BUILDING YOURSELF FOR GREATNESS

Friday, October 25, 2013

Hi lovelies, I trust you all had a great week. It's been a while I wrote a success-inspirational article and today I'm going to share with you on a topic I've been meditating on for a very long time from my pastor's message - Building Yourself for Greatness. 

Success is NOT an accident and anybody can be a success but you have to prepare for it because the future belongs to those who prepare for it. We all have dreams and goals, but it's not enough to be a dreamer because there are lots of dreamers who never achieved their dreams. It's good to dream, but don't get lost in the dream; get up and make it happen. Life has made provisions for everyone to achieve their dreams if you follow the right principles. Never blame anybody for failure cos it's just NOT an option for you. Make up your mind to be a key player not a spectator; don't live on the sidewalks...be the one to make things happen. 

Some people want it to happen

Some wish it could happen

Others make it happen

-Michael Jordan-

We all have a seed of greatness deposited inside of us from the point of conception; what you do with that seed is up to you - whether to grow it into greatness or to let it lie

dormant inside you while you blame everyone for your situation. Explore your mind and bring out the best in you; there's more to your life than you can ever imagine cos you were destined for greatness. There are few tings you need to do to prepare and build yourself for greatness; these are:

1. Cultivate a discontent with mundanity and mediocrity in your life: Refuse to be satisfied with anything that is not excellent (it doesn't make you an extremist, it just makes you someone of excellence).  Never mind critics - they are only spectators who sit on the sidewalks and watch the players; they will definitely talk about you and say things to pull you down. Please pay them no attention and no matter what you do, BE THE BEST.
2. Drive yourself to improve your mind and abilities: Seek ways to improve yourself; come out of your comfort zone and do things differently. Sometimes you have to stretch yourself beyond your limits; if you have decided to be the best then you have to work towards it and make a decision to keep doing it until you become the best. Cultivate/sharpen/harness your skills, invest in your mind-start reading the right materials - do things differently. Make sacrifices if the need be and run with the right crowd. To live a positive life, you need to surround yourself with positive people.
3. The "unseen you" is the one to make you a success - train that man/woman: The real you is the inner man where your thoughts are processed  and this is where your greatness lies so don't let that "you" be intimidated no matter what. You may have grown up in an environment where you were ridiculed, mocked and as a result you never thought you could become great. Truth is, it doesn't matter what happened in your past - if your past does not inspire you; drop it and focus on creating a beautiful future ahead. Reprogram your mind and thinking from that shy, quiet, timid young boy/girl to a bold, strong and courageous man/woman.
4.  Don't let the memory of the past stop you: If your past does not inspire you, dump it. If you feel terrible, cry or have regrets anytime you remember your past, let it go cos it's not good enough for your future. Don't be a slave to your past - focus on what lies ahead. 
5. Don't let anything stop you: Your journey to greatness will bring you to many obstacles/roadblocks but don't let them stop you. If you ever encounter a road without obstacles, it's probably cos it's leading nowhere. A road that leads to greatness will have some walls to challenge you; this will test and try you. It could come in different forms - negative words from critics, you may fail the first time, betrayal, etc. However it comes, don't let it get to you - fight the fight of faith and keep trying. If you fail seven times, rise up eight times and keep at it.

Obstacles don't have to stop you. 

If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it or work through it - Michael Jordan

I see greatness in you, wake up and run with your dreams till you achieve your desired goal. Have a great weekend

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WHEN GIVING UP IS NOT AN OPTION

Friday, October 4, 2013

It was 4:05 pm when my manager came to my desk; he looked at me and said "well-done Lynda, you've done your best and we (the team) can all see from the excel spreadsheet that you've really put in effort in trying to hit your target this week". He continued by saying, "I'm happy with what you've done, thank you for this week's achievement, I'm sure next week will be better". While he was speaking, my head was down and I was just not happy at all cos I always meet target and last week my team produced the highest result in our division; I felt really bad that I would let the team down this week. After my manager spoke I tilted my head upwards to look at him and I was surprised to see him still smiling, encouraging me not to feel bad about meeting my target. At this moment, ladies and gentlemen... I felt I had disappointed him. The day was almost over and I had two options, give up on meeting my targets (after all I have always met target & exceeded some times) or keep trying to get a workable case and help the team achieve our goal for the week. I was on the verge of going with the first option, but I remembered the look my manager had on his face when he looked at the scores - I went back into the pool and started fishing for cases. Have you ever said you've done your best and someone says your best isn't good enough? I told myself that I have tried but, at this point this best isn't good enough; I made up my mind to keep searching and updating the spreadsheet until it was 5pm, so giving up was just not an option for me. I was going to fight till the end.

