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  • Take Responsibility for Your Attitude

    “Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation” – Brian Tracy.

    What is attitude? It is “the way that you think, feel or behave” – Oxford Dictionary. Attitude is a complex mental state involving beliefs and feelings and values and dispositions to act in a certain way.

    We all have attitudes. Your attitude is usually the reaction you exhibit towards external stimuli. This is your response to an event or circumstance. How you react is totally dependent on the mental state of your mind, emotional feelings, and values you hold.

    Your attitude towards life reflects the values you hold. This also reflects the way you live your life. If you have a positive mental attitude, you are more likely to live a very fulfilling and happy life. The opposite is also true if you have a negative mental attitude.

    It is your responsibility to have a great attitude and maintain it. Know that you have the power and control over the things that have a direct influence on your attitude. Do not think that your attitude runs on autopilot? A big NO. You are responsible for it.

    It’s amazing to note that many of us are always giving excuses for our wrong or bad attitudes. Excuses, like I woke up on the wrong side, should never be entertained.

    If you have to have a positive and successful life you should create a positive mental attitude towards life because life gives you back what you give it.

    Like I have said before, life will always give you surprises, what is important is the way you react to them. If you resolve to take a positive preposition, you will definitely triumph over any situation that may come your way.

    I know, that sometimes it may be difficult to stay positive, but that’s what life entails, being able to overcome adversities.

    We all fall down but very few get up. Even those that get up, very few rise quickly and strong enough to continue on the positive side of life.

    You cannot control what happens around you, but you can consciously control your reactions and emotions. Attitude is everything, it governs the way you perceive the world and the way the world perceives you.

    Here are a few strategies to help improve your attitude.

    Lightening Up Life With Humor

    They say laughter is medicinal. The more humour and laughter in your life the less stress you have. Try as much as possible to see the funny side of life every day. God created you to live a happy life but he also gave you a choice.

    It is next to impossible to feel stressed, angry, anxious, or depressed when you laugh. Laughter not only provides pleasure, but it also serves to:

    • reduce stress and other forms of emotional misery such as anxiety and fear.
    • bond us with our fellow humorists, which in turn give us even more pleasure.
    • boosts your immune system, lowers your blood pressure, oxygenates your blood, relaxes your muscles, and increases your pain tolerance, all of which gives you much more energy for more future laughter, pleasure, and happiness. 

    As can be seen from the above when you choose to be happy; when you choose to laugh, you have less stress in your life.

    You may not realise it, but the truth of the matter is that you have more power than you may know. The power to choose is a tool that is at everyone’s disposal all the time.

    Ever since I took on the journey of personal development I have discovered that the power to choose lies squarely within my rights.

    I have also learned to choose wisely and stick with my decisions. This is also something that I teach my children.

    That they have the power to make their own choices and they should be responsible for the consequences of the choices they make.

    Physical Exercising

    One of the best ways to relieve stress is taking physical exercise. I have noticed that creating a regular routine of exercise not only gives me energy but also helps to unwind my mind. Exercising is also a source of motivation.

    I normally go for my running routine early in the morning before I do anything. After the morning run, I have more than enough energy to see me through the day.

    I encourage you to exercise regularly. Not only is exercising healthy for your body but also your mind and soul. You feel very refreshed after a workout. Your mind is more focused and your body is kept in optimum tune.

    Any form of exercise that suits you is good enough. Although it could be necessary that you consulted a physiotherapist if you have any underlying health conditions to help you devise a suitable routine for exercising.

    Being Enthusiastic

    Being enthusiastic means showing interest in the things that you do and getting pleasure from them. It means having an active and motivated attitude instead of a passive one. Keywords getting pleasure.

    If you do not get pleasure from your daily work it might just mean that you are in the wrong field. Believe me, the main source of de-motivation is waking up every day and doing something that is not enjoyable. Hey, I have been there before.

    I am one who is very much enthusiastic about what I do. Especially, writing articles for this blog site. I find that am at peace and at home when I sit down to write.

    I know that there are still a lot of areas that need to be improved, but I take pride in my work so far.

    Being enthusiastic allows me to draw the much-needed energy to continue with my work. Enthusiasm is very key to taking responsibility for your attitude.

    It is the burning desire that communicates commitment, determination, and spirit.

    Enthusiasm is one of the most empowering and attractive characteristics you could ever have. Being enthusiastic speaks volumes about your attitude.

    The Attitude of Positive Affirmations

    “You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude toward what happens to you, and in that, you will be mastering change rather than allowing it to master you” – Brian Tracy.

    Affirmations are statements that reinforce positive thoughts and attitudes. Am sure you have noticed that there are some quotes on the right bar of this website. I also deliberately try as much as possible to include positive quotes in my articles.

    I find that frequently reading or reciting positive quotes can help lift my mood and therefore, increase my attitude towards life in general.

    There are many sources for finding positive affirmations. I have a book full of them. I also recommend the Bible.

    Positive affirmations can help you re-focus your mind when you are feeling downtrodden. That’s why it’s important that before you begin your day read a verse from the Bible. The Bible is the greatest source of encouragement. It is the book of life.

    When you develop the habit of making positive affirmations you will realise that there is a quote for almost every situation and circumstance.

    Pay close attention to what you are saying to yourself it could just change your attitude.

    Conclusion

    Taking responsibility for your attitude could just help you accelerate your personal development and self-improvement attributes. It’s, therefore, important that you realise as an individual that you are solely responsible for your attitude.

    You have the right and power to decide how you are going to react to a particular situation. Having control of your attitude can also enhance the quality of your life.

  • Responsibility is a Measure for Your Personal Development

    “You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today” – Abraham Lincoln.

    The more you grow the more responsibilities you take on. Life demands that we grow and take on more meaningful challenges and be a little bit more responsible. An adult shoulders more responsibility than a toddler.

    Every step of growth you take comes with a measured amount of responsibility. Given an opportunity, human beings, especially us men, do not want to take up many responsibilities.

    We would rather shy away and be content with the little things around us. But that’s not what life brings forth. If you do not change, life will pass you by.

