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Food for Living: How to Make the Best of Your 2024
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
If you need a change in your Life, you need to plant the Seed of change in your Mind
Please permit me to begin this article by wishing you compliments of the season.
Depending on where you are, we are just about a few hours to the New Year. No doubt, 2023 has been an eventful year for everyone of us. Some of us made mistakes while some of us scaled our various hurdles.
However, the interesting thing is that those who succeeded in 2023 invested time and resources into their projects. Some relocated to different parts of the world either nationally or internationally in search of greener pastures or academic pursuit, some got married, had babies, some learnt new skills, some got new jobs, some attended conferences, seminars, symposia, workshop, etc. One thing is certain: those who did not succeed due to exploring different options acquired experience, while those who succeeded, sowed in one place or another. Either way, they sowed and got results.
As we are about to head into a new year, it’s important we take stock of our personal and professional lives to know how we fared in 2023. This will enable us to decipher how we will approach 2024. If you are desirous of making a great impact in your life in 2024, then there’s a tendency to not only be intentional and strategic, but must also sow into the project.
Just like the Law of Karma operates in strategic ways, the universe operates with principles. It’s whatever you sow, you will reap. If you don’t sow, I wonder what you would want to reap? Those who sowed in negative and positive ways reap their seeds.
Apart from seeking the face of your creator in the coming year, your greatest resolution in 2024 must be to sow. Even if you use 2024 to learn, that’s a huge success because you don’t plant a tree and expect to reap the dividend immediately.
This is how sowing works: The soil is our mind. It’s what we feed our minds that germinates and reproduces results. The seeds are our thoughts, water is our actions, and our feelings, which react to our thoughts and actions is our sun.
Question: Is your mind fertile enough for the right seeds and water to germinate? Remember, whatever you focus on, expands.
Sowing comes in different dimensions. One can sow spiritually into the church, one can sow in his/her business, one can sow in his personal and professional life, one can even sow into a mentor’s life. What a rational mind should be concerned about in 2024 and beyond is what kind of seeds they want to sow to sow in 2024?
One of the best ways to sow into 2024 is to develop mastery. The question now becomes, how does one develop mastery? Developing mastering entails learning whatever you have strong passion for, and interest in. It should be noted that those who benefited in previous years developed capacity, and in due time, they were able to reap the fruits of their labour.
In the same light, progressive minds desirous of succeeding in 2024 must cultivate the habit of reading, learning a skill, building and leveraging on strategic relationships, mentorship, training and acquiring a formal education.
In learning, it is imperative one desists from exhibiting pride. Be humble to learn from your detractors, younger friends, colleagues, and mentors. Don’t think how anyone will perceive you. Remember it’s your life, and not anyone’s life.
If you are determined to succeed in 2024, here are some insights on how one can sow in the coming year.
A great way to sow in 2024 is to practice accountability. Accountability plays a major role in our finances, human relationship, careers, spirituality, academics, and personal lives, etc. Without accountability, we tend to lose all we have.
According to Myles Munroe, “whatever you fail to manage, you lose it”. If you don’t manage your life, you will lose it, if you don’t manage your health, you’ll lose it, if you don’t manage your marriage, you’ll lose it, if you don’t manage your finances, you’ll lose it, and if you don’t manage 2024, you will lose it.
The difference between the rich and poor can be judged by their mindsets, and how accountable they are. The right mindset and accountability determine the values, responsibility, attitudes, and visions of the rich and “famous”, but poor and unformed minds don’t see opportunities where great people take strategic risk; where they either succeed or gain new experience which can attract opportunities in the nearest future for them.
Another way to make the best of 2024 is by sowing into people’s lives. Genuinely sow into people’s life without having a vested interest in mind. Give to people because it’s good to share, don’t have an opportunistic mindset, try to genuinely love people for who they are as opposed to what they are. When you sow into people’s life, it has a way of creating opportunities for you.
In 2024, please sow all the time. When you see a fertile soil and your instincts and conscience is at peace, please sow. When you are led by the spirit, please sow. If you see anyone in need, please support them, if you see an opportunity to learn, don’t think about the cost; make sacrifice for the future, if you see a mentor or resourceful person celebrating, please sow into their lives. If you see anyone succeeding, please sow into their life to support them. Please, if you sow into people’s life, don’t expect to get the reward immediately. You might either get it back or not get it depending on the type of ground the seeds fell.
You can sow into peoples life by praying for them, investing in them, teaching them, encouraging them, counseling them, cheering them up, listening to them, empathizing with them, and sharing your time with people.
Here’s 2024 as a blank paper…it’s up to you to write whatever you want on it
Henry Ukazu writes from New York. He works with the New York City Department of Correction as the Legal Coordinator. He’s a Transformative Human Capacity and Mindset coach. He is also a public speaker, youth advocate and creative writer Design Your Destiny and Unleash Your Destiny. He can be reached via info@gloemi.com
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
The school of life is an institution no one can graduate from. It is equated to marriage where new things as well as surprises are the order of the day, occurring on a daily basis. However, there are ways to live through life, and one of them is to accept each day as they come.
Life is truly great and enjoyable if we understand it and accept this truth. There’s no doubt that life is such a great challenge, and we must work hard and smart to overcome the challenge. Once we acknowledge it, nothing really matters any longer because life becomes an infinitely easier project to pursue.
As human beings, we will be tested and tempted. One’s ability to overcome each test and temptation will set one on a higher pedestal. The book of life made us understand there’s time for everything. A time to cry, and a time to laugh, a time to sow and a time to reap, According to the Book of life “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.”
