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Food for Living: Design Your Destiny
By Henry Ukazu
Greetings Destiny Friends,
One of life’s most misconstrued concepts is destiny. If you ask a thousand and one persons what destiny is, they will give you a thousand and one definitions based on their understanding. Some might relate it to the spiritual, some might define it from the educational perspective, while other schools of thought might see it from an inspirational or motivational perspective. For the purpose of this article, I shall focus on the transformational perspective.
No doubt destiny means many things to many people. The question we should be asking ourselves is how we can design our destiny? To a reasonable extent, we can design our destiny because we have the power of choice to decide our fate. For instance, one thing is certain in life, and that is we must all make a choice either directly or indirectly. Your choice will definitely define you; if you make the right choice, you will excel, but if you make the wrong choice, you will pay for it. However, paying for it doesn’t make one a failure because you can still turn your failures into a friend, and thereafter unleash your potentials.
As human beings, we are always torn about how we can succeed. Some of us imitate other people, some see success in education, some see true success in talents, gifts, or even skill, while many others see success as financial stability. All these schools of thought are right depending on the the lens of a particular viewer. However, one fact is certain, a true and authentic success must be planned, and that success is the definition you give to yourself to achieve “authentic fulfillment” as opposed to the one the world expects from you. Regardless of how you might look at it, if you are not prepared for success, you’ll lose when it arrives. Even God in his infinite knowledge encourages us in Proverbs 4:13 thus: “Your education is your life, guard it very well’. This literally means you need to continually improve yourself.
Genuine success is not only about taking first, but the bigger picture is maintaining the first position. In our contemporary society, sometimes, we look to other people for our success without knowing that success lies inside of us. For instance, instead of looking for a job, look internally to discover your talent/gift. Instead of looking for a soulmate to love you, how about you practicing self-love which can attract your authentic love. Instead of reading different materials to understand how human beings reason, you can look internally to know what’s unique about you by reaching out to your creator to know the purpose he designed you.
I have always shared this story; if you want to know how Facebook works, you need to ask Mark Zuckerberg who is the founder. If you want to know how Microsoft works, you need to ask Bill Gate who is the founder, if you want to know how a product works, you also have to look at the manual to decipher the functions. In the same way, if you want to know your purpose you have to ask your creator. It is quite unfortunate that many of us settle for less, while some consider other secondary ways like settling for a job that’s not meant for them just because it pays the bills. Some even identify with human beings they are not compatible with just because they want to get married, get loans, get a political appointment etc.
This set of people fail to understand there’s more to life than vested interest and that it is only when they work on their authentic purposes that they will realize how far they can go in life.
It is on this note I wish to inform my tribe that I will be organizing Design Your Destiny Masterclass, which will be focused on helping progressive minds to unleash their potentials. The two-day Masterclass will run from January 31 through to February 1 via Zoom. The whole idea is to help adults who need clarity, self-discovery, and transformation in both their personal and professional lives.
The Masterclass will position every attendee towards re-evaluating his life, business, friendship, family, and perception to life. Discovering one’s purpose can be hard, but with the right tools and guidance, you can unravel it. Some people discovered their purpose with mentors, some through meditation, and others through making themselves available by being vulnerable.
The Masterclass will also focus on helping you to know what’s unique about you; it will guide you on how to make the right choices, and how to use meditation to discover your true being in addition to attracting opportunities by practicing gratitude and appreciation. This is a must-attend Masterclass. If you love yourself or know anyone that will benefit from this program, please do them a favour by either paying for them to attend or recommending the Masterclass to them. The fees are very affordable. For details about the payment, please see Design Your Destiny Masterclass. If you have any questions, please send an email to info@gloemi.com.
According to Oscar Wilde, “Be yourself, everyone is taken” As human beings, we are all unique and endowed with different gifts. Your gifts will announce you before kings, queens, and captains of industries if you use them very well. Your gifts have been resourced for value because humanity needs your talent. In Designing your destiny, it’s important to ask yourself critical questions, such as why some people stress and work hard to succeed while others merely network in a smart way. Everyone is different, therefore your ability to know the thin line where destiny, wisdom, and intuition cross, will make you understand that our destiny is literally in our hands because regardless of what anyone says or do to us, we are responsible for either accepting, rejecting and or reacting to it.
