Meaningful Morning_OPENED HANDS

Meaningful Morning

OPENED HANDS
Psalm 104:27-28 KJV
"These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season.
"That thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good."

🙏🏽
We wait on You LORD,
Open Your hands:
Help us live by Your principles,
That we may gather from You and be filled,
In Jesus' name

43 HABITS OF EXTREMELY HAPPY PEOPLE

THE HAPPINESS MANIFESTO

1.       Happiness is a Choice

When you wake up in the morning, how do you choose to live your day? In this very instant, you can choose to be happy and simply do what you love doing.

2.       Smile at the World and the World will smile back

It’s a well-known fact that smiling is contagious. When you smile to others, no doubt about it you will be making the other person feel pretty damn good about themselves and they will be in a more positive frame. Most likely, they will smile back at you!

3.       Connect Deeply

When we talk with others, share experiences with others, listen and care for others, we are connecting with the other person and building a relationship. A key component of happiness is connecting deeply with those around you.

4.       Be Kind

When someone is kind to you, it makes you feel happy. This works the other way around as well! Be kind to others and it will make you happy! What have you done today that was a kind gesture to another person?

5.       Love Fully

Who do you love and who loves you? Have you let them know recently that you love them? Loving fully, openly and honestly helps build relationships and trust and brings about enormous happiness not only in yourself, but in those that you care about most.

6.       Find What Makes You Happy and DO IT OFTEN

We are all completely unique. We all have different backgrounds, different personalities and therefore difference preferences. Explore the world and try new things. Find out what makes you happy. If you know what makes you happy, then you can simply DO IT and turn it into an essential part of your life.

7.       Forgive Yourself

If you have previously made an error and are carrying weight on your shoulders, perhaps now is the time to drop the baggage and enable yourself to move on and start the happiness.

8.       Forgive Others

If someone has let you down, there is no need to let this drag out and feel down on an ongoing basis. Forgiveness is a key component of being able to move on with your life and restoring happiness to its highest levels.

9.       Eat Healthy

You are what you eat. Eat happy foods! And that doesn’t mean McDonalds. Eating healthy foods has a positive impact not only on your health, but also your moods and cognitive ability.

10.   Exercise Regularly

Regular exercise can help reduce stress while releasing endorphins and serotonin, key ingredients of experiencing feelings of happiness. The best part though, is that you look awesome and you become physically fit!

11.   Challenge Yourself

Try out new experiences. Push your boundaries. Set yourself goals and go beyond what you think is possible. Challenging yourself and pushing your boundaries will help you become more self-aware as well as more self-confident, and give you wider experiences ultimately leading to increased happiness.

12.   Hug Your Family, Hug Your Friends, Hug the WORLD

There’s something special about the touch of another person. There’s something even more special around physically embracing and hugging another individual. Give happiness and feel happiness by hugging those around you!

13.   Think Positive

You can achieve what you believe. Not only this, but if you see the positive in life and in situations that a presented to you, you will physically feel happier and be more successful in your pursuits.

14.   Treat Yourself

What little things make you feel happy? Treat and reward yourself when you have achieved something and let the feelings of happiness flow!

15.   Relax

Take some time out. Go on a holiday or read a book, perhaps do some meditation or simply get some rest. Relaxing brings about happiness. What do you do daily to relax?

16.   Have Fun

We all have to do certain things in life, we eat, we walk, we talk, we sleep, and we can choose to have fun in everything we do. Life is not meant to be serious. We are here for only a few short years so make sure you’re having fun while living!

17.   Trust in Others

Be open to others and trust in them. Trusting others can relax and calm you and give you confidence. It helps build relationships and ultimately leads to happiness.

18.   Be Trustworthy

Know that you are trustworthy and be trustworthy. Similar to above, being trustworthy helps you to have confidence in yourself, can relax and calm you and helps build relationships with others. Most importantly, being trustworthy means that you are being open, honest and transparent with yourself which is an essential ingredient for experiencing happiness.

19.   Happiness Brings Love, Success & Fulfilment; Love, Success & Fulfilment Bring Happiness

People often say that they will be happy if they find love, or they will be happy if they are successful in a certain area in their life. Although love and success can bring happiness, it is ultimately happiness that brings about love, success and life fulfilment.

20.   Set Your Own Goals

Goals are super important for giving you a sense of direction and purpose. By knowing where you need to get to, you can make choices that are aligned to your path. Setting your own goals gives you a feeling of purpose, confidence and ultimately happiness.

21.   Learn and Experience Everyday

Stretch your mind and build your life. Keep learning every day and experience new things as much as possible. You never know, you might just learn that the new experience you do today is the best and most fulfilling thing you have ever done in your life.

22.   Life is Exciting. Life is Your Choice. Life is Fun.

We live for a very short time on this Earth. You only get one life and we never know when it will be taken from us. You can choose how to live your time on this Earth. The possibilities are endless. Life is exciting, life is fun, and life is about experiencing absolute happiness.

23.   Count Your Blessings

Your health, your family, your community, your ability to be able to go on the internet and read this right now, are all things that many people in this World do not have. Taking time out to look at your life and count your blessings can help you realize that there is no reason you should be feeling anything other than happiness.