    Personal development and growth can be measured by how many responsibilities you are shouldering and how well you are handling them. Yes, you may grow physically yet, be very irresponsible.

    If you want to accelerate your personal development and growth be prepared to take on more responsibilities. You need to expand your capacity for being responsible.

    God blesses us to be a blessing to other people. Always remember that whatever you accumulate is not just for you. Be it wealth, knowledge, or anything else. It is meant to be shared.

    God could have easily blessed someone else but he chose you because he knows what you are capable of. You like it or not, he is your creator.

    He has given you an opportunity to show the world what you are made of. Please be responsible and take it with both hands. Make good use of it for the benefit of the people.

    Let’s not take our blessings for granted. Let’s use our resources and talents to help change this world and make it a better place for all.

    Take Keen Interest in Your Life

    Be interested in your life. You are the driver and master of your destiny. What you do with your life today will determine your future.

    If you want more you need to give more. You need to be prepared to take on more. Make sure you are totally in charge of your well-being. I know that many of us are not in control of our own lives.

    Be quick to realise and correct your mistakes. Do not be shy or too proud to admit when you have errored. It is human to error.

    If you leave the mistakes hanging thinking they will sort themselves out, you will leave to regret them, because they will come back to bite you in future.

    No one is more interested in your well-being than yourself. Look, people are busy with their own lives. Stop feeling pity, stop waiting for help. You are the help you need. You are more than enough to achieve your goals.

    The more interested you are in your life the more you will work to improve it. If you are young this is not time to fool around. It is time to ensure that you lock in and secure your future. What you do now echoes in eternity.

    Find what you are called to do and do it diligently. Work hard and smart to achieve your goals. I know that sometimes hard work is not a guarantee for success, but it is the only chance you have.

    If there is any other way to succeed apart from working hard I would really love to know it.

    Time is of the Essence

    “Time and health are two precious assets that we don’t recognize and appreciate until they have been depleted.” Denis Waitle.

    Time is one scarce commodity that is more valuable. You may have millions of dollars in your bank account, that is a given, but you have no idea how much time you have remaining in your life.

    You cannot manage commodity of time. That is impossible. Time is one commodity that is beyond anyone’s management.

    But we can learn to utilise time properly. As time waits for no one. Time respects no one. Whether you are a King or President, rich or poor, yellow or black every one of us at some point the curtain will fall.

    Make good with the time you have. Do what you have to do when you still have it on your side. Do not live to regret what you should have done.

    If you are still young, make sure you do the right things now whilst you are still full of energy a time will come when even getting out bed will be a challenge.

    Responsibility is a Sign of Good Leadership

    “Life is a gift, and it offers us the privilege, opportunity, and responsibility to give something back by becoming more.” Tony Robbins.

    The level of your personal leadership determines how far you will go in life. It takes good personal leadership to achieve success.

    Leadership comes with responsibilities. A good leader is responsible for properly leading his constituents. A responsible leader leads from the front and not from behind.

    He leads by example and not just by word of mouth. A good leader inspires confidence in the people he is leading. Above all he takes responsibility even when things fail and takes a leading role in finding and implementing solutions.

    Even though we are all responsible for our lives, that does not mean we are all good leaders. If you want to know if someone is a good leader or not just look at their personal lives.

    Evaluate them based on how well they have conducted their own personal affairs, especially if they are aspiring for public office. Small things like how well they have maintained their own family are important.

    Conclusion

    The more responsible you are, the more personal development and self-growth you achieve. There is a direct relationship between responsibility and the advancement of self-improvement.

  • Stepping Into the Unknown

    Stepping up to start a new challenge can be a very daunting task at first but life demands that we make that move.

    To make meaningful progress in life you need to do things that you have never done before. Sometimes you need to do things that have never been done by anyone before.

    If you are like me who is tired of living a mediocre life, you need to change your approach to life.

    It cannot always be business as usual. It has to change radically. It has to be business unusual. The only reason you keep getting the same results is that you keep doing the same things.

    Over the past few months, I have been busy rearranging my life. I have been preparing to take a big step into the unknown or rather into unfamiliar territory.

    This is the territory of starting a farming business. I have always had a passion for farming and the desire to get started has never been this intense.

    And so I have decided that over the next couple of months, I will be sharing my progress in the new adventure that I have embarked on.

    I hope to encourage and inspire many of you who share a similar passion or any other ideas and have been held up for various reasons.

    You see, life is what you make it. If you want to succeed you need to take action. If you do not act you will remain in the same position. Life will pass you by.

    This is what has been my case. I have taken too long to act on my passion. Mainly because I have lacked the courage to face failure.

    I know that I am not alone on this sphere that is why I have decided to share my intentions.

    I am hoping that by sharing I will be held accountable at the end of the year to talk about the progress made.

    Have the Courage to Do

    “Be courageous. I have seen many depressions in business. Always America has emerged from these stronger and more prosperous. Be brave as your fathers before you. Have faith! Go forward!” Thomas A. Edison.

    Courage is what you need to get started. It is difficult to get started without having to gunner enough courage.

    But again there is never a time when you have enough courage. For as long as you do not commit you will never have the courage to do something. So make a commitment to doing something and stick with it.

    The thing to do is to just get started. As you go along you will develop even more courage to face your challenges. You will grow out of your fears.

    My fear has always been about how to provide for my family if the farming business does not work out. To overcome this fear I have had to start working on my passion as a side hustle.

    It is my intention to run my farm business on a full-time basis in the near future.

    It’s tough but what has been happening is that I have been getting more confident and learning the dos and don’ts of the business.

    There is nothing much to show for it now but I can see some progress and some encouraging results.

    At least things are taking shape. I hope that by the end of the year there will be some meaningful development to talk about.

    Start With What You Have

    One of the biggest mistakes we make in life is wanting to start with what we don’t have. Usually, we want to start on an ideal footing. If things were ideal you would not be compelled to work harder.

    Look, you cannot keep postponing doing something you love because you do not have enough resources. There will never be a time when everything is in place.

