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  • Things Happen When You Make Them Happen

    We all have a fair share of adversity in life. One of the biggest reasons why things do not happen in your life is because you are doing nothing about them.

    Instead of taking a leading role you are waiting for someone to make a move for you.

    You could be looking for a job but are not putting in the applications and waiting for a job to find you.

    Or you may have put in a few applications here and there and have given up because you have not been selected. Look, when you persist you will get what you want.

    The law of cause and effects states that for every action there is an equal reaction. For every force of failure, there is an equal force of success.

    If you take the principle of cause and effect you will realise that without action there is no reaction.

    Take a rock for example, if no one dares to move it and all things being equal, it will remain in the same place for as long as it can be.

    Just like human beings will always react to someone else’s actions, be it positive or negative.

    If you set out to achieve or accomplish something it will only happen when you do something about it. If you do nothing, nothing will happen.

    In other words, you are the driver for your success. You cannot expect someone else to drive you to your success.

    Your actions will determine the reaction you get. Your success is a product of your actions.

    If you want things to move, get your hands dirty and begin to move them. If you wait for someone else, most likely you will wait forever.

    Devise a plan that you will follow through and be consistent and persistent.

    Keep Taking Action

    Your hunger will greatly determine the action you take. The more hungry you are, the more determined you are to take action.

    They say actions speak louder than words. Your actions will speak volumes about the course of your life.

    If you do not act and act decisively, your life will be stagnant. You will feel that life has not been fair with you.

    You will begin to feel left out when you see your peers progress and eventually will fail to fit in socially.

    If you are not taking action for your life do not expect things to happen in your life. Your expectation should not go beyond the level of your actions.

    Look, don’t expect anything positive to happen if your actions are negative, like follows like.

    Remember that nature is neutral; it gives you back what you give it. If you give it lemons you get lemon juice out of it.

    When you keep doing something that will improve your life, eventually improvement will come your way.

    Those who have grown both mentally and physically will agree with me that they took the first steps and they kept on until the end. The more action you take the better the chances of success.

    Have Faith in What You Do

    “Faith without works is dead” – the Bible. Believe in what you are doing. If no one believes in what you are trying to achieve you should be the first person to believe.

    Look, If you do not believe in what you are doing then who do you expect to believe you?

    Have faith that one day you will achieve that which you have set out to do. Without faith, you cannot achieve much.

    I know that sometimes it’s very difficult to go on especially when faced with adversity. When things are not going the way you want them to when it seems that you are headed for failure.

    This is the time to show your faith by sticking it out. It is the time to show your resilience and tenacity to move on.

    Develop your faith by feeding your mind with the right stuff. The more mentally positive you are, the more faith you develop.

    Your faith will ultimately play a huge role in your development as a human being.

    Be Proud of Your Achievements

    Whatever you have achieved, you must be proud of yourself. Don’t wait for someone to be proud of you.

    Most of the time people will never appreciate your accomplishments.

    Yes, it may be a small achievement just be proud of it, at least you have achieved something and there is more to come.

    There will always be negative criticism especially when your achievements have an impact on a larger scale.

    The more proud you are about yourself the more motivated you are to accomplish even more.

    The motivation you get when you have successfully achieved a target drives you to achieve even more.

    That is why it is always important to celebrate your small achievements along the way. It is the small achievements that make up the bigger ones.

    Every successful project is broken down into smaller pieces that when joined or connected together makes the bigger one.

    Start With What You Have

    You cannot control what is not in your power but you can control and sometimes influence what is in your power.

    If you want to achieve something start where you are and with what you have.

    There is no better time to start than now. You may not realise it but you have the necessary tools and ammunition to start.

    If you wait, the opportunity may just pass you by. There will never be a time when you have everything you need to start something.

    The small things you have are just about enough to get you started. As you go along the way things will start falling into place.

    In fact, some of the things you think are needed may actually not be useful on your journey.

    God always gives us what we can handle. The more you grow the more responsibility you take on.

    Work diligently with what you have and learn to use your resources wisely. From my experience, the start is always difficult.

    Once you get started and things are flowing to a certain degree or direction, there is always an inner motivation to improve on what has been started.

    It is very refreshing to see the works of hands in action. It gives you a sense of pride so work hard and enjoy the fruits of your labour.

    Conclusion

    Life does not just happen, we make it happen. We have a bigger role to play in charting the course of our lives. Those who succeed are those who try and those who fail are those who do not try.

    So you can either decide to fail or you can take action and have the best chance of success the choice is entirely in your hands.

  • How to Act on Improving Your Personal Development Goals

    The time to act is now. There is no better time than now to start doing what you love. Start working on what you have been planning to do for your life now. If you wait for another time you may just miss the opportunity. 

    There are times when it feels not right to pull yourself and do something to improve your life and well-being, well it’s fine. But, just force yourself to wake up and do something, anything. No matter how small it may be, believe me, it adds value to the growth of the project you are working on.

    Slowly, but surely the small things begin to add up and within a short period of time they seem like they are much more than you had bargained for.

    That is the power of doing something, that will help you move closer to what you want to achieve on a daily basis. Rome was not built in one day. Also, know that every good thing comes at a significant cost.

    What makes the big things big, are the small little things we do. Equally, your character is the sum total, of the small things you do every day. The small things like what you eat, how you perceive things and how you pick yourself up when faced with a challenge, all makeup how much growth you will achieve in the long run. 

