STAY POSITIVE!!!

I woke up this morning in a very unusual way. It felt like I had been sleeping for about 20 hours and I was bored. It was still very early to begin my morning routine, so I decided to go through some old pictures on my laptop and then, I stumbled upon a throwback from my brother's high school graduation

I still remember the joy I felt on that day and the look on everyone's face when he was called out, not only to receive his diploma as a graduate, but to receive the social responsibilities award, as he had successfully balanced his numerous school responsibilities and his academic life. It was a look of astonishment and delight all together. He had made it and beyond.

Prior to that particular day, he had undergone a minor surgery where his index finger had been slit open as a result of a deep infection that had affected his collateral ligament at his distal phalanx, and was required to be taken out. This was a traumatic injury and this was his final semester in his final year. He had extra credits to make up in other to graduate, projects, course works, presentations and all those deadlines that came with final year, along with other school responsibilities and compulsory extracurricular activities. More worse, he had missed a couple of classes during his surgery period and his final exams were just a few weeks away.

How was he going to do all these in so little time? His teachers were worried, his friends were worried, everyone was worried. He was advised to postpone his graduation and take his time rather than risk working under pressure at the expense of his health. But he insisted otherwise, and to everyone's wonderment, he graduated successfully and even won an award. When asked how he was able to pull it through regardless of his situation, he replied with two words : STAY POSITIVE.

In life yeah, we face a lot of challenges ranging from the loss of a Job or a position to job hunting, financial crisis, family issues, marital problems, academic challenges, parental issues, pressure from work and all sorts. And most times, we believe that the solution is to work and pray, which of course are great, but we forget the hand that actually lights the match that sets the bush on fire: ATTITUDE.

Attitude is everything. You cannot pray or work to get a positive outcome without a positive mindset/attitude. And if you haven't noticed that we live in a negative world, then you haven't really been paying attention. Situations will discourage you, people will laugh and mock you, friends will send negative energies your way and over time, the pressures of the world, if allowed, can steal the love and joy from your life which would eventually lead to a negative outcome.

So in all our works and prayers, let's not forget that the battle is won and lost in the mind. STAY POSITIVE.

BLOGGERS RAP SESSION WITH JANYL BENYL SHARES!!!

Hey darlings,

How are you today? I hope you all had a great weekend? It suddenly feels so hot! I think I prefer the hamattan period to be honest. At least, I could snuggle into my duvet without having to toss around the bed looking for a colder spot. It feels like this is going to be a great week though. I can feel it in my spirit. I have a mini project I am pursuing and I am anticipating something good out of it, God willing and fingers crossed.

So, remember that my 15 for 15 challenge? Yeah! Yeah! that one, I eventually came up with a topic and decided that since Janyl had resolved to giving us a task, then I might as well task her too by making her my first interviewee for the year 2015.

Sometime last week, I mapped out a number of questions with respect to blogging, and I was able to get her to share some of her experiences with it thus far.

So guys, here goes miss janyl benyl:

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

Hi I'm Janyl Benyl

I am a writer, Health Advocate and blogger.

How did you first get involved with blogging?

I started one myself. It is my personal life and style blog - www.janylbenylshares.com/www.jbshares.com

What do you find most challenging about blogging or about picking your topics?

Sharing too much

Tell us about some of the people you've met while working on your blog?

I've met quite a lot of people. From inspiring writers, to readers that reach out, to people I have ended up working with. It's a very vast world out here with diverse possibilities.

How would you describe your blogging style?

Personal - I write a personal blog that also touches aspects of life in general, as experienced by most people in our societies today.

Narrative - I just love to write unending tales

Simple - I try to stick to words that are easily comprehensible

What do you do when you aren’t working on your blog?

I concentrate on building my career. I am a Public Health Specialist

Are you a full time blogger?

No, blogging is a hobby

What networking do you do that you feel helps your blogging business?

Connecting my blog to my other social media networks.

How do you keep coming up with material/content for your blog? Many people struggle with coming up with different articles/posts and they only have one blog.

I draw inspiration from almost anything. I get inspired by just living life and meeting people.