24.   Give to Others

Think not only of yourself but of those around you. Give to others generously. What you give is what you get. Feel good about yourself for giving generously and I’m sure you will again feel happiness when the giving returns to you.

25.   Laugh Out loud

Laughing is a sure-fire way of making you feel good about yourself. But don’t just laugh, laugh out loud and laugh with others. Feel the chuckle in your belly and laugh till you cry!

26.   Sing

Singing and listening to music has physiological effects which can shape our mood, ultimately helping us to be happy. Sing often, listen to music often and whistle often and no doubt you will feel an uplift in your mood, instantly!

27.   Dance

Shake your booty, get physical and become super-happy while dancing the night away! Dancing is a super-fun way of getting exercise, helping to release endoprhins and lift your mood. Dancing also helps you express your creativity, your personality and enhances you relationships with those that your dancing with.

28.   Go a little bit silly!

Going a little bit silly helps you to relax, have fun and just enjoy the present. When you’re going a little bit silly, there are no worries in the World and you create your own fun. If you’re going a little bit silly with other people, this helps to deepen your relationships with them. The best part about going a little bit silly? It’s just super-stupid-fun!

29.   Travel the World

Experience everything that this beautiful planet has to offer. Travelling the World will open up your eyes to new experiences and new cultures and will also help you become aware of your blessings and be grateful for what you currently have.

30.   Know Yourself

Understanding yourself, your values, your beliefs, your motivators and ultimately what makes you happy is essential for being able to make choices to live the life that you want to lead. Knowing yourself will help you fly through life and experience ongoing happiness in whatever it is that you pursue.

31.   Be Resilient

Change is imminent and just to keep things interesting, life always throws curve-balls. Know that change is something that we all experience and know that maintaining or regaining feelings of absolute-happiness are results of being resilient and tackling life with a positive attitude when the going gets tough.

32.   Say I’m Sorry

If you have made an error or a mistake or have impacted someone or something in a way that you’re not proud of, simply say “I’m Sorry”. Saying from the heart that you’re sorry will help you feel better about yourself and not ‘bottle it up’ and will also let the other person know that you are genuinely sorry.

33.   Say Thank You

Be appreciative for the things that are given to you. Simply saying “Thank You” can not only make you feel better, but it can make a world of difference to the person that you are saying it to.

34.   Say I Love You

No need to hide the feelings inside. Let your feelings out by saying “I Love You” to those that you care about most. You will feel absolute-happiness for doing so and you will make your loved ones feel even more happy and loved.

35.   Help and Teach Others

Lend a helping hand or pass on your knowledge to others. Feel good for knowing that you have made a difference in someone else’s life. You will feel the happiness in knowing that you have spread the happiness to others.

36.   Feel the Sunshine

Simply feeling the suns’ rays on your skin can make you feel happier and best of all, give you a nice looking glow! If you’re spending too much time inside, head outdoors and feel the warmth of the sunshine.

37.   Be Brave

Stepping outside of your comfort zone and taking risks can not only help you to build your confidence but it can lead you to something special that you may not have had otherwise.

38.   Be Excited

Whatever it is that you are going to be doing today, it’s something to be excited about! No-one else on this planet gets to be able to live the same life as you do, so be excited in knowing that you a creating your own unique life journey.

39.   Be Creative

Foster your creativity by exploring different avenues such as painting, drawing, singing, innovating, creating or building just to name a few. Letting our minds go on a journey fosters not only happiness but your ability to be creative and have fun with life.

40.   Be You

An absolute essential for living a super-happy life, you need to be you and not what you think others think you should be. Do the things that you want to do and be the person that you know you are. Experience harmony between your values, your beliefs and your actions and feel the joy of happiness that it brings.

41.   Live Your Passion

You may have many passions or you may have a few. Understand and know your passions and live them out on a daily basis. Incorporate them into your daily life and experience the happiness of doing what you love.

42.   Live Your Purpose

What is your purpose in your life? What do you want to achieve and what legacy will you leave when you are no longer here? Finding your purpose and pursuing this on a daily basis will help you live a life of happiness and help you leave a legacy of happiness within others.

43.   Change the World, One Smile at a Time

You CAN change the World, one smile at a time. A smile from you can make all the difference in the life of another. You may never know the impact of what your smile may mean to another, but it may mean the World to them.

The Bonus +1

There is a number 44 for this list. This is an essential ingredient for living a happy, successful and fulfilling life. It combines every single one of the 43 habits above. Without this, you can feel overwhelmed, miss out on opportunity and not experience all that life has to offer. With this, you will be able to experience all the 43 habits above, giving time and energy to each, satisfying your lifes needs and ultimately living a more satisfying, fulfilling and happy life.

44.   The key ingredient is Balance.

9 WAYS TO AVOID CONFLICT AT WORK

Psychological climate in the team is one of the main criteria to which many job seekers pay attention when choosing the place of work. 

However, if financial and other details relating to the new position can be discussed during the preliminary conversation with the management or at the interview stage, the relationship of colleagues and working environment can be assessed only after a certain time. How to behave in the conflict situations and what to do in order to improve relations with other employees?

1.       Change your attitude to the conflict

It is impossible to live life without contradictions and disputes. Work is a place where people spend a lot of time, so such conflicts occur quite often. However, sometimes these disagreements can be useful - emotional discharge helps to find a common solution of the problem and makes change a mind about a colleague and listen to someone else's point of view.

