Category Archives: Moxie + Soul Fire

Gouge the Surface

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Much of everyday life takes place above the surface. We run errands, talk to people, buy things, drive from point A to B; just a few of the things we do on autopilot. You know, part of the rote and all that.

But what about the rest of the iceberg? What about the multitude of ideas and dreams and treasures below the surface? What about the light buried in the darkness because we can’t find the time to air out our coffers?

The surface is a seductive place. It is level, familiar, comfortable. We settle into an easy rhythm, power on day in and day out

until

something

jolts us.

What are you doing? Where are you going? Are you working by instinct or rote? Are you fuelled by passion or necessity? Who are you? Continue reading →

Celebrating Your Essence

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Claiming your path.

Because it’s calling, enticing, scintillating.

Delighting in its pull.

Because it’s glowing, burning, lighting you up inside.

Finding your voice.

Because your truth is welling, urging, bursting to be let loose.

Living your passion.

Because anything else is settling for second-best.

Stop waiting.

Stop settling.

Step up, step out, and step into your light.

Bask in it. Shine with it. Dance in the brilliance of your star.

Inspired by Sandi Amorim‘s awesome post Starbursts, Sirens, and Siriously Shining :)

Why We #OccupyNigeria

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As the New Year started, my home country of Nigeria received a crippling blow from its government: a fuel subsidy removal that instantly doubled the cost of living. The most common reactions were those of disbelief and horror, because how could the President possibly expect the people to cope without corresponding salary spikes? How were they supposed to feed and transport themselves if their income could only cover half of their needs and responsibilities?

The #OccupyNigeria movement is our response to the government. Its Wikipedia page gives some idea of the situation and its effect on the nation: Continue reading →

Personal Portrait

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I want to know that I lived. That I was brave enough to love hard and strong, unabashedly and unreservedly. I want to know that I went with my gut & was free to dream, to hope, to reach for the stars.

I want to know that I found my talent and drew it forth, that my well of potential did not go untapped. I want to live every minute, every second, safe only in the ability to wring every last drop of bliss available in each moment.

I want to know that I chased after greatness and waited for nothing to come to me. I want to know that I gave myself every opportunity, every chance to be me, to be myself. I want to live in the moment, here and now, unhampered by the past & not crippled by expectations of the future.

I want to know that every breath, every moment, was treasured and appreciated. I want to know that I can laugh at myself and forgive my mistakes; that I can work over a situation and be done with it for good and not continuously obsess over what went wrong or why it did.

I want to know that I listened to my heart and went where it took me, unafraid of what people think or what they would say. I want to know that I am ALIVE, that I am living for me and not putting myself in situations that would later make me ask ‘What if?’

What if I had taken that chance? What if I had dated that guy, bought that dress, gone to that party? I want to know that I live a life free of ‘what-ifs’.

It’s easy to spend so much time planning & wishing that one actually does very little “doing”; every moment accounted for, every time frame carrying its own set of expectations.

It’s not so easy, though, to have a general plan and leave the specifics up to fate. It’s not so easy to discover them along the way as opposed to map them out right from the start. It’s even harder to stop oneself from wanting to know all the answers NOW, to be content with getting a few at a time and not pushing for everything at once.

I want to know that I was patient with myself, that I accepted the importance of moving forward with feasible steps, that I didn’t try to achieve everything all at once and end up with nothing at all.

I want to know that I can be gentle with myself. I want to be free. I want to give myself permission to be. Me. True to my spirit and in tune with my soul.

I Am

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I am a person. Not the colour of my skin, the texture of my hair, or the shape of my face, but a person.

I am a child of the universe.

I am an individual. I am unique.

I am more than the sum of my parts or the physical ranking of beauty based on widely held standards.

I am an artist and a lover and a fighter. I am everything I could be and everything I should be.

I am greater than the troubles ahead of me and stronger than the darkness that threatens me.

I come from a family of givers and proudly embrace my heritage of love and openness.

I am at peace with my person and at no one’s mercy for my pleasure.

I am bound only by my expectations and not beholden to live by the rules of anyone else.

I am obligated only to speak my truth and free to raise my voice against manipulation and/or oppression.

I am worthy of love, respect, consideration, and joy.