One thing is certain if one looks at the timing- they all come in stages and phases. When there’s misplaced priority, success appears like mirage. One’s ability to manage each phase will strengthen one.
Life comes in several stages. When a child is born, the child will learn to crawl before learning how to walk and run. The same is applicable for a student who is interested in education, he will attend high school, college and post graduate studies. These are all stages of life.
The same phase is applicable in relationships and marriage. During the dating and courting stage, the relationship is different, immediately the parties marry, the tone changes. Marriage has three stages namely: Romance (or Honeymoon) stage, Power Struggle (or Disillusionment) stage, and Real Love (or Mature/Conscious Love) stage.
Let’s analyze each stage:
Romance/Honeymoon: (The “Falling in Love” Phase)
This stage is characterized by high intensity, passion, and bonding. At this stage, partners focus on similarities and overlook flaws. At this stage a partner might step on the other partner and instead of getting hurt, the partner will smile and say something like: I love the way you stepped on me, or step on me harder, it makes me endure the love. At this stage partners do everything together. This stage usually lasts from a few weeks to a couple of years.
The first three to five years of marriage can generally be regarded as the most challenging part of marriage, especially the kids start coming in; if it’s not properly managed, the marriage might hit the rock.
Power Struggle/Disillusionment (The “Reckoning” Phase)
During this stage, the “rose-colored glasses” usually come off, and partners notice flaws and differences, leading to “disillusionment, disappointment, and early conflicts”. It is at this stage kids start coming up and the challenge of life starts hitting up. The stage is often characterized by struggles with control, communication, and frustration over unmet expectations. Many couples usually get stuck here, if proper is not applied, it might end the relationship.
Stage 3: Real Love/Mature Love (The “Conscious” Phase)
At this stage, the couples have seen it all. They have been through all stages of life and have seen it all. There’s literally little or nothing that can affect marriage at this stage. It’s only unimaginable and unbecoming acts that lead to the fundamental tenets of marriage that can make the marriage hit the rock.
At this stage couples have trained their children through colleges, and some may have married. Couples will be able to laugh over their acts and start to bond again.
At this stage, couples have been able to navigate their conflict and have learnt to accept their partner’s flaws and choose to build a stable, loving, and mature relationship. Their focus is usually to build a deeper commitment to their marital vows, finally accepting each partner for whom they are, and working together to create a conscious and intentional partnership.
The outcome is usually a sense of safety, connection and lasting love: A sense of safety, deep connection, and lasting love.
In business, the principle is not exempted. An entrepreneur will begin a business, grow it, attract customers, hire employees and then institutionalize it. All these stages come with several phases if one is intentional.
An employee who is hired as an entry level position will have to prove his worth by producing measurable results to walk through the corporate ladder to become Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer or one of the higher ups. This position doesn’t come ordinarily; one must have earned it.
In conclusion, regardless of what stage one is experiencing or facing, one thing is certain, this too shall pass, and we shall overcome. So, just hang in there.
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 and Unleash Your Destiny . He can be reached via info@gloemi.com
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has declared that it would never be intimidated, distracted, or silenced in its push to realize a better Nigeria.
Spokesman of the ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi, said this in reaction to the Supreme Court ruling, which affirmed David Mark’s leadership of the party.
Abdullahi said the judgment has affirmed that the Mark and Rauf Aregbesola leadership of the party is legitimate.
Abdullahi said: “The African Democratic Congress (ADC) congratulates all our members and leaders across the country on today’s Supreme Court ruling which affirmed the leadership of our party under Senator David Mark as National Chairman, and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary.
“Today’s decision is a clear affirmation that our party, its structures, and its leadership under our National Chairman, Senator Mark, and our National Secretary, Ogbeni Aregbesola, are legitimate.
“We commend the five-man panel of the Supreme Court, whose unanimous judgment has today done great credit to the judiciary in our country and our political system.
“However, while we welcome this judgment, we do not mistake it for the end of the struggle. The events leading up to this moment have exposed a troubling pattern of interference, bad faith, and attempts to weaken opposition voices in Nigeria.
“Let it be clearly stated: the ADC will not be intimidated, distracted, or silenced. We remain resolute in our mission to provide Nigerians with a credible alternative.
“We therefore urge all our members, supporters, and democratic stakeholders across the country to remain vigilant.”
The campaign team of Olajide Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, has announced that their leader, who is Governorship aspirant, has formally purchased the Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms of the All Progressives Congress ahead of the 2027 general elections in Lagos State.
The development was disclosed in a press statement issued on Wednesday by Gbenga Ogunleye, spokesperson for the Jandor campaign organisation, marking a significant step in Adediran’s bid to contest for the state’s top office.
According to the statement, the move underscores Adediran’s commitment to due process and strict adherence to the party’s internal democratic procedures.
The governorship aspirant also reiterated his alignment with the party’s decision to adopt direct primaries for all elective positions, expressing optimism that the process would enhance grassroots participation, strengthen unity within the party, and promote inclusiveness in the emergence of candidates.
Jandor further reaffirmed his loyalty to the National Leader of the APC and President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, while also paying tribute to party leaders in Lagos State for their continued guidance and commitment to progressive ideals.
He also extended gratitude to members of the JAGABAN–JANDOR 2027 Movement, young Lagosians, and supporters who contributed financially towards the purchase of the nomination forms, commending their dedication and belief in his leadership capacity.
Jandor assured party members and residents of Lagos State that his governorship ambition is rooted in unity, inclusiveness, and a commitment to sustaining and advancing good governance under the APC platform.
