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Food for Living: Overcoming Adversity, Instability
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
If you are asked what life is, what is likely going to be your response? Whatever your answer is, it is worthy of note that responses will vary among a crowd of individuals. Life is such an interesting place to be, and at the same time, it can be an experience. If you don’t manage it well, you are bound to face dire consequences.
As humans, whether we like it or not, we will face daily challenges on a daily basis ranging from relationship/marriage, academics, business, career, or personal. All these challenges can lead to instability and eventual downfall if not properly managed.
The question we need to ask ourselves is how do we cope or overcome these challenges? Managing human beings and the challenges of life is one of the most difficult tasks of life. Instability makes us understand that nothing is guaranteed in life and change is the only thing that is constant. A wealthy person today can become a pauper the next day if the wealth is not properly managed while the child of a certified pauper can become a man/woman of means the day after if properly educated. That’s life!
It’s important to note that stability leads to peace and progress, while instability leads to chaos, uncertainty, and confusion. As a creative writer, I have discovered that one needs a peaceful mindset, and concentration in order to write very well. As a married man, I also know when the home is at peace, there’s bound to be understanding, progress and love. In the same light, as a business owner, I do know that when the business is stable, it’s bound to flourish. Why am I laying all these foundations, it’s simply to alert us about the importance of stability in life?
Nobody likes stress, but stress is inevitable, and we all must deal with it. Managing stress is a skill. Stress is one of the agents of death because it can be psychological. Below are some of the ways we can overcome the challenges of life.
Attitude
Attitude is truly priceless. Having the right mental attitude is the first step to succeeding in life. Attitude is like a compass. Once you miss it, you are heading in the wrong direction no matter how experienced you are as a driver. Attitude doesn’t talk, but you can feel it. Your attitude determines how you react to issues. It has been said that circumstances don’t say who you are, they reveal who you are. When you have the right attitude, you will know when to end a negative conversation, you will know when to leave an unhealthy environment, you’ll value your peace of mind, and most importantly, you will know how to attract opportunities because the right attitude can serve as goodwill. People with negative attitude tend to have an entitlement mentality.
It’s pertinent to note that the right attitude gives you the power and ability to accept whatever you cannot change. So, if you are going through a situation, you can train your mind to see the stress as an experience as opposed to a problem. On a personal note, whenever I find myself in a situation I can’t help, I look for what can make me happy. I can either play music, sleep or engage in an activity that can bring sanity to my mind.
Practice Self Care
The best way to reduce emotional trauma is to make a commitment to take good care of yourself. Self-care is the best love you can ever have in life. Self-care is the best treat you can ever have. Self-care is self-love. Before anyone can come close to you, they will have to see something in you that interests them. According to tax practitioners, “like-kind attracts, like-kind exchanges”. Some of the ways you can practice self-care entail meditating, exercising, eating healthy, spending time with good friends and loved ones, engaging in hobbies or activities of interest which is capable of mentally stimulating you as fun.
Meditation
The effect of meditation on a progressive being is priceless. Meditation can be regarded as the food of the mind, spirit and soul. Meditation makes you self-aware It helps you to relax. It makes you mentally creative and most importantly, it helps you to stabilize your emotional mindset. Proper practice of meditation helps you to reduce anxiety and stress.
In summary, according to an unknown author, a great way to overcome adversity and instability in life is to apply the corresponding principles and nuggets below. By so doing, you will live through life happily without much expectation. When asked what life is, here is what he has to say:
WHAT IS LIFE
LIFE IS AN ADVENTURE – DARE IT.
LIFE IS A BEAUTY – PRAISE IT.
LIFE IS A CHALLENGE – MEET IT.
LIFE IS A DUTY – PERFORM IT.
LIFE IS A LOVE – ENJOY IT.
LIFE IS A TRAGEDY – FACE IT.
LIFE IS A STRUGGLE – FIGHT IT.
LIFE IS A PROMISE – FULFILL IT.
LIFE IS A GAME – PLAY IT.
LIFE IS A GIFT – ACCEPT IT.
LIFE IS A JOURNEY – COMPLETE IT.
LIFE IS A MYSTERY – UNFOLD IT.
LIFE IS A GOAL – ACHIEVE IT.
LIFE IS AN OPPORTUNITY – TAKE IT.
LIFE IS A PUZZLE – SOLVE IT.
LIFE IS A SONG – SING IT.
LIFE IS A SORROW – OVERCOME IT.
LIFE IS A SPIRIT – RELEASE IT.
LIFE IS A WONDER – CHERISH IT.
Henry Ukazu writes from New York. He’s a Human Capacity & mindset coach. He’s also a 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
Armed policemen have taken over the Wadata Plaza headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja, as tension continues to mount over the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, which is expected to hold today.
Channels Television quoted an unnamed party official, who alleged that the police were deployed to stop the proposed NEC Expanded Caucus meeting.
Though some staff members of the party were initially allowed to go into the premises of the secretariat without any resistance from the police, they were later sent out.
Journalists were also been asked to leave the premises of the secretariat.
Some policemen were seen cordoning off Dalaba Street, which is the road leading to Wadata Plaza.
The Presidency has said there has been no change in the position of Senator George Akume as Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
“There has been no change in the status of His Excellency, Senator George Akume, as Secretary to the Government of the Federation,” Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said in a statement made available to journalists.
The statement is titled ‘Akume Remains SGF.’
This followed multiple reports which quoted Presidency sources saying Tinubu had named his Special Adviser on Policy Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman, to serve as the new SGF.