    Start where you are and the resources you need will start falling in place. I guess you already have enough resources to just get you started.

    Break down what you intend to do into smaller manageable pieces and start working on them.

    The more you overcome the little obstacles the more encouragement and motivation you get to continue.

    If you wait until everything is in place they will never be and you will end up dying without realising your dream.

    It’s more or less like building a house. Those that have undertaken such projects know that you start with one brick then the other and so on and so forth until the whole project is complete.

    Along the way, they will have overcome many challenges including financial constraints but they never give up until the house is completed.

    Keep the Faith

    “Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.” – Buddh.

    Have faith in what you want to do. You will definitely need faith to keep you going. When things are not going according to your plan only faith will keep you moving forward.

    I have my faith in God Almighty and I believe that he is always on my side. The more faith you have the more courage and motivation you generate.

    Now let me be clear, faith does not make things any easier nor does it make them any lighter, but faith makes it possible for you to advance your cause.

    Don’t sit back just because you have faith. The Bible says “faith without action is dead.” Let your works speak for you.

    Be a Good Student of Your Journey

    The journey of life is a process and a very complex process, by the way, the only way you can improve the process is by continuously learning the process.

    To learn the process keep a diary of your activities and review them every now and again. Take time to analyse and understand why things have happened that way.

    Isolate the events or things that you can directly influence and control from those that are beyond your control.

    I personally carry around a small notebook where I write stuff. This book has helped me remember things that I would not have remembered.

    It has also been key to my personal progress. Save for social gatherings I rarely attend meetings without writing down what was discussed.

    Along this journey called life, you will make mistakes. Do not despair it is part of the process. When you are challenged learn from your mistakes and failures.

    Be an ardent student of yourself. You will be surprised at how much you do not know yourself.

    Conclusion

    If you want growth in your life you need to move from the shores and step into the deeper waters. You cannot catch big fish in shallow waters.

    Yes, the deep waters might be scary, but that’s where real growth and more rewards are. Besides deep waters are less crowded yet more rewarding.

  • Turn Your Dreams into Reality

    We all have dreams, aspirations, ideas, fantasies, and goals that we would like to achieve. Unless you are not ambitious, I know that you dream of achieving things in your life.

    Whatever the dreams that you harbour and whether you will achieve them, entirely depends on you.

    You are in charge of transforming your dreams into reality. You are the CEO, the Leader, and the Boss of “yourself incorporated.” 

    Everything that we see that is man-made was first conceived as a dream. It took someone to work diligently to turn them into reality.

    This though does not come without failure. Even, the greatest of inventors worked hard and never gave up on their dreams because they wanted to actualise them.

    They were passionate about them. Never give up on something you really want. It may be difficult to wait, but way more difficult to regret.

    The secret to getting ahead is getting started. So stop delaying and get started! Start working on your dreams today, no excuses.

    Turning your dreams into reality is very challenging, it takes a lot of effort and time. I have never heard of anyone who has achieved success that says “it was a walk in the park.”

    However, I believe that if your dream is centred on your life’s purpose it should be fun working to actualise it.

    Believe in Your Aspirations

    The most important person to believe in is always yourself. If you think you can achieve your dreams then you can, if you think you cannot achieve them then you wont.

    Sometimes the people who are closest to you can be very discouraging because they cannot see what you see.

    You own your dreams. Yes, it is important to seek guidance and second opinions. But the fact that someone says you cannot achieve such and such or you cannot be this or that, does not necessarily mean you cannot be. If you can see it then you can be it.

    Believe that you will succeed and it will come to pass. At the end of the day, it is your life. You will be held accountable for not utilising your talents and adding positively to humanity. Do what you have to do to add positively to humanity.

    If you don’t believe in your dreams, who will? The journey to realising our dreams involves people. How can the people you are involved, with help you have confidence in your dreams if you the owner do not believe in your own aspirations?

    Failure Should Be Embraced

    “I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.“ – Michael Jordan.

    Your dreams, aspirations, and ideas are your projects. You must stay committed to them. Life, as it may be, is full of challenges.

    Not everything you set out to do will go according to your will and plans. Along the way, things will happen that you never expected.

    Just like in any other project you will fail many times and you will succeed many times. The key is achieving your goals. Failure is part of the process of realising your dreams.

    Perhaps failure happens so that we learn how to handle success. I believe that there are lessons to be learned from failing.

    Failure does not necessarily mean you are dull nor does it mean you cannot succeed. It simply means you have learned another way to avoid in future.

    When you fall down, get up, dust yourself, and move on. You are not the first nor will you be the last person to fail.

    Ask any successful person, whether they have not failed before, you will be amazed at their stories. The difference is that they have learned to embrace failure.

    Don’t allow failure to scare you, have the courage and motivation to look beyond it and focus on the bigger picture. People will always fail.

    Failure sharpens you. It makes you grow and be well prepared for your destiny.

    When you are shaped by the challenges thrown your way and your despair for failure, this makes you grow into a better person.

    A person who knows how it feels to fail will always be better prepared for what they do. They say experience is the best teacher, I say failure is the better teacher.

    Take Your Dreams Seriously

    If you want to be independent in life, you must make, realising your dreams one of your key priorities.

    If you do not build your ideas someone else will hire you to help them realise their dreams.

    Am not saying that its bad to work for someone. But you are never in control if you work for someone.

    What you want, is to be in the driving seat of your life. You want to determine how much you earn. This is what makes you happy.

    You want to do things the way you want them done. If you are currently working for someone am not suggesting that you quit your job without a plan.

    Your dreams are the blueprint for your goals and success. They say your imagination and your dreams are a preview of things to come.

    The good thing about having dreams is that you are the only one who has seen them. Only you will know when you have achieved them.

    I know that at first, our dreams can be scary. They can be intimidating. But once you get started they begin to take shape.

    Most of the time you will be guided on how to move, what to do, depending on the outcomes and circumstances of your achievements.

    When I was setting out to start this website. It was a daunting idea. I had no clue as to what content I would be writing and where it would be coming from.