What would you prioritize? Content? SEO? Traffic? Or Readers?

Content, 'Cause with good content, every other thing can still be achieved.

Most people have a favorite/least favorite post. Name yours and why?

To be honest, I don't. When you have a lot of posts, it is hard to keep track of them.

Name some of the bloggers whom you look up to and why?

I love Stephanie Linus - www.stephaniedaily.com

I love how she is very consistent with sharing good content that are tailored to meeting people's everyday needs.

If someone was interested in blogging, what would be a few things you would suggest?

Find a niche, Network and never feel the need to compromise any part of you for the stats.

Thank you miss Janyl, it was nice having you on board :)
    

JanylBenyl is a public health specialist and a Nigerian blogger who focuses on lifestyle, Inspiration, information, fiction and fun.

Follow her @janylbenylshares.blogspot.com for more of those.

PS: please guys, visit Detuke at tukesquest and nominate her for Best New Blog, Best Lifestyle Blog and any other category you deem fit in the Nigerian Blog Awards, It won't take up to 5 minutes so please go fill in the nomination form, Thank you,

And enjoy the rest of the week. :D

just a call: THE IRONY OF LIFE!!!

It was one of those days when everything seemed to have been working against me.

First, it was stomach cramps from hell during the day, then the stress of having to go to the bank, only to discover that my bank statement wasn't really in favour of me, then having to go home to a pile of huge boxes and cartons of stuff waiting to be off loaded and organized. As if that wasn't enough, the people I was hoping to get home to (for consolation), had decided church camp was going to be home for them for the next 3 days. They had dashed off for a church program and had left me all by myself. What's a girl to do?

I was home alone with my worries, so I thought it was best to just get busy. Prior to this time (9pm), my phone was really busy. I had been receiving a lot of calls from mama, aunty, brothers, friends and colleagues but as soon as I decided to get busy, 'Sorry' was my name. I slipped in the process of lifting up a box and got injured on my left eye (I'm presently writing with a red eye even as I am short sighted lol). As if that wasn't enough, my phone had fallen so hard that I thought "this is the end". Luckily for me, it still had its parts intact but I was unable to do anything with it. The keypad had gone haywire and I couldn't even unlock the phone not to talk of texting or dialing any number. I had held in a lot for that day and I couldn't take it anymore. I needed to talk to someone but there was no way I could call.

I sobbed and sobbed waiting for mama's call, waiting for friends' and siblings', waiting to pour out the pain and worries I felt at that time. They had been calling all day (checking up), but no one did at that particular moment I really needed to rant. I stared at my phone like a kid anxiously waiting to see what present mum got him but nothing came in. Just as I was about to switch of the phone entirely, and find solace in my bed and with my pillow, a call came in and it read Duru Adolphus Jnr. (Can't thank you enough dear). He stayed the whole time just listening, after which he gave me some words that finally sent me to sleep.

Isn't it funny how life can be Ironic sometimes? Isn't it funny how the people we least expect to be there for us when in need are the ones that surprisingly show up? This might seem very small or even irrelevant but its the very little things that count the most.

One thing I have noticed in life is that when all is rosy and smooth, everyone is by your side, walking it with you but when the thorns reveal themselves, only a few if not none, would be present. The funny thing is that most times, it is often always unintentional from those we expect to be there for us and are not. If you could be at the other side, you would find that they think you are fine and at that 'Critical point' when you need them, they are probably occupied or even going through the same thing as you, seeking for an ear to listen. But I guess that's the irony of life.

Picture this: while my phone was marred and I needed someone to talk to, I had none but one (one I had just met 3 weeks ago on blogsville not even in person). But the minute I was fine, fixed my phone and left it charging for an hour the next day, I got back to 5 missed calls from 5 different people I had known for years lol. So tell me! How ironic can it get?

Enjoy the rest of your week.. :D              

SHINE LIKE GOLD by OLAEDO!!!