    So look out for the very small and seemingly unimportant things you do. They are what will eventually make or break you. People do not see the inside of you, they see what you give them. They see the outside of you.

    In fact, most of them will only be preview of the final end product without even knowing exactly what went into making the product they are seeing from the outside. 

    Keep It Simple and Easy

    Life can be complex at times. But it was not meant to be so. I think it was meant to be simple, not easy but simple. For, if it was easy I am sure it would be boring. I feel that, what makes life more interesting and worth living, is the fact that we are faced with challenges and when we overcome these challenges we experience a sense of satisfaction and joy.

    The simpler your life is, the easier it is to navigate through. Try as much as possible to keep it simple and take it easy. You are not competing with anyone. Remember, they say speed kills.

    I know that life can sometimes throw things at you that may derail you. Those things that come your way are there for you to provide solutions. They are a measure of how you will handle greater things to come.

    I believe that God knows what each and every one of us is capable of doing. He also knows our limitations. That is why he allows us to endure certain challenges. I also think that we experience certain challenges in preparation for bigger things to come.

    The more challenges we can handle the more growth we can expect and experience, and the more joy and happiness we can also enjoy. So do not despair when you are faced with challenges but, brace yourself for what is coming your way. For after every storm there comes joy. 

    Focus on What You are Doing

    The world we live in today is full of distractions. It can sometimes be very difficult to stay focused on doing what is necessary to help achieve your dreams. This is more especially when you have something good going. 

    It is, therefore, important that you stay focused on doing what is right so that you may succeed and continue being on the right path. Sometimes, you may lose your focus over small things. Brace yourself for them. It is part of the process.

    Find a way of keeping yourself busy to stay focused on yourself. Sometimes it may require you to make radical and drastic changes that may include cutting off some toxic relationships. Or it may require that you relocate to a new place or town altogether.

    Yes, we all need friends, but some relationships can be very distractive and may be very detrimental to your progress. Look around yourself and re-evaluate your current relationships, bad relationships could the reason why you are not growing.

    Find a way to cut ties with those who aren’t true friends. By now, you probably know who your real friends are and who isn’t.

    When you focus on your goals nothing can stop you from achieving your dreams. The sky is not even the limit. You are the head driver of your destiny and so get your act together and stay laser focused working towards achieving your dreams.

    It is better to sacrifice now and have a better future than have a good life now and experience a not-so-good life in the future. Create the right balance between your current and future financial needs. 

    Have the Courage to Do

    Courage is what distinguishes you from the rest. It is the fuel that makes you motivated to achieve your goals and sometimes it comes in very short supply. Most of us fail because we lack the courage to do. 

    Those people who have succeeded have had the courage to take the risk and leave their “comfort zones” to sail into unfamiliar territories. These are territories that they have never experienced before. Unfortunately, there are very few people who are willing to take the plunge and take the risk.

    If you stay in your “comfort zone” you may not achieve as much. But if you take the plunge and dive into the “deep zone” you will most likely achieve your dreams. 

    For it is not crowded in the deep zone. This is where you find the big fish. It is like when you go out swimming, the shallow end is always crowded and it’s not fun to swim there. Here you mostly find those who do not know how to swim or are still learning the ropes.

    As you swim further towards the deep end the crowd reduces. The further you go the less congested it becomes. The deep end is usually very spacious. 

    It may take a little bit more effort to swim there, but if you want space and you want to enjoy the swim it is worth it. Remember also that the deeper you go the riskier it becomes. It takes courage and skill to stay afloat in the deep end. 

    It is exactly the same with life. The more risks you make the better the rewards and the more effort needed to reap those rewards. The beauty of life is that we learn on the go. No one can claim to have mastered the art of living. Every day is a learning process. 

    Without courage, you will not be able to take the risk and therefore, you will never know what you may have missed out on.

    Conclusion 

    Personal development and self-improvement are not as easy as some people put it. It is a continuous learning process and requires a lot of discipline and dedication. The beauty is that there is no time frame and it is not a competition, all you have to do is make the decision and have a positive mind set.

    Have a wonderful day working on your goals. Cheers for now.

  • How to Manage Your Time More Effectively and Efficiently

    Time management is a critical aspect of life that many of us have not mastered. Most of the time we are not overwhelmed with work, we are just disorganized.

    If you take just a little time every morning to organise and prepare for the day you will spend the rest of the day being very productive. You will have planned to succeed for that day.

    Most of us just wake up and get going without actually planning for what we want to achieve for the day. Believe me, not planning is actually planning for failure.

    Planning ahead helps you manage your time effectively and efficiently. It helps you focus on your daily goals and reduces time wastage. Remember that time is always in short supply.

    Yes, things may not go accordingly but you will try as much as possible to stick with what you want to achieve. When you have a plan in place you are more focused on achieving your goals than wasting time on nonproductive issues. 

    There are many ways you can utilise to help manage your time, but here are a few suggestions that you can add to your current list. 

    Wake Up Early

    Waking up early gives you a heads start, it provides you with more time and energy to get things done early when your mind and body are still fresh. It also gives you ample time to plan your day and start working on preparing your mood for the day.

    Yes, I know that sleep is equally important, but the body also needs to be worked. There are many things that can be achieved and accomplished early in the morning when your body is usually at its best and is well rested. 

    You will have all the sleep you need in the world when you have achieved your goals. Remember that if you sleep too much you will have very little time to accomplish your goals.