    Yes, I know that the growth has not been what it should be, but believe me, it is surely moving in the right direction. Besides am not in any competition with anyone.

    I guess the growth of the website in terms of content is directly influenced by my personal growth as well.

    As you may know, you cannot give what do not have. You only give from what you have. Sometimes I would want to write but have nothing to talk about.

    Conclusion

    Dreams are there to be pursued. If you have dreams pursue them relentlessly until you have accomplished them.

    You do not want to regret and look back at what you should have done. The time to start is now.

    There is never a better time and place to start following your dreams than today. Your dreams minus your doubts equal your true worth. Never let your fears be the boundaries of your dreams.

  • The 7 Principles for Successful Self-Improvement

    Life is full of challenges, many of which are beyond our control. But, when it comes to personal behaviour, and how we react to situations we have no excuses and this is where self-improvement and personal growth come into play.

    I know that Self-improvement is one of the most important of all human virtues. If there is something that should be undertaken by everyone it is “personal development.” Self-improvement is the “advancement of one’s knowledge, status, or character by one’s own efforts.”

    It takes one’s willingness and one’s own efforts to reach self-actualisation. No one can be successful or reach greater heights, without first improving themselves. That’s how important the subject of self-improvement is to our lives.

    If you keep doing the same things you will continue getting the same results. If you want to improve and grow, you must change what you do and do it differently, the choice is entirely yours.

    “You will never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily agenda.”  – John C. Maxwell.

    Very true, if you want to change your life and start living a better life you need to change the way you do things. You need to make self-improvement and personal growth the primary focus for your life.

    Learning how to make self-improvement a priority and primary focus for your life, will help you move forward with confidence and strength toward your goals.

    It will ease the pressures of life. You will enjoy your life’s journey even more.

    In my many years of consciously practising self-improvement, I have summed up the many principles into 7 that have been very beneficial to me.

    Know Your Purpose

    The number one principle is knowing your purpose. What is your God-given purpose on earth? What is it that you were designed to give the world?

    Look, you like it or not, you have a purpose why you are on earth. It is, therefore, your responsibility to know and discover what your purpose is in life.

    Are you wandering through life with little or no direction, hoping that you’ll find happiness, health and prosperity? Find your life’s purpose and write down your mission statement and you will have your own unique compass that will lead you to your success every time.

    Knowing your purpose in life makes you live your life with integrity. It helps you make the right choices and decisions knowing that they will help you achieve your goals.

    When you know your purpose you will stick to your lane. Yes, you will be faced with challenges, but they will only serve to make you a better person.

    “There’s no greater gift than to honour your life’s calling. It’s why you were born. And how you become most truly alive.”  – Oprah Winfrey.

    Knowing your life’s purpose helps you find your true passion and this becomes an important factor for you to achieve something extraordinary.

    Whether it is a dream you have had from childhood or a newly found way of life, the passion will drive you to reach your goals.

    Your life’s purpose is the compass for your life. There is no wrong purpose if it’s what you were created for it is the right one. God created each one of us to contribute positively to the improvement of the world.

    Know Your Values

    What do you value most? Make a list of your top 5 values. Some examples are security, freedom, family, spiritual development and learning.

    As you set your goals, check your goals against your values. If the goal doesn’t align with any of your top five values, you may want to reconsider it or revise it.

    Look we all have values. Values “are the principles that give our lives meaning and allow us to persevere through adversity.”

    We live our lives according to our values. The values you hold determines the quality of life you lead.

    Know Your Needs

    My number 3 principle is knowing your needs. What are your needs? Needs are the things that are necessary for making your life easy, without which life would be impossible for you.

    Unmet needs can keep you from living authentically. Take care of yourself. Do you have a need to be acknowledged, to be right, to be in control, to be loved? Make sure you address these needs before anything else.

    There are so many people who live their lives without realizing their dreams and most of them end up being stressed or even depressed for that matter. List your top four needs and get them met before it’s too late!

    Knowing and meeting your needs is a fundamental human right. It is your responsibility to ensure that you know your basic needs.

    Life is much easier to navigate through when you know your needs. Generally, your lives revolve around your needs.

    Once your basic needs are identified and are met with satisfaction, life opens up more opportunities for self-improvement; opportunities to grow beyond just your needs.

    You focus on how best you can contribute to humanity without worrying about yourself.

    Know Your Passions

    You know who you are and what you truly enjoy in life. Obstacles like doubt and lack of enthusiasm will only hinder you, but will not derail your chance to become the person you ought to be.

    Express yourself and honour the people who have inspired you to become the very person you wanted to be.

    Embracing your passions brings back some simplicity in your life that can lead to new freedoms in your everyday life.

    There are many benefits that come with knowing your passions. When you are fully aware of your passions you live an authentic life free from the pressures of other people.

    You follow what your soul is telling you. You become the original you, that you were designed to be. Knowing your passions brings greater self-awareness and confidence which in turn improves your productivity levels.

    Often times when we follow our passions we make a career of out of them. We get paid doing what we love.

    There is a difference between an artist whose main driver is making money and one whose main purpose is appreciating and enjoying their work.

    Live From the Inside Out

    Increase your awareness of your inner wisdom by regularly reflecting in silence. Commune with nature. Breathe deeply to quiet your distracted mind.

    For most of us city slickers, it’s hard to even find the peace and quiet we want even in our own homes. In my case, I often just sit and play some classical music. There’s sound, yes, but music does soothe the soul.

    They say all growth comes from within. What we are outside is a reflection of what we are inside. When we live from the inside out, we live from a sense of our own worthiness.

    Honour Your Strengths

    What are your positive traits? What special talents do you have? List five, if you get stuck, ask those closest to you to help identify them.

    Are you imaginative, witty, and good with your hands? Find ways to express your authentic self through your strengths. You can increase your self-confidence when you share what you know with others.

    “Make the best use of what is in your power and take the rest as it happens.” – Epictetus.

    When you work from your strengths you work with confidence and with less effort.

