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Food for Living: Imagine and Create Your Future
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
We are all familiar with these sayings; talk is cheap, and action speaks louder than voice. Yes, that is 100% true. It is very easy to make a wish, desire something and aspire for greatness. As kids/children, we always desire what makes us happy; as teenagers, we always desire the goodies of life, as young adults we dream of having big jobs; as mature men/ladies, we aspire to have the luxury of life, raise our children, invest and explore the world while planning for a comfortable retirement.
As we proceed on the journey of life, we always imagine what the future holds for us. As business men and women, we often take risks; as parents we have fears about our children and how they will end up. Our fears are numerous to mention. In the midst of all these vicissitudes of life, one thing is certain, we are what we imagine and create. It is important to note that you cannot live in a future you haven’t created in your mind. It is only the future you can picture that you can feature in.
Sometimes, we live through life without learning the writings on the wall. For example, sometimes we just see without paying attention by way of observing our environment; sometimes we just hear as opposed to listening and understanding the message; sometimes instead of persuading with love, we speak in a commanding tone; instead of using emotional intelligence to feel the pains of someone, we espouse insensitivity to humanity; sometimes we just use our sense to analyse situations instead of using our discretion to discern the issue at hand.
Amongst all these, what we fail to understand and know is that we are a replica of our actions. I may ask you, what do you envisage your life, business, personal relationship, family or professional life to be in the next five to ten years based on the stage you are at the moment. Are you happy with your current state of life? If your answer is no, it’s high-time you had to create the future you desire. According to Henry Ford,” Whether you think you can or can’t, you are right.
It is very easy to doubt ourselves when the odds are against us, and we find it hard to break even, but the good thing about life is that it gives you whatever you invest into it. Life always gives us options and a second chance called tomorrow. It’s just totally up to you to maximise the opportunities, lessons and experience that comes with it.
Therefore, in creating the future and life you desire, you must not only imagine, but you must conceptualise it with a strategy and powerful execution in order for it to manifest. The end product of any accomplishment/achievement is always heart-warming because it does not only gives us the opportunity to touch the lives of people, it also gives us the opportunity to make an impact globally, which is capable of leaving a footprint for the next generation to thread on to elevate their game.
In order to make an impact, you must be skillful in connecting with people. Connecting with people is not about contacting people on the surface level on the street, social or professional gathering, it even transcends networking or meeting people at religious or community events, it goes as far as meeting people where they are and making them feel comfortable with your presence and heart desires. You can only connect with people if you haven’t understudied them very well, especially as it relates to their background, food, academic, religious or even personal lifestyle.
Sometimes average minds just read about people online, especially on social media and assume they have an insightful understanding of who they are and what they represent. They fail to understand that appearance is not reality.
Creating the life you desire transcends beyond just mere dreaming, you must put the work into action by planning and praying for the lines to fall in place. Dr. Ben Carson, a Neurosurgeon, wrote books titled “The Big Picture” and “Gifted Hands”. It is instructive to note that Ben Carson didn’t just imagine, he envisaged all the trials/challenges and benefits/opportunities that will come as a result of the choice he has made. He was quite aware if his decision made sense, he will be gladly celebrated globally, and if he failed, he has a failed story attached to his name.
At the end of the day, he was globally celebrated for being able to separate the siamese twins. Ask yourself; what am I dreaming, imagining and hoping to create for the next generation to be proud of me.
Henry Ukazu writes from New York. He’s a mindset coach and public speaker. 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
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
There’s no doubt that human beings by nature are insatiable. When we get one opportunity, we always look for another. When we attain one height, we always look for another accomplishment. Isn’t it true that the end of one mountain is the beginning of another.
However, I don’t think it’s selfish for anyone to dare to succeed.
Being ambitious doesn’t make one an opportunist or disloyal. It all depends on one’s perception or outlook to life. It’s just natural for one to dream big. It’s only ugly when the process one chooses to achieve his desires becomes dirty and nasty.
According to a former Nigerian presidential candidate and seasoned Economist, Mr. Peter Obi, “if you must be referred to as “Your Excellency”, then the process through which you arrived in office must be excellent”.
If you desire to be reckoned with on the journey of existence, you must be legitimately hungry for success. One’s hunger for success will facilitate the drive to accomplish great tasks despite daunting obstacles posing as challenges.
When one has this mindset, one will not be bothered by the noise which serves as obstacles and challenges along the way. Negative and weak minds are always concerned on why something won’t work. They tend to focus their energy and reasons on the obstacles facing them. But great and productive minds always focus their energy on the reasons why it will work. This is the spirit of an insatiable mind who is a goal- getter.