During the early hours of the day I had whined, grumbled, moaned, complained cos my eyes were aching from non-stop staring into the computer screen. I actually forgot to have lunch so you can imagine a hungry stomach, aching eyes, head and no cases to work. At exactly 4:12, I miraculously stumbled unto a workable case...at first I didn't want to jinx it so I just told my manager I think I may have found one. I stressed the "MAY HAVE" so it doesn't end up like the other two I rejoiced about but still found out couldn't be completed. But guess what? This one was workable and so sweet mehhnnn....Now I began to smile from ear to ear but there was one more huddle to cross. Can I assess this case and finish it before 5pm??? It could take up to an hour to work a single case, different steps/processes to follow, spotting relevant information, making sure they're absolutely accurate, extra attention to details etc. How on earth was I going to get this done in less than 30 mins? At this point, I just want to shout it loud and clear that "I HAVE THE BEST TEAM-MATES EVER"...I love my team - A good manager makes a good team. Thanks Nick

You know how you add "a good team player" as one of the skills on your CV, this was exemplified and perfectly played out today. I was so amazed...Kristina split the checks into two bits and started doing some work on it wile I checked the second part; after that she printed out the main information I needed to complete my assessment to speed up the process. In no time, I was through with the assessment and Liz came to the rescue with her great quality/house style checks. After that, Kristina was already standing by the printer waiting for my documents to come out, she stapled it quickly and I signed the documents - Yayyy, case completed!!!

This post is not just another story but I'll point out some very important things:

• When you get to the point of giving up and it is evident to everyone that you have really tried your best - please don't give up. Just one last try...you never know what happens... you may be one step to hitting jackpot. Success doesn't come to those who never failed but to those who failed so many times and never gave up. Even when you think you've done your best - Just keep at it till you get a result.
  
  
  
• Appreciate the people around you - God places people around you for your good so no matter what happens - stick together in love. They may annoy you, get on your nerves but we need them to spice up our lives. Life will be boring if we all acted the same, so be grateful for having them. If I haven't said it before(I've definitely said it) - I love you Y103 team.

• Be a team player - no man is an island. The acronym TEAM means Together Each Achieve More. I had my team in mind and I wanted the team target to be achieved so I kept on trying and when I found what I needed, they came through and we all worked together.

• Leadership - A good leader is one who brings out the best in the people he/she is leading. As a leader, constant motivation and encouragement helps to bring out the best in your followers; your attitude and actions towards them could lift them up or push them down. Even when I had performed below expectation, my manager still said "thank you" and told me I was doing a great job. Appreciate and speak positive words to the people you lead despite their shortcomings; you may have someone who's slow in your team, don't tell them how slow and backwards they are. Instead say words like - I know you can do it, give it your best shot and if you ever need help on anything,  you can come to me. Words have motivating effect on people and the more you speak positive words to that person, gradually they change and become better. To know a good leader, check his followers, from my story I guess you already know what kind of leader I have - The best of the best. 

• For more inspiration on not giving up, read my article titled - QUITTING IS NOT AN OPTION HERE.

A big shout out to my team members Nick (manager), Hitesh, Ben, Liz, Kristina, Martin, Trushen, Suganya, Rumayna, Giash, and Jihat. Thanks for being so sweeeeet and creating a lovely ambience, happy work environment and for filling the goodie box with lots of chocolate, crisps, biscuits, candy lolll.

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WHO ARE YOU TRYING TO IMPRESS?

Sunday, September 22, 2013

It's sad that many people do not know the quality, greatness, uniqueness with which they are made. They constantly find themselves needing appraisal and confirmation from others to make them feel good or think they are good enough. It's more annoying that they feel less about themselves cos they're trying to measure up to someone's idea of who they are supposed to be. They try to make themselves good enough to be loved, appreciated or accepted by someone else. WHY? WHY? WHY?

Do you really know who you are? Do you know how beautiful you are? Do you know how valuable you are? You're exceptionally BEAUTIFUL and never let anyone tell you otherwise. Don't try to impress someone by depressing yourself...you're AMAZING, JUST THE WAY YOU ARE.

PRESS PLAY on the video below, I have a message for you.

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VOLUNTEER NIGERIA INITIATIVE - Debbie Bolanle Motilewa inspires Nigerian youths to make an impact

Saturday, August 31, 2013

I met Debbie for the first time in February 2012, in Aberdeen, Scotland when I went for a friend's brithday.  A vibrant and pretty young lady with many talents. Beneath the pretty face and gorgeous looks is a strong woman with a passion to make a positive impact in her environment and country at large. Debbie recently started an initiative called VOLUNTEER NIGERIA to inspire youths to come together to help charity organisations. Debbie contacted LynnVille about this initiative and being so inspired by her works, it was a pleasure to have an in-depth discussion with Debbie about this and her passion to embark on this mission.

Hi Debbie, can you give us a brief info about yourself?

My name is Deborah Bolanle Motilewa, I turned 21 on the 19th of June 2013. My dad is from Kogi State, my mum is from Anambra state. I was born in Jos, Plateau state, later moved to Lagos with my parents. I attended Chrisland Primary School Ikeja, and Chrisland College Idimu. I have a BA(hons) in Accounting and Finance from Dublin Business School, Ireland (2011) and an MSC(Econs) International Business, Energy and Petroleum from the University of Aberdeen, UK (2012). I am currently doing my NYSC in Abuja in an Electrical Engineering and Supply firm (Trust NYSC to post a Petroleum Economist to an Electrical Engineering Firm).

