of my journey. A version I could not articulate while I was living it. Because now, the fog has settled. Now, the lessons have formed. Now, I can finally see the full picture of what 2025 was shaping in me.

I have lost so much. So much.

Because there were so many losses one after another, I never gave myself the space to grieve them. Life kept moving and so did I. But November forced me to sit with every piece of unattended pain, to look at myself honestly and gently, and to acknowledge how deeply some things had cut me. I realised just how much I lost, including the illusion of control over things I believed were in my hands.

Lately, I have been thinking deeply about how easily we can lose ourselves in a world that constantly tries to define us through the lenses of corporate prestige, social media perception, and societal expectations. If you are not vigilant, the world will script your identity for you. It will assign value based on your job title, your income bracket, your online presence, your network, your achievements, and how well you appear to be keeping up.

And before you know it, the pressure to perform, to belong, to impress, or to maintain an image begins to erode your authentic self.

This year taught me how fiercely you must fight to remain anchored in who God says you are, especially when the world offers louder narratives. It taught me that purpose often requires you to disappoint societal standards, step away from applause, release titles you once adored, and walk away from versions of yourself you once performed for acceptance.

While this year looked like a year of building from the outside, it was also a year of deep disruption. The disruption of a season that had reached its rightful end even though I wanted to continue in it. The disruption of thought patterns and perspectives that had travelled too far with me. The disruption of my own self-image, the one I was clingingly holding onto to avoid facing the next version of myself. The disruption of a wounded faith that trusted God when things looked promising, but trembled when He asked me to move without evidence.

Here are a few losses that deeply marked me.

Losing an esteemed corporate position

Who willingly leaves a job in this economy? And not just any job, but one that offered proximity to executives, early access to strategy, exclusive NDA-level projects, exposure, influence and status that many spend years trying to attain.

Yet, I walked away.

Even after being invited to stay on as Executive Assistant to the CFO of a global asset management company, I said no. It was a loss in every sense. A loss of income, prestige, daily access to high-level rooms, the thrill of being put on the spot, the pride of holding a powerful title, the validation that comes with working for one of the top financial institutions in Africa. A loss of what my mother could brag about. A loss of what society applauds.

But here is my truth: all these losses exist only in the curriculum of the world. In the curriculum of purpose, I aligned myself with where God is leading me, and therefore, I lost nothing.

Losing brand collaborations and partnerships

This year taught me how quickly brand relationships can dissolve when they no longer benefit the other side. As I pivoted into a new season, many platforms and collaborations that once embraced me shifted in energy. I learned how transactional some relationships are. I learned how easily one can be dropped when you no longer offer what is convenient to leverage.

It shocked me. It humbled me.

But as I aligned with my next season, I realised I could not continue saying yes to partnerships that didn’t align with purpose. Letting go was painful, but necessary. By refusing to conform, I created space for the right partnerships that will carry impact, not image.

Losing the look and feel of social media

If anyone told me last year that I would be living outside social media, I would have laughed. I was so accustomed to documenting life. Posting reflexively. Sharing achievements, insights, moments. Some of it was innocent, but some of it revealed a heart longing to be seen, validated and acknowledged.

This year, I lost the desire to perform. I lost the urge to be perceived, to be recognised, to be chosen publicly. I lost the version of myself that needed to show people I was doing well.

Today, I value my life quietly. I enjoy moments for what they are, not for what they can be turned into. Walks without posting my kilometres. Coffee dates without vlogging. Conversations with influential people without screenshots. Intimacy with God without public debriefs.

Even the decision to sell my car and become a one-car household with my husband feels peaceful. A year ago, I would have worried about perception. Today, I am unmoved. My focus is building wealth, building businesses, saving with intention, and aligning with long-term vision. Perception no longer has permission to govern my decisions.

This platform has never been about performing strength. It is about inviting you into a life lived differently, courageously, authentically, in a way that liberates you from societal expectations. My hope is that by sharing my journey, you find permission to walk your own Uncommon Path boldly and peacefully.

In next week’s final article of the year, I will bring you closer into the work, ventures and projects I will be pursuing in 2026, as well as how you can journey with me. I cannot wait to share what I have been building during the quiet months.

I hope this new month brings the rest your soul has been longing for.

Shalom,
Oyena