In conclusion, I urge you to take some time to ask yourself some salient questions by way of soul searching to know more about yourself. If you will like to know more about how you can Design Your Destiny, you can read my book: Design Your Destiny- Actualizing Your Birthright to Success.
Henry Ukazu writes from New York. He’s a mindset coach and transformational coach. He works with the New York City Department of Correction as the Legal Coordinator. He’s the author of the acclaimed book Design Your Destiny – Actualizing Your Birthright To Success and President of gloemi.com. He can be reached via info@gloemi.com
Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, a former Special Adviser on Political Matters to President Bola Tinubu, has revealed that the North will, in the next six months, take a stand on who to support for the presidency in 2027.
He boasted that no politician can win the presidency in 2027 without the support of the region.
In a video interview he granted in Hausa language, Baba-Ahmed, who appeared alongside a former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme, Usman Yusuf, lamented the state of the nation and urged northerners to resist divisive and deceptive politicians ahead of the next general elections.
He said: “In the next six months, the North will decide where it stands. If the rest of the country wants to join us, fine. If not, we will go our own way. One thing is clear: nobody can become president of Nigeria without northern support.
“We want a government that understands our problems and can address them. After Buhari’s eight years, we became wiser. Now, we are in another government, and we are still crying. Is crying all we know how to do?” Baba-Ahmed asked.
According to the former presidential aide, the North has suffered greatly during the Boko Haram insurgency, which affected all groups, Muslims, Christians, Fulani, Baju, and others, highlighting the need for unity.
“Before Buhari became president, Boko Haram was bombing mosques, churches, Abuja, and Lagos. That was a time Northerners had to unite. Today, no politician can just show up and expect Northerners to fall in line. Who are you?” he questioned.
He therefore warned against further marginalization of the North, noting that continued disregard for the region would have consequences.
“If they plan to rig the election, they should be careful. It won’t be good for Nigeria. The North is watching, elders, masses, and interest groups will soon say “enough is enough ‘. The injustice and sidelining must stop.
Baba-Ahmed urged the northern region to look beyond identity politics, stressing that competence and integrity should guide voter decisions.
“We are tired of being deceived into voting based on religion or ethnicity. That era is over. We just want a right leader, we just want someone who will solve our problems,” he said.
Telecommunications giant, Globacom, has charged Christians to embrace the virtues that Christ preached as the 2025 Easter celebrations hold this weekend.
While congratulating Christians in Nigeria in a goodwill message released from its Lagos Head Office on Thursday, Globacom admonished them to imbibe the noble qualities of Jesus Christ.
According to Glo, “Peace, love and sacrifice are the central message of Easter. Christ offered himself in atonement for the sins of the world and he lived a life which made Him an eternal symbol of peace and goodwill for mankind”
Globacom charged all Nigerians to espouse the lessons of selflessness, a necessary ingredient in the growth and development of every society and called on all Nigerians to join hands to make Nigeria a better place for all.
The company praised their perseverance through the 40-day Lenten period which comes before Easter as it emphasized the ideals of selflessness, love and peace among all as a way of demonstrating the exemplary life of Jesus Christ.
Easter comes yearly at the end of the Lenten season of fasting and prayer considered as a ritual of purification for the Christian faithful. It also precedes the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ on Good Friday and His eventual resurrection on Easter Sunday.
The company assured its customers of unhindered voice, data and Short Messaging Service (SMS) during and after the Easter celebrations, while urging them to avail themselves of the various data and voice offerings on the network.
Dear Destiny Friends,
Every human being loves to get approval, either for the great work they have done or the ones they are doing. They love to be appreciated and admired. They also love to be given attention when they have something valuable to say or do. In all of these, one thing is certain, there is something special about us, and this special thing makes one unique, and ultimately attracts people to us.
Let’s face it, nobody will admire you, appreciate you, approve you and give you attention if you don’t have anything to offer. The reason most people associate with someone is because they feel or know there’s something they can gain from the person. It’s hard for someone to relate closely with someone who they don’t see potential value in.
There is no doubt each and everyone of us is unique, yes, there’s something unique about you. You can sing, you can write, you can dance, you can lead, you can serve, you can cook, etc. One can even be a good actor, athlete, comedian, or preacher. The list is literally endless. Now, what’s unique about you?
When you discover what’s unique about you, please do all within your reach to nurture and develop it. One day, the right person, who truly appreciates and knows your value will celebrate you.