Thanks for that brief info. So, what is Volunteer Nigeria?

Volunteer Nigeria is created to be a support to other existing charity organizations. It is aimed at bringing youths together once every three months to assist in a charity of our choice. Volunteer Nigeria creates public awareness to the spirit of volunteering. After talking to a few friends about the initiative, I realized most Nigerians do not have the spirit of volunteering. We were not brought up that way; I entered an orphanage for the first time the day I went to seek permission for Volunteer Nigeria. We have not been taught the need to give back, the need to volunteer. You know how a child lights up a place? How regardless of a child’s surrounding, he/she is ready to play once they find a playmate or play toy? I love kids; they are so innocent and mostly cute. I believe if most adults have the playfulness, joy and inner happiness of children, the world will definitely be a better place. It is my love for children that led me to dedicate a huge part of Volunteer Nigeria to orphanages.

What inspired you to start the initiative?

A week after moving back to Nigeria in January, I was having fun (the usual seeing friends you haven’t seen in years, long lost family members, trying out all the

Shawarma and Suya joints in Abuja). In February, I took a mini tour round Nigeria, I went to see friends in Lagos, my sister in Ile-Ife, extended family in Kogi State. I went to NYSC camp in March; made friends, participated in as many activities as I could. I was the secretary of my platoon. I started working in April, started having a routine (I don’t do so well with routines). And then I started feeling empty. I felt like I had done it all, like I was just living the normal “youth life” I wasn’t doing anything different. Deep down I knew I was better than that. I have always thrived to be different since as far back as I can remember. I always did that “little” extra thing. During my undergraduate studies in Dublin, I was a member of various charity organisations; I formed the dance society in my college (not like I can dance oo). My school was just lacking a dance society, and I took the task upon myself. When I went for my masters program, I taught myself to sew: watched numerous YouTube videos. Shout out to Tglashen, her YouTube videos ROCK. I participated in fashion shows. My clothing line “Debbie’s” was on three runway shows in Aberdeen. (Read about it on her blog HERE). I wrote short plays for magazines, blogs e.t.c. 

Lets just say I have always done something extra. I don’t feel comfortable doing the minimum. I can’t count how many businesses I started; I made homemade toothpaste and glitter lip-glosses in primary four and was selling it in my neighborhood. The moment I feel I am doing nothing, that empty feeling comes in. This time, I wasn't pushed to start a bus. iness; I was moved to be a better person, to develop something to help my immediate community. As they say, charity begins at home. I began having numerous discussions with like-minded friends, after most conversations I had with these friends, I always ended with “I don’t want to be stuck doing the minimum. I want to be someone’s mentor.” Three months into this thought process, Volunteer Nigeria came into being.

 You studied in UK for a while before returning to Nigeria for NYSC, what were your views about Nigeria before you left and now that you’re back?

Thank you. I had been out of Nigeria for about five years gaining two degrees, , I felt I had seen what “the white man had to offer me”. Coming back to Nigeria was to see the Nigerian economy from the eyes of a mature Debbie, I came back to test the waters, to compare countries. When I left Nigeria I was 16, I was under mummy and Daddy’s roof, I was in boarding school for most of my teenage years, and just like most Nigerian parents, I was hardly allowed to leave the house on school breaks. On returning back to Nigeria, it was a totally different scenario. Yes, I was still under mummy and daddy's roof but I was more sensitive to my surroundings, I had a salary and was expected to some extent be responsible for myself. At this point my eyes were open to the unruly behaviour of some of us Nigerians - the bad customer service, the uneducated professionals. I think nothing annoys me more than calling my phone data service provider (airtel) when my data is having issues, and hearing the girl/guy on the other end tell me stories over and over again, then finally saying “I’ll direct your issue to the technicians”.  Lo and behold my data is not fixed and I never hear back from the so-called technicians. I have come to understand that the issues with Nigeria do not lie with just the government or the people. It lies with the lawmakers. There is almost no incentive in abiding by the law, the only benefit is a clear conscience. People do what they want, how they want to and when they want to because there is no emphasis on right or wrong.

You’ve made quite a few observations about Nigeria. At your age you’re making a difference in your own little way, what advise will you give to other Nigerian youths/youths in diaspora?

 I haven’t made a difference YET. This to me is just the beginning. I am really just starting. In fact this is what you’ll call a prototype. My advice not just to Nigerians, not just to Nigerians in Diaspora, but to everyone is; don’t wait till you feel empty. Don’t wait till you feel the need to do more. Start doing more now. Don’t just live a basic life, volunteer in one way or the other; no volunteering is too small or too big. Look for a way of touching someone’s life. Aim to be a mentor. The question is when you depart, what shall you be remembered for?

Finally what should we be expecting from Volunteer Nigeria?