    If there is one limited commodity that is common to all human beings it is time and time is always in short supply. How you utilise it will largely determine how much you will accomplish with your life. 

    The more you spend time sleeping the less you will achieve with your life. That is why even at an early stage in life we wake up early in the morning to prepare for school. There are very few schools that require you to attend in the afternoon.

    They say “the earthly bird catches the worm.”  Usually, the early risers achieve much more than the late risers. They are the pacesetters. They also say that “latecomers eat bones.”

    So there is always an advantage when you start your day early. 

    Create A To-Do List

    Another good practice is creating a to do list. This is probably a game-changer. A do-to-list acts more or less like a compass. It directs what you should do at a particular time or after a certain activity.

    A to-do list is a very good way of organising your time. Most of the time when you have a guide you will try as much as possible to stick with it. You may deviate at some point but you will eventually drift back to your guide.

    It is best to create a to-do list in the morning before you do anything else. Better still it can be done in the evening before going to sleep and read it in the morning before you step out. 

    Tick off the list as you go along the way. Start with the most important items and move on to the least important. If it can be delegated please go ahead and delegate. If you have to maximise your efficiency learn to delegate. 

    Delegation is not a sign of weakness but is a sign of having confidence and trust in other people. It promotes group relationships if you are a leader. It also motivates the people you work with and makes them feel relevant to your life. 

    Set Deadlines

    Deadlines deadlines deadlines. Most people do not like to hear about deadlines. They dread them. But, nothing in this life lasts forever. Everything comes to end at some point or the other and this is where deadlines come in. Even your life will come to an end one day just be prepared for the afterlife.

    If you have worked in an environment like audit firm, where deadlines are strictly emphasied and adhere to, you should have no problem setting and meeting deadlines. You will also agree with me that deadlines act as a barometer to gauge your performance. 

    Always set deadlines for your goals and try as much as possible to beat them. When you set a deadline your mind is tuned in and is constantly reminded about the approaching deadline. 

    Setting deadlines also helps to monitor your progress. I know that sometimes we miss our deadlines for various reasons. Don’t worry or panic, simply reevaluate why you missed them, adjust and start working on them again.

    You will achieve more when you set activity deadlines. You will also easily progress to the next task at hand. Remember that doing the same things over and over can sometimes be very boring, so finish quickly and move on to something new. 

    Your aim should be to set realistic goals and deadlines that can be achieved and measurable. This should, however, not be a limitation to challenge your capability and capacity to handle more complex challenges.

    Work Your List

    Writing down lists is a very good thing. But without taking action, lists are useless. They become an academic exercise. Just like anything else without action, there can never be any meaningful achievement.

    You must have an actionable list every day. Find the motivation and courage to work your list. It is only by working your list that you will know how far you can go.

    Every day gather enough motivation and keep focused on taking action to working your list. Slowly but surely results will begin to flow in.

    Review your list in the evening to see what has been accomplished and what is still to be done. Roll over the leftover to the next day. Don’t worry about what hasn’t been done. There could be a thousand reasons.

    Only worry about those items that have not been done because of you. Remember you have control over what you can do.

    Don’t live your lists un attended to but make them an integral part of your life. Learn to carry a small notebook around that has your to-do list.

    Be Consistent

    Consistency is the mother of all success. You cannot be successful without being consistent. If you are consistent in doing the small things regularly, within a short period of time they will amount to many things.

    Being consistent is usually what makes the difference between success and failure. Those who are successful are very consistent with what they do. They do not stop even when they are faced with challenges.

    They never give up but instead, they find solutions to the current challenges. In the end, the challenges give in or they are subdued.

    Create the tenacity and ability to always be consistent when pursuing your cause for life.  

    Conclusion

    You may be surprised at how much time you spend being on social media reading gossip or watching video clips that do not add much value to your life. Managing your time requires you to reevaluate how you spend it and on what you are spending it on. 

    Only time will tell if you have been successful with your life or not. Your job is to master how to manage your time efficiently and effectively. Be time conscious. 

  • 7 Tips for Home Improvement on a Small Budget

    Embarking on a home improvement project with a small budget can be a very daunting and challenging exercise. What with sky-rocking prices of materials and tools, the challenge becomes even more difficult to undertake. 

    However, this is possible with some planning and creativity. With prudent management and a bit of creativity to ensure that the right materials are in place, it is doable.

    You will be amazed at what can be achieved on a merger budget. Most of the time we are too shy or rather scared to start something, especially when we are low on resources.

    We always think it can be done only when we have saved enough resources. But life as it, never gives you enough from the start. 

    But, rather it allows you to grow with what you have and not what you do not have. Sometimes a little confidence is all it takes to start working on something.

    If you are resolved to undertake the project but are low on resources, here are some tips to help you implement a home improvement project. 

    Planning Ahead

    Before you start any project, create a plan of what you want to achieve with what resources you have available. This will help you stay within your budget and avoid unexpected expenses.

    Planning ahead makes things a little bit easier. It gives you a proper direction of what you want to achieve and how you will go about it.

    With limited resources at your disposal, there is very little room for error, hence the need to create a plan that is solid. 

    A plan that will really guide and help you achieve your objectives with a small budget. However, do not over plan. 

    Many of the time we tend to over plan as a result, nothing gets done in the process as we lose focus and are bogged down with life issues. 

    However, this is not to undermine the importance of planning. It should be the first thing to be done. A good plan surely guarantees a good start.

