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Food for Living: Giving Up is Not an Option
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
Life’s trials will test you, and shape you, but don’t let them change who you are” – Aaron Lauritsen
There’s no doubt life can be extremely challenging, and these challenges can come in form of financial instability, desire for a child, unemployment, accommodation, health, and even personal and professional issues. All these are capable of making one give up as it’s not easy to push through when life pushes one around.
It is a known fact that everyone experiences one form of secret frustration or another; the differentiating factor is how each manages his own. How we manage these challenges speak a lot about our maturity, understanding, and attitude to life. While some people vent it out, others smile through it knowing fully well they can’t change the situation.
It is worthy of note that everyone needs inspiration to forge ahead. It can be internal or external inspiration; when the inspiration is external, it can limit our impacts because we are depending on external force to forge ahead, but when it is internal, the force is unlimited because one don’t literally need other people to forge ahead. Don’t get me wrong, external inspiration is great, but what happens if the external inspiration is no longer available? That’s why the best form of inspiration we need is internal and personal inspiration.
When you have internal inspiration, giving up in life is not an option no matter the challenge encountered along the way.
It’s generally easy for one to give up when life is not adding up. Imagine having a passion without corresponding support; imagine business without patronage; imagine having a vision without support to actualize it. It can be traumatizing.
However, I have good news for you; giving up is not an option, no matter how nasty and distasteful things might appear. When you are passionate about a cause, or have a vision about something, your patience will be tested. It’s your persistence to preserve that will determine how passionate you are about the cause.
Most great people who invented great products didn’t have fun doing it. They had their own challenges and experience, so why do you think life will be relatively easy for you?
It’s instructive to note that nothing comes easy. One will have to continually explore options to make one’s idea come to fruition. These ideas can be learning from resourceful people, paying to learn a trade, exploring mentors both online and in -person, using social media to network strategically, producing contents either with video or writings to showcase to the world what you do and where you need assistance. You might occasionally get direct and constructive criticisms, don’t take it personally, just learn from it.
According to Uche Okorie, a maritime lawyer, “When you are criticized objectively, examine it. If it is untrue, ignore it. If it is unfair, resist the temptation to be irritated. If it is ignorant, just smile. If it is justified, then it is NOT criticism, LEARN FROM IT!”
One may be experiencing pain which can vary from different factors, but if you believe in yourself, believe in your product, believe in your passion and vision, it will add up. One day, the right person(s) will locate you or somebody might even recommend you. Nobody literally had it easy. According to Roy T. Bennett, “If you don’t give up on something you truly believe in, you will find a way.”
The fact that you may have failed in your education, business, marriage, career, etc., is not enough reason to give up. As you walk through the journey of life, never give in to failure, until you have made your last attempt and never make your last attempt until you succeed. You just need to see life from the bright side and see the negative part as experience.
According to Roy Bennett, “It doesn’t matter how many times you get knocked down. All that matters is you get up one more time than you were knocked down.” It’s the time you get up that counts for your determination.
Furthermore, Andy Warhol stated “It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop.” So, you are encouraged to push through your mistakes.
It’s just like an accomplished public speaker. Before you can connect with people, you must have stories and experiences which your audience can relate to. Imagine speaking without any personal or practical information, it will be hard for your audience to connect. Do you see why challenges and experiences help people to attract value? In most cases, it’s the experience people pay for when they engage you. Aaron Lauritsen informed that “without struggle, success has no value”. So, it’s your pains, setbacks, mistakes, and trials that give you value which makes you relevant and valuable.
On a personal note, I have failed more than I have succeeded. I have lost count of my mistakes and numerous opportunities I missed due to not knowing better. I have been mocked and insulted numerous times for being a horrible writer, I have been jobless, I have had accommodation problem, I have had marital challenges, I have experienced financial instability, l have felt like giving up, the list is literally endless, but giving up was never an option for me because my inspiration is internal.
Just to encourage you; your desire for success should always outweigh your fear of failure. No matter what you may have experienced or is experiencing, please use this writer as your case study never to give up. Just imagine graduating from New York Law School and working as a security officer with your colleagues seeing you. Imagine being mocked by fellow security officers who barely had a high school diploma saying, how come you went to Law school and still work as a security officer?
Now imagine the fellow who was mocked for being a horrible writer now the author of two trailblazer books; imagine the security officer being interviewed by New York Times and profiled by News12 several times on topical issues; imagine the security guard being recognized by United Nations Development Programme as a partner for Youths Development. The list can go on and on. If I was told I will get this far, I may not have believed it, but one thing is certain, I always have a feeling, I will make it big, but I don’t know how it will happen, neither did I know when, where and how it will happen.
So, this is me telling you, your test will lead to your testimony, your pain will lead to your pleasure and your disappointment will lead to your appointment if you don’t give up. Note, I’m not where I want to be yet, I’m still pushing despite challenges.
I can go on and on, but I’m just sharing this piece to let you know nobody had it easy. What made it easy for me was the influence of mentors and a strong support system, but more importantly, I believe in myself, and I know this too shall pass. I believed in the words of Aaron Lauristsen, which states “There is a strange comfort in knowing that no matter what happens today, the Sun will rise again tomorrow.” I don’t know what your storyline will be, I’m just here to encourage you to stay strong.
In conclusion, I will like to leave you with the words of Roy Bennett ‘Your hardest times often lead to the greatest moments of your life. Keep going. Tough situations build strong people in the end.”
Remember, tough times never last, but tough people do. If you keep hope alive, I see you celebrating in the nearest future.
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 and Unleash Your Destiny. He can be reached via info@gloemi.com
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
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has emerged as the Best Road Safety Agency in Africa. This monumental achievement corroborates the Corps’ almost four decades of dedication, resilience and passion towards safeguarding lives on Nigerian roads.
The Corps, according to a statement made available to the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP), received the award at the 3rd edition of the Kofi Annan Road Safety Award held in Elzuwini in the Kingdom of Eswatini, South Africa between 14th and 15th of April 2025.
You may recall that Kofi Annan Road Safety Award was initiated by the Office of the United Nations Secretary General’s Special Envoy on Road Safety in collaboration with Kofi Annan Foundation to immortalize the contributions of African illustrious son Kofi Annan who served as the Secretary General of the United Nations.
The prestigious Road Safety Management Award represents a badge of honour for Nigeria, and a pure testament of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to unflinching support for the Federal Road Safety Corps and his believe in the Corps’ potential to serve as a model for other African nations. Indeed, FRSC’s tireless efforts to reduce road crashes and promote safe driving practices have paid off, earning recognition across the continent.
The recognition further speaks volume, as well as justifies the giant strides Nigeria has made in ensuring safety of road users and her leadership role in the Sub-region.
Reacting to the recognition, the Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed said that it is a testament to FRSC’s unrelenting passion for road safety. He thanked the entire community of the motoring public, stakeholders, partners, and the Nigerian people for their support. Emphasising that together, the Corps was able to achieve the enviable feat because of the collective energy and all round support received from the motoring public.
The Corps Marshal also revealed that FRSC’s winning formula includes, innovative strategies, implementing cutting-edge road safety initiatives that drive results, collaboration, fostering partnerships with stakeholders to promote road safety awareness, community engagement, educating the public on safe driving practices, full deployment of technology and road safety protocols.
The award was received on behalf of the Corps and the Federal Republic of Nigeria by the Principal Staff Officer to the Corps Marshal ACM Meshach Adigizi Jatau.
