Glo, Author at 1Africa | Page 5 of 27

Your Life Matters

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September 28, 2015

Last weekend, I had a terrifying experience which lasted less than 5 minutes but was enough to remind me of how precious and important life is; and though we sometimes tend to take it for granted that we are alive and in good health, truth is life is so fragile and should be cherished.

I was on my way home on Saturday afternoon after running one or two errands when a man who pretended to be jogging walked passed me, then aggressively came towards me and robbed me of my hand bag and threatened to stab me if I tried to fight him. All this happened within seconds, but the shock of having seen how close I was to being stabbed and even lose my life is still latched on my mind as I’m writing this. There were a number of important items in that bag and quite a large sum of money too. Part of me was enraged and wanted to fight this aggression, but part of me thought: “Wait a minute! Is there anything in that bag that’s worth my life? Should I chase after things I can replace at the risk of losing my life or should I focus on what’s more important right now which is taking myself to a place of safety?

Though some of those items in my bag had sentimental value to me, I had to come to a place of realizing that ultimately my life is worth more than all that. It hurts to feel like you’ve lost a battle, that someone can just come out of nowhere, and feel entitled to things you worked so hard for, or you obtained as a special gift from someone you love. I felt violated and wanted to act in anger, but in that instant I had no doubt that the choice I needed to make was to save my life.

How many times have we chased after things of no real lasting value to the detriment of our own lives or well-being? It may not be a situation like the one I found myself in where the danger was eminent, but don’t we sometimes actively or passively opt for a lifestyle that slowly eats away at our health? Like a work routine that makes no room for rest, as long as we achieve fame and accumulate wealth, or a sedentary lifestyle in which we’re okay with not exercising or challenging our minds, or maybe an eating habit we’ve embraced that is reducing the quality of our health.

No matter how big your dream is, know that a healthy life is the No 1 asset you’ve got in achieving that dream. Take a moment to look at your life and if maintaining a well-balanced lifestyle and staying in good health whether it be mentally, emotionally or physically are not a priority for you, it’s high time to make adjustments. Because if given a chance, you can start over with a career, business, relationship etc, but life itself, you can never replace. So treat yourself well, if you need to make a decision to let go of certain things or relationships that are toxic, do so! Your life matters more than anything.

If you’re going through difficult moments where you’re wondering what’s the value of life and you’re at the brink of giving up or even worse, taking your own life, click on the pop-up banner below. We believe there is a future for you and we would like to share a message of hope with you. Don’t give up!

Amandla Stenberg ’s New Project Celebrates Girls Of Colour

Glo

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September 25, 2015

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Amandla Stenberg ’s New Project Celebrates Girls Of Colour

Amandla Stenberg sticks to her word. So when she says she wants to change the world and see more narratives for women of colour, she goes out and provides a solution to the problem.

Comics rarely feature protagonists of colour, particularly girls, so naturally Stenberg has turned her sights to graphic novels to bring their stories to life.

The comic, NIOBE: She Is Life, follows the heroine on her adventures to help save the world. Niobe, who is half elf and half human warrior, embarks on a journey of self-discovery. She finds out exactly who she is and discovers all the powerful things she’s capable of. Basically, Niobe is just like Stenberg.

“I was drawn to give voice to Niobe and co-write her story because her journey is my journey. I connect to her mixed racial background and quest to discover her innate powers and strengths, to learn who she truly is,” Stenberg said in a statement obtained by the Huffington Post.

“She is on a path to a destiny that will test her faith and her will, something we can all relate to. But there’s never been a character quite like her, one who shatters the traditional ideal of what a hero is. We need more badass girls!” Stenberg added.

It’s being published by Stranger Comics, a company that makes a point of creating books that target underserved audiences. They’ve previously worked with actresses Garcelle Beauvais and Halle Berry on children’s books including I Am Mixed and the I Am book series.

Together, CEO Sebastian A. Jones and illustrator Ashley A. Woods are working with Stenberg on the project. Both agree that there are similarities between Niobe and Amandla.