However, it should be noted that too frequent elucidation of relations may cause constant stress and tense atmosphere in the team. Note also whether the management is trying to understand the circumstances and offer solutions to the problem.

2.       Resolve a conflict at an early stage

Perhaps you've already noticed the dissatisfaction of an employee with your work or caustic remarks in your side? Try to figure out what was the reason for such a situation until the moment the petty quarrel turns into a conflict with the rapid clarifying of the relationships. Do not be afraid to talk to a colleague - probably during the dialogue you will learn how to find a compromise in order such circumstances will not be repeated in the future. If the reason for disagreement lies not in the personal motives, it is likely the problem will be solved peacefully.

3.       Keep the communication to a minimum

If you have a bad relationship or a person brings unpleasant emotions to you, try to keep contact with such a worker to a minimum. However, if you do occasionally have to deal with a colleague and to clarify some working moments, try to be in a positive attitude and keep a neutral tone in the conversation - it will help keep things under control and properly manage your emotions.

4.       Analyze your own behavior

Try to thoroughly analyze your own behavior in the team and put yourself in the place of your colleagues. This way you will understand who the main culprit for such situations is and what factors most often provoke conflicts in the workplace. Consider the comments of other co-workers - if they are true and adequate, maybe it is worth listening to them and to improve relations in such a way?

5.       Choose a neutral position

It is quite often situation in a working environment - disagreement between two staff members, each of whom is looking for support in other colleagues. Nevertheless, it is better to stand aside and take a neutral position. You should not get involved in someone else’s conflict and gossips not to spoil your own professional reputation. This behavior is the most correct, especially if you’ve just started working in the company or going through the probationary period.

6.       Solve conflicts independently

Try to analyze your own situation independently but at the same time ensure that other employees do not affect the decision of a question. Do not carry the disagreements to the public, but rather try to understand the conflict without the participation of other team members. In the case if you cannot find a common language, offer a colleague an alternative variant - for example, ask for help from your chief with whom you will be able to discuss this issue. Think carefully about your arguments and how you explain and defend your position.

7.       Control your statements

No matter what was the main reason of your quarrel - mistakes in the work process or just incompatibility of characters - in any case it is necessary to control your emotions and expressions. Transformation of the conflict into the discussion of personal qualities of the colleague is not the best quality of employee. Pay attention to the initial subject of the dispute rather than try to hurt a worker by negative comments and statements.

8.       Be able to admit mistakes

If in the course of the dispute it was suddenly found out that you were wrong, do not be afraid to admit your mistake and apologize to a colleague. Such a behavior will be displayed on your relationship positively and help prevent similar conflicts in the future.

The ability to find compromises in difficult situations and listen to the views and ideas of other employees is one of the main qualities of a true professional.

9.       Make your conclusions

Despite the fact that conflicts are inevitable, you should remember that they should not interfere with a comfortable work and be a constant source of stress. If the tense working atmosphere is continuous, but the desire to improve relations do not bring tangible results and the management makes no attempt to resolve the problem, think whether you are satisfied with this state of affairs and whether you will be able to perform your job responsibilities effectively in the future.

(Source: job.naij.com)

"If it be possible, as much as it lieth in you, live peaceably with all men" (Romans 12:18)

'Segun 'Sonowo

(MeaningfulLiving)

07030910000

The Unstoppable Power of Small Steps

Meaningful TIPS Today

THE UNSTOPPABLE POWER OF SMALL STEPS

One of the great tragedies is to dream but take no action, or ineffective action, to make your dream come true. To die
with your dreams and aspirations still inside you, waiting for another time, another day, or a "big break" is the greatest of failures. As I get older, I'm learning that we cannot wait!

Literally everything you see and every tool you use, even the chair you're sitting on, began as nothing but thought.
Someone had an idea for a chair. Henry Ford had an idea that cars could be in every garage. Your computer began as
an idea and a series of huge, crude devices in the 1940's.
The computer you are using right now began as someone's idea that they could manufacture and sell computers better, faster and cheaper than anyone else.

Everything starts with an idea. It always has, and always will. The life you are now living is the result of all your thoughts and decisions to this point. Your future will be--
it must and can only be--what you imagine for yourself.

Many people have observed that "ideas are things." Thoughts and words have the power to move us, to change us, and to become living, breathing, tangible things! In a sense, our world is made up of nothing but thoughts and words!

But there is a gulf between an idea and its fulfillment.  
Most "things" are actually still-born and never come to fruition because we fail to span the gulf between potential and reality. That gap can only be bridged with daily action.

How many times have you thought of an invention or process that could be worth a fortune, done nothing about it, and then found that same (or a similar) product for sale a few months later? We've all had that experience. Someone got rich off "your" idea and the difference is that they took specific, concrete ACTION. Their product is in the store, making money, and your idea is still inside you, accomplishing little. Don't let that happen again!

Here are some basics, some essentials to make your dreams come true:

1.  Plan your days.  Every evening, plan the following day.
First thing in the morning, plot your priorities. Leaders have always done this! This is not new!  But only about 4% of the population does it. Write down your priorities and choose your daily actions. In advance. Every day.