Onanuga said, “President Bola Tinubu, currently in Saint Lucia, has not made any new appointments.
“The information circulating about Akume’s replacement is untrue. Agents of mischief fabricated it.
“The Presidency advises Nigerians to disregard the fake news.”
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
It is everybody’s desire to be successful in whatever field of endeavour he finds himself. It can be in career, family life, business endeavors or personal development. But there’s absolutely nothing good that comes easy. Everything in life involves a lot of hard work, smart work, dedication, discipline, network, sacrifice, prayers, and determination among a whole lot if one is intentional to succeed.
Of a truth, success is not for the faint-hearted. In all honesty, everyone wants to be ahead of everyone, especially contemporaries and funnily enough, the average human being sometimes have a bit of ill- feeling when competitors arise or seem to outsmart them either with better quality or price. The good thing about this however, is that it makes one sit up.
Now, this brings us to the essence of today’s article. For anyone to be ahead of their competitors, they must fly like the eagle. Eagles are known for their powerful build, sharp vision, and fearless nature. They are highflyers, capable of soaring to great heights, and gliding for extended periods. Eagles are also known for their tenacity, using storms to their advantage to gain altitude. Other notable characteristics include their strong talons and beaks, used for hunting, and their protective nature towards their young. These are some of the qualities that make it unique.
The eagle is not regarded as the king of the sky for fun, no. The eagle flies so high because that’s where it gets a chunk of its strength. This ability enables the eagle to take its prey and predators alike to it’s abode where it will have enough emotional and physical strength to dismantle them.
I will be sharing characteristics of an eagle to enable us know why we ought to be like the eagle if we want to soar.
VISION
The eagle has a sharp vision. Their vision is so precise. They can see farther than any animal. They possess exceptional eyesight, allowing them to spot prey from great distances. As human beings, we must have eagle eyes to know what we really want, and what we don’t want. Vision allows us to go for what we desire and deserve. When we have vision, we won’t wait for anyone to tell us when to strike. We flow through the wind despite the waves and heavy current and associated challenges. When our vision is precise, it will give people clarity to understand how they can assist us.
Let’s take a closer look at great leaders of this world who have come and gone. There are many great leaders that came and went but one characteristic that is common in all is “Vision”.
Vision is a successful leadership characteristic
You must have a vision that guides and leads your team towards the organizations or societal goals. The vision must be big and focused. A big, focused vision will produce big results
FLIGHT
Eagles are known for their ability to soar and glide, using their large wings to their advantage. Eagles can fly up to an altitude of 10,000 feet, but they are able to swiftly land on the ground. At 10, 000 feet, you will never find another bird. If you find another bird, it must be an eagle.
An eagle doesn’t mingle around with the pigeons. It was Dr. Myles Munroe who said that. Pigeons scavenge on the ground and grumble and complain all day long. Eagles are not. They fly and make less noise waiting for opportunities to strike their next prey or glide with the current of the storm.
Great leaders are problem solvers. They don’t complain like the pigeons do. They love to take challenges as the eagle does when the storm comes. As human beings, we all have our strengths and weaknesses.
It’s always good for one to take any fight to their home ground where it will give them advantage over their predators. For instance, a fish is stronger in water, but weak on land, a lion is stronger on land, but weak in water, a monkey is strong on trees but weak on air. Just like an eagle is strong on air and weak on water and land. That’s why it always takes its prey to the sky where they have greater advantage to shine.
As human beings, we also must know what we are naturally good at, the ability to know this will enable us to maximize our strength and work on our weakness. We can only do this when we know ourselves and what we are naturally good at. Our ability to focus on our expertise and what we are naturally good at will make us unique and ahead of our contemporaries.
TENACITY
The eagles are known for their ability to withstand storms and use them to their advantage, rising above the challenges. Watch an eagle when a storm comes. When other birds fly away from the storm with fear, an eagle spreads its mighty wings and uses the current to soar to greater heights. The eagle takes advantage of the very storm that lesser birds fear and head for cover.
Challenges in the life of a leader are many. These are the storms we must face as leaders to rise to greater heights. Like an eagle, a leader can only rise to greater heights if he takes up the challenges head on without running away from it. This is yet another leadership characteristic.
As humans, we all will experience challenges and setbacks, however, the ability to apply strength will go a long way to show how determined we are to overcome the hurdles that pose as challenges.
FEARLESS
An eagle will never surrender to the size or strength of its prey. It will always give a fight to win its prey or regain its territory.
Successful leaders are fearless, so we are expected to fear no man, but respect all men. They face problems head on. We are supposed to have the eagle fearless mindset regardless of how big the problem may appear. Confront your fear and rise or face your fear and run. The choice is yours.
VITALITY NATURE
One of the strongest characteristics of an eagle is their vitality. Eagles are full of life and are visionary, but they find time to look back at their life and re-energize themselves. This happens at about the age of 30. What happens is that when the eagles reach the age of 30, their physical body condition deteriorates fast making it difficult for them to survive.
What is interesting is that the eagle never gives up living, instead it retreats to a mountaintop and over a five-month period goes through a metamorphosis. As humans, we are expected to reexamine ourselves, retreat to a safe zone. We can do this by fasting as Christians, we can also do this by learning new skills, volunteering our time and seeking for mentors who can hold us by the hand to show us how the appearance of life is not the reality of life.
In conclusion, as human beings, we are encouraged to be like an eagle if we want to scale through life.
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