Hey lovelies

Happy weekend. I hope you all had a good week cuz I dint. Well, not deeply, but for the most part. This week was one hell of a stressful one for me. I was more or less juggling work and relocation and it wasn't even sexy at all cuz I was a bit disorganised but we thank God for the weekend. At least, I could get myself more organised and also rest as much as I can, even though I may never really get enough sleep to make up for the stress. Also, I've been hearing this postponement bants concerning the elections and its not really pleasant to my ears or what do you guys think? February 14th or nah?

Anyways, while you think about that, let me introduce you to a special lady, one I love so much, filled with dignity and principles, a lady of substance and virtue, a friend, a sister, a support system on its own, a comforter, a source of inspiration, a beautiful soul, a gifted mind, a writer and a Singer: Miss Olaedo.

Ola was one of the first girls I met 8 years ago and thought to my self "oh wow! she must be a barbie". She was so cute and cuddly at first sight. Though, she was a bit shy and quiet. I still remember what she wore on the very first day to school: A white tank top with a cute yellow half jacket/hoodie over it, a white three quarter pants and what I called the "rope-rope sandals" lol. Trust me when I say she was really cute. What really drew me to her was her heart. She was so kind hearted and down to earth + she was one person I could really relate with on a personal level. We were very alike and similar (character wise), + we shared a lot together: our dreams and aspirations, our likes and dislikes our family bants, our foods, money, lip glosses and many more. What marvelled me the most about this young lady was her VOICE. It was BEAUTIFUL just like her. I never knew about her gift until one very day when she was called out to the front of the class by one of our teachers (after we were caught gisting while lectures was on I think), and was asked to sing to the class as her punishment (knowing she was the shy type)lol. It turned out we begged for her punishment to be prolonged. Her voice was AMAZING!! (I still can't get enough of it) . And you know the funny part? The sang song was actually amazing grace.

To cut the long story short, Ola has decided to take on her singing career after several backs and forth and I am super excited about it..Woop! Woop!. Her first album (soon to be released), is titled "Shine like gold" and its basically about life and our day-to-day living. It focuses on purity in all areas of our lives and encourages us to be patient while being refined, defined and burnt cuz in the end, we'll definitely shine like gold.

Please visit her Facebook page here  and give your likes. Also look out for her first music video which would be coming out real soon. And don't worry, I'll keep you guys updated.

Before I end this post, I would like to say Tuface was right when he said we are all gifted and unique in our different ways. You know some times, we feel we have nothing to give to the world or nothing to offer, we feel like our gifts and talents aren't good enough to be used, more worse, we feel like we're just out to exist and enjoy other peoples talents rather than have them enjoy ours. I have felt exactly the same way myself. But one thing I have realized is that; for every man God created, he gave a talent. Sometimes, they are apparent and accessible. Other times, they are cloaked and you have to reach deep, find them and develop them. What ever the case, you have it in you. So, Search deep within today and make good use of your gifts cuz that's why your daddy gave them to you.


Enjoy the rest of your weekend..:)

15 for 15 challenge_ Introductory post

Hey guys,

How has your week been so far? Mine has been pretty slow and I just don't know why.

Something really funny happened to me yesterday. Okay so it was one of my cab hopping days and I had taken a cab after work to go see a friend at a lounge, who briefly came in from Lagos and needed to be out of Abj the following day. Before that, I had told my mum and aunt I was going to be home late, as a colleague had offered to drop me home, but it was going to be a bit later than the normal time. Only for me to stand by the road side, waiting for a cab(after briefly seeing my friend), and BAM! my aunt pulls over in her car.....The rest of the story is for the gods lol. Morals: Always say the truth at all times even if a NO! is all you"ll keep getting.

Okay so I was introduced to Janyl Benyl’s 15 for 15 blogging challenge by one of my favorite bloggers Duru, who won the previous 14 for 14 challenge and thought it'll be nice for me to participate in the 15 for 15 challenge.