    Prioritise

    Decide on which home improvements are most important to you and tackle them first. This will help you avoid spending money on unnecessary upgrades.

    Some improvements may not be regarded as a priority. Yes, they may need to be worked on but they could be regarded as non-priority.

    Organise your work in such a way that you first tackle the ones that really need attention and move to the least on your list.

    This way, you will be able to deal with urgent repairs and or improvements effectively. Funds permitting you then start tackling the least urgent ones. 

    Rather than work on everything at the same time, start small with what you can afford. Betters still, target a section at a time.

    Don’t be tempted to work on everything at once bearing in mind that you are on a shoestring budget. Work on what your money will allow for now. Leave those that need more resources for a later stage.

    Do It Yourself

    Doing some of the work yourself can save you a lot of money on labour costs. There are many tutorials and resources online that can help you learn how to do various home improvement tasks.

    For sure DIY can save you lots of money. If you have kids, involve them. Kids just love getting dirty and involving them is also one way of teaching them how to work. 

    Give them tasks that they will be able to do in a fun way. Motivate them by giving them an incentive. Depending on how old they are, you will be amazed by what they can do.

    Personally, I enjoy and love doing things myself. It has actually saved me a lot of money on labour and besides its good exercise.

    When you do things yourself you take time and do them the way you want. Some of these home improvements can actually be done without much difficulty.  

    Shop Around for Materials and Tools

    Compare prices at different home improvement stores or online retailers to find the best deals on materials and tools.

    Before committing to spend on materials, shop around and take note of the prices. Make decisions such as replacing branded materials and tools with non-branded substitutes.

    You will agree with me that branded items are usually more expensive than unbranded ones.  And sometimes, the unbranded items are also of good quality yet less expensive. 

    Shopping around could save you tons of money. Yes, it could be tedious but it’s worth it. It also gives you an idea of how much you will need to spend on materials and tools.

    Use Recycled Materials and or Tools

    Look for ways to repurpose or reuse materials and tools from other projects or items in your home to save money.

    Some materials could be reused or recycled. Look around your home for leftover items from previous projects.

    If you are undertaking a painting exercise for example, am sure the paint brushes and rollers from the previous project could still be reused.

    Things like leftover paint, if you are not changing the colour could be reused. Such items and materials would really go a long way in reducing your overall cost.

    Also, try as much as possible to improvise where you can. Most of the time we do not want to think outside the box. 

    Make Small Changes

    Sometimes small changes can make a big difference in the look and feel of a room. Consider things like painting, updating light fixtures, or adding new accessories.

    Get rid of the old stuff that is not being used. Free up some space and reorganise the room to give it a new look and feel.

    It is the small things that end up making the big things. Change a few things here and there and see if they are what you are looking for. Home improvement does not necessarily have to be a wholesale change. 

    Get Creative

    Look for creative solutions to problems. For example, instead of replacing an outdated bathroom vanity, consider painting it and adding new hardware.

    Being creative can help you find solutions to problems, improve your mood, and increase your overall sense of well-being. 

    In the context of home improvement, being creative can involve finding innovative ways to use materials or repurposing items you already have to achieve the look and feel you want for your home without spending a lot of money.

    Conclusion

    By following these few tips, you can embark on a home improvement project on a small budget and still achieve great results.

  • How to Make Yourself Useful

    Nature dictates that we grow. One cannot remain in the same position forever. All growth comes from within. We grow so as to make meaningful contributions to the world.

    We were created not to live in isolation. Whether you are contributing positively or not the fact still remains that you are endowed with unique talents and potential that need to be shared with the world.

    You are part of the big family that is interlinked and interdependent now more than ever before. We now live in a global village where we have more access to either side of the world than before, via the use of technology.

    All humans have a duty and responsibility to use their talents and provide solutions that benefit human kind. You can help change the world and make it a better place to live for all by making your life useful.

    Everything that you do has an effect on the quality of the kind of life you are leading. If you are positive you are most likely contributing positively to your well-being.

    The current state of your well-being largely determines how much your contribution is to the world. Stop thinking that you have nothing to give. No matter what you are going through, the fact that you are still alive means that God is not yet done with you.

    He has given you another opportunity to change the things that you need to change in your life. Stop giving excuses, get up and get ready for your next challenge. Life is about overcoming obstacles and challenges that are thrown at us.

    Make your life worthwhile by being positive and useful. Life was not meant to be lived miserably or unhappy. Get out of your negative frame of mind and begin to do something meaningful with your life.

    Decide What You Want for Your Life

    When you do not have a plan for your life you live an aimless life. You move with the wind. Opportunities will pass you by. Often times you will be forced to take anything that comes your way just to make earns meet.

    However, if you have a plan, you tend to attract and choose the right opportunities that help advance your life to the next level. You make your choices off the fact that they are in tandem with your life’s vision and plan.

    If you have a plan in place you are more likely to live a very happy and fulfilling life. You are more likely to make changes that are influencing the world positively. That is why it is very advisable to quickly formulate your life’s plan early in life.

    This way you live to enjoy the fruits of your labour much much longer. It also helps because this is the time when you have so much energy to pursue your dreams.

    However, if you do have a plan for your life you can devise it right away. The following techniques might be of great help when coming up with your plan.