“Niobe is Amandla and I am honoured to see them grow together into someone quite special,” Woods said. “Someone I can follow. A hero for our time. Niobe Ayutami is our hope. Both in the real world and the world of dreams. She is courageous, beautiful, flawed, brave, and has the tenacity to follow through with her convictions.”

It looks amazing and according to the Stranger Comics website, you’ll be able to pick it up from November 4.

Source: dazeddigital.com

Are You A Carrot, An Egg Or A Coffee Bean?

Glo

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September 25, 2015

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Are You A Carrot, An Egg Or A Coffee Bean?

A young woman went to her grandmother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her – her husband had cheated on her and she was devastated. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as soon as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her grandmother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.

Turning to her granddaughter, she asked, ‘Tell me what you see.’

‘Carrots, eggs, and coffee,’ she replied.

Her grandmother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The grandmother then asked the granddaughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg.

Finally, the grandmother asked the granddaughter to sip the coffee. The granddaughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The granddaughter then asked, ‘What does it mean, grandmother?’

Her grandmother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

“Which are you?” she asked her granddaughter. “When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity, do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain.. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level?

How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy.

The happiest of people don’t necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can’t go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.

When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so at the end, you’re the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.

May we all be like the COFFEE.

Source: upmoments.com

Why Is It So Difficult To Trust God?

Glo

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September 23, 2015

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There are times when I really have to wonder about all of us – the human race. We’ll do some of scariest and most idiotic things without giving it a second thought, while other times, we’re scared to death of something else, when that “something” just might be the best thing we ever experienced.

For example, isn’t it amazing all the people we entrust our lives to every week? We trust pharmacists to give us the right pills from a prescription we can’t read. We trust pilots we don’t know to fly us to the right destination, believing that they know how to fly that baby exactly where we need to go. As we sit in traffic on the interstate, we trust our lives to engineers and road construction crews, believing the bridges will hold.

Yet, people have trouble trusting God.

They often say, “I can’t see Him.” Do we see the engineers who designed the bridge? Do we know the pilots? Not usually. Yet God, our Creator who loves us more than anyone, who even sacrificed His Son for us to have forgiveness of sin and eternal life, we find Him difficult to trust.

It’s amazing. It doesn’t make sense to trust imperfect men and not to trust a perfect God.

Source: rightfromtheheart.org

The Hypocrisy Of The Modern African

Glo

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September 23, 2015

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There is no story as complex, harrowing or puzzling as the story of Africa. Thought to be the continent where humanity originated as well as the birthplace of civilization, Africa has always been a place of mystery, intrigue and dazzling beauty. The richest man to ever live, Mansa Musa of the Mali Empire, was an African. Some of the greatest and most powerful kingdoms of old were African. Africa’s tapestry is rich and its mineral wealth is unspeakable.

There is a homeliness and a warmth that is expected and natural when it comes to Africa. It is a continent of remarkable simplicity and child-like innocence. Without a doubt, the most enthusiastic and friendliest smiles and welcomes are found in Africa.

So, why is it often referred to as the Dark Continent and why are her people some of the poorest in the world? How is it possible that a continent that possesses so much, doesn’t enjoy its own wealth? The answers to these questions are as complex as the continent itself and they would require a thesis to really uncover. What we do know is that Africans are a people on the move and can now be found in almost every country in the world.

What happens when a young boy from, say, Zimbabwe goes and settles in Atlanta, Georgia? Does Africa still beat in his heart or is he glad to have escaped the struggles back home? Each one, I guess, has his or her own story but here’s a fascinating, tongue-in-cheek look at some of the things that make modern day Africans a little hypocritical, courtesy of nairaland.com:

I say I want Africa to get better and I spend my time complaining about how it is …but I will never go home to do something to make it better. (Diasporan)

I want our local industries to compete well with imports…but everything I buy is imported. (Middle class wannabe)

I want “the youths” to go out and protest…but I’d rather stay in and follow the Twitter protest hashtag.