This challenge entails each blogger to put up fifteen posts on a theme not currently covered by his/her blog. Now I was quite skeptical about joining but then it clicked. I am actually on a 15 for 15 personal challenge myself lol. I decided to start my 2015 monthly challenge where I have to give up something for each month like in this post, or try out something I think I actually can't do, basically just to learn more about myself and develop my will power if that makes sense. So this is a good opportunity for me as well, cuz its a challenge and I am challenging myself to see if I can not just start, but keep up till the end. The theme I have decided to use is more or less An Interview where I basically meet certain people, choose a topic and share their opinions on each topic.

Yeah! So that's about it guys

Enjoy the rest of the week. :)

COPING WITH FEMALE COLLEAGUES!!!!

Hey guys,

So I have been working for quite some time now, and when I mean working, I mean in a real professional work field, where life basically gets real lol. Being that I work with a construction company, my coworkers are overwhelmingly male. So overwhelmingly male, that in fact, I am only one of three women in my department for now.

Le collègues

As we all know, there are certain stereotypes that have been associated with women in our society, especially in the work field. I for one, have always bought into the "its better to work with men" stereotype, probably because, for the most part of my life, I've lived with women, schooled with them, worked with them (in terms of group projects, event planning and activities), chilled with them, and I tell you, those moments haven't been easy movements at all lol. Often times, I get the opportunity to speak with quite a number of employees at different organizations, and a common phrase I hear is "I really don't like working for women". What is it about us tho? A friend of mine once said "Where two or three women are gathered, there's bound to be commotion" lol do you guys agree? What do you think about working with women?

To be very honest, I think there are different expectations and perceptions about women at work than there are of men because narrow gender stereotyping has defined the way we should behave. It is no doubt that women can be quite complicated, competitive, bitchy, aggressive and envious of each other, hence, I find that, with working with women, one has to be very careful with what they say or do which makes work days so boring lol. Men on the other hand, are more free spirited and a lot easy going. They tend to take things less personal and they have a better ability to endure and tolerate certain attitudes. Though, Ego is a major issue for them and they Indulge in bickering and petty gossips too. But this isn't another article explaining how biological or economical differences between men and women account for difference in behavior.

The aim of this post is basically to point out ways we can cope with colleagues cuz workplace conflicts are almost inevitable, especially in large offices. Personality differences and different approaches to communication and work style are bound to occasionally create friction, even in a generally happy and productive office environment. That said, it is important to prevent minor personality differences from getting in the way of your work, so it is a good idea to be proactive in preventing office tiffs and also to resolve quickly any tension that does come up.

Here are a few ways I cope with my female colleagues.

TAKE YOUR JOB SERIOUSLY:

Regardless of your position, do your job with joy and reduce complaints. This would enhance your productivity and make every other person's job a lot easier for them. Complaining and nagging about everything, reduces your morale and can lead to a display of moody attitude, which might in turn, affect the moods of other colleagues and can lead to a poor team work or create unnecessary conflicts. Ensure that your colleagues understand that you know your job and are happy doing it.

RESPECT YOUR COLLEAGUES

Respect is one of the most crucial things, not just at work but in general. It is the foundation of all good relationships, including those you have with your colleagues and boss. Women love to be respected even by their bosses and a constant act of disrespect from a colleague can make the other party feel challenged and that might lead to unnecessary arguments or competition. So, no matter the situation, always give respect to whom it is due. Respect is reciprocal.

STUDY YOUR COLLEAGUES

Studying your colleagues is one of the easiest ways to get along with them. Know their likes and dislikes, observe their body languages, their senses of humor, know when to joke and when not to, know the kind of jokes to crack, know when they are being serious about an issue and when they are just fooling around, basically know your boundaries and keep to your lane. These would help in your connection, flow and work relationship with them.

BE YOURSELF

I know this can be arguable but being yourself pays off. Don't try so hard to impress or outshine your colleagues or put other women down to get ahead. Doing so is being complicit in the patriarchy, and inevitably forcing women to stay in their place.
Rather, stay humble and Let your work speak for itself.

AVOID GOSSIPS

The line between friendly conversations with colleagues and gossip can be fine, but take the high road whenever possible. Even legitimate criticism of a colleague can come across as gossip, so in general, it is best to avoid commenting on people who are not participating in the conversation.

NOT ALL THE TIME YOU IGNORE.