    • Prayer – prayer moves mountains. Spend time in prayer, seeking God’s guidance over your life. God has the blueprint for your life. He has the manual for your life. He knows what you are capable of doing and what you can achieve. Put him at the centre of your life. Let him be the guiding light over everything you do. The bible says “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” God is never tired of being asked.
    • Find what makes you happy – I believe that we all want to live a happy life. We are most effective when we are happy. Find what makes you happy and do more of it. If you do not derive pleasure from your current job or employment, it is definitely not for you. I guess that your performance is not as effective as it should be. You should seriously evaluate your current job or employment before you make any further decisions that may affect your financial livelihood.
    • Find what you do with less effort – We all have something that we can give easily. Deep down embedded in each and every one of us, is something that flows with very little or no effort. You need to tap into that realm and harness it. It is most likely what your purpose is all about.

    Take Action

    Once you have decided on what you want your life to be like, it is time to take action. It is time to set the train of life into motion. They say “a journey of a thousand miles starts with one step.” By the way, make sure you write down your life’s plan on paper.

    Break your plan into smaller achievable goals and begin to work on them. Start working towards achieving your goals even when your plan is not as perfect as you want it. It will become more clearer when you start working on it and as you put God at the centre of every aspect of your life.

    God is always faithful when we trust him and involve him in our daily activities. Action is what produces results. To succeed you need to work and work smart. Work is motion in action. Yes, you will encounter failure. Your reaction to failure will determine your willingness to achieve your life’s plan.

    Don’t let failure stop you from achieving your destiny. Do not be discouraged when you fail. Failure is part of personal development. Instead, learn from your failures and mistakes.

    Resolve to do something that helps you move closer to your goals every single day. Remember you are on a journey and every step you make counts. When you do nothing, you delay your own progress.

    When you take action you accelerate your progress. Taking action makes you feel useful. When you are moving towards achieving your personal growth you are also naturally contributing to the world.

    You may not know it, but remember that you will be interacting with nature as you work towards improving your life. Nature is neutral. It will give you back what you give.

    Be Thankful and Helpful

    Practicing gratitude is of paramount importance to humanity. To have a great impact on people you must learn to be thankful and be of help. A little thank you when you have been saved goes a long way to lifting the morale of the person serving.

    Being thankful is a way of showing appreciation for the service being rendered. Being thankful is also a sign of showing gratitude.

    Many studies conducted have shown that gratitude can be a very important source of happiness. In positive psychology research, gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness.

    Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.

    Being helpful is another way of making your life useful. Helping others is good for your heart, it relieves pain and stress, and motivates you to achieve your own goals.

    Being helpful is not only good for you, but it is also good for the person receiving help. One act of kindness can turn into many acts of reciprocal kindness.

    When you offer to help someone, do it voluntarily and do not expect anything in return. If you do it with expectations you will be disappointed.

    There is always someone that needs help, look around and find someone you can lend a helping hand. Most of us think that help always has to be in monetary terms. Actually, help can be in any acceptable form.

    Helping others is a meaningful form of service, and I believe true joy comes from serving. Alongside offering help, it’s equally important to ask for help when you need it. This allows others to showcase their expertise and gives them the opportunity to grow by supporting you.

    Share What You Have

    They say sharing is caring. Don’t live a lonely life. Be open with people about your knowledge and skills. Let them know that you are always ready to share with them when requested to do so.

    Do not be stingy with what you have. Sharing allows you to create even more closer relationships with other people. Know that what you have is valuable and is needed by many other people.

    The world would not be what it is today if many other people did not share their knowledge, skills, and or possessions with us. Sharing is an act of kindness. The bible encourages us to share, “there are more blessings from giving than receiving.” When we give we create room for more blessings.

    Conclusion

    Being useful does not necessarily mean allowing other people to use you. It means offering what you can when you can and doing so with a happy and willing heart. It means you creating time for other people.

  • The Power of Thought

    “As a man thinketh so is he in his heart.” You are what you think about most of the time. If you can think it then you can be it. 

    There is power in what you think. Don’t let others’ opinions weigh you down. You cannot control what others think of you. You cannot tell people what to think about you. We all have different opinions about people that’s just the way it is.

    Cultivate a positive mindset about yourself and your life. Always speak encouraging and uplifting words about yourself, regardless of the challenges you face.

    In order to build a healthy and positive thinking process; identify your negative thoughts and list them down. Then to each of them identify counter-positive thoughts and write them down.

    Every time you engage in negative thinking immediately replace those thoughts with positive ones. Try this for 21 days and see if it does not become a habit.

    I was recently declared redundant by my employers without any psychological support or counselling. Naturally like any other human being, I was demoralized and had no idea what to do next.

    What has helped me is my positive attitude and thought pattern. I now tell myself that this is an opportunity for me to do what I have always wanted to do since I have a bit more time on my hands. 

    So far, everything is going great, and I have no plans to look for a job right now. I am my own boss, and that feels fantastic!

    “When you begin to think and grow rich you will observe that riches begin with a state of mind, with definiteness of purpose, with little or no hard work. Therefore, you ought to be interested in how to acquire that state of mind which will attract riches” – Excerpt from the book Think and Grow Rich.

    I encourage you to download this life-changing book for free click on the link.

    Watch Your Thoughts

    “Watch your thoughts, they become words, watch your words, they become actions, watch your actions, they become habits, watch your habits, they become character, watch your character; it becomes your destiny” – rightly phrased by Frank Outlaw.

    I will revisited the topic of “The Power of Thought” perhaps it is one of the most important, in my quest for personal development.