    Being of Service to Others

    When you live authentically, you may find that you develop an interconnected sense of being. When you are true to who you are, living your purpose and giving of your talents to the world around you, you give back in service what you came to share with others; your spirit; your essence.

    The rewards for sharing your gift with those close to you is indeed worthwhile, much more if it were to be the eyes of a stranger who can appreciate what you have done to them.

    Being of service is really a joy because that is what humanity was designed for.

    Conclusion

    Self-improvement is indeed one type of work that is worth it. It shouldn’t always be within the confines of an office building, or maybe in the four corners of your own room.

    The difference lies within ourselves and how much we want to change for the better. Self-improvement is a personal choice and decision.

  • How to Do More With Your Life Than Just Give Up

    This story was inspired by Mandy Harvey. I watched Mandy on America’s Got Talent a television program that searches and gives an opportunity to people to showcase their talent.

    She was a contestant in the music category and got a golden buzzer for her outstanding performance during the auditions. Although Mandy did not go on to win the competition she is a successful songwriter, singer, and motivational speaker.

    I find her life’s journey very inspiring and motivating. She lost her sense of hearing due to illness at the age of eighteen and, she almost gave up on her life.

    I can only imagine what she went through at the news of losing her hearing and that science and doctors cannot help recover her lost sense of hearing.

    But after some time and with hard work she discovered that she could actually continue singing, by using muscle memory and trusting her pitch and feeling the vibrations of the beat and temple through her feet. This is amazing.

    Today Mandy is a success in the music industry and inspires people not only with her music but also with her life’s story to never give up.

    Life can be tough and it is not easy to live especially when such “calamity” as Mandy’s be fore’s on you. Imagine the pain and the disillusionment the whole family went through when they learned that their daughter had become deaf.

    The thought that she will never hear their voices again is not nice at all. That the mode of communication with her would be changed forever.

    To me, Mandy’s life story is one of faith and courage. Look, to go up on stage and sing in front of so many people, without hearing your own voice but just trusting your pitch, takes a lot of faith and courage.

    There are very few people who can do that. Most of us are scared to even just stand in front of a small group of people and speak.

    It is a lesson to all of us who take life for granted and just want to give up when we encounter a few setbacks.

    Stop giving excuses and start making something worthwhile with your life. Yes, life will always throw things at you. But, I believe that everything that happens to us happens for a reason. There is always good that comes out of what is seeming a bad thing.

    Have a Never Give Up Mentality

    One would have understood if Mandy had given up on her life. At least she would have had an excuse for it, and a good one for that matter.

    But she did not, she decided to make use of her life and be a blessing to the world. Now instead of just singing and writing songs she also inspires and motivates people with her story.

    Who knows, she probably would not have been successful without going through what she went through.

    She realised that in order for her to be happy in life she must continue doing more of what makes her happy and that is singing.  Hence her doing everything in her power to achieve her dream.

    Do you realise that if she had not done anything about it, she might probably have been complaining all her life about her situation.

    She would have been another statistic, but instead, she is not, she is flying high like an eagle with what she is doing. Thank God for her life. She is such a blessing.

    You see to be more you need to have more and never give up on your dreams. To achieve greatness you need to do things differently. You need to change the way you do things and adopt methods that will bring out the best in you.

    If you sleep at 8:00 pm and wake up at 07:00 am you may need to adjust. Successful people spend most of their time working hard and not sleeping.

    When you are faced with adversity, look for the good in it. There is always something that you can get from your troubles.

    Most of the time when we are faced with challenges it means that God wants to move us to the next level. He is preparing us to handle what is coming our way. But it will never come until you are ready for it and usually it is something much more than our current situation.

    If you keep your trust in God, he always makes a way where there seems to be no way. When one door is shut God opens up many more doors. Mandy’s hearing door was shut but God opened up other doors to help her continue with her music.

    Be Prepared For What is Coming

    Like I said before when adversity comes it is usually a sign that good things are yet to follow. Because after the storm there is calmness. You must always be prepared to take on the next challenge. Be ready when the heavens have opened up for you.

    Look, don’t just sit and give excuses that you cannot do anything because you have no opportunities. Do not live life by chance or by luck. Luck finds those who are prepared and are ready. In our country, we have a tendency of complaining about how successful foreigners are than the local majority.

    We must actually be ashamed of ourselves. We have people who came in as refugees and now they are doing well in business yet we complain that there are no opportunities.

    This is a person who came with nothing and now he has a successful business in your own back yard and you say there are no opportunities, come on guys, we can do better than that.

    If you have dreams and do not take action they will always be but dreams. Those who succeed are those who put their dreams into action.

    Preparation can take many forms and it is usually not easy. Take sportsmen and women, for example, the time and sacrifice they take in preparation is something I really admire.

    How can you attract opportunities if you are not prepared for them? You attract opportunities by the things that you do every day.

    Sometimes opportunities come in disguise. They come in the most unexpected manner. But you need to be prepared when they come around otherwise you will miss them and call yourself cursed or something like “I have bad luck.” No, man you were just not ready.

    If it’s a job you are looking for get the necessary qualifications, and go out there and knock on every door for the opportunities. Don’t just sit at home expecting that a job will come on a silver platter, do something about it, anything that will keep you busy.

    In everything that we do, preparation is key to success. If you want to achieve anything meaningful with your life, you need to continuously upgrade your skills set. Believe me, opportunities are always there to be pursued. I have personally missed out on many good opportunities because of not being fully prepared for them.

    And equally I have embraced many opportunities when am prepared for them.

    Conclusion

    You have more to offer and give than what you are currently doing. If you are going through a rough period in your life fight until you make things right simply do not give up.

    The fact that you have seen the break of dawn means you still have a chance to fight and win. Trust God in everything you do and he will surely come through for you.

  • You Have the Potential to Achieve Your Goals

    We all have the potential to achieve our goals. Those who become successful are those who try. Those who dare to try have the most chance to succeed.

    The potential to succeed is naturally inbuilt in all human beings.

    But unless you unlock it, it will always remain potential. God gave us the ability and the necessary tools to achieve our dreams. If only we can learn to use them positively.