2.  Keep a list of big things. On your desk or on the dashboard of your car, keep a list of your most important projects, goals and commitments. Keep it where you see it, and read it, every day. Keep it current. What we think
about, gets done.

3.  Keep a list of small things. Keep a list of 5-minute tasks, phone calls or notes that you can do any place, any time. When you wait for an appointment, make that call.
When you have a minute, send a note or read a few pages.
Always know "what's next" and take lots of small, effective actions, every single day.

4.  Take magnificent care of yourself! Healthy, happy, energetic people get the most done. It takes time and energy to achieve greatness. If you "don't have time", or are "too tired" or too distracted or too busy with small things, you will not achieve your dreams. Take care of yourself. Manage your life.

We've all heard the phrase, "Rome wasn't built in a day."
We know that "a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step," and we've heard the Serenity Prayer that God,
"Give me the courage to change the things I can."

You cannot often achieve great things over-night because in general, human beings do not do "big" things. We do little things. We get up, we go to work. We hug our loved ones and make phone calls. We check email, exercise and fix dinner.
We do little things! Highly successful people simply do the right little things, at the right time, in the right way--and they do lots of them.

If you would achieve great things, do little things and pile them one on top of another, until you reach the stars.
Start today.
(Source: www.philhumbert.com)

Make your year meaningful!

'Segun 'Sonowo
(Meaningful Living)
07030910000

TAKE ACTION

Meaningful Thoughts TODAY

TAKE ACTION
"Either do it or don't do it. No more wishy-washy, half-hearted attempts. Either say 'no' to achievement or dig in and get to the bottom of the persistent incongruence between what you say and what you do."
-- Dan Kennedy

Dear Meaningful Friend, let's take on the charge in this last quarter of the year.
Maximise the moment.
Make use of the holidays to review some of your long-deferred 'projects'.
Be done with procrastination!
Rise up and take action!
Have a meaningful weekend!

JOB OPPORTUNITY

Meaningful JOB OPPORTUNITY

THE ACCESS BANK SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE
For fresh graduates only/ Excellent result from an NUC accredited university.

Admission open till September 30, 2014

For more information visit:
www.accessbankplc.com

WHAT IS EXCELLENCE?

Meaningful Living TODAY

EXCELLENCE?!?!

What a term?

As I worked on a document today, I penned the word EXCELLENCE as one of the qualities in the vision statement.

But just after giving my own definition, I got the prompt to share in your thoughts.

And this leads me to asking you:
"What is EXCELLENCE to you?"

The fact is that maybe not everyone might have thought of this before now. This is an opportunity for you to ponder...."What is Excellence? "

Please don't hesitate to share your comments here

Do have an excellently meaningful day!

WHAT IS EXCELLENCE?

Meaningful Living TODAY

EXCELLENCE?!?!

What a term?

As I worked on a document today, I penned the word EXCELLENCE as one of the qualities in the vision statement.

But just after giving my own definition, I got the prompt to share in your thoughts.

And this leads me to asking you:
"What is EXCELLENCE to you?"

The fact is that maybe not everyone might have thought of this before now. This is an opportunity for you to ponder...."What is Excellence? "

Please don't hesitate to share your comments here

Do have an excellently meaningful day!

THE RULE OF 5

THE RULE OF 5
by John Maxwell
Ask most people about their company’s mission statement, and you’ll receive a blank stare. It’s probably hanging on the wall somewhere, but no one even realizes it’s there. Pausing to consider the organization’s mission may help to orient a leadership team. However, in terms of day-to-day operations, the organization’s stated purpose is practically worthless.

Leaders should quit agonizing over the wording of an abstract mission statement that almost no one will read and that will have almost zero impact on their people. Instead, they should concentrate their efforts on developing and following a “Rule of 5” for their company.

What’s the Rule of 5?

Picture a tree in your backyard that needs to be cut down. If you grab an ax and take five good swings at the tree each day, eventually you will chop it down. It may take a month to fell a small tree, while a big tree may take years to topple. The size of the tree isn’t the issue; the real question is whether or not you diligently take five swings at it every day.

For leaders, a primary challenge is to identify the five activities most essential to success, and then to practice them daily. The Rule of 5 doesn’t ask: “What are the five things I would like to do.” That’s a question related to passion. Nor does it ask: “What are five things I should like to do? That sort of inquiry uncovers your values. Rather, the Rule of 5 asks: “What are the five things I must like to do in order to be successful?” Posing this question cuts to the heart of the daily behaviors necessary to win in your chosen profession.

For example, to excel as an author, there are five things that must happen each day:

Reading
Thinking
Filing good material
Asking questions
Writing
If someone has raw talent as a writer, and practices these activities long enough, they’ll eventually find an audience for their work.

The Rule of 5 is more tangible, behavioral, and measurable than a mission statement. At the end of the day, you can review the Rule of 5 and immediately assess whether or not you have followed it. Ultimately, your organizational culture will be dictated far more by the things you do daily than by the mission statement you post on your walls or website homepage.

Exercise to Consider
Over the next week, carve out time to consider the five activities most essential to your success. Use them to create your own Rule of 5. Then, for the next month, take five minutes in the morning, and another five minutes at the end of the day, to review your Rule of 5. This simple exercise will sharpen your focus and speed your progress toward success.