    I believe that you are what you are; mainly because of the thoughts you harbour most of the time. Everything we do starts up with thoughts before being translated and transmuted into words and actions.

    Our thoughts are responsible for our actions. If we are to list down actions that are not thought invoked the list would be very short if any as opposed to thought invoked actions.

    Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal. Nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.

    Thoughts and Behaviour

    With the exception of automatic reactions or repetitive actions, behaviour tends to find its root in the preceding thoughts.

    Everyone is in charge of their own thoughts. Everybody can harbour, reduce or reject their thoughts. When you are governing your thoughts you are building up your own happiness.

    In order to avoid adverse thinking, choose a lifestyle that is guided by universal principles and values such as honesty, justice, responsibility, truthfulness, integrity and respect for others.

    Ultimately your thoughts dictate your behaviour. If you wake up thinking negatively even your attitude will be negative. If your thinking is positive even your attitude is positive.

    “Nature your mind with great thoughts, for you will never go any higher than you think” – Benjamin Disraeli.

    Positive thinking is an excellent option in order to preserve mental health and reach your intended goals. The mind has exactly the same power as the hands not merely to grasp the world but to change it.

    Your thoughts can help change the world. Stop being negative in your thoughts, think positively.

    How to Think Positively

    “Our life is what our thoughts make it” – Marcus Aurelius. Healthy and optimistic thinking helps:-

    • Maintain a balance in social interactions 
    • Increase general personal performance e.g. school & work
    • Helps to block anxiety
    • Increase self-esteem
    • Strengthens the immune system
    • Creates a good mood

    Learn how to think positively –  To reject negative thoughts and replace them with alternative positive options is a good way to a positive thinking lifestyle. Remember positive thinking must be an ongoing permanent style of mental activity.

    Think positively about yourself – Accept your limitations and do something to improve them. Do not forget to underline your values and abilities. Stop and reject negative thoughts about yourself.

    Think positively about the past – The past cannot be changed. The maxim “yesterday is history” holds water in this case. Accept the past even though it may have unpleasant events. Do not blame the past for your current situation. Enjoy the good memories. Never get obsessed with the disagreeable past. Let your past be a learning platform.

    Think positively about your future – Your attitude today has a direct effect and bearing on your future. They say “what you do now echo’s in eternity.” When you think with confidence and hope about tomorrow, you are increasing the probability of a much more successful future.

    Think positively about people – Human beings are not perfect, but there are lots of good things about each one of us. Do not grow suspicious of other people. Trust them and respect them. Make efforts to show affection towards other people. Try and understand their problems. Help them if you can and you will see how your attitude becomes better.

    Conclusion

    The topic “power of thought” is a much deep one. I believe that it is one of the core subjects to improving your personal development and needs a lot of study and understanding.  Thinking positively is the best way to start improving your personal development skills.

  • My Prayer To The World

    Just when we thought the COVID-19 pandemic was under control. The world has just been hit with a second wave and more potent strain of the virus. We are told that the second wave is more contagious and very dangerous than the first one.

    I have already heard about a few people that have died from it. I feel very sad and my thoughts go out to the families that have lost their loved ones. I just want to encourage all of us to take extra precautions and follow the guidelines as directed by our health authorities.

    I would also like to thank our frontline health professionals for the courage, dedication, and effort they are putting in to help alleviate the situation. May the good Lord continue to keep them safe.

    In addition to following the guidelines as per WHO guidelines such as, wearing facial masks; keeping good hygiene by regularly washing your hands, and keeping social distances when in public I encourage you to site psalm 91 on a daily basis:-

    Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
    I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.”
    Surely he will save you
    from the fowler’s snare
    and from the deadly pestilence.
    He will cover you with his feathers,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
    You will not fear the terror of night,
    nor the arrow that flies by day,
    nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
    nor the plague that destroys at midday.
    A thousand may fall at your side,
    ten thousand at your right hand,
    but it will not come near you.
    You will only observe with your eyes
    and see the punishment of the wicked.
    If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
    and you make the Most High your dwelling,
    no harm will overtake you,
    no disaster will come near your tent.
    For he will command his angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways;
    they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
    You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
    you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
    “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
    I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
    He will call on me, and I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble,
    I will deliver him and honor him.
    With long life, I will satisfy him
    and show him my salvation.”

    Conclusion

    Please stay safe. Go out only when it is necessary and remember to protect yourself and your loved ones by practising the recommended guidelines. This is no time for politicking but this is the time for the world to show unity of purpose. Together we can eliminate this pandemic. Remember the virus spreads only when you move. Stay safe and God bless.

  • Time to Change Relationships that Need to be Changed

    The year 2019 will be remembered as a year that came with a lot of change. It changed the order of doing things. We were all either affected and or infected by the virus that has continued to ravage the world, the COVID-19 pandemic.

    This change has been forced upon us. We have had to adapt to the new norm of doing things, such as wearing face masks, regular use of hand sanitisers, and taking extra precautions when going out in public. Social gatherings are restricted. But, like in every other challenge some people have thrived and some have, all but complained.

    The lessons taken from the preceding year are very valuable. The experiences of the closing year have taught us that we need to change some relationships going forward. There is need to readjust our lives to conform to the new order of doing things.

    Humans are well known for being social in nature. In Africa, we love large gatherings, be it social, political, spiritual, or whatever, we just love them. However, I don’t see this coming back in the shortest possible time. Surely for as long as the COVID-19 pandemic is around, life will not be as it was before.