Volunteer Nigeria by God’s grace will cover all areas of charity. The first edition was aimed at kids in orphanages (Mother Theresa Orphanage in Abuja), the second edition although not concretely concluded will be aimed at kids in orphanages again. We hope to go into Woman empowerment next; we are looking at shelter homes for battered women, the woman empowerment program will cut across young girls in secondary schools. We are hoping to have a summer camp in Summer 2014 for teenage girls in secondary schools. It’ll be a fun filled summer for learning and creating the need to stand firm regardless of your sex. The summer camp program is going to be huge. I can feel it in my spirit. I am still working on the background, when I have everything well planned, you’ll be the first to know Lynda.

Great plans you've got, I will be most glad to know and be part of it. Thank you for sharing your passion and goals with LynnVille.

Thank you Lynda, the pleasure is mine and you’ll definitely hear more news. 

Below is a recap of the Volunteer Nigeria visit to Mother Theresa Orphanage, Gwarimpa, Abuja. They did not just visit, they held a party for the kids.

It was a great experience, the first I had engineered, I basically learnt a lot from the experience, the kids had so much fun, we started the day with face painting

Then moved to dance, dance, dance

then games, we had different games in line for the kids; Simon says, musical chairs amongst others.

After that the kids had to have their lunch, so the adults took over the game floor; a short game of musical chairs brought out the children in us. It felt so good to play musical chairs after about ten years of not playing it.

We later moved on to drawing; cardboards, pencils and crayons were provided to see the artistic side of the kids. They were asked to draw Barney, well I must say I saw different representations of Barney.

There was a "mummy/daddy dance for me" competition, were the kids picked adults to dance for them in a bid to win one of our many prizes.

The afternoon ended with a raffle draw for a chance to win two golf sets, which were to be donated to the orphanage. The turnout was quite satisfying. There was a total of 32 guests, which I think is a great number, considering it was the first edition. 

Debbie with the kids

There were loads of donations, and everyone definitely looked happy; both the kids and adults. The best part of the day was knowing that the visit to the orphanage that day was the first visit to any orphanage by about 10 of the invited guests. Which is one of the aims of the program: creating the spirit of volunteering in the hearts of youths.

From the pictures, it is obvious that both kids and adults had fun. Giving back to our community is very imperative but rare especially in this age and time where most people stretch out their hands to “oga, anything for the boys”. We should have the attitude of doing something without expecting money in return; something that will make a positive impact in someone’s life. This time it will be “oga, something from the boys”. 

Anyone can be a part of the November edition of Volunteer Nigeria by:     

• Creating Awareness: tell people you know to tell people they know to tell people the people they know, know about the initiative; newspapers, blogs, magazines, radio, tv, etc.
• Be present in Abuja for the November edition

Debbie blogs at - http://deborahmotilewa.blogspot.co.uk/

For more pictures of the event, visit the Voluteer Nigeria Initiative Facebook page  https://www.facebook.com/VolunteerNigeriaInitiative

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TAKE A LEAP OF FAITH AND GROW YOUR WINGS ON THE WAY

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

               Sometimes you just have to take a leap of faith and grow your wings on the way. 

I follow some amazing people on Instagram and this week, some of them have inspired me to push myself harder than I ever did. The most inspiring was Tiarra Monet who quit her lucrative accounting job to start her own business in something she was really passionate about and today her passion has become her job. I thought to myself, what keeps people in the same spot for years knowing that they can do something to get to a better place? It's simply UNCERTAINTY... fear of the unknown. If God had given us a script on how our life will be in the future, we would not be motivated to bring out the best in us so he gives us a hint and stands by the corner watching us to see how much we can trust him.We all have i treasures in us waiting to be unleashed; but not all of us have realized this yet. There is this fear of what happens if it doesn't work out? What if I don't make it till the end? What if things don't work out as planned/ What if I don't have enough capital? We worry about so many things; leave the "what-ifs" to God and just START already. 

The proof of desire is pursuit. Therefore, when you desire to achieve something, you pursue it until you get it . Don't let the fear of the unknown stop you from spreading your wings and flying; life can try to screw things up but no matter what happens, just keep dancing to the melody of HOPE cos Christ in you is the hope of glory (the hope of achieving your dreams - Colossians 1:27). However the road may look, whatever obstacles that will stand in yourway...decide to take a leap of faith. Create a picture of what you want to achieve, focus your gaze on it, put your faith in God and just spread your wings and fly. The most important step is to take that leap without excuses...if you don't, you'll never know how far you would have gone. For some time now, I had been praying about something and I recently spoke to a friend who made me realize that what I've been praying for all along was right inside me. All I just needed was to take a step and God used him to  open my eyes to see the potentials in me. You too can do the same.  

Are you worried about a business plan? Thinking of how to start? Wondering if you will make it despite competitors? You may not know tomorrow but the one who knows tomorrow lives in you and He is saying...Trust me, I gat this. I just need you to take a leap of faith and I'll act. 

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YOU NEED MY HELP .... WHAT'S IN IT FOR ME???

