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Food for Living: Need for Self Evaluation
By Henry Ukazu
Greetings Destiny Friends,
“The unexamined life is not worth living” – Socrates
One of the most valuable character traits one must have if they truly want to succeed in life, is honesty. If you don’t have this trait, please endeavor to have people who are honest working with you or in your family. If you have these people, please hold them very close because they are priceless.
In the journey of life, you can lie to others, but you can never lie to yourself. As a matter of fact, one of the highest disservices anyone can do to himself is lying to himself. It’s sad to note however, that some people live in deception by existing as opposed to living.
As a progressive being, one of the things you can do is to evaluate your life on a continuous basis. According to Socrates, “an unexamined life is not living”. Evaluating one’s life is very important, and this evaluation is not limited to one’s personal life; you can evaluate your career growth, spiritual growth, financial growth, personal and professional growth. It is generally stated that you cannot do the same thing repeatedly and remain the same. Whoever does that is insane. Hence the need to continually evaluate yourself whenever you embark on any task to know if it’s progressing well.
Every serious-minded entrepreneur, student, parent, leader etc. must take time to evaluate how the year fared for them. Evaluation helps to determine how well one is faring. Evaluation does not only apply when we fail, we can also celebrate our failures because it shows we are doing something. It’s sad to note that sometimes, we don’t take time to celebrate our wins no matter how small it is.
Evaluation comes into play when there are small wins. Do you think it’s easy to register a business? Do you think it’s easy to get accepted into a school, company? Do you think it’s easy to attend events and network with resourceful people? Do you think it’s easy to be alive? Do you think it’s easy to make a business post on social media? Do you think it’s easy to send a meaningful text message, email etc. to a resourceful person? All these involve process, procedures, and strategies because anything of value is done with process. So, celebrate your small win when you do the needful. Remember, nobody will celebrate you if you don’t celebrate yourself. You wear the shoe, and as such know how far you have come in life.
On a personal note, when I take stock of my life, I can confidently say, I have done reasonably well for myself. I have been able to hone some new skills in addition to having some new hits in my personal and professional career. I may not be a billionaire, but I have been able to author two books in addition to being recognized globally as a mentor, life coach, youth advocate, creative writer, and public speaker. These qualities didn’t come with me, I had to acquire and hone them by constantly evaluating myself and adding value to my life.
Furthermore, I do take time to evaluate the people in my life, my personal life, my career path, and spiritual life. In some cases, I ask trusted friends and family members to critically evaluate my life on where I am doing well and where I need to work on.
Above all, none gives me joy more than seeing my three-year-old son saying, daddy each time he sees me on television and social media for a good cause. The feeling is truly priceless. Imagine, being on the internet for a negative cause. The moral here is that I see how my video contents have truly grown due to constant evaluation.
Evaluating your life is a process that can help you check whether you are living your best life, or if it needs improvement. A critical way of evaluating your life is by asking yourself, am I leaning on the right side of the ladder? This question is very important because you might think you are leaning on the right side of the ladder only to get to the finish line and discover you were merely leaning on the wrong side of the ladder and that might lead to a disaster if not properly managed.
Here are some thoughts you need to ponder on. You must ask yourself, what do I want? Am I happy with the kind of life I’m living? What is the kind of dream job or life I would love to live.
1. Honesty
This is the most important trait one must apply if one is truly serious in the self- evaluation process. Self and professional evaluation starts with authenticity whether at the workplace, church, or political setting.
2. Alignment
The first piece of the reevaluation process is aligning your future goals with your current self. Alignment works with values, visions, and passion. When your profession, vocation and ministry are in alignment, one can be said to be living on and fulfilling purpose.
3. Humility
Humility is very critical when it comes to self evaluation and your goals, One must approach the entire process with humility. Life happens to everyone, and as such being amenable and dynamic to change is a great way to live through life. It takes humility to realize you may never achieve everything one desires.
As the year is winding down, take time to evaluate your business, family, career, spiritual life, and personal and professional life to know if you have fared well in those areas. Planning for the new year or season without first examining the mistakes of the previous year, will not make much impact if you haven’t learnt from your past mistakes. For one to achieve more in life, one must do or become more. Success in life is not a result of what you are doing, but what you are becoming.