    How to Make the Change

    A nice way to make the change, as we begin the new year is to identify your relationships and evaluate them. Clarify your relationships on how you would like them to affect the various aspects of your life. Then take the necessary action that you would expect to improve these relationships. You need to make rational goals.

    For example, the following relationships have a bearing on my life:-

    • Finances/money
    • Family
    • Work
    • Health
    • Friends
    • Spirituality
    • Website

    I will take the relationship with finances/money as an example. Am sure that most of us have a story to tell on this one. If your relationship with finances is not as good as it should be, maybe you are struggling to make earns meet or maybe your current job does not pay as much as you should be getting.

    List down your monthly expenses and compare them with your current income. Now, list down your desired expenditure and compare it with your current income. Your desired expenditure is what you would like to be spending on a monthly basis without stressing.

    Identify and cut down on unnecessary expenditure. Find more ways to improve your earnings to supplement your current paycheck. If your current job is not flexible enough to allow you to do extra work maybe, it is not the right job for you.

    Invest in your skills by getting an education that will help enhance your career and productivity. Read more about how to manage finances/money. Have definite, realistic, and achievable goals that will keep you motivated. Work on your goals every day.

    This year I have set a target to create passive income for myself. It seems hard work for now, but I think it will pay off as this will greatly improve my income and free up time for me. I have identified a few sources that I think are worth trying out. I will be sharing during the course of the year on the progress.

    You may be asking, what if you do not realise your goals within the time frame? Well, you can adjust the time frame, the most important thing is, you have a target you are working towards. You have something to work with.

    One of the reasons why we have a poor relationship with our finances is that we work for money instead of letting money work for us.

    Set Resolutions for the Year

    One way of keeping track of your progress is to have a set of written down resolutions and a habit of reviewing them on a regular basis. This year resolve to improve on your shortcomings. Resolve to improve on those poor relationships that are greatly affecting your life negatively.

    Make resolutions and work towards achieving them. Start with a few that can easily be managed. This will encourage and challenge you to move on to those that will take you much longer and are seemingly difficult to repair or manage.

    The best time for me to make resolutions is usually at the beginning of the calendar year. However, there is no rule, you can actually make them at any time of the year and begin to work on them as you please. But you must make and work them anyway.

    It is a good idea to have resolutions that are precise and measurable. This way, when you are reviewing them, you will be able to determine how much progress has been made and determine if there is need for adjustment. I normally review mine on a quarterly basis.

    Yes, I know that sometimes I lag behind. By, reviewing my resolutions on a regular basis ensures that am reminded of them and can easily get to work on improving those that have remained behind. I find it normal that there are always some that I carry forward into the following year.

    Be Optimistic

    To be optimistic is to be hopeful and confident about the future. Being optimistic is key in ensuring that you achieve the resolutions that you have set. It is an important ingredient to have when we have set targets for ourselves.

    Otherwise, there is no point in setting goals and resolutions that you are not optimistic about achieving. That is why it is important to set goals and resolutions that are fairly reasonable and achievable.

    That nice feeling you get when you have accomplished a task should be repeated more often. It should be what drives you to even greater heights. You must make it your driving force and leverage on it to push you in your quest for personal development and self-growth.

    Being optimistic is a great sign of confidence in what you are doing. It shows that you are in control and are expectant of positive results. Yes, sometimes results may not be as expected. But this should not make you give up.

    Conclusion

    If you want to succeed you must develop a habit of setting resolutions at the beginning of every year. This helps you set the tone and pace and what you are going to achieve during the year. It gives you a sense and purpose to live life.

    “For changes to be of any true value, they’ve got to be lasting and consistent” – Tony Robbins.

  • Inspiring and Empowering Others to Help You

    “For changes to be of any true value, they’ve got to be lasting and consistent.” ~Tony Robins.

    “Beliefs have the power to create and the power to destroy. Human beings have the awesome ability to take any experience of their lives and create a meaning that disempowers them or one that can literally save their lives” ~ Tony Robins.

    No man is an island. Personal success and development cannot be achieved in isolation. God has abundantly blessed us with people in our lives that we can rightly use to achieve our life’s purpose and goals.

    Each and every person you have come across in your life has a part to play and it is entirely up to you to recognise that and help them to help you move closer to your life’s purpose.

    In this article I discuss three important ways to empower our associates.

    Firstly let me make mention that there are 3 groups of people in our lives;

    • Close relationships – these will include your family, your friends, your spouse, and your children.
    • Your work relationships – these will include your colleagues, workmates including your boss.
    • Others – included in this category are people you come across every day.

    You need to know how to interact with these people in order for them to help you achieve your desired life’s purpose and goals. The key areas I have identified are listed below.

    Appreciation

    There is no single person I have come across in my entire life that does not like or rather feels bad when they are appreciated. Appreciation is perhaps one of the most important aspects of getting people to like you and to inspire them to support and help your cause.

    Develop the habit of expressing gratitude, even for the smallest acts of kindness. A genuinely simple smile and a heartfelt “thank you” goes a long way in lifting the other person’s spirit. The more thankful you are the more people are inclined to support you.

    Always acknowledge the effort, even if what you received isn’t exactly what you requested. Make the other person feel appreciated for their service and assure them that their effort was valued and not wasted.

    Appreciation lifts the self-esteem of human beings. The feeling of appreciation is an intense one and can make or break someone’s self-esteem. Imagine yourself working for a boss who does not seem to appreciate whatever effort you put into your work.