Deal with Issues before they get worse, It definitely helps in getting along well at an office. Most of the time, when you just try to ignore a problem, it gets worse. So, don't let problems fester. No need to make a big deal of trying to get resolution on every little issue, but don't ignore a problem that hurts your work performance in any way. Try to resolve the issue with as little fuss as possible, but don't hesitate to take matters up with your supervisor as necessary.

GIVE COMPLIMENTS

Not all the time you find faults. Compliment your female colleagues once in a while it helps them feel good about themselves and generates more enthusiasm towards work. It also eases off tensions in the air if there are any and creates a peaceful environment for a better work outcome.

DON'T BUDDY UP TOO MUCH

There is absolutely nothing wrong with our tendencies and desire to be close to and share with one another but try not to buddy up too much. The BFF tendency that none of us can deny having, is a drawback in the workplace because it makes you look less independent and therefore less capable + it gives room for subtle disrespect.

BE DEPENDABLE

Being dependable means you can be trusted and people can have confidence in you. Next time a colleague tells you something in good faith, keep it to yourself. There is nothing worse than a tell-tale.

USE THE CALM APPROACH

Learn to always exercise self control (still struggling with this tho). Do not respond to situations nastily, regardless of the circumstances. By remaining professional and calm, you show that you have the maturity to handle awkward situations, which is a quality that people will admire in you. Being calm and collected is all about showing that you have got it together, (whether you actually do or not) and that is something that everyone wants.

Yeah! So I think with these and a few more tips (which I hope you can add), working with women might not be that difficult after all. I think its just basically about accommodation and adaptation (finding the best ways to accommodate and adapt) into any given environment, professional fields, lifestyles and personality differences or what do you think?

Have a nice week :)

A CLOSER LOOK!!!

One of my favorite things to do is STARE, not just at cute little kids, but at the lady in the mirror.

I love mirrors, not because I'm vain but because they are just really nice to look at lol Its one of the major things you can never miss going through my handbag and if by mistake you do, be sure to use the inner side of my wallet.

Okay so each time I'm done prepn and dressing up for work, I love to step back and evaluate myself, my outfit, my hair and makeup.

When that is done, I don't usually see any warts or pitfalls. I see an immaculate, Impeccable, flawless figure. Now when I move closer or take a closer look, I begin to see different things. I see blemishes, defects, spots, stains, specks, vices, pimples, bumps errant wiry hairs, eye bags and all sorts. The closer I get, the more detailed they become. Its just like staring at a magnified view of your face with a magnifying mirror, and then noticing all the crevasse-like wrinkles, Mt Vesuvius zits and acne within your semblance (which you normally wouldn't see using a normal mirror), then you begin to think "Time to wear sunscreen daily and cut down on the potato chips. Oh, and put better tweezers on the shopping list.."

With respect to life, we don't really see some over arching failures or anything close when we objectively step back and look at our lives from a distance because they appear beautiful from afar and we hate to see all the flops and flaws of it. We feel that people don't look at us with magnifying mirrors/glasses and so, we shouldn't look at our selves with those. But one thing I've realized is that; though it's great to always look at the beautiful and bigger picture, but regular, close, short looks into life are healthy, desirable even. A lot of times, we get so carried away with living send-less-ly, that we forget to do some self reflections once in a while. We neglect those short looks into life forgetting that It is in those moments that we see what is working and what isn't. It is also In those glances that we see the diversionary tactics that keep us from growing mentally, spiritually, emotionally, writing bigger projects, taking on greater tasks, fulfilling our purposes and achieving our dreams. I have noticed that those short looks into life help me reorder priorities if needed and remind me of what is important and what isn’t. The longer looks however, take my breath away and can reduce me to consternation and tears.

So, attention to detail is good, but obsession about detail is not. Its okay to stare at your flaws, pitfalls, warts and spots once in a while but staring at them for too long isn't healthy. With a bit of attention, I can notice my mistakes in my life, my career part/choice, my relationships, and can reflect on what part of my struggles I could focus more on dealing with. But with too long of a look, it leads to different harmful emotions like depression, comparison, insecurity, low self esteem and all sorts. It can basically shift from constructive self-criticism to scathing self-loathing in a few blinks and that isn't healthy at all.