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

The call lasted for about 30 minutes but at the end of the conversation, he asked "so what's in it for you?" I acted like I didn't understand and asked him to please explain. He said, you've been so nice to me from the first day, you're offering to help me get stronger and you've spoken encouraging words, I just want to know what you'll benefit from it. I laughed... I just remembered our first encounter.

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From afar, I had sighted him walking down, pressing some buttons on his phone and also looking really tired but I was determined to speak to him. It took few minutes before he got closer, I smiled at him and started a conversation. It seemed like he was in a hurry to get to his destination but he did not mind the interruption. I didn't conclude my message to Cassy cos I knew he needed to get home, so we exchanged contacts. That night, I sent an inspirational message to him and called the next day. Somehow, he opened up to me about what was bothering him - his 10 years relationship just ended and he has two daughters with his ex; he was going through emotional challenges and it was really weighing him down. I encouraged him to be strong and cast it all on God. Now back to the question..what was in it for me? I tried to understand why he would ask that question, and suddenly it hit me that it was I who initiated the conversation, the one calling and the one always checking up on him. He obviously thought I was being nice for a reason. My answer to his question was "my joy is to know that somehow, I am helping someone get back on their feet again; I am encouraging someone not to give up no matter how bad the situation may be and that's what's in it for me". I did not blame Brian for asking the question, it's the norm in our societies today to want something in return for any good deed. A typical example common in Nigeria is helping a driver who's car just broke down on the highway...you'll hear some guys saying "Oga, anything for the boys?" His car just broke down on the highway, you don't know if he even has any money on him at the moment. We have so embraced the society that we find ourselves in and we take everything the way we see it, something has to give - but that shouldn't be so. Ask yourself how many times you've actually done something nice for someone without expecting anything back. 

It is difficult sometimes to invest your energy, time and resources in someone and not

expect something in return. In Uni, there were two guys I actually took as projects. I told God that I want to be the answer to the cry of the needy and I want to spend my life mending broken people so I was ready for the task ahead. They had both been written off by family members and tagged as "black sheep of the family" but I saw a light in them that they couldn't even see in themselves. It cost me a lot, one of them had sickle cell anemia and smoked marijuana...he had no regard for his life. Anytime he was in the hospital, I would spend money visiting and buying stuff. His mum had gotten tired of crying and begging him to change so she stopped sending him money. He actually stole my phone sometime and sold it...but I forgave him and never gave up on him. It took months, but I kept at it, slowly but gradually his life started changing for the better. His mother actually wanted to meet me...she thought I was his girlfriend. Some of my friends thought I was crazy (loll) but I had a mission and 4 years after we graduated from uni, he called to thank me for helping him get through those days. His dissertation had my name in the acknowledgement page. The joy you get from such experience alone, is enough to keep being good to people even when there's nothing in it for you. The second guy finally became a youth coordinator in his church many years later. 

Never do good to people cos you're expecting something in return; do it because you want to help, do it to add a smile to someone's face, do it for the love of God. You may be the only one who can help that person move from point A - B, don't ignore him/her cos you're expecting something. Your reward may not come in a measure that can be weighed in monetary values but your good deeds will make ways for you where there may be no way.

Keep up the good work, live a life of purpose, think of ways to help and do it with a cheerful heart and expect nothing in return. 

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TAKE A CHILL PILL AND ENJOY LIFE...

Thursday, June 6, 2013

My bus ride to work takes approximately 20 mins; some people wonder why I take the bus instead of the train cos the train is faster and takes less time. One good reason is because it's kinda cheaper to go by bus, I save more and still get to work before most people who take the train. The second reason is because when you're in the bus, you get to enjoy the view of the city. I've been in London approximately 3 years but it seems like I know most streets and shortcuts around the city; especially central London. My university was in Central London. and all the places I've worked are also in Central London. London gets so busy that when you get into the train, it's swamped and packed like sardines with people looking tired, weary and angry (lol) riding in dark train tunnels while I enjoy the view of the city on my bus ride. Likewise, we get caught up in the nitty-gritty of life with all the hustling and bustling, working 9am to 5pm (or like Lagosians working 7am to 10pm) and forget that in the journey of life you need to take a "chill-pill" and ENJOY YOUR LIFE. While I was studying, my journey was from Stratford station to Baker street station; once I go underground at Stratford, the next sight of the blue sky will be at Baker street station. I was on the speed lane, I never even knew Madame Tussauds was right opposite me. I never saw the beauty of the city till I started taking the bus. Some of us are in life's speed lane, we are too busy to notice the beautiful things & people that God has placed in our path for us to live a happy life. You see a busy couple who seldom notice each other cos they're always in a hurry to leave the house to work & come back too tired to bond...slowly they loose track of each other and we wonder why some marriages end even before they started. We miss out on happy moments cos we're too focused on the speed lane....pls SLOW DOWN A LIL' BIT. 