Will you start on your own today?

YOU KNOW ME?

A few months ago, I went on an outing with the Meaningful Seeds -these are the children of the members of the Meaning Men and Meaningful Women groups ( you can ask more on that later. And I am sure you will believe me if I tell you that we had a meaningful outing –children are really wonderful.

Part of the fun we had was games. Some of the children came with different games. There was this particular game that one of them brought –“Yunomi”. Sounds funny, right? The game can be played between 2 or more persons who are supposed to be friends e.g. spouses, siblings, class mates’ e.t.c.

The Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary defines a friend as “a person YOU KNOW VERY WELL and like, and who is not usually a member of your family”. Note the capitalised words.

As many of us expect, a friend is someone you believe should be there for you when the need arises –a friend in need, is a friend indeed. I recently came across a quote: “The fastest way to find out if someone is really your friend is to tell them you’re broke”, (laughs).

Well, the issue is not necessarily about asking someone for money. But rather about the question “you call me your friend, do you know me?”

I was chatting with a senior friend and mentor who left the country some years ago and he made the statement “I know you very well, though I left the shores of Naija for long”. Hmmmm.….okay,  I think he does.

Back to the capitalised words in the definition. How many of the people you call your friends do YOU KNOW VERY WELL? Your spouse inclusive? And how many of your friends can really so much of you that they know? Likes? Dislikes? Best this? Best that? E.t.c.

I guess it won’t be a bad idea to take time out to know to really know your friends; it can make your life meaningful…

Now ask your friend "Do you know me?"

Meaningful Living TODAY

SILENCE IS GOLDEN!

10 Times You're Better Off Saying Nothing At All

1.    When the other side in a negotiation starts debating against itself.
Often your best move in that situation is to keep your mouth shut and simply stay out of their way.

2. When you've asked a question: wait for an answer

3. When the other side misunderstands (and you don't have a duty to talk).
You don't always have an obligation to correct someone else's mistakes.

4. When you don't have any idea what you're talking about.
You never have to fill a silence, especially when you don't have anything useful to fill it with. (In those cases, it's true: Everything you say may well in fact be used against you.)

5. When you need someone else to get the credit.
As President Harry S. Truman once said, you can accomplish just about anything if you don't care who gets the credit. Sometimes, that means staying quiet just long enough for someone else to think of your solution and propose it as his or her own.

6. When you are bragging, as opposed to sharing.

7. When your comment is more about you than the other person.

8. When you want someone else to grow.
Instead of leaping forward to answer a thoughtful question that you know the answer to, sometimes it makes sense to hold back and let others figure it out.

9. When you are clearly boring people.
Most of us can tell when we're holding court for an audience that simply couldn't care less. In that case, cut it short, wrap things up, and stop talking.

10. When you begin a speech.
Your silence holds your audience in suspense, in anticipation of your next utterance....

Source: yahoo.com

'SEGUN 'SONOWO
Meaningful Living

Meaningful Living TODAY

YOU'VE GOT ALL IT TAKES

(Adapted from a post by michael@michaelolafusi.com)

Whatever it is you want to become you have got all it takes to become.

Whenever you tell yourself that you can't achieve a desired goal for whatever reason, logical or emotional, you are cheating yourself.

You are like a commercial farmer and you have got the tractor in you already, every other tool is an add-on -cultivators, tillers, planters, harrows, e.t.c.

The only thing that can prevent you from achieving your goal is YOU, not the lack of anything.

It's right to give all you've got to get what you truly want. Sometimes all it takes is all you've got and we all know that an inner fire can't be quenched as long as the host keeps fanning it.

Nothing is impossible to a determined man. All he needs is already within him and determination ensures that he finds and harnesses them.

So whatever it is you really want to be, go after it because you've got all it takes.

And remember that sometimes it will take all you've got, but if it's your true passion it will always be worth it.

God will never bring into your life whatever is impossible for you; with God all things are possible.
Do make your life Meaningful!

--
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YOU ARE A GENIUS

Meaningful Living TODAY
YOU ARE A GENIUS!

"Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid." That's probably the most famous quote by Albert Einstein, a man whose name has become a synonym for high intelligence. And he is saying 'you are a genius'.

Though none of us sees himself/herself as a moron, most of us do not actually see him/ her self as a genius. When we make the classifications in our minds, using the common criteria, we are sure that we are just a regular guy/girl. That there is nothing significantly special about us. But we are wrong and that quote by Albert Einstein explains it all.

As sarcastic as it sounds, it's also true: The unique thing about everyone of us is that we are each unique. There is no average man. It's only when we group everyone together and divide by a singular criterion that we come up with the notion of seeing some as average, some as below average and a few as geniuses.
The educational system judges by book knowledge and classifies the egg-head as a genius.
The corporate world judges by revenue and classifies the guy who is able to generate an unusual amount of it as a genius.
The political world judges by followership and classifies the folks with the largest followership as geniuses.
But these systems of classification are wrong, they are like judging a fish by its ability to climb a tree.
That's why the book genius is rarely a political genius.
Unfortunately, we have only few famous classification criteria. Some of us are geniuses at things people aren't aware of.
Within some of us lies a new field of study, a new kind of sport, an unusual invention, and a new criterion for detecting geniuses.