    If you can think it then you can be it. Success begins with your mind and a change in your attitude. If you can change the way you think, the way you perceive things, and the way you look at things, then you can achieve your goals.

    Personal development and self-improvement demand that you do the things consistently, that help you grow. They say all growth is from the inside. You have the seed of growth in you.

    If only you can nurture the seed, it will blossom and bear good fruit in due course. If you do not try you will never know what you can achieve, you will never know what good fruit is in you. The bible says “we shall know them by their fruit.”

    Yes, there will be challenges that will need to be overcome, that is just part of the process. It is part of the growth process.

    Do not fear being challenged. Challenges make you grow even stronger. They prepare you for what’s coming ahead.

    Challenges are a stepping stone to success. When you are faced with challenges don’t take the easy route out but face them head-on.

    If you take shortcuts you may live to regret it. You do not start climbing a tree from the top, you start from the bottom going up.

    Those who jump the process have short-lived success and within a few years or even months, they are back at the bottom. You see, nature allows us to experience failure so that we can learn from it.

    “The key to unlocking my potential is within me. It is the power of my thought, my vision, and my commitment!”

    Appreciate and Understand the Process

    Nature has a way of providing checks and balances. Nature also rewards you according to what you give it. If you give it negativity it gives you back negativity.

    If your goal is to make money you need to pay the price for that money and this does not come easy. Let me just say for you to achieve great things you need to pay a great price.

    If someone is telling you that success comes easy they are cheating. If it was easy we would all have been successful. But that’s not the case.

    Just like a student, if you want to graduate with good grades you need to work and study hard. That is what nature gives you. You are fairly rewarded for your input.

    It is the process that has to be followed. You cannot just have good grades without putting in the time and effort to study. You have to go through the mill.

    Those who skip or temper with the process will always pay heavily after some time. They may appear to be successful but this is only temporal. What goes around always comes around. Easy gain easy goes.

    Develop the Discipline

    It takes dedication and discipline to achieve your goals. Perhaps this is the single most important principle for success.

    If you look around those that have achieved above average, they are all very disciplined with what they do. Their work ethics are way above many of us.

    If you are focused and disciplined, nothing can stop you from achieving your goals. It takes a lot of discipline to succeed and this is what lacks in many of us. The discipline to stay the course.

    However, the good news is that discipline is a habit and all habits can be learned and unlearned. To achieve your goals you need to develop good habits.

    Those that will help propel you towards your destiny. Habits that add value to your well-being and personal growth.

    One of the ways I use to develop a habit is to do the same thing for a number of days, continuously, say 21 days.

    The beginning is always hard but after a few attempts, it flows naturally. Note that you will not always get over it as your body will always be fighting you most of the time.

    Yes sometimes, the body will not want to do certain things but if it’s important you just have to do it and get it out of your way. If it has to be done, do it regardless of how you are feeling.

    Discipline should be sought at all costs. It is perhaps your passport to achieving whatever you set your mind on. There can never be success without discipline and there is no substitute for it.

    Take Decisive Action

    How far you go in life is largely determined by how far you are willing to go. There is no limit to reaching your destiny.

    The more you push yourself the more chances you have of achieving more.

    The kind of action you decide to take on will surely have a bearing on the final results that will follow.

    If you decide to take a laissez-faire attitude you will definitely get laissez-faire results. If you take positive decisive action you will get results that reflect your actions.

    Like I said before, nature is neutral. You get what you give it. The decision lies entirely and squarely in your hands.

    If you want to do something, start taking action now, don’t wait for the perfect time because it will not come. Don’t wait any longer otherwise, you will miss the opportunity train.

    They say God helps those who help themselves. True or not, opportunities find those who are actively looking for them. If you are looking for a job, do something about it.

    You cannot just sit down and expect a job to find you, NO. You need to go out there and find it. Even in a depressed economy like ours jobs are available if only you can persist with your search.

    Definitely, a breakthrough will come your way. The more you look the greater the chances of you landing one.

    Here is an idea, if you cannot find your desired job that goes with your qualifications: look for something lower than what you are looking for as an entry point. Continue searching for your desired job.

    I have found that it is much easier to switch jobs when you already have one. People are always looking for someone experienced.

    Conclusion

    Never underestimate the potential and power of the human spirit. We all have the gift of unlimited Potential. It is our duty to ensure that we unlock this gift for the benefit of the human species.

  • Why It Is Important to Do What You Love for a Living

    Work is important for both physical and mental expression. We work so that we can earn a living. The kind of work we do is what puts food on the diner table.

    Without work, we do not expect to get a paycheck. The kind of work you do should be an expression of yourself.

    Human beings were created for work. It doesn’t matter whether you are self-employed or are employed by someone else, the fact is, you do what you are doing because you love it or because you have to earn that much-needed paycheck.

    The kind of job you do can be a great source of happiness and or sadness. If your current job does not satisfy your desires or let’s just say does not motivate you, consider doing something else.

    If you do not take pride in what you do, for a living, I suggest that you leave it, you are in the wrong field. Find something that you are happy with or that makes you happy. Something that you will do with all your heart.

    Your job should be enjoyable. After all, you spend most of your time working. You must always be looking forward to getting up early in the morning and going for work.

    Nine out of ten a person who is motivated by what he does achieves more with his job than one who just looks forward to a paycheck.

    Look, I know that at the end of the day we are all expecting a paycheck. But the difference is how effective and efficient you are that will prime you for advancement.

    If you want to make a significant contribution to humanity you must be able to give more of yourself.

    To easily give more, you must be in a position to enjoy the process.

    You Get What You Give

    Life gives you back what you give it. You cannot expect to get oranges out of a guava tree. Neither can you expect to get guavas out of an apple tree.

    You give life mediocrity, you get exactly that out of it. You give it your best, expect to get the best out of it. If you want to get happiness, give it happiness.

    Your productivity is highly increased when you do what you love. You are more at peace and more confident when you stick with your lane.

    It is easy to express yourself when you’re at peace. When you are not struggling. When your mind is focused.