I want Africa to be respected…but I spend my time online bad-mouthing it for the world to see.

I want my children to grow up with a sense of African pride…but I’ll give birth to them in America. You know, just in case.

I insist I love myself the way I am…but I spend N50,000 a month on Brazilian hair extensions. Because you know, African hair is just so DIFFICULT to maintain.

I don’t cultivate an inferiority complex in my kids…but I make sure their dolls and action figures are non-African, they only watch non-African TV and my girls burn their hair with chemicals to make it straight. Because African hair is so, y’know, DIFFICULT.

I’m all about “Africa Rising!” and “Black Power!”…but my new SUV is a Toyota. Innoson makes SUVs of the same specification and price range…but buying an African made car is you know, what you will do SOMEDAY .

I believe in the future of Africa…but my kids will grow up aspiring to go to Yale and Oxford so that white people will teach them to work for white people and solve white people’s problems. We gotta get paid right?

“I believe that God created everyone equal and so as a Christian/Muslim, I have risen above the concept of race”…but I will burn the skin and hair God gave me so that I can look like someone else. I will also use much of my income to buy their hair and cover my own with it. God apparently didn’t…you know…make me white enough.

If you are an African reading this, does your lifestyle resemble some of the scenarios painted above? Story of Africa aside, isn’t it just a human thing to struggle with issues of identity, belonging and purpose? We say we know who we are and what we want out of life, but many a time we betray ourselves by living lives that are in contradiction to our beliefs.

In this world, we are led to believe that the only ‘acceptable’ level of education, beauty or way of life is that which is portrayed in popular media. Constantly bombarded by images from Hollywood, media powerhouses and the modelling industry, staying true to oneself becomes a virtue rare to find. If you would like to live your life in complete freedom, confidence and with full purpose, click on the banner below.

What Your Lipstick Shade Says About You

Glo

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September 22, 2015

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We all have a signature colour – a shade that we just can’t live without – and while we may get a little adventurous from time to time, we’ll always come back to that shade. We’ve put together a list of what your signature colour says about you.

Nude

Nude lipstick says, ‘I’m trendy and I like to look good but I don’t want to stick out too much’. If you wear nude lipstick you like to keep things simple – it won’t let you down and it’ll stay put.

Light Pink

Light-pink lipstick says, ‘I’m girlie, sweet, fun and flirty‘.

Bright Pink

Bright-pink lipstick screams, ‘girl’s just want to have fun’. If you’re wearing it, you’ve probably got a hectic schedule, filled with fun activities and lots of parties, all planned out for the following month.

Red

Red lipstick says, ‘I’m a confident and sensual woman’. Red is a pretty intense colour but it’s sexy. Your red lipstick is a slight obsession, scratch that, major obsession. But who cares? You look great!

Dark Brown

Dark-brown lipstick says, ‘I wish I was born in the ’90s’. If you’re wearing dark-brown lipstick, you’re probably also wearing a choker, Doc Martens and a floral dress.

Black or Metallic

Black or metallic lipstick says, ‘I’m a trend-setter, a daredevil, and I don’t care what you think of me’. You’re used to getting plenty of stares as you walk down the street but you’re the type of person who has no qualms about it. Most people don’t understand why you wear such ‘strange’ shades but you know that black/metallic lipstick gives you life.

Source: cosmopolitan.co.za

Some Life Lessons From The Springboks : Rugby World Cup

Glo

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September 22, 2015

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Some Life Lessons From The Springboks : Rugby World Cup

The Rugby World Cup is underway in England and it has already delivered some mouth watering encounters and shocking results to fans of the sport everywhere. Probably the result on everyone’s mind right now is the South African team’s 32-34 loss to Japan on Saturday. The Springboks, widely expected to walk over the Brave Blossoms – as the Japanese rugby team are known – faced a braver and more determined opponent than they were prepared for. The rest, as they say, is history.