I am worthy of sharing my thoughts and experiences.

I am worthy of kindness and support.

I am worthy.

I am.

Reverb11 – Day 10 – Soul Food!

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Caught up once again, phew! Today’s Reverb11 prompt is all about the soul food, babay. 😉

10. Soul Food
How do you nourish your soul? What activities are essential nutrients for your soul’s well-being?

My soul feeds on inspiration. What am I talking about, she positively gobbles up the stuff, LOL. I find the written word to be the most satisfying and the longest-lasting in my system. It’s incredibly filling to read the words of thinkers and motivators, people whose auras pump out light and inspiration.

There are two such women I absolutely love because of their outlooks on life and their way with words: Danielle LaPorte and Premakarini. I don’t know what miracles of fate made me stumble on their blogs a couple months ago, but I’m so glad and grateful to have them as online resources. Look through some of their latest posts and you’ll see what I mean.

I also find nourishment in expressing myself and going back to those words at a later date. There are times when we don’t realise the impact of what we jot down, when we don’t appreciate the flow of words simply because they come from within and we feel it’s not up to par or worth much anyway. It’s important to go back over your written thoughts because they often have hidden gems to make your existence richer and more fulfilling. Hands in the air if you’ve thought “Wow, I wrote that?” as you read over your stuff.

Interpersonal interaction, listening to music, and writing are my essential nutrients. I believe it’s important to stay connected to your friends and close to your family. I think we should all have days to just hang out and bond because it’s so easy to get caught up in life’s frantic pace and forget to do the simple things that bring us joy.

Put away your smartphone and go share a pizza with a friend. Get off the internet and go hang out in the real world. Write cards and letters. Call. Go dancing. Go skiing. Go bungee-jumping? 😀 LOL, maybe not. Whatever you do, though, remember to keep your soul well fed. It helps. :)

Words from their Fathers – Part 2

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Here’s the rest of it; the first post would have been too long so I divided the material.

Cherie Carter-Scott’s Rules of Life 

Rule One – You will receive a body. Whether you love it or hate it, it’s yours for life, so accept it. What counts is what’s inside. 

 Rule Two – You will be presented with lessons. Life is a constant learning experience, which every day provides opportunities for you to learn more. These lessons specific to you, and learning them ‘is the key to discovering and fulfilling the meaning and relevance of your own life’. 

 Rule Three – There are no mistakes, only lessons. Your development towards wisdom is a process of experimentation, trial and error, so it’s inevitable things will not always go to plan or turn out how you’d want. Compassion is the remedy for harsh judgement – of ourselves and others. Forgiveness is not only divine – it’s also ‘the act of erasing an emotional debt’. Behaving ethically, with integrity, and with humour – especially the ability to laugh at yourself and your own mishaps – are central to the perspective that ‘mistakes’ are simply lessons we must learn.  Continue reading →

Words from their Fathers – Part 1

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A friend forwarded me an email last night and it contained fathers’ messages to their children. I liked the collection of quotes and wisdom so I decided to share them here.

 I can remember when i was younger my father who didnt speak much, would read this poem to me and whenever he thot i was ready he would some times say ‘ kay go spend time in front of d desiderata’( it was a plaque that hung in our study, which had inscribed on it the desiderata and other poems my father described as songs all boys should know! ) and would make sure i got inspired by some of lifes stories and the things he believed in. I just felt I should share some of them, though some are very popular /common , u may agree dat they are inspiring too, while the others may help breathe new life in our day 2 day… u could also share some of the things you learnt from ur dad 

 desiderata – by max ehrmann
Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. 

As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit. 

 If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.  Continue reading →

Have Faith

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Often times when you’re poised on the verge of breakthrough, there’s a loud voice of doubt that tries to drown out the hopes of your dreams. Doubt weighs you down, smothers you, makes you question if you can really achieve that for which you strive. Whenever you hear that voice of doubt, stay strong and shout “YES I CAN!”

You can do whatever you choose to accomplish. I read somewhere that our dreams are limited only by the scope of our imagination and the truth of those words struck me. After all, how can you do something if you can’t envision it? How can you reach the pinnacle if you can’t imagine it? I believe I’ve said before that fear is only natural because we’re human; with that in mind, fear and doubt are interchangeable forces that try to rob you of precious blessings.