I have a friend who is exceptionally skilled in writing and developing creative contents. I call him a genius because he can literally write a book within a week. How he does it is what I don’t understand. I was surprised when he once told me he wrote a book and manuscript in one week. According to him, he has been developing the contents mentally, but hasn’t found time to put his thoughts together, and when he finally gets his thoughts together, he was able to write the book and manuscript. This is a typical way of knowing a unique being.
Many, however, do not know what’s unique about them. We focus our energy chasing what is not chasing us instead of focusing on developing what we already have. It’s sad to see young and old people living their lives in an unintentional manner with a belief that somehow lines, favour or opportunities will fall in place for them.
Sometimes, we rely on other people’s affirmation and opinion, and accept it as our fate. For instance, just because one is tall, he might be told he will be a great fit for basketball without considering if the athlete loves basketball; again, just because someone is very intelligent, his parents will encourage him to major in a particular discipline, which is perceived as lucrative without considering if the person likes it pr not.
I once experienced this fate when my late dad inspired me to study taxation law in New York Law School, a major I detest with passion. It was like a suicidal mission for me because I do know, it will take miracle to graduate from the program. How I was able to get a scholarship for my grades and graduate in record time is a story for another day. I’m not wired as a finance person, I will better serve humanity in the social and developmental space where my skills, talents, gift and passion will be better utilized. And ever since I joined the space, I have seen results.
There are many cases where many people lose their identities without knowing they are unique. We are all unique in our individual ways. Just like there are several gifts and talents, we have different skills. When you know what’s unique about you, you will stand out and the world will not only appreciate you, but will celebrate you.
When one discovers the power of their uniqueness, we will gather strength to unleash it to the world. Uniqueness works in several ways. For instance, the mere fact that ten people are genius, talented, skillful or valuable in a particular work, the person with the unique gift is the person who will not only stand out, but will be called upon to do the work.
Let me share more insight. If ten people sing a particular song with a great voice, the person who is called to be a singer will receive a unique appreciation because he/she is working on purpose. That is why it is easy to see a lot of people venturing into a particular form of business, but the favour of the business will not locate them because they are not uniquely destined to do business.
Few years ago, one of my mentors shared a deep insight with me. He said that, as a trained medical doctor, he once observed that despite the fact there are hundreds and thousands of medical doctors practicing their profession. One fateful day, he noticed a particular patient was not responding to treatment despite all the medication that had been given to him by a nurse, his health was deteriorating, then another nurse came and administered the same pill a nurse gave the patient, and the patient began to feel better. What does that tell you? The second nurse was probably working in her purpose which aligns with her profession, and as such the corresponding success. This goes to show that when one is unique, it has a way of robbing off on their work.
Furthermore, he stated that Mariah Carey, Michael Jackson, and Beyonce are some of the gifted singers and dancers the world has ever celebrated. He went on to say that we have hundreds and thousands of musicians, but only a few have got the spotlight.
What does that tell you? When you are unique, the world will celebrate you. I have understood that the fastest way to get recognition in life is to work in areas where one’s strength and unique gift will better serve the purpose. This is simply because the world does not celebrate one’s weakness, rather, the world celebrates one’s strength.
In recent times, I have seen myself as a counselor and human inspiration. My counseling skills have enabled me to influence people to live positive lives. Overtime, I have realized that when people share their burden with me, they feel relieved after speaking with me. What amazes me most is the fact that even my elders feel comfortable to relate with me on a cordial basis. Maybe, I have a unique gift for counseling and educating.
Today, I am going to charge you to focus your energy and time on whatever will bring you the highest satisfaction. Even if you are looking for a job, applying for school, or seeking any opportunity, your focus should be centered on what you have that the job, school or opportunity will amplify. When you do so, you will be in high demand.
In conclusion, please affirm to yourself today, I am a unique being with a unique personality, purpose and gift.
Say to yourself, ‘I am original’, and refuse to be fake.
Again confess that your originality, authenticity and uniqueness will attract favours, blessings, opportunities from leaders and queens to you, and you will be celebrated.
Henry Ukazu writes from New York. He works with the New York City Department of Correction as the Legal Coordinator. He’s the founder of Gloemi. He’s a Transformative Human Capacity and Mindset coach. He is also a public speaker, youth advocate, creative writer and author of Design Your Destiny Design Your and Unleash Your Destiny . He can be reached via info@gloemi.com