    Imagine the frustration of dedicating countless hours to an assignment, only to feel completely unappreciated.

    Now, contrast this with the feeling of being appreciated, even for your smallest efforts. You’ll find yourself willing to invest extra time because you know your work and presence truly matter.

    Approval

    Remember, everyone is primarily emotional.  Everything that people do, or choose not to do, is largely driven by their deeper emotions.

    Your job is to connect with their higher and more positive emotions so they feel so good about you that they want to help and please you in some way.

    If you are in a supervisory position it will really help you to spend more time with your subordinates inviting their feedback and comments on their work. To achieve this, you must create a trust worthy environment.

    This I believe is one of the best methods to get their work approved as they will understand what is expected of them.

    There is nothing quite like the satisfaction of having your work approved by your manager. It makes you feel a true sense of ownership and pride in what you have accomplished.

    Believe me, having a highly motivated worker can yield results beyond your imagination. The quality of your subordinates can make or break your success.

    If your personal goal is very dependent on other people’s input you need to devise methods that are consistent and gain respect from other people.

    You need to be nice, friendly, and courteous. I encourage you to read more on people management.

    In life, you always have a choice. You can either do everything yourself or you can get others to help you do some of the work. Delegating work is surely key to helping you achieve more with your time.

    Attention

    The third and final aspect of empowering others is attention. Just like every one of us loves attention in one way or the other. Learn to listen with keen interest.

    Pay attention to the details that keep people motivated and work to improve them.

    If you have a difference with say a work colleague. Do not argue with them but reason with them. Listen to their explanation and make sure you understand the reasoning behind it. If you do not agree with them be polite in letting them know that you have a different viewpoint.

    I have experienced this, especially with women. Even when they know that you cannot help them, they just want you to listen to them. All they are looking for is someone who can at least give them an audience.

    The fact that you will give them the attention they need, will greatly improve their self-esteem. If you are married that is lesson number one for you. Give your wife all the attention she needs. Listen to her.

    Conclusion

    Your ability to delegate effectively, which requires that you inspire and empower others to help you willingly, will determine how fast you move ahead. 

    It will determine how much you earn in your job; this will also determine the quality and quantity of your productivity; it will determine your ultimate financial success in life.

    The key to all of this is your ability to empower others. Life was meant to be lived with people.

  • You Have Something to Give

    “When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice” ~ Indian Proverb.

    “We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give” ~ Sir Winston Churchill.

    Each of us is uniquely created with a distinct design. We are all meant to thrive through interdependence.

    No one in this world can truly claim to be completely independent and not in need of others.

    I want to remind and encourage you of how important and relevant you are to humanity. I want you to realize that you have something to contribute to the well-being of the world.

    No matter what your situation or background is, you possess something that is uniquely yours.

    I am deeply concerned about some of the negative questions being raised on a prominent website.

    To make matters worse they are coming from kids as young as 15 years of age. Most of the questions are to do with giving up on life.

    Imagine a 15-year-old who feels overwhelmed by life, ready to give up before truly beginning to live. How sad indeed.

    I often ask myself this question: What if Albert Einstein, Henry Ford, Thomas A. Edison, and many other great inventors and discoverers had given up before making their breakthroughs? How different would the world be today?

    Your gifts and talents may not amount or match the great discoverers and inventors of the past, but it plays a very significant role in the advancement of humanity.

    You have a very significant and important role to play on earth. Myles Monroe says the richest place on earth is the graveyard.

    This is where you discover inventions that never came to be; dreams that were never fulfilled; songs that were never sung; buildings that were never constructed and many other things that the world has been deprived of.

    I pray and hope that you will not be a graveyard statistic but will leave a meaningful and positive legacy that endures.

    Ask not what the world will do for you but, what you will do for the world. Stop thinking from within the box and in fact, remove the box altogether.

    The human race is like a body. The body cannot function properly with a missing part, it may function but with a lot of difficulties.

    Do not be those missing parts. Do not rob the world of your talents and gifts. Do not deprive us of your contribution to humanity. We greatly need them. You are not living by accident or by chance but for a reason and for a greater purpose.

    If you are almost giving up on your life sit down and thank God that you are still alive. Many are struggling to hang on to life yet you have it for free. The fact that you are still alive means that you have something to give.

    There are so many things to thank your creator for and let alone obey his guiding words by dedicating your life to contributing to the wellbeing of humanity.

    No contribution is too small; everything adds up to make a difference. It’s high time you started using your mind constructively.

    You see everything is conceived in the mind. Our minds are the workshops for all that we see.

    Our minds are power engines of our lives. The real secret of power is the consciousness of power.

    The more conscious we become of our unity with this mind, the less conscious we shall become of conditions and limitations, and as we become emancipated or freed from conditions we come into a realization of the unconditional.

    We have become free! We have removed the box. We have evolved.

    The ability to eliminate imperfect conditions depends upon mental action, and mental action depends upon consciousness of power; therefore, the more conscious we become of our unity with the source of all power, the greater will be our power to control and master every condition.

    Conclusion

    Every human being including is as important as the next one and the one before. I want to encourage you not to look down upon yourself.

    You were created to contribute to humanity and your contribution is valuable.

    This all starts with you realizing and appreciating how important you are to the whole world. DO NOT rob us of your gifts and talents.

    Just like you have benefited from the inventors of computers we also want to benefit from you.

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