In conclusion, as the year is about to end, you must endeavor to improve each area of your life by practicing self-examination, look inwardly and identify areas of your life that need to be modified and what needs to be eliminated.
Henry Ukazu writes from New York. He works with the New York City Department of Correctionp 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
A federal high court in Abuja has ordered the remand of Omoyele Sowore, presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the hearing of his application challenging the revocation of his bail.
Mohammed Umar, the presiding judge, made the order on Monday after dismissing an application by Sowore seeking the judge’s recusal from the case on grounds of alleged bias.
The judge subsequently adjourned hearing on the motion for stay of execution, as filed by Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, Sowore’s new counsel, to June 24.
In a brief ruling, Umar held that Sowore should remain in custody pending the hearing and determination of the application.
Sowore had appeared before the court earlier on Monday, days after the judge revoked the bail earlier granted him and ordered his arrest.
At the last sitting on June 16, the court revoked the activist’s bail after stating that a letter seeking an adjournment on his behalf did not provide reasons for his absence from court.
The Department of State Services (DSS) is prosecuting Sowore on a two-count charge over a social media post in which he allegedly described President Bola Tinubu as “a criminal” on his X and Facebook accounts.
Following the revocation of his bail, the Oyo chapter of the AAC criticised the court’s decision, describing it as political persecution and alleging an attempt to frustrate Sowore’s political activities.
The party had argued that Sowore attended the previous hearing and requested alternative dates because of a scheduled trip.
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
Worry is a part of human emotion, and every living entity worry about some things, some times. It’s practically natural. People worry about life, finance, children, health, academics, career and even personal development or spiritual life. All these however, can distract and take away someone’s peace.
Worry is an unfortunate habit, which many people have erroneously believe they can live without, but the stark truth is that no one can live without worry. It’s inbuit. Even when we think we have everything, we discover that there’s something we are lacking. These could be what money can’t buy. It’s instructive to note here that nobody is perfect, and nobody has everything because everybody is limited.
To further buttress the limitation of man, imagine the human body; we have eyes, legs, mouth, tongue, nose, anus, hands among others, but none can say it is more superior than the other. If the leg, eyes or nose says it’s more important, the anus can decide to close, and the body system will be uncomfortable as it won’t be able to discharge waste products. The eyes can’t say it’s more important than the ears, neither can the nose say it’s more important than the legs or hands. Every one of them has different and definite functions.
So, when one of the body parts is not working well, it can make one worry. But the good news is that it is only a good attitude that can help us overcome challenges. It’s instructive to note that worry does not solve problems, rather it escalates the problem.
Problems do exist, I mean real life problems, do exist, some can be physical, spiritual, psychological, mental, spiritual, etc. When you have any of these problems, please don’t spend so much energy on the problems because it can escalate or create new ones
Although you can’t stop worrying entirely, there are steps you can take to better manage your anxious thoughts and reduce rumination.
1. Create a “worry period.” Choose a set time and place for worrying. It should be the same every day and early enough that it won’t make you anxious right before bedtime. During your worry period, you’re allowed to worry about whatever’s on your mind.
2. Write down your worries. If an anxious thought or worry comes into your head during the day, make a brief note of it and then continue about your day. Remind yourself that you’ll have time to think about it later, so there’s no need to worry about it right now.
3. Make a list of all the possible solutions you can think of. Focus on the things you have the power to change, rather than the circumstances or realities beyond your control.
4. After you’ve evaluated your options, make a plan of action. Once you have a plan and start doing something about the problem, you’ll feel much less anxious.
5. Get up and get moving. Exercise is a natural and effective anti-anxiety treatment because it releases endorphins which relieve tension and stress, boost energy, and enhance your sense of well-being. Even more importantly, by really focusing on how your body feels as you move, you can interrupt the constant flow of worries running through your head.
6. Meditate. Meditation works by switching your focus from worrying about the future or dwelling on the past to what’s happening right now. By being fully engaged in the present moment, you can interrupt the endless loop of negative thoughts and worries.