    I love writing. I tell my stories through this blog. Most of the content on this site is a result of my personal experience.

    I currently do not have any formal qualifications in personal development and self-improvement. Everything I write is a result of the passion and love I have for personal development.

    If you want to get maximum rewards for your efforts you need to put in extra. It is much easier and better to achieve your goals by doing what you love.

    You are Full of Confidence

    Believe me, when you love your work, you ooze with confidence. It shows even in the quality of your end product.

    Confidence ignites an increase in productivity. When you are confident with yourself you are more likely to enjoy happiness. Which is fundamental to living a better life. Which I also think is what we all want to achieve a better life for ourselves and our immediate families.

    Those who are confident are even more motivated to conquer the world. They are never satisfied with their latest achievements. They have the zeal and energy to go even further.

    Confidence is also a source of motivation that is needed to keep you going. Even when you fail the first time you will rise up and move forward because you simply love what you do. You refuse to accept failure.

    If you are an employer you will agree with me that your most productive employees are those who are confident and love their work.

    The more you achieve your targets, the more confident and motivated you become. There is a feeling of joy every time you achieve something. I always experience a sense of satisfaction every time I hit the publish button.

    Just the experience of that joy can be a major boost of energy and motivation for you to do more with your life.

    Learning is Easy

    When you love something you will do everything in your power to get it. When you get it you will be more careful in ensuring that you keep it for the longest period possible.

    You will be motivated to acquire new skills that will help improve your output.

    In this case, learning will not be so much of a challenge for you. You will be more focused knowing that you are acquiring useful knowledge and skills that will naturally pay off in the long run.

    Failure is Easily Overcome

    One of the biggest reasons why we do not succeed is being overwhelmed with failure. We fail because we allow failure to breed fear.

    This fear is even worse if the process of achieving success is not aligned with our natural talents and calling.

    However, when we align this process with what flows naturally from within, failure is not an option but a stepping stone.

    There is a natural tendency to repel failure when we are in “our zone.” There is always a way of overcoming failure by persistently pursuing our calling.

    Failure is easily overcome when you are busy loving to push for results.

    It Makes Life Easy

    Life, as it is, is already complicated. There is already so much stress on us as individuals. There are so many things that need to be done in a very short period of time.

    There are so many things that need our attention every day. Because of the nature of what life has become now, we ought to reduce the pressure on ourselves by enjoying our work.

    This can only be achieved by finding our God-given calling and talents that we can utilise to the fullest to achieve our life’s purposes.

    Conclusion

    The importance of doing what you love for a living cannot be overemphasised. Life is much more bearable and easier to handle when your living is mainly derived from doing what you love.

  • Essential Marketing Advice for Senior Business Owners

    If you’re an adult over the age of 50, you’ve likely felt the itch to challenge yourself and conquer new horizons.

    For many, entrepreneurship is the perfect way to do this – and seniors certainly have the time and resources to devote to this strenuous undertaking.

    However, to make it to the top, you’ll need more than just a big idea and a passionate heart.

    Yep, we’re talking about online marketing, which is a fast-growing field. And with complicated terms, constantly changing guidelines, and over-saturated audiences, it can feel daunting to take on the world of marketing.

    In this article, I share essential advice every senior needs, to skyrocket their marketing efforts and see a difference in their bottom line. Let’s get into it.

    Start Simple

    You don’t need a pricey marketing agency to help you achieve your entrepreneurial goals! All you need to do is start simple and take it step by step.

    Before you begin the real work, you’ll need to do lots of market research to determine your future strategies. Some questions to ask yourself may include the following:

    ● What does your demographic look like?

    ● What products or services would they be interested in?

    ● Is there a gap in the specific industry that your product or service would fill?

    ● What price point would appeal to your audience?

    From here, you’ll be able to identify a target market and what particulars would make your business stand out in their eyes.

    Other elements of your marketing plan will include fundraising, social media, and traditional advertising like print media and flyer marketing.

    Get Organised

    Next, it’s time to get your affairs in order. You need a long-term goals to work towards and concrete strategies to help you work towards achieving them.

    The best way to figure out your goals is to sit down for a brainstorming session! Consider what you wish to prioritize – growth, ROI, profits, or brand awareness. And then work backward with smaller marketing strategies to help you achieve your dreams.

    Set Up a Website

    In today’s tech fuelled world, the first thing a potential customer will do is check out your business website.

    Thus, your website must look great with eye-catching graphics and consistent visual identity across your marketing efforts and social channels.

    This is the best way to earn digital legitimacy! Another tip is to ensure your site is mobile-friendly and search engine optimized.

    All your business information should be up on the site, including an ‘about us’ section, a shop page, and a blog, in addition to information about brick and mortar stores.

    Leverage Social Media

    Do you know what goes hand in hand with an appealing website? The power of social media! Many seniors tend to dismiss social media as a secondary marketing strategy.

    We would argue that social media channels like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Tik Tok are essential and primary. For example, your services could go viral, generating a ton of traffic.

    At the very least, your social presence will generate steady organic traffic and help you stay current with things.

    Let’s take the example of Instagram. So many brands, set up shop on this platform due to its business-friendly UI and promotion opportunities built into the app.

    Having a business on Instagram will also showcase your company values while building a solid and loyal community.

    To stay on top of the game, ensure that your Instagram posts are share-worthy and eye-catching.

    The easiest way to do this is by using an Instagram post generator like Adobe Spark Post that does the work for you.

    All you need to do is choose a template and customize elements like font, color, text, and add in your graphics and photos.

    Offer Freebies

    So convinced about your product that you know people would love it if they could just try it? Well, it’s time to put that theory to the test! Identify members of your audience or influencers to send free products to.

    This is an effective marketing strategy because if people love something, they’re willing to go out of their way to share it! And don’t underestimate the power of word-of-mouth, which can propel your business to new heights.

    Coupons like buying one get one for free or a certain percentage off the next purchase are also highly effective ways to get loyal customers coming back for more.

    Basically what you want is customers that are loyal and return to purchase from your business.