So guys, as much as we all love to see the beautiful picture, let's not forget the ugly ones or neglect our flaws and imperfections cuz it is in embracing those flaws and imperfections that they become our super powers. But at the same time, let's not dwell too much on them.

Have a wonderful weekend :)

A MONTH WITHOUT COFFEE!!!

Hey guys,

What's the weekend been saying? Mine's been saying rest well cuz you just might have a busy week ahead. Work resumes on monday guys and I'm still struggling to switch modes (can you imagine) how sad can that get? I mean, I've managed to get my things together and ready but my mind seems to be taking its time in Utopia. Sigh! May God help me.

So one of the things I decided to do this year was to experiment on myself. Let's just say its my year of "living without" if that makes sense. A common belief would be that, there are certain things in life that we do or we have and we think we can't actually do without or live without doing. There are certain ways we act that we feel we're so used to, that we can't actually change them. But, I believe that the mind is most times, controlled by certain urges and desires which with conscious efforts, can be controlled or resisted.

As with all experiments, the aim of this, is to help learn more about myself, my urges and desires and to actually see if I can control or resist them. Hence, my 2015 monthly experiment. I have a list of things I would love to experiment on this year and I would be noting and sharing my observations, results and lessons learnt if any, by the end of each. So you might want to look out for those.

The first on my list of "A month without" would be Coffee!.

My love for coffee began with Cappuccino.

I was never a fan of coffee or beverages in general, even while I was in the cold England for 4 years. I had a thing against them for a while and I felt they were mostly for old people. But at some point during one of those serious winter periods, I was forced to make hot drinks my buddies and then, I went with hot chocolate. Hot chocolate was all I took for the better part of my stay in the UK until someday, I met up with a course mate Irine, at a local starbucks and she asked if I had ever had Cappuccino. I shook my head in the negative direction and her response was to purchase one for me regardless of my uninterested appearance. When I received the steamed milk espresso flavored drink, I was skeptical to say the least. It had coffee in it and to me, coffee was nasty no matter how you dressed it up (tho I liked the smell of it) but then, I took my first sip and realized I had made a grave mistake. The best part of it was the milky taste and the mustache of milk forth that adhered to my upper lip. This was not the nasty black drip drink I had seen most old people take. This was a sweet deliciousness lol. I decided to have it in place of hot chocolate each time I felt like having a hot drink and since then, I have loved it. Now let's go back to naij.

Working with Americans and now Germans, has made taking coffee (not just cappuccino), a major part of my morning routine. It is like my breakfast drink. Working at my place of work is like working at a coffee shop. Everyone takes it even the products we produce lol..I don't have to wake up to smell the coffee tbh, I smell it from the deepest part of my sleep. Its basically everywhere and it smells like freshly ground heaven to me. To make matters worse, a major part of my Job description is to serve highly esteemed clients tea or coffee of all types (as part of our customer service bants) which basically makes me in charge of the coffee maker and that means free and easy access to coffee and more coffee.  

Last year, I felt taking coffee was becoming quite habitual as I had not only been taking them in the mornings each time I got to work, but at night most times before I slept (Cappuccino or Latti in the mornings and Nescafe at night). So you see! I feel like I have become a total coffee freak. Its like an urge and I find it hard to resist especially when I get to work every morning and perceive that beans, which is why I've decided to go a month without it and see if It's doable for that long. I really do hope I can pull it through though cuz that coffee shop is where I would be stationed for the better part of the year. Wish me luck guys lol.

ERRAND BOY ABUJA!!!

Hey guys,

Being that the holidays are now over and everyone's back to base, I guess the response to "how has your week been so far?" Would be "busy" if not "very busy" cuz I know with the new year comes, new jobs, new positions, new homes, new routines, more activities, more events, more travels, more demands, more shopping, more errands and more responsibilities.