7. Speak to a Licensed Therapist: Acknowledge and observe your worries. Don’t try to ignore, fight, or control them like you usually would. Instead, simply observe them as if from an outsider’s perspective, without reacting or judging. Therapy has been shown to be extremely effective in helping people reduce worrying and manage anxiety.
8. Mindfulness: Mindfulness is a powerful practice for reducing worrying, by teaching us awareness and acceptance of our thoughts and emotions in the present moment.. Psychotherapy provides a structured environment for individuals to learn practical skills and gain insights into their worrying patterns, ultimately helping them worry less and feel better.
Mindfulness effectively reduces symptoms of anxiety by teaching you to observe your worries without getting too caught up in them. One way to incorporate mindfulness into your daily life is through mindful breathing and meditation. Whenever you notice worrying thoughts coming up, gently bring your attention back to your breath, over time, regular mindfulness practice can help rewire the brain to respond to stressors more calmly, which reduces the impact of worrying on your mental health.
9. Gratitude: Practicing gratitude is a powerful way to maintain a positive outlook and reduce worrying. Research has shown that gratitude may reduce stress and improve mental health. Gratitude activates regions in the brain associated with dopamine, the feel-good neurotransmitter, leading to increased feelings of contentment and decreased worry.
By focusing on what we’re grateful for, we shift our attention away from negative thoughts, which ultimately helps us worry less. Start by keeping a gratitude journal and try writing down 5 things each day that you’re thankful for, no matter how small.
In conclusion, resolve today to be so strong that nothing and nobody can disturb your peace of mind.
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
As Ekiti State prepares for Saturday’s governorship election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured voters of its readiness to conduct a free, fair, and credible poll.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Ekiti State, Bunmi Omoseyindemi, urged eligible voters to participate confidently in the electoral process, stressing that the commission remains committed to delivering a transparent and impartial election.
Reports quoted Omoseyindemi as saying that INEC had resolved all logistical challenges and put adequate measures in place to ensure the timely deployment of personnel and election materials across the state.
He also highlighted the close collaboration between INEC and security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), noting that the partnership is aimed at guaranteeing a peaceful and secure voting environment.
The REC further disclosed that the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) would be deployed during the election to enhance transparency by enabling real-time upload and public viewing of polling unit results.
Meanwhile, a coalition of civil society organisations monitoring the election under the European Union Support to democratic governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN) Election Observation Hub has expressed concern over reports of voter inducement, political intimidation and disinformation ahead of the poll.
At a pre-election press conference, the group alleged that incidents of vote-buying involving cash, food items, and the collection of Permanent Voter Card (PVC) and National Identification Number (NIN) details through pre-funded bank accounts had been reported in parts of Irepodun/Ifelodun, Ikole, Ikere, Ekiti East and Ekiti West local government areas.
The observers also raised concerns over the spread of misinformation on social media, including unverified claims regarding the use of cloned PVCs to manipulate election outcomes.
While describing the overall security situation in the State as largely peaceful, the coalition urged political parties, candidates and their supporters to refrain from vote-buying, intimidation and the dissemination of false information.
The group also called on security agencies to remain professional and neutral throughout the electoral process, while encouraging voters to exercise their democratic rights freely and without fear, coercion or inducement.
The 2026 Ekiti State governorship election will hold on Saturday, June 20, across the state’s 16 local government areas, with more than one million registered voters expected to decide whether Governor Biodun Oyebanji secures a second term or a new leader emerges.
According to INEC, a total of 1,059,360 registered voters are eligible to participate in the election, which will be conducted across 2,445 polling units located in 177 wards. Voting is scheduled to commence at 8:30 a.m.
Authorities have also announced a statewide restriction on vehicular movement from midnight until 6:00 p.m. on election day to facilitate the smooth conduct of the exercise.
Although 14 candidates are contesting the election, with Governor Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Oluwole Oluyede of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), and Dare Bejide of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as the leading contenders.
INEC has confirmed the distribution of sensitive election materials to local government areas and assured voters of the readiness of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
Security agencies have also deployed personnel and operational assets across the state, particularly in border communities and other strategic locations, to maintain law and order throughout the electoral process.
Civil society organisations monitoring the election have urged residents to participate peacefully and responsibly, emphasising the importance of safeguarding the integrity of the democratic process.