    Cross-Collaboration

    Hitch your wagon to a star, and watch the magic unfold. Cross-promotion and collaboration with other businesses in your industry is a surefire way to get new customers while building healthy business relationships.

    Your business will benefit from exposure to an already converted and loyal customer base, while your partner’s business will benefit from exposure to your clientele!

    It’s a win-win situation and works wonders for getting that bottom line up.

    Luckily, seniors have a whole host of business contacts built up from years of experience. Be sure to leverage your network, and you’ll be golden!

    Marketing is essential for every business owner, but it can be a survival strategy for a new entrepreneur.

    Getting the word out about your new venture can be challenging – it is likely your audience won’t pick up on the merits of your idea as quickly as you’d hoped.

    To add to that, marketing is constantly changing. Guerrilla marketing was once at its peak, and today, we’re all about digital marketing.

    To retain your competitive edge, you will need to evolve with the market. So take it slow, keep it current, and work your way to the top of the (marketing) ladder.

    Conclusion

    Marketing if well executed could bring more benefits to your business than you ever imagined. A well-marketed business will continuously make you lots of income for years to come.

  • The 7 Free Website Improvement Tools For Web Development

    When it comes to website ranking and attracting traffic we all know that content is king. Nothing can substitute good quality content.

    Whatever method you decide to use to attract traffic the creation of good quality content must be on top of your list.

    There are many methods out there that can be employed, and as usual, some of them come at a huge cost and I guess there is no guarantee that you will get the desired results.

    If you can afford to hire someone to help you well and good but if you are on a small budget like me, not all is gloomy.

    There are as many free effective methods as there are paid ones; you just have to find the right mix. A good website is one that has a mix of good content and is user friendly.

    Studies show that a website that loads quicker has a higher chance of retaining traffic and google also considers faster-performing sites when doing web ranking.

    Here are the tools I use for my website:-

    WordPress

    WordPress is a Content Management System and a good one for that matter. With WordPress, you can create all sorts of websites including responsive high-performance mobile-friendly sites.

    I have been using WordPress to build websites for more than 10 years. It’s free and is widely used.

    WordPress accounts for 43% of websites on the internet and most hosting service providers have developed dedicated WordPress services.

    It is a user-friendly CMS with a very large and supportive community. You get to access over 55,000 free plugins for almost anything to help customise your site.

    The beauty with WordPress is that you do not need to have any coding knowledge to build a reasonably fair looking website.

    LiteSpeed Cache

    LiteSpeed Cache for WordPress is an all-in-one site acceleration plugin, featuring an exclusive server-level cache and a collection of optimisation features.

    LiteSpeed Cache includes additional optimization features, such as Database Optimization, Minification and Combination of CSS and JS files, HTTP/2 Push, CDN Support, Browser Cache, Object Cache, Lazy Load for Images, and Image Optimization!

    To get full benefits on installation and how best to use the plugin read the beginners guide and follow the instructions thereon.

    On this site, I use LiteSpeed Cache and so far so good. The results have been impressive. And yes this is also another free tool.

    Rank Math SEO

    Rank Math helps you get ranked higher by making your website SEO-friendly and your content worthy of featured Position.

    Rank Math SEO is a search engine optimisation plugin. It is loaded with so many easy to use tools.

    The constant process of optimizing your posts can sometimes take more time than actually writing the content.

    If you always feel that you can do more on the SEO front for your website but don’t have the time, then Rank Math SEO is what you’re looking for.

    With tools such as Analytics, Content AI, Image SEO, Link Counter, Instant Indexing, SEO Analysis, Sitemap and many free features, surely this is a must-have plugin.

    Cloudflare

    Cloudflare takes your WordPress site performance to another level. Cloudflare is a global network designed to make everything you connect to the Internet secure, private, fast, and reliable.

    Cloudflare can be used with LiteSpeed Cache. Simply follow the instruction on how to configure LiteSpeed Cache with Cloudflare.

    I am content with the free service that has tremendously improved my site speed and overall performance, thanks to the CDN and fast easy to use DNS.

    Jetpack

    This is a plugin that enhances site security and improves performance among many other things.

    Jetpack is loaded with some very useful tools for sharing articles onto your social media platform which can be used to grow your website traffic.

    If you scroll to the bottom of this site you will find the share button by Jetpack. You find essential features like brute force protection and downtime/uptime monitoring tools incorporated in the plugin.

    This plugin is loaded with too many features. It is there important to take a keen interest in some of the features. I personally have not used the SEO features on this plugin instead use Rank Math SEO for site optimisation.

    PageSpeed Insights

    PageSpeed Insights uses lighthouse technologies and metrics that determine the performance of your website on both mobile and desktop devices and provides suggestions for improvement.

    Well, you need some technical knowledge to resolve some issues but by and large, you get to know what the issues are.

    It is one of the top recommended tools to use as it is a product of Google. The reports are so detailed.

    The audits carried out are separated into 3 sections including:-

    • Opportunities provide suggestions on how to improve the page’s performance metrics. Each suggestion in this section estimates how much faster the page will load if the improvement is implemented.
    • Diagnostics provide additional information about how a page adheres to best practices for web development.
    • Passed Audits indicates the audits that have been passed by the page.

    Your aim is to have a score of 90-100. This is a good score to achieve. The higher your score the better the performance of your site.

    As can be seen with my website it has been consistently testing above 90 for the last month after tuning it up.

    GTmetrix

    GTmetrix is another free measuring tool. There is both a paid and free subscription. As can be seen, my website is performing well above average in terms of loading speed.

    I am currently on the free plan. The slight advantage that this service has is that you can use it to monitor your website uptime.

    I have configured my site in such a way that I get an email when certain parameters are met.

    GTmetrix’s Report Page neatly summarizes your page performance based on key indicators of page load speed.

    Conclusion

    I don’t believe that there is a one size fits all when it comes to website Search Engine Optimisation. The best way to improve your website is to strike a balance between SEO and writing content for humans.

    In as much as you need to optimise your site, you must bear in mind that you are creating content that adds value to humans and not computers.

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