Having listed all these, I know some common problems we might be faced with in our busy lives would be; having to be at two places at the same time, hungry but cannot leave the office, having to book flights at discounted rates, wanting to shop but having no time to, wanting to plan an event on short notice or pick up the laundry from the dry cleaning and many other errands, which is why Errand boy Abuja is out to take on all tasks and numerous errands living you light and free from tedeous gig. I'm pretty sure most people based in Abuja may have heard about it.

It was initiated by two of my friends, Peace and Tony and has been in existence for the past 9 months.

Peace and Tony

The team

They are an organization specialized in rendering peerless and various services ranging from food delivery services, to laundry services, courier services cleaning services, shopping and delivery services, booking services (hotels, ticket booking and reservations), and other possible errands. They respond to the needs of busy professionals all over Abuja and have earned a network of contacts throughout the hospitality industry with their large clientele database.

Food delivery services

A client's house

The team at work

Home cleaning services

They also assist in looking for affordable airline tickets (for those who might want to be traveling this year), planning events and basically taking charge of your list of tasks and completing them one by one.

So guys, make life easier this year by reaching out to Errand boy Abuja if you havnt already done that and enjoy the weight that gets lifted off your back.

You can call them on 08111173668,
 visit their website @ http://www.errandb.com/
Email: support@errandb.com
Follow on Twitter: @errandAbuja and
Instgram @Errandboyabuja.

Enjoy the rest of the week :)

40 THINGS MAMA TAUGHT ME AND 8 THINGS I LOVE ABOUT HER!!! :D

Hey darlings.

What's gwanning? How has 2015 been so far? I guess reality came back too fast. Anyone resumed work yet? I need to really tap into some inspiration here cuz I'm not about that work life just yet. The transition from holiday mode to work mode is rather too apathetic and saddening please help a sister with some ginger, I promise, it'll be much appreciated thank you :D.

So my mum turned 38 48 three days ago, *rings the bell* too bad I'm putting this up late but like I always say, its better late than never.

My queen.

A few days to her birthday, I wondered what I could do differently as I always buy gifts which contribute to her excess stuff that eventually gets reclaimed by me in the end. I wanted something more simple, creative and thoughtful. So, I decided to make her breakfast in bed, got her a little cake and wrote her a poem. In addition to those, I thought it'll be nice to say a few things I love about her and share some wonderful lessons she's taught me in her 48 years on earth. Hence, I came up with 40 things mama taught me and 8 things I love about her. So here it goes.

   40 THINGS MAMA TAUGHT ME

1) You are never too old to need your mum. You'll always be that little child to her

2) You are never too old to be corrected and cautioned when you're wrong

3) Never depend on a man but don't be too independent as a woman

4) There is extra strength in every woman, you just have to reach deep and find it

5) Hope for the best, plan for the worst

6) save for the rainy day

7) Always look good to everywhere. You never know where you might find Mr Right

8) Don't attempt to blend, strive to stand out

9) Take care of your body you only have one.

10) Its better to be over dressed than under dressed

11) Never let your guard down

12) Think highly of yourself

13) If you want something done well, do it yourself

14) Money isn't plucked from trees

15) You have to be a fool to be wise

16) In all things, apply wisdom

17) Always wear a clean underwear you never know when you might get in an accident

18) It is important to make your kids your best friend

19) Anything worth doing is worth doing well

20) Fashion/style is important but let it be decent and God appealing

21) Chest out/stand properly else, you'll end up with a bad posture

22) Shuffling your feet as a lady is unattractive

23) Treat others the way you want to be treated

24) See the good in people

25) Know which battles are worth fighting

26) Pursue your dreams

27) Be flexible with your choices

28) Accept what you cannot change and move on

29) Obedience is better than sacrifices

30) Marriage is not a race. When your time comes it comes

31) Be strong during the storm cuz it'll definitely come

32) Never worship a man except he's your husband

33) No one is born a great cook, one learns by cooking.

34) Multitasking is not an option

35) Cleanliness is next to Godliness

36) Don't pile dishes, wash them as your cooking. It saves you time and leaves no room for laziness.

37) Don't be too open with your life, not everyone you share your tales with are true. Choose your friends wisely.

