Tag Archives: Change

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 →

The Will to Live

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For those who know me on a personal level, it is no secret that I believe we need to stop existing and start living. 

As individuals, as members of our families and communities, as citizens of our countries, and as members of the global community, it is time to live. 

It is no longer enough to simply strive for the basics, to accept perceived limitations and restraints, to settle for what they say is possible and let go of “unrealistic” dreams.

If we do not try, who will? If you do not take a stand now, then when? Complacency is comfortable, but also deadly. It is no longer enough to blame widespread problems on governments; what about the people? What are we doing to turn our lives around? What are we doing to eradicate poverty, unemployment, crime rates, and other societal afflictions? 

We leave so much to the government, shake our heads and wonder what the world is coming to, but how often do we ask ourselves what we can do to improve the world? It is often said that Utopia is an unattainable illusion, that such a paradise cannot last on this earth. So what? So what if we fall short of perfection? It is more honourable to strive for it than to remain locked in stagnation.

Break free today. Make the vow to start a revolution, to propagate a new way of thinking and a new way of life. A fellow blogger once said “you are what you believe” and it is a true statement. 

If you believe things will never change, they won’t. If you believe that there is no point in trying because your efforts would only be wasted, you won’t achieve anything. 

But if you believe that change is possible, that you can make a difference, then you will. If you believe you can work with others towards a better world and make it happen, you can. 

I believe in idealism.

I believe in positivity and the ability to leave a lasting impact as your legacy. Many will read these lines and scoff at my so-called naivete, and to them I say this: cynics live lives empty of the hope and passion enjoyed by dreamers. Naysayers are not happy people, innit?

The will to live. It is the desire to live a full life, the passion to experience more, and the determination to keep moving forward beyond all obstacles. It is not limited to personal gain and comfort, and it is not restricted to a chosen few.

It is a way of life embraced by heroes and pioneers, by dreamers and children, by those with hope and those with faith. Faith in human good, in values and ideals; hope for better days and brighter tomorrows, for a safer world for our children, for the continuous reign of peace over war; and the sacrifices made to protect these things are what make us heroes. We are all heroes. We are all protectors. Some of us have forgotten, and some have cast aside their roles.

I urge you to remember. Remember who and what you are. You are a beautiful person with potential and worth. 

Rouse yourself from slumber and be an agent of change. Act against bribery and corruption. Fight against oppression of the poor and the helpless. Work towards a kinder and safer society. 

Enough time has been spent wishing and waiting for something to happen; now is the time to make that nebulous “something” into concrete reality. 

It starts today, and it starts with you.

Acrobatic Cerebra

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I once read that we don’t use up to 10% of our brains. OK I’m not exactly sure about the percentage, but something like that anyway. Made me wonder how that’s possible, I mean we do so much every single day and yeah it may not be rocket science but surely all that activity would take up a large portion of the brain? Apparently not.

I believe it’s worthwhile to challenge your mind. For some reason I’m all about intellectual stimulation and tasking oneself to improve on a regular basis. I mean, each of us has so much potential, you know? But we let it lie dormant, we only tap into it occasionally and even then just for a short period. Or am I generalising? Maybe. When you really think about it, though, do you truly push yourself to flex your cerebral muscles? You do? How neat. :)

Acrobatic Cerebra. The brain is an incredibly important asset. Let’s keep it limber.

Trapped in Time

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This one’s been percolating in my mind for a while now. I find myself dwelling on the past, reliving certain events and phases over and over and over again, and I realise that I’m trapped in time. Memories, people, emotions….even though many things have changed and are no longer applicable to my present, I still treat them like they’re breaking news. Can we all say “denial” together?

I wonder why I keep trying to resurrect past emotions, ties, friendships, and alliances. I can’t understand why I expect things to remain the same when I know for a fact that change is the only constant. I’m so tired of thinking in the same loop and promising myself that “I have to stop”.

That said, I really will stop living in the past. I doubt it’ll be easy, though. Even if it seems incredibly difficult, nothing in life worth having is easily achieved. Or something like that, anyway.

My Take on Life

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I think life is what you make of it. Yes, that’s quite the cliché, but bear with me whilst I indulge my youthful perspective. Hey it’s my prerogative, right? Yes indeed. So, here it is.

There’re hardships to bear, difficulties to overcome, challenges to stretch us and make us better at what we do. At the same time, though, life can be exquisite, beautiful, joyful, and full of countless possibilities and limitless pleasures.

I honestly think people get so caught up in negativity and trying to get ahead that they lose sight of the beauty of being alive and loved. So many times people’re willing to give only if they can get something in return, there doesn’t seem to be much genuine goodwill left. I think it’s important to be considerate, to care even if there’s no immediate reward or benefit, to reach out to your friends and just be there for them. I think everyone should hold on to their inner child and retain the innocence of that stage because it keeps one positive and young at heart.

I think the pace of life is too frenetic these days; all that bustling back and forth, hurrying to and fro, what’s it really about? You can only find harmony and balance if you slow your roll and take the time to be at peace within yourself. Find the time to sit back and reflect, to focus on being in tune with your spirit and in harmony with your soul.

LOL, deep or what? 😀 Motivational speaker in the making! Seriously though, life may not be a bed of roses, but it’s not a thicket of thorns either. So, resist the tendency to point out/dwell on all the things that could go wrong or bad; recognise and embrace the flip side instead.

Balance Is The Key

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Balance. Inner balance, outer balance . . . these are things we strive for without even being aware of our end-goals. In our minds, it’s a nebulous something we just gotta have. I have come to realise that balance is the key to everything. It encourages finding your way to that special place where everything is as it ought to be. We all come across people who seem to have everything we want: dream jobs, dream houses, dream relationships, dream clothes, and so much more.

Sometimes we only see a mirage, a front to mask whatever’s really going down in their lives. Other times though, it is genuine. They do have their act together, and that is what draws us to them. Whilst I won’t profess to know the magic formulae for balance in all aspects of life, I do know, or rather think I know, that true balance comes from within.

 Inner peace. Think about it. When you are at peace with yourself, you can take on anything that comes your way, overcome obstacles, and tackle tricky situations. But when your inner compass is out of whack, everything seems to go to pot: you are irritable, nothing is going the way you want it to, you know something is missing but you remain unsure what it is . . . I could go on indefinitely but I think you get my drift.

So how do you get this inner peace, find your balance, become part of the elite who have it all? Simple.

Look inside yourself. Examine your priorities, your choices, your habits, and your lifestyle. What are the things that bring you joy and are positive? What is holding you back from tapping into your full potential? In other words, identify the good, the bad, and the ugly. Change whatever is getting you down. Take affirmative action. Find what works for you and go for it. Life is short, my friends, let’s get the best out of it while we can.

Be bold, be exotic, be fabulous, but most importantly, be you.