It’s instructive to note that we can’t please everyone. According to Bill Cosby, a famous actor, “I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everyone.” Isn’t it true that when you talk, people will still talk about you, when you don’t talk, people will talk about you, so whether you talk or not, people will still judge you, so, do what’s best for you. There’s nothing you can do to please human beings. Your best option is to live your best life.
To understand how the insatiable nature of man works, one must be oneself. You don’t have to “please” anyone. Be yourself, and don’t try to be like anyone just to curry favour. It’s important to note that when you are yourself, the people that matter will come through for you, and the people that don’t matter will gradually find the bearing in another space because those that truly care don’t bother and those that bother don’t really matter in the grand scheme of things.
Life has truly taught me to focus on the important things of life as opposed to the mundane things. It’s truly sad to see people spending more time on the little things of life, and spending little time on the important things of life. That’s just a misplaced priority.
When you are yourself, the best people can do is to copy or imitate your style. They can never imitate your creativity nor can take your originality from you.
We live in a world or society where people don’t generally care or show empathy. Most people tend to live around themselves, their family, and close associates. They generally find it hard to lift a finger to assist others for reasons best known to them. Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka once said, “we live in a wicked generation”, re-echoing the voices of a lot of people of the world. Some people in authority just have criminal expertise in amassing wealth of opportunities meant for the citizens without thinking of the citizens they are meant to serve.
It’s worthy of note that not everyone will like you nor support your work, but when you find people who truly care about you; please hold them tight. This is because despite having family members you have shown love and compassion, they might not still appreciate you even if you lay your life for them, they will still find something to say. Again, this is the insatiable nature of man.
It’s okay for everyone not to like you, normalize living your life for God, yourself, family and those that care about you. If everyone likes you, you have a problem.
Did you know that you can get a new family from friends, strangers, and acquaintances? These sets of people might appreciate you more than your own family members. They might not demand or under appreciate you like your family members and close friends or associates. Any little support you give them will be highly appreciated. Their focus is to see you do better.
In conclusion, as you desire to succeed in life, never give in to failure until you have made your last attempt, and never make your last attempt until you succeed. This literally means whatever you desire, dream it, think it, say it, and believe you can achieve it. This principle is generally applicable to relationships, businesses, family, personal and professional development.
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
A federal judge in the United States, on Thursday, put a temporary block on President Donald Trump’s attempt to restrict birthright citizenship.
The ruling imposes a 14-day halt on the enforcement of one of the most controversial executive orders Trump signed hours after being sworn into office for a second term.
It comes after lawsuits were filed by a total of 22 states, two cities and numerous civil rights groups.
“This is a blatantly unconstitutional order,” senior US District Judge John Coughenour was reported as saying during the hearing in Washington State.
“I’ve been on the bench for over four decades, I can’t remember another case where the question presented is as clear as this one is,” said Coughenour, who was appointed to the bench by a Republican president, Ronald Reagan.
Birthright citizenship is fundamental to America’s national identity, with the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution decreeing that anyone born on US soil is a citizen.
It says, in part: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”
Trump’s order was premised on the idea that anyone in the US illegally, or on a visa, was not “subject to the jurisdiction” of the country, and therefore excluded from this category.
AFP
The Court of Appeal sitting in Akure, Ondo State capital has upheld the death sentence of Ramon Adedoyin, a prominent businessman and hotelier, for his involvement in the murder of one Timothy Adegoke, a former postgraduate student of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State.
Delivering the judgment on Thursday, the court affirmed the earlier verdict of the Osun State High Court, which had sentenced Adedoyin to death.
“The judgment of the High Court of Osun State stands. Adedoyin’s appeal is dismissed in part,” the court declared in part.
The Court of Appeal, however, set aside some aspects of the lower court’s orders, including the forfeiture of the Hilton Hotel and the order for Adedoyin to pay for the education of Adegoke’s children.
Furthermore, the court ruled that it had no jurisdiction to impose penalties outside the statutory provisions
Adegoke’s death was reported in November 2021 after his corpse was found at the Hilton Honours Hotel in Ile-Ife, Osun State, where he had lodged.
The hotelier had travelled from Abuja for an examination at a distance learning centre in Moro, Osun State on November 5 of that year.
He had checked into the hotel but was reported missing after two days. However, Adegoke’s body was found days later, leading to a probe that linked his death to Adedoyin and others.
In May 2023, Adedoyin and others were sentenced to death after they were found guilty of murder and conspiracy to murder.
But dissatisfied with the judgement, Adedoyin approached the Appeal court to dismiss the sentence and conviction.
The court of appeal, on Thursday, however, upheld the conviction and death sentence of the hotelier.
