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Food for Living: Purge Your Heart of Negative Thoughts
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
The joy of life is not how happy you are, but how happy others can be because of you. Nothing soothes and excites the heart more than happiness. When your body is excited, it excretes adrenaline hormone. If you will agree with me, happiness cannot be hidden no matter how one tries. In the same way, sadness cannot be hidden. It’s just like poverty, you can hardly hide it. Sylvia Boorstein, in his book, “Happiness is an inside job”, enlightens us to have great thoughts that will keep us happy as opposed to having negative thoughts or believing someone is responsible for our happiness. Be informed, nobody is responsible for our happiness. We are literally responsible for our own happiness. Trust me, even if you are rich, and appear physically strong, if you don’t have the inner peace, happiness will elude you.
Nothing drains our life more than negativity. Living a life of negativity is the most traumatic and frustrating experience anyone can have. This is because you’ll never see anything good in a person. In order to see the light in yourself, you must illuminate your mind, body, and soul by emptying the basket of negativity in your life.
Sometimes we fail to move forward because we are holding back what has left us. Today, I charge you to empty all the negativity in your life. It’s difficult to go through and think of problems and situations you have experienced, and remain focused. These problems weigh us down and limit our productivity level. When your mind is filled with negative thoughts such as revenge, hatred, guilt, envy, etc., you’ll find it difficult to focus. For example, when you have fear in your mind, and worry about things you can’t change or what somebody did to you, it will be difficulty focusing.
It is normal to have challenges in your life, however, what makes the difference is how to manage the challenge. When you allow negative traits to dwell in your heart, you give up precious space that is reserved for light. Our life is like a container, what you allow in the container stays inside until you decide to empty any dirt insider the container.
It’s sad to know that many of us are living with stinking dirts on our body, and still expect full capacity function. Today, I charge you to clean your heart, sanitize your mind, purify your soul and purge your body of anything that prevents you from growing. You can do this. Our thoughts are very powerful, they rely on the feelings, beliefs, and energy we feed on to grow.
Whenever you feel betrayed by a friend, or disappointed by a colleague at work, or felt let down by a mentor, the best thing to do is to free your mind by emptying all negative thoughts into the trash can. Appreciate the lessons you learned from such experience. See the experience as an opportunity that will make you grow as opposed to the problem which somebody has caused you. It should be noted that whatever doesn’t’ kill you will make you stronger. It’s quite unfortunate to note many people attribute their failures to other people. This makes them inhibit negative thoughts which hinder them from forging ahead. When your heart is contaminated with negativity, it will be hard to enjoy life. You have to continually empty your hearts from all negative thoughts and energy in order to allow fresh energy to reign supreme.
Our body system is composed of one hundred percent positive energy, but sometimes we allow a fraction of negative traits to frustrate our progressive efforts. Negative traits such as jealousy, hatred for friends, neighbours, competitive business organisations are some of the energies that hider progress. Therefore, I charge you today; don’t give any room/space for bitter or sour taste in your life. Quit thinking or worrying about that happened. Your energy should be channeled towards having a progressive lifestyle. Empty your mind of any form of stress that reigns in your mind. Bitterness and stress have no place in our hearts. You’re in charge of your life and as such you’re responsible for whatever you put insider the container of your mind.
As human beings, we all have negative emotions, feelings, living inside us. This negative emotion can be as a result of our marriage/ relationship, it could be work-related, it could be from losses in business, it could be due to factors beyond your comprehension. Your goal should be turning lemon into lemonade.
Furthermore, the best way to empty your negative container is by emptying all thoughts and experience that has caused you pain every night before you sleep. It’s normal for someone to be hurt once, but, don’t allow that same pain to have a second chance in your life.
Negative pains come in different ways. For example, when you have bills to take care of, health concerns, family disagreements, etc. You might be thinking how will I take care of it? When you empty your heart of insecurity, you get confidence, when you empty your heart of worry, you get peace. When you empty your container, you free your mind for noble and sane ideas that will make you have a stable mind. For instance, when you forgive your detractors, don’t think you have done them a favour, we fail to realize that when you forgive others who offended you, you create make room for more opportunities and blessings in your life, but more especially, you gain peace and clarity of mind.
Relationship Experience
This is one of the areas we need to pay close attention to our individual life. One of the pillars of marriage is love and patience. Successful marriages are no fluke. It was planned and nurtured each step of the day by both parties. It’s quite unfortunate to note that many couples find it hard to forgive their partners after a heated conversation, especially when they throw tantrums at each other. It’s important to note that forgiveness, understanding, peace, patience, and love can be regarded as the bedrock of marriage, it is sad to note that many couples have accumulated so much pain and hatred in their heart which makes it hard for them to live a fruitful and loving life.
It is easy to feel that you are a victim of circumstances when the odds are against you. Please do yourself a favour by emptying all those thoughts surrounding your heart when you experience financial or social challenges. It’s easy to get worn out when somebody deprives you of what belongs to you. For example, a man or lady feels bad because someone took their supposed partner from them; quit having such negative feelings. Just know that the person was not supposed to be for you. If that person was supposed to be for you, nothing will change that course.
Every negative trait in your body system affects you. Negative traits can be regarded as infection. When the symptoms are properly treated, it metamorphoses into poison which becomes very deadly. Purge your heart of any negative feelings you may have developed consciously or unconsciously. When such infection grows, it will be easy to contaminate other parts of the body. You can overcome negative traits in your life by releasing toxins in your life.
It’s easy to assume you’re a victim of circumstances like why it is this happening to me? Beloved, It’s not personal, just know that it’s your own time of having the fair share of the cake life offers to everyone. Common sense demands you be patient and appreciate the moment which lasts for a while. As a way of advice, don’t be hard on yourself.
During your reflective time, consider how much space are you giving to guilts, shame, anger, etc., You won’t have the strength to move on if you consider what happened in the past. Your past is your past for a reason. Raise the bar and scale it up. Per Mitchell Obama: if they go low, you go up.
In conclusion, negativity is centered on having an unforgiving spirit. An unforgiving spirit can be regarded as a time bomb which can implode when one is not properly guided. The funny thing about an unforgiving person is that, you daily poison your heart with heavy load without knowing. I admonish you today to do yourself a favour by emptying all negative hormones in your body.
Moral: Don’t waste emotional intelligence that can be channeled to other fruitful cause.
Henry Ukazu writes from New York. 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. He can be reached via henrous@gmail.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.