And like the fish we need to find our own pool.
We need to stop trying to climb a tree.
We need to stop accepting the labels the society puts on us.
We need to figure out our special ability and max it out.
We need to start seeing ourselves as a genius.
It doesn't matter if no one thinks there's something significantly special about us. What matters is that there's definitely something, significant or not, special about each one of us. Whether we've discovered it or not. But when we discover it, we should make it significant. We should give it a front row in our lives' procession.
We should let our lights shine.

Everyday of your life you should never consider someone else better than you, you shouldn't let anyone or group of people make you feel less, you shouldn't let anyone judge you by a wrong criterion, you shouldn't let anyone treat you like trash, you should stand up with shoulders high and chest out anywhere because you, my friend, are a genius.

Courtesy: michael@olafusimichael.com

Challenge: Go and discover your inner Einstein -YOU  ARE A MEANINGFUL GENIUS!!!!

FINDING YOUR INNER GENIUS

Meaningful Living TODAY

FINDING YOUR INNER GENIUS

There is only one way to finding your inner genius -- by working yourself hard, far and wide.

We are like diamonds, our beauty can only shine through cuttings and being hammered. The finest diamond is simply the one with the finest cutting, a well hammered diamond.

If we don't stretch ourselves we will never discover our inner genius, the one thing we can have an absolute advantage in.

But why do you need to work HARD, FAR and WIDE to discover your inner genius?

1. Why Hard?
Working hard on anything leads to one of 3 outcomes: you give in, you give up or you keep screaming game on!
You give in when you reach a point where your performance begins to degrade severely, more effort from you yields negative result (negative progress), and you decide to stop completely.
You give up when progress is painfully slow and you are sure that you don't want to bear that pain anymore.
And it's game on when every increase in difficulty amazingly brings about an enjoyable increase in your performance. Like you are playing your favourite game. You see everything as a pleasant challenge. And that's where your inner genius lies. Unfortunately, you'll never know for sure till you push really hard and find yourself in an unending trend along one of those 3 outcomes.

2. Why Far?
To be sure that the state you are in is a permanent one, you'll need to go very far. There are some activities you'll engage in that will be daunting at first and you will want to give up but as you persevere it suddenly becomes game on. And there are still some others that seem pleasurable in the beginning but becomes unbearably boring after some time and you give in. So the distance matters. You need to go far.

3. Why Wide?
Obviously, you will enjoy and go far in most of the activities you excel at. But it's only in your inner genius that you will go as wide as possible.
Many people enjoy singing and attempt to sing all songs, but only a few go wide (and wild) with singing. Only those whose inner genius is singing will give up everything to pursue a career in singing. They are the only ones who will attempt ceaselessly to sing before everyone. They go wide with it. And that's what seals a talent or ability as your core genius.
But you will never know how much you love an activity or how much you are willing to give up for a talent if you don't work hard at it and go far into it.

And these are why you need to work hard, far and wide to discover your inner genius.

Courtesy: michael@olafusimichael.com

And it's only when you find your inner genius that you can make your life truly Meaningful!

STOP AND SMELL THE ROSES

Meaningful Living TODAY

STOP AND SMELL THE ROSES

Hope you find some Meaningful Thoughts here...
William and Susan were both 22 years old when they married in 1995. William worked for a national telecommunications company and Susan was a teacher at a local school. Soon after their honeymoon William got a pleasant surprise from his employer. He was promoted to a regional director, a position of his dreams.

“Honey I have some very good news to share with you. Our lives will never be the same again.” William announced as he opened the kitchen door.
“Please stop cooking, go and take a quick shower and dress up. We have to go out and celebrate.” William continued.

“What is it? Please tell me.” Susan enquired with great excitement.

​There was joy in the house when William shared the good news with his wife. But little did they know that their celebration marked the beginning of the end of happy days in their marriage.

​The demands of the new job took a toll on William and Susan’s marriage. William travelled for meetings intensively and spent more time at the office. Week after week Susan stayed home alone bored and deeply frustrated. It seemed William was now married to his job. On several occasions Susan communicated her concerns to William but William would always dismiss her concerns by saying, “honey soon I will be at the top of the ladder and we will have all the time in the world to do all the things you desire and visit all the beautiful places in the world. With this kind of money I will retire early. Please I need your support not your constant complaining. Remember I am doing this for us. I am doing what any loving husband would do.”

With each passing day William and Susan grew further apart. The higher William climbed the corporate ladder, they more time he spent away from home and the worse their marriage became. Ten years later William had a very good paying job, a very frustrated and unsatisfied wife and a marriage at the verge of collapse.

​Stop and smell the roses, is a reminder that each of us need to occasionally stop the mad rush to enjoy life with the people we love. The greatest gift you can give your spouse is you. You can give your spouse your entire paycheck. You can buy your spouse the house or car of their dreams. You can send your spouse on a world tour of their favorite places. You can buy your spouse everything they have ever dreamed of. Yes, you can give your spouse all that if you have the means, but the greatest gift you can give your spouse is you. Your presence is your wife’s greatest present. Yes, it is good and commendable to work hard to provide for your family. But, regardless of how busy you are; stop and smell the roses. Make time to shut out the world, switch off the phone, turn off the TV, find a baby sitter and spend quality uninterrupted time with your spouse. Your spouse left everything to be with you. Everything you give your spouse means nothing if your spouse cannot enjoy them together with you. Regardless of how hard you work; give your spouse your time, your affection and your attention.

