BLOOM AND GROW

At different points in our lives, we will doubt our abilities to perform.  For example, when we land a new job or just become parents. Some people can do what is required of them regardless of how they feel, but not everybody. Here are three tips for eradicating self-doubt so that you can function at a higher level.  Believe You Have Something to Offer:  Your thoughts eventually become your actions. I like this quote from the book, Wide Awake by Erwin McManus, "the world we create our heads is the world we will create through our actions." The reality about life is that everybody is called to serve; your work matters to someone. I've learned that you don't need to impact the entire world to be successful. What matters is the quality of your service.  Believing I have something to offer is my new mindset as I relaunch my blog.  As much as I love writing, I also think of this blog as a business. My dream of making money doing something I love is what drives me. So, ask

I've gotten to the point in my life where I know that I don't need to compare myself to others and one of the things I would tell my younger self is, "relax, everything is going to be Ok".  Comparison is what we do when we think our lives are less than desirable. However, it's not the best way to lead through life. So, instead of comparing, try these strategies.  Review Rather Than Compare:  I check what my counterparts have done or are currently doing. In life, you make decisions based on what's in your purview. For example, If a couple of your former classmates are applying to a certain university abroad or taking a particular certification, it might be wise to look at those opportunities as well and determine whether or not they are for you. It's about maintaining a competitive spirit even though you work at your own pace in life. There is no race or price. Doing this also helps you understand what your real capabilities are.  See how far You've Com

This is a post about finding it and getting there. I mean discovering your purpose and actually living the life you were created for.  In fact, I started this blog because I wanted to document my own blooming process and create a community of people interested in discovering and becoming themselves.  So, the following steps are simple and would help you figure out what you are meant to be doing with your life.  1. Follow Your Energy:  Chase the things that make you happy. Or satisfied. Or hopeful. For me, it's not even one thing and that's OK.  Whenever I am reading a really good book,  working out, and volunteering, I feel like I'm doing something important. And that's what your purpose should feel like.  It should make you feel good.  For most of us, the challenge is finding a way to earn a living from the things that bring us joy. Before we figure out how to even do that, we must, first of all, accept ourselves and the things we are called to do. Nothing is insignifi

Developing good financial habits is the key to wealth and abundance. It's not about how much money you have currently. It's about having the right mindset about personal finance.  It's time to break these bad habits and begin the work of developing better ones.    1. Living Paycheck to Paycheck.  Whether it is because you love to spend all the money you earn or because jobs offering better pay are scare, this situation is dangerous.  The first step to financial freedom is getting out of this cycle. So, first, find a job that allows you to put some money aside for personal development and financial investments. Also, spending everything you earn is going to make you broke and in debt in the long run.  2. Not taking Control of Your Career:  Even if you have a good job and all is going steady for you, don't settle for good, there is always a next level to step into. keep improving your body of knowledge and continue networking.  3. Hoarding Money and Never Having Fun.  Thi

I've had a rough couple of days. My car broke down on Monday and I've had to spend a lot more money than I budgeted on repairs and other family expenses. So, I understand that it might be difficult to muster the courage to make lemonade when life hands us lemons.  However, I know for sure that regardless of the hand that we are dealt,  we are responsible for our actions or reactions. No excuses.  The following tips could help you set your mind right and get your focus back.  1. Have a Plan.  Having a to-do list is one of the most important productivity hacks out there. When things are difficult, it might be hard to pick a task and begin work on it because you are nursing the pain of whatever is going on and thinking about the other things you are yet to work on. Writing things down is actually deligating the mental work of remembering to a sheet of paper.  Call to Action : Write everything you have to do down and start with the easiest for you to do.  2. Sleep.  Take a nap. Sle

I know for sure that the best way to set yourself up for success is to change your mindset about life and money. So I thought very well about how I would spend 25,000 Naira if I was to spend it on personal development. Here are a few of my recommendations.  1. Wide Awake: The Future is Waiting Within You By Erwin McManus  Erwin covers everything from activating your potential to understanding your value system and creating a future bigger than you. I read this book a few years ago but it is still one of the best books I own. I bought it at a thrift shop; can you imagine? Anyway, here are a few quotes from Wide Awake.   "If your dreams become the future of humanity, would this be a better world?" "Sometimes the limitations you are willing to accept establish the boundaries of your existence" "Dreams are your palette but life is your canvas" "The world we create in our heads is the world we will create through our actions" 2. A Gym Subscription:  T

1. Get adequate Sleep. It all starts with a good night's sleep. Aim for 6-7 hours of sleep for your body to be fully rested and recharged. Even if you think you can perform optimally with fewer hours of sleep, you should still get those 6 hours because lack of sleep can be detrimental to your health long term.  2. Wake Up At The Same Time Everday Knowing that you have to wake up at a certain time might motivate you to go to bed on time.  3. Start every day with a Plan . Even if you get distracted, a plan ensures you can always go back to the drawing board.  4. Schedule time for emails.   Make sure you have planned your day before you start going through your emails so that you don't get sucked into responding to other people's requests.  5. Take Breaks.  To paraphrase Insta-famous Elsa Majimbo,  "you are not a machine just grinding on the daily". Take frequent short breaks between tasks.  6. Include personal items in your To-Dos .  Spare a few minute