38) Be able to take blame when you're wrong

39) Don't always ask for credit when you do something right.

40) Prayer is always the key.

         8 Things I love about her

1) I love that she's wise and tough

2) I love that she's a hard worker

3) I love that she always goes out of her way to make her loved ones happy even if it means sacrificing her happiness

4) I love the way she's worked so hard to see my brothers and I come this far

5) I love that its so hard to get mad at her even when she tries so hard to get on your nerves..she's too cute like that.

6) I love that she raised us in the fear of God and never for once did she spare that rod

7) I love that she once referred to "pissed off" as "pissed up" and "what's app" as "what's up" lol

8) I love that she's my number 1 and biggest fan, my mentor, my confidant, my hero, my role model, my turn-to person when my world comes crushing down, the first person I call when things are going great, the list is endless.

I am so blessed to have this woman in my life. I've probably said this before - you are my queen, my angel on earth. Thank you for always always being there when no one else was, thank you for loving me and making my happiness your priority. I treasure you, mother, and I love you more than life itself. You are a WOMAN and A HALF, very brave and strong. You are an Amazing soul, ever ready to sacrifice everything for those you love, always open to different opinions, so compassionate and kind. You have always taught and led by example. I hope and pray you break 100 with good health and a strong mind. There will never be a day when I wont need you. I am here for you too.

Happy happy birthday mum. You sure make the world  better place.

Love you always. 

THE DUSTER!!!

Happy new year my darlings, I'm glad we made it!.

Shout out to my new year babies: Mummy and Ebuski! Nothing ever makes life so special than having friends and family like you. I am really thankful for your lives and I am glad to be a part of it. May the goodness and blessings of the lord never depart from you now and always. Amen!

Now to the koko of this post.

As usual, I spent most of my weekends dusting and cleaning, as it has always been a normal tradition in my home. Most times however, regardless of what day it was, I would normally clean for two reasons: (1) Cos I really needed to, and (2) Cos I was expecting someone or prepn, just in case someone came over. (eye-service yeah?) Well, you can say that again...lol.

Being that I don't live in a beautiful mansion where it automatically feels warm and salubrious, especially when I love to make my guests feel super comfy and at home, I love to dust and make sure the house is in perfect shape even when there's really nothing to fix or dust.

I would sometimes even refresh the air with a freshener, prepare some movies or play some background music, get some drinks or snacks ready, turn on the Ac's or dim some lights a little, all to create a cosy comfortable environment.

Sometimes, when I get caught off guard by my guests, I find myself trying to explain the condition of my home whereas, all they are actually really interested in, is the state of myself, my health, my life and my well-being in general. I realized I had been focusing on making my home more attractive and appealing when in fact, all that really mattered, was me!.

This is how life is. A lot of us are like dusters. We pay a lot of attention to the state of our bodies with good intentions of making it more attractive and appealing to our friends and society. We spend a heck lot of time, energy and money,making sure we appear impeccable on the outside by adorning our bodies with beautiful decorations, expensive cosmetics, costly jewelry, sweet smelling fragrance, designer clothes, multiple arbs, piercings, tatoos and all sorts, forgetting that what really matters is within (our souls).

This is not to say that beautifying the body is wrong (cause really, it isn't!) but the question is: Do we spend enough time beautifying the inside as we do outside? Do we try so hard to look beyond our flesh and adorn our souls or are we just out to impress and attract the world? Do we spend much time dusting and cleaning when in fact, we can be drawing, exploring, painting, learning, baking, coaching, leading, soaring, helping and sowing seeds? What do you think?

Of what use is life when all we are, are dusters trying to create an appealing image to the world, then when we are old and can no longer bare a cold, we ourselves will molder and make more dust.

Live life, it's pretty short. There's no much time with fun to have, music to dance, mountains to climb, rides to ride, rivers to swim, books to read, love to share, laughter to make, hearts to touch, lives to change, kindness to sow, mouths to feed and hands to hold.

Dust if you must but don't forget the soul that dwells within your dust.      
    
Have a beautiful weekend ahead. :)