As at 11:27pm, KB was just leaving his office in Victoria Island to go home on the mainland. KB is a dedicated auditor who works with one of the Big 4 multinational companies in Nigeria. As wonderful as my dear friend is, he is one of such employees you give a task to do and be sure it will be done 101%. Some weekends, he is also at work...he travels round the country to audit at client sites and has less time for himself. Oh, did I mention he is also studying for a professional exam together with his tight schedule at work. In his words, "the result for a good job in my company is more work". He gets home some minutes before or after midnight, sleeps late and wakes up before 6am to beat the morning traffic so he doesn't get to work late (as per "employee of the year"). As much as we want to achieve set goals and make all the money in the world; it would make no sense if you achieve all of these and not able to enjoy it. We get too busy that we sometimes become a shadow of ourselves, we skip meals, less rest, less prayer times, less family times and more work time with more headaches & body aches. To function effectively for the company, you need to take proper care of yourself if not you'll break down one day and it won't take the company much time to find a replacement for you cos life goes on. ENJOY YOUR LIFE...don't get overwhelmed by life that you forget to live it to the fullest. John 10:10 says "...I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows)". I bet you never thought the word "enjoy" was in the bible but hey...God wants you to enjoy life, not just small enjoyment but to the full till it OVERFLOWS. hehehee

This is not just for workaholics but for people who constantly beat themselves up because you have not achieved a set goal. You are 30 going on 31 and still single; you wanted to work in a very big company but you're still stuck in the small one; you graduated 3 years ago and haven't found a job yet; you've been in the same level at work and didn't get the promotion you wanted. I had the same feeling with you few weeks ago cos I really

wanted to achieve a goal I set but it didn't quite happen the way I expected, but hey...take a good look around you, count how many good things that have happened to you since January. Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his/her stature or change the situation? Don't let it get to you...look yourself in the mirror, call your name and say it is time you enjoyed your life.So I can't wait for Saturday, me and ma friend from who's coming from Scotland are gonna have madddd fun!!!! As in, I've decided to bring out ma summer florals and shorts, it's time to have fun. I'm looking forward to a vacation as well, Paris or Atlanta...errmm I'll make up my mind soon cos I have to live up to the reason Jesus died for me. I can't be sulking about one thing when I can be happy and enjoy life knowing he is working out everything for my good. Think about it, He never sleeps nor slumbers so why should I not sleep (that means two of us will be doing the work..nahh, He's more than able). So in life, there is no button for REWIND, PAUSE or FAST-FORWARD...as the journey goes on, just take a chill-pill and learn how to enjoy your life cos you only live once. Don't let life pass you by, live it and enjoy it till it overflows.

DISCLAIMER: This article is not for you to be lazy @ work. Be efficient & hardworking but don't kill yourself while trying to do so.

Have a Fantastic weekend

Luv y'all

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WHAT DOESN'T KILL YOU MAKES YOU STRONGER

Monday, May 27, 2013

Life is like a disco box; however the music changes, just keep dancing and if you're like me...then you know you have to change your style as well. Different styles to different tunes as the music plays but no matter what just keep dancing. 

I haven't blogged in a while or written an article for almost 2 weeks; been out & about dancing to the music of life and learning to stay focused irrespective of how the music changes. Life handed me lemons; but I peeled it, squeezed  it and enjoyed the sizzling lemonade juice I made out of it. When things happen to you, the issue is not what happened but what happens to you after that event. How you handle the situation determines what becomes of you...you're either propelled forward, stuck in a spot or pushed backwards. It's your choice. This is exactly the point where you realize that you're stronger than you thought you were; the time where you put on a smiling face, look the situation in the face and give it a big blow in the head. I was dealing with so many things at the same time, with a smile on my face and never for once did anyone imagine that I had any care in the world. There were expectations from work, family, friends and I made sure I stayed strong in order to meet these expectations. No one could tell...inside of me I knew I was growing stronger with each day that passed. Holding on to God was the surest thing cos His word is absolutely dependable and reliable, that's what kept me going. 

Isaiah 43:2-When you pass through the waters, 

I will be with you;And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.

When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,

Nor shall the flame scorch you.

I would not specifically tell you what happened but I'm writing this article to encourage someone today. Life is sweet, life is beautiful but just like gold, you may have to go through the fire to come out shining brighter than ever. But while in the fire, when the flames get so hot, remember Isaiah 43:2. Think about the beauty that will follow after the situation, cos without tests there will be no testimonies. When challenges come, it means there's a glory set ahead of you...a moment for you to shine, a route to your promotion. How will you know that you are strong if there is nothing to test your strength? How would you know that you've got faith in God if there's nothing to shake your faith?  So stay strong and know that "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger"....especially when you've got the Big-G (God) on your side. Learn to encourage yourself cos you may not always have people around you; a smile is the best fashion you'll need during this time and no matter how the music changes...NEVER STOP DANCING. Live, laugh and love...you deserve the best things of life and no amount of challenge can stop you from enjoying life to the fullest cos you're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, smarter than you think & twice as beautiful as you'd ever imagined. 