Don’t listen to them. Have faith in yourself. Have faith in your talent, your gifts, your ambition, and your heart. Have faith to silence the voice of doubt. Have faith to calm the fear. Have faith to stand up and work towards your vision. Have faith to follow your dreams and live them every day. And when it seems like you can’t go on anymore, when you feel like you’ve used up every ounce of ability and endurance, have the faith to tap into the infinite well of strength slumbering within you. Believe that you can move forward.

I speak these words to myself even as I speak them to you. I have struggled with self-esteem and self-confidence. I have felt I didn’t matter and I wasn’t loved. Personal trials have made me doubt beauty, truth, love, even the existence of God. I’m here to tell you that those same trials are now opening my eyes to things I would never have imagined otherwise. I’m here to tell you that there are times you need to bleed before you can shine; times you must go through fire so it purifies you, times you must find yourself so far down there’s no other place to go but up. Sometimes you need to change direction in order to take the right path and it might require drastic measures to make the right changes happen.

Dare to think without boundaries. Dare to seek your truth and shine with the brightness itching to burst forth from within you. Learn from every tear. Bounce back from every setback. Cultivate a positive outlook that turns every obstacle into a stepping stone. Life is a journey with twists and turns and you must adapt to thrive in every situation.

When I say thrive, I don’t mean to simply do well within certain confines. I mean to flourish beyond your expectations, to let your spirit bloom and grow in leaps and bounds. I mean to choose to excel and refuse to settle for anything less. I mean to avoid mediocrity like the plague and have no time for negativity. I mean to build resources that cheer you up when you’re sad and light your path when you’re surrounded by darkness. You are what you accept, so why accept anything but the best and most fulfilled version of yourself? Everything you need is already within you; you just need to discover it. There’s so much swirling beneath the surface. Take the time to tap into your creativity and inspiration is sure to follow.

Dare yourself today. Have faith. Shalom.

The Identity Series – 3

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How do you discover your true self? How do you ascertain that you are living in line with your own principles? I know we’re all influenced to some extent by our family and peers, but ultimately we choose who and what we want to be. So, I ask again. How do you discover your true self?

I believe that question arises because we often know exactly what we are, we just choose to deny it. Can’t really change anything unless you acknowledge it, right? So if you realise a dark or shocking side to yourself and refuse to address it, it clouds your ability to understand its origin(s) and solution(s). In other words, there’s an inner voice that whispers the deepest secrets of the soul; many of us just choose to drown it out for fear of what we’ll hear. But that only delays the inevitable, doesn’t it? Suppress something long enough and it’ll explode out of control one day. Funny thing is, such explosions never come at convenient times. Bothersome, really.

Before you retort that it’s simplistic to presume an inner voice is all you need to discover yourself, think about it. Why are some people so confident, so comfortable in their own skin? Why is it that nothing shakes their belief in themselves? They’ve invested time and effort in extracting the essence of their character from their subconscious. They’ve examined their desires and identified a common pattern, one that allows them determine the reasons for those desires and the wisdom of satisfying such wants. But most importantly, they’ve accepted their identities. No shrinking back, no suppression, and no denial; they embrace all they are and change whatever doesn’t suit them.

I’ve already said environment and upbringing are great influences on one’s identity, but they are still less powerful than your innermost desires. The soul is a mystical and awesome entity; it is also the single greatest determinant of one’s personality. This is why those who comprise the “masses” are indistinguishable from one another; they all subscribe to the same way of thinking and have no ideas or opinions of their own. Notice how products strive for mass appeal in order to interest the largest possible slice of the population? Same principle. It follows then, that identity’s meaning in today’s society is a knotty issue. Inasmuch as you want to fit in and belong somewhere, you also want to remain true to yourself. It’s about finding the balance between being your own person and remaining a part of your community at the same time. Feel me?

And that’s all for now, please come again for more in The Identity Series. 😀 Agree with or oppose anything I’ve said? Feel free to leave your comments underneath this post or send your emails to findotitihere@hotmail.com Thank you for reading and please share your thoughts. Later, people.