According to Forbes, Following new funding led by the global investment management firm, T. Rowe Price and  Dragoneer Investment Group, Melanie Perkins, and Cliff Obrecht, both co-founders of Canva, have become billionaires. This round of funding reportedly takes the value of the company to $15 Billion Dollars.  Why is this Story Significant? If you are a digital creator or anyone making use of digital products like Instagram and Facebook to advertise your products and services, then you must know Canva. The software offers thousands of stunning design templates for users to pick from. Whether you work in a formal organization or you sell crafts online, they have something for everybody and for every situation -mostly free of charge.  Canva highlights the power of technology to create access and opportunities. With Canva, you don't need to know a lot about graphic design to create powerful visual aids, presentations, and marketing materials.  Technology is definitely going to be a

  As we wrap up international women's month, I wanted to share with you two Instagram handles I frequently interact with. They are run by two very successful women who use their Instagram accounts for social good. Mrs. Tolagle Martins is a vastly experienced communication and strategy professional with a career spanning healthcare, aviation, and security while Mrs. Yeyebush-Alebiosu is a  practicing lawyer (an o ga in public service) and a U.K trained etiquette consultant.   Find out more about them below and please follow their social handles.  @tolagbedotcom She is the host of TM Grammer Ministry: a video series addressing common grammar mistakes in our everyday communication as Nigerians. Personally, I know that effective communication is important in the workplace and can sometimes be the difference between being let through a door and having someone shut the door on you. I mean, I still can't wrap my head around how many people now use "Am" instead of "I

Shonda Rhimes I have a very structured lifestyle. I go to work Mondays through Fridays and work out every weekday evening. I typically spend Saturdays cleaning up and prepping for the new week, and Sundays hanging out at a friend's place- usually the same friend's place. My life is boring, I know that.  Alexa please play me, "Cry Me a River" by Justine Timberlake.  I started to feel trapped in this lifestyle, so I reached out to a friend for support. After a one-hour-long conversation, I realized that I needed to relax and be more open. I too had my Shonda Rhimes moment and just like Shonda, I have chosen to say Yes to everything for the rest of 2021 and so far, the process has been both rewarding and scary. I said Yes to going to a party on a Sunday evening; knowing I had work the next day. The party turned out to be shit and we couldn't afford anything at the club, so we left and found a Suya spot around Falomo and ate ram Suya while we bantered till late into t

I'm a huge fan of agro-tech investments because I think increasing local food production would greatly strengthen our economy. However, agriculture is not always the safest place for anyone to put their money. Last year, I had some issues with my investments with Thrive Agric. However, the good news is that they've paid back a considerable amount and I can certainly remark that there's light at the end of the tunnel.  But just as I was recovering from that mishap with Thrive Agric, I found out that my investment with Abadini farms was in trouble.  I was introduced to Abadini farms through a private cooperative and up until 2020 everything was running smoothly with these guys. But since last year, they've defaulted in payments and have blamed this on losses they suffered due to drought. Of course, I don't know what to make of their explanations, I can only hope that my money gets paid back eventually.  But the point of sharing this information is to raise some awaren

I really love the silhouette challenge. Maybe I'm a low-key bad boy. But I know for certain that I'm not alone here. Despite the fact that the challenge has been met with so much backlash from men and women, more and more people are participating. The silhouette challenge basically involves one switching from a robe or PJ into lingerie while dancing to Paul Anka's "Put Your Head On my Shoulder". The Silhouette is created by a crimson red Snap Chat filter available on the mobile App.  Why is this challenge bursting my head?  1. It's the fact that a song from 1959 makes a come back in the year 2021! Up until yesterday, I had never heard of a Paul Anka. It's also very heartwarming that he's alive to experience all of this. And really, from the looks of Paul's website, it seems the old man is also going with the flow.  "Life is Short, Art is long" is something I say a lot. And I know for certain, that art never really goes away. It is always

Signing up for Mrs. Ibukun Awosika's "Life Series with Ibukun Awosika" was one of the most important decisions I made in 2020;  for real. It was a paid event (although just a token) and it was a birthday gift to myself. I've blogged about the insights I got from listening to the speakers that day but I had no idea that Mrs. Awosika was going to gather all the attendees into a Bootcamp and coach us for 7 weeks.  So, for almost two months over Whatsapp and Zoom, we were engaged by the Life series team: Assignments for the week (due every Wednesday, otherwise you were cut from the Bootcamp) and Sunday sessions with Mrs. Ibukun where we literally could ask any questions.  We heard from a woman who had summoned the courage to leave a good job in Lagos for studies abroad despite having a newborn, to another person, who was struggling with the fact that she had just being made appointed a leader.  There were so many aha moments for me. These were probably not the best less