​"Enjoy life with the woman/man whom you love all the days of your fleeting life which He has given to you under the sun; for this is your reward in life and in your toil in which you have labored under the sun." Ecclesiastes 9:9

​One Tuesday afternoon, while William was out of town, he received a call that Susan had been involved in a fatal accident on the way home from work. William’s world collapsed in a moment. William’s plan for a dream retirement with his wife came to nothing. William’s plans to take Susan on a world tour of her dream places crumbled. William was filled with indescribable regret. Out of guilt William quit his job but it was too late. He blamed himself for not listening to Susan. At Susan’s funeral, chocked with emotion, William gave a one-sentence speech. He stood up, wiped his tears, cleared his voice and remarked; “My friends, life is short, regardless of how busy you are, stop and smell the roses with the ones you love.” He staggered backward, threw himself onto the seat and cried uncontrollably.

Stop and Smell the Roses!

Meaningful Living TODAY

SEVEN PRINCIPLES OF AN EAGLE
In the next couple of postings, we shall consider lessons to be learnt from the principles of an Eagle.

PRINCIPLE 1
Eagles fly alone at high altitude and not with sparrows or other small birds. No other bird can go to the height of the eagle.
Eagles fly with Eagles.

Lesson
Who are your companions?
Stay away from sparrows and ravens.
 
PRINCIPLE 2
Eagles have strong vision. They have the ability to focus on something up to five kilometers away. When an eagle sites his prey, he narrows his focus on it and set out to get it. No matter the obstacles, the eagle will not move his focus from the prey until he grabs it.

Lesson
Have a vision and remain focused no matter what the obstacle and you will succeed.
 
PRINCIPLE 3
Eagles do not eat on dead things. They feed only on fresh prey. Vultures eat dead animals, but eagles will not.

Lesson
Be careful with what you feed your eyes and ears with, especially in movies and on TV.
Steer clear of outdated and old information... Always do your research well.
 
PRINCIPLE 4
Eagles love the storm. When clouds gather, the eagles get excited. The eagle uses the storm’s wind to lift it higher. Once it finds the wind of the storm, the eagles uses the raging storm to lift him above the clouds. This gives the eagle an opportunity to glide and rest its wings. In the meantime, all the other birds hide in the leaves and branches of the trees.

Lesson
We can use the storms of life to rise to greater heights. Achievers relish challenges and use them profitably.

More to come...

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Meaningful Living TODAY

LESSONS FROM BRASIL
The night of Tuesday, July 7, 2014 witnessed a strange act in the history of world football as the Germans shocked the Brazilian team with a whopping 7-1 defeat.

We all laughed about this unprecedented defeat, but as I thought about it, there are lessons to be learnt. Here are few:

1. The Indispensable One.
There is no gain-saying the fact that the absence of the Brazilian Striker, Neymar contributed hugely to their gross loss. This dude had become their god to the extent that the spectators chant his name whenever he's on the field.

Lesson:
If you are one of those who trust in man SO much for help, there may be a time they won't be able to help you. Not because they don't want to, but probably because it was beyond their reach.
(Only God gives the grace to will and the enabling ti do).

If you are an Entrepreneur, NEVER build your business around 1 staff, no matter how good or dedicated he/she is. His or her exit may mark the beginning of the end of your business.

2. Success is sweet!
I was dazed when I saw Manuel's countenance (the German Keeper) after he conceded a goal even though they'd scored 7!
He was angry. He'd wanted to keep a clean record! He's FIFA's #1 Goal Keeper in the tournament.

Lesson:
You must never be satisfied with the status-quo. No matter what you've achieved, always strive for more. Success is never ending

3. Thankful Attitude.
More surprising to me was when I saw David Luiz (who captained the Brazilian team) when he went on his knees giving thanks to God immediately the final whistle was blown. I've never seen such before!

Lesson:
No matter what loss you have suffered or suffering, never cease to thank God. The Bible admonishes us to "give thanks always". Luiz was an inspiration to me last night.

And no matter how terrible you think your case might be, there's always opportunity for Thanksgiving. E.g. what if Brasilians had crashed out in the first round -many football analyst felt the team had only "managed" to get to the semis.

MORE LESSONS.
4. Ignore the Naysayers.
The German team probably wasn't given a chance, especially when they had only "struggled" to get past an African "minnow". Yet they went ahead to make a mince-meat of a giant.

Lesson
Believe in yourself;  believe in your abilities. Never mind don't who don't give you a chance. You can be the best you want to be, with God on your side.

5. Be Assertive.
At some points, personally, I felt for the Brasilians and wondered what point the Germans wanted to make, by scoring so many goals.
But really, why not score more. Opportunities like that don't come all the time.

Lesson.
Make the most of every good chance you have today (not 'thefty' ones)?  Good opportunities aren't perpetual.

Remember the king that was told to shoot arrows in the Bible who shot only thrice and stopped. He never had another such opportunity.