STAY STRONG

XX

Lynn.

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PERSONAL EFFECTIVENESS - How to Survive The Stages and Phases of Life

Saturday, May 4, 2013

So many devices need to be upgraded, it's natural that we want to use the newest version of phones, laptops, cars etc. It is normal that we crave for a higher desire after one has been met. Eg. upgrade from BB bold to a BB Z10 or an upgrade from a mac book to a mac pro for Apple lovers. Same is with cars..when the Toyota 2011 model is outgrown, there's a craving to drive the latest 2013 model. Yeah that's life for you.. how can I forget the upgrade from Darling Yakis to Brazillian hair, and then Indian, next Peruvian, Cambodian, Mongolian (loll...I'm guilty of this one*covers face*). Don't get me wrong...upgrade is very necessary; the issue is that we have upgraded a lot of things we possess but always forget to upgrade our lives. Have you ever sat to reflect on your life, how things have happened over the years? Have you ever said things like, "if I knew then what I know now, maybe I would have done things differently"? That's because at that time, you did not have the  updated software your brain operated on until now that a new application has been installed for you to think the way you do now.You don't expect to continue thinking the same way you were thinking 5 years ago and expect something new to happen in your life. You do the same things you've been doing 10 years ago and expect a different result...NAH BRUV, that aint gonna happen. Even God said "I'm doing a new thing" (Isaiah 43:19) so what are you waiting for???  

An upgraded software/programme/app usually comes with better features than the previous. I upgraded my iOS (the Apple operating software) sometime last month and I'm enjoying some new things I see. An upgrade does not only come with better features but also helps the company to boost sales and attract new customers...(sorry, I'm reasoning like a business analyst, I'll break it down) In simple terms, when your life is upgraded, you are a better person with a better character and this naturally attracts people to you because you'll always have solutions to problems, people will seek your advice and confide in you. 

Life is in stages and phases; you have to go from nursery school into primary school, then Secondary, University, then (MA, M.Sc &Ph.D). Life hands us lemons in each phase of life and our ability to step up and make it into lemonades is what pushes us to the next phase in life. The same way you have to write an exam to move from JSS 1 to JSS 2, same thing happens when you need to move to the next phase of your life. There will always be obstacles to stop you, so many things will happen to try to keep you at that level; whenever you face some kinda challenges...it's usually a sign that there is a promotion for you. To survive these challenges life will throw at you, you need to upgrade your life at each stage...if not, you will feel the whole world is on your shoulder. The question is "How do you upgrade your life"? 

While at Zenith bank, I gave a presentation on Personal Effectiveness and Professionalism in my branch. I used Steven Covey's 7 habits of highly effective people. I'll share with you some of the major things I spoke about. To be effective means to accomplish a purpose or produce an expected result. When God made you, He made you for a purpose and in Jeremiah 29:11, he tells you that His thoughts towards you are to give you an expected end. To achieve your purpose in life & to reach that desired success, you'll need PERSONAL EFFECTIVENESS a.k.a PERSONAL UPGRADE. You'll need to be effective at every stage of your life. Personal Effectiveness therefore means making the most of all personal resources at your disposal - your personal talents, energy and time. Steven Covey gave 7 habits we should adopt but I'll focus on 6 of them; these habits will give your life a constant upgrade and reprogramming to always keep up ahead in the journey of life. 

1) Pro-Activity: Being PROACTIVE simply means assessing the situation and developing a positive response for it. Proactive people are driven by values , they use their resourcefulness and initiative to find solutions rather than just reporting problems and waiting for other people to solve them. Our response to what happens to us affects us more than what actually happened so we can choose to use difficult situations to build our character & develop the ability to handle such situations in the future.

2) Begin With The End In Mind (the habit of personal leadership): The end represents the purpose of your life. Until you can say what that purpose is with assurance, then you just cannot direct your focus in the manner that would bring you the greatest satisfaction. To engage in this habit, you need to have a dream, define your own vision and get into the practice of setting goals which will allow you to make measurable progress towards the dream.

3) First Things First (the habit of personal management): I’ll also call this setting our priorities right. It has 4 categories:

Important & Urgent: these are things which must be done because they contribute to your purpose and have a deadline. Give more attention to these things.

Important but not urgent:these activities are key to getting your results. Concentrating on them is absolutely fundamental to achieving results and spending  appropriate time on them will help you gain control over circumstances of life. Eg relationship-building, improving your professional knowledge.

Not important but urgent:these are activities that consume your time but do not contribute to your goals, they are called interruptions. 

Not important & not urgent:these activities take your time and add no value. Much time shouldn't be spent on them. Eg gossiping

4) Seek First To Understand, Then Be Understood: This habit is an important key to inter-personal relationships. It is about understanding that our natural habit of mind is to misunderstand people & simply make our own meaning based on our own experiences and understanding of life; and frequently we make the wrong meaning. First, make efforts to understand what is being said because if both parties are trying to be understood, neither of them is really listening. People become more open, more teachable & more interested in what you may have to say with the mutual understanding that flows from this habit.

