In December last year, my life took a sharp, difficult turn. I lost my father.
In the quiet that followed, I kept telling myself a comforting lie:
“Next week, I will get back on my feet. Next week, I will return to my business. Next week, I will #ShowUp again.”
But when the next week came, I shifted the goalposts again and again.
I gave myself reasons that felt, and were, valid:
- Grief is real.
- This is your father.
- You will never mourn anyone like this again.
From December through the second week of February, I remained still. I made a few posts here and there, but I was not truly present. I did not “showup” in the way my business and my purpose required.
The result was clear: No sales. No momentum. No growth.
Deep down, I knew the truth: I did not really show up enough.
When “#ShowUp” is Only Surface-Level
In my work, serving parents, teachers, and schools with educational resources, visibility is everything. Many people do not even know they need what I offer, so I must constantly educate, demonstrate, and show value.
I convinced myself that posting once in a while was enough. I would post three or four times in a single day and then disappear for days.
During this time, I attended a business training that shifted my perspective entirely.
“A business cannot rise above its owner.” — Awesomeness Esuabana
This truth hit home.
If I am an inconsistent person, it will reflect in my business.
If I am a procrastinator, it will reflect in my business.
My business was reflecting my internal state: stalled, inconsistent, and waiting for “next week.”
As James Clear writes,
“You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.
My system at the time was inconsistent, and my results reflected it perfectly.
The Turning Point: Intentional Action
Eventually, I had to ask myself a simple but honest question:
What if I #ShowUp differently?
Not randomly.
Not emotionally.
Not occasionally.
BUT INTENTIONALLY.
I created a simple, consistent plan. Every day, I would:
- Post one product
- Share a clear video explaining it
- Add another video demonstrating how to use it
- Write about its value to a child’s development
Within two days, I made my first sale of the year.
The next week, I made another.
Then another, and another…
The lesson was undeniable: #ShowUp is not just about being present; it is about being intentional, excellent, and consistent.
The Discipline to #ShowUp Well
Many times, we reduce “ShowUp” to simply checking a box:
“I posted today.”
“I applied.”
“I submitted something.”
But true ShowUp goes deeper.
It means:
- Doing the work with care
- Preparing with excellence
- #ShowUp even when it is inconvenient
- Staying consistent even when results are slow
Because excellence is not an event; it is a habit.
In the words of Aristotle:
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”
A Message to the Dekemp Scholar
To the scholar preparing that application—whether it is Erasmus Mundus or any other life-changing opportunity—this is for you.
Do not just apply to tick a box.
Do not rush your Statement of Purpose.
Do not #ShowUp casually.
#ShowUp prepared.
#ShowUp intentionally.
#ShowUp thoughtful.
#ShowUp excellent.
In the end, it is not just those who apply that win; it is those who #ShowUp well.
My Commitment
This season taught me something I will never forget:
Life will pause you.
Grief will slow you down.
Circumstances will shake you.
But eventually, you must decide to rise again.
And when you do, you must rise intentionally.
I am Jessica Dinwoke.
I am an advocate for “#ShowUp” intentionally and excellently.
This year, I choose to #ShowUp fully.
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