The opportunities you have can be for your career, academics, business or most importantly, spiritual. Dear Meaningful Friend, maximise the moment!
 
Digest these lessons and let's share more lessons as we rebroadcast.

www.m.facebook.com/meaningfullivinginitiative

Meaningful Living TODAY

LESSONS FROM BRASIL
The night of Tuesday, July 7, 2014 witnessed a strange act in the history of world football as the Germans shocked the Brazilian team with a whopping 7-1 defeat.

We all laughed about this unprecedented defeat, but as I thought about it, there are lessons to be learnt. Here are few:

1. The Indispensable One.
There is no gain-saying the fact that the absence of the Brazilian Striker, Neymar contributed hugely to their gross loss. This dude had become their god to the extent that the spectators chant his name whenever he's on the field.

Lesson:
If you are one of those who trust in man SO much for help, there may be a time they won't be able to help you. Not because they don't want to, but probably because it was beyond their reach.
(Only God gives the grace to will and the enabling ti do).

If you are an Entrepreneur, NEVER build your business around 1 staff, no matter how good or dedicated he/she is. His or her exit may mark the beginning of the end of your business.

2. Success is sweet!
I was dazed when I saw Manuel's countenance (the German Keeper) after he conceded a goal even though they'd scored 7!
He was angry. He'd wanted to keep a clean record! He's FIFA's #1 Goal Keeper in the tournament.

Lesson:
You must never be satisfied with the status-quo. No matter what you've achieved, always strive for more. Success is never ending

3. Thankful Attitude.
More surprising to me was when I saw David Luiz (who captained the Brazilian team) when he went on his knees giving thanks to God immediately the final whistle was blown. I've never seen such before!

Lesson:
No matter what loss you have suffered or suffering, never cease to thank God. The Bible admonishes us to "give thanks always". Luiz was an inspiration to me last night.

And no matter how terrible you think your case might be, there's always opportunity for Thanksgiving. E.g. what if Brasilians had crashed out in the first round -many football analyst felt the team had only "managed" to get to the semis.

MORE LESSONS.
4. Ignore the Naysayers.
The German team probably wasn't given a chance, especially when they had only "struggled" to get past an African "minnow". Yet they went ahead to make a mince-meat of a giant.

Lesson
Believe in yourself;  believe in your abilities. Never mind don't who don't give you a chance. You can be the best you want to be, with God on your side.

5. Be Assertive.
At some points, personally, I felt for the Brasilians and wondered what point the Germans wanted to make, by scoring so many goals.
But really, why not score more. Opportunities like that don't come all the time.

Lesson.
Make the most of every good chance you have today (not 'thefty' ones)?  Good opportunities aren't perpetual.

Remember the king that was told to shoot arrows in the Bible who shot only thrice and stopped. He never had another such opportunity.

The opportunities you have can be for your career, academics, business or most importantly, spiritual. Dear Meaningful Friend, maximise the moment!

Digest these lessons and let's share more lessons as we rebroadcast.

www.m.facebook.com/meaningfullivinginitiative

Mindswitch: EMPLOYEE to ENTREPRENEUR

MINDSWITCH: EMPLOYEE to ENTREPRENEUR
Mindset is probably the major determinant of success
As a ex-employee how differently will u have to think to succeed as an entrepreneur?
1. You're responsible for all decisions -good and bad: opportunities may be short-lived, so you must develop a sense of urgency.
2. Hold both short and long-term visions simultaneously: what you do or don't do now will have an impact down the line.
3. Feeling uncomfortable is your new comfort-zone: as an entrepreneur, there is no box; always reaching out to new horizons.
4. Learning is a continuous journey: e.g. Learning spreadsheet;  presentation skills e.t.c.
5. Numbers don't lie: your cash flow will keep you in or out of your business.
6. Love your business, but be objective: you will need to work on the business, not in the business;
7. Enjoy breaking rules: entrepreneurs aren't interested in the status-quo.
8. Time is not linear: An employee has a timetable;  an entrepreneur is always thinking about the business.

Let's have more of your views about what needs to change from being an employee to being an entrepreneur.

In the Long Run

Meaningful Living TODAY

IN THE LONG RUN…

In the long run, we're all fertilizer, that's a guarantee.

But what about the other long run effects?

In the long run, we all learn that...

•     Happiness is a gift we give ourselves.
• ·   Being nice and kindhearted wins out.
•     Going the extra mile always pays off.
•     Simplicity is the key to good life.
•     Time is more important than money.
•     The best things in life are free.
•     Quality is more important than quantity.
•     Attitude truly is everything.
•     Behavior never lies.
•     Excuses are character deficiencies.
•     Living within our means is smart living.
•     Humility is more powerful that arrogance.
•     Reputation is built over many acts and lost by one.
•     Trust once lost is virtually impossible to regain.
•     Excellence is the only acceptable standard.
•     Having character is far more important than being a character.
•     A promise made must become a promise kept.
•     Integrity is profoundly important.
•     Everything we think, say and do counts!

P.S. It's amazing to think that when you arrive to work on Monday that you'll be 8 days away from wrapping up the first half of the year. -GARY RYAN BLAIR

“So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” (Psalms 90:12)

Make your time count; Make your life Meaningful.

'Segun 'Sonowo

(Meaningful Living)

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