5) Synergize (the habit of creative co-operation):  This habit involves putting your head together with another person in order to find a solution which contains a win-win benefit. I have this notion that no man is an island; two heads are always better than one- so collaboration is necessary. Harness the power of creative co-operation. See the good, and the potential, in the contributions of others. It includes appreciating people, inspiring and encouraging them for contributions made.

6) Sharpen The Saw (the habit of self renewal): This is the backdrop of all other habits, enabling and encouraging them to happen and grow. Here, you are the saw; and to sharpen the saw is to become better, keener and more effective.  It is in four parts:

 Spiritual: Notice this is first in the steps to sharpen yourself. YOU NEED GOD in this journey…I tell people that life is more spiritual than physical and to survive the obstacles you’ll face, you need spiritual back-up. In that realm, I advise you stick with the Big-G cos he has the greatest power to take through every stumbling block that stands in your way. Grow spiritually, grow your relationship with God, don’t forsake the assembly of the brethren and lastly – PRAY (a lot).

Mental: Learn to read, don’t get too comfortable with being in a particular position. Improve your knowledge, harness your skills. Invest in your building yourself, upgrade your qualifications depending on  how high you want to climb in your profession – depending on whichever career path you have chosen. Just don’t stay in one spot, keep moving.

Physical: You cannot keep the inside and upstairs running without building the outside as well. Take care of your body,  exercise, rest when you should. Don’t over-work yourself (something I should learn -blogging at 4:55am when I should be sleeping), eat healthy…in one word, JUST LOOK GOOD.

Social/emotional: Build your relationship with people, guard your emotions. Don’t allow anything spoil your mood; don’t allow negative things affect you. Don’t allow somebody’s bad attitude affect the good in you, don’t venge your frustrations on other people. Don’t hurt people…learn to uplift instead of casting down. Speak good of people, see the good in others, speak positive words. In a nutshell…Live a life of LOVE. Love is all that matters, give it without expecting anything in return. 

By applying these habits  to the way we operate in our day-to-day lives, there is great potential to harness personal effectiveness and upgrade our way of life. So press that UPGRADE button and take control of your life…Nothing moves until you move and Things don’t change until you change.  READY FOR AN UPGRADE???

PS: Excerpt from Steven Covey's 7 habits of highly effective people; but the explanations are from my medula oblongata through constant re-programming and continuous upgrade :). I hope this article inspired you, pls share your thoughts below in the comment box.

XX

Lynn

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TIME WAITS FOR NO ONE

Monday, March 11, 2013

HEY BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE...It's been a while, apologies for going AWOL for 2 weeks without a word. I've been pretty busy, so so so busy you can't imagine. Thank God for my life, I finally got to change my hair (after errmmm...3 months *covers face* #trueconfession) since December, unlike me but trust me to keep it looking fab at all times. People were still asking where I made the hair as though I made it just last week. 

OK...back to business.

We've all been given 24 hours in a day to spend, for how long we will continue to spend these daily hours...we do not know. Whether for 70 or 80 years we do not know. What we do with our 24 hours in every 365 days determines how the 70/80 years would eventually turn out. The difference from where you are today and where you want to be in the next 5 years is TIME. Are you using yours wisely or are you wasting it? Are you investing your time? How valuable is time to you? What are the things you spend more time on? Are those things taking you closer to where you want to be in the future or are they delaying you or maybe putting you on a spot? Time flies my dearest; clocks don't stop ticking and time won't wait. I remember when we were so excited about the new millennium; now it's 13 years later and still counting. If you decide to do nothing with the time you have, it would not stop time from moving. Your age will continue to increase as the years run by; winter and summer will still come and go; everything that was supposed to happen will still happen except that YOU will still remain at one spot. Do something with your time, add something to your life, while time flies...fly with it; invest in yourself  and make the best of your 24 hours in each 365 days. My friend Niyi (Neeyee) Oladeji posted this short analogue below on his facebook page and it's just in-sync with TIME so I decided to share it with you.

Consider a 30yr old lady without a University degree. Let’s assume she thought of being a PhD holder but felt that it was too late considering her age. Imagine if she decided to enroll for a University degree which would take an average of 3 years in UK and immediately afterwards she enrolled for an MSc programme which would take a year. Most likely, by the time she is 35yrs old, she would have been an MSc holder. 

If she chooses to go further immediately, she then enrols for a PhD which should take around 4 years. She would be a PhD holder by the time she is 40yrs. I know I have eliminated all other circumstances surrounding her decisions, such as, family, finances and other commitments but the fact is either she decides to develop herself or not she would have reached 40yrs anyway.

Moral: Time waits for no one. It continues at the same pace no matter what you choose to do with yours. Invest your time wisely to develop yourself intellectually because sooner than later your investments would differentiate you from other people. An investment does not have to do with Masters or PhD, it could be in certifications, learning a new language, expanding your spiritual capacity or learning a new skill. 

Have a lovely week ahead

XX

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