To be quite honest, I’m not a sports enthusiast and I’m definitely no fan of rugby. As a girl, I find the sport to be a little too violent and rough for my liking. But what I do enjoy, though, is the drama and commotion that erupts whenever giants fall. Whenever the unexpected happens, it’s an opportune moment to learn some valuable life lessons. So, here are some life lessons from the Springboks loss to the Brave Blossoms:

1. Anything can happen. So often, we fool ourselves into believing that because something has never happened before, it’s impossible. If something has never happened in your life or family before, don’t give up. Believe the impossible.

2. Statistics can change. Japan hadn’t won a significant RWC match since the early 1990’s. The stats weren’t in their favor and the odds were stacked against them. This past Saturday, all that changed. They took down a powerhouse. You too can prove the naysayers wrong in your life, regardless of how things have been before.

3. Never underestimate yourself. Often, people – even those we had given respect and put on a pedestal – will put us down and treat us as though we have no value. People will count us out and measure us by their own standards. We should never play along. We have more to offer than any box people can place us in.

Using a rugby shock result as a backdrop, I’m actually talking to you. If you’ve been counted out and feel like nobody sees what’s really in you, take courage and know that God sees you for who you really are. You matter to Him and He has a purpose for you. All you have to do is believe and live with that conviction through the way you live your life.

If you feel so discouraged that you can’t see your worth anymore, we want to encourage you. Please click on the banner below to walk a journey with us.

Is There A God ?

Faith

Glo

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September 21, 2015

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Is there a God? This is one pertinent question human beings have grappled with for as long as human life has existed. Regardless of our religious beliefs or lack thereof, there are moments and experiences in life that prompt us to ask whether God exists or not. How do you answer this question?

Chances are you picked up this article because you are a Christian and you believe in the God of the Bible. But how would you answer a friend who asked you the simple question, “If you can’t see God, why do you believe He exists?” Perhaps you are a skeptic, reading this article as a favor to a friend or family member. Maybe you grew up in a home that didn’t make much of God at all, and you just aren’t sure what to think. I want you to know that there are some good reasons to believe in God. Here are a few that have helped me.

First, nature is evidence of the existence of God.

We all know that words can’t do justice to the beauty and grandeur of the natural world. Whether it’s the depth of the blue sea, the power packed into a hurricane, or the colorful hues of the simplest sunset, there is something jaw dropping about the world in which we live. There’s nothing like driving outside the city to look up at the stars without a gazillion headlights dimming your view.

I could go on, but you get the point. It is highly unlikely that a universe arrived “naturally”—without the intervention of God.

Second, people, however imperfectly, accept a universal standard of right and wrong.

For centuries philosophers have struggled with the question, “Why is there so much good in the world?” Maybe that surprises you. You are probably accustomed to hearing about the problem of evil. It’s a question often posed to those with the firm conviction that there is a God, and not just any God, a God who is all-good and all-powerful. If that’s true, these skeptics ask, then why is there any suffering in the world? Why would God allow that? Admittedly, that is a great question, and one the Bible is not silent about.

However, there is another question, just as important, that every skeptic needs to answer. I’ll put it another way, “If there is no God in the world, if there is no Being who as the Author of life can distinguish right from wrong, why is it universally accepted that there is such a thing as right and wrong?”

The fact that we are moral beings, that humans don’t spend all their days conspiring how to steal from the weak to feather their own nests (at least most of us), is good evidence that there is a God, and that God is good.

Third, the Bible testifies to the existence and character God.

Skeptics will not like my third reason for believing in a God whom I cannot see. I should note that it does not stand alone. It is preceded by two arguments that are in no way dependent on the third. Whatever you think about the Bible, the fact remains that there is no natural explanation for the existence of life on earth and there is no merely human explanation for the problem of good. The existence of God is the best and most satisfying answer to the both issues.

My path to faith did not come by reading an essay presenting rational arguments for God’s existence and love. My faith in God came after I knew with my mind and felt in my heart that something was not right with the world and something was not right with me. As a tiny creature in a vast universe I was calling out for answers, answers that mattered more than the next paycheck or ballgame. To my surprise, God came to me through his Word. The message of the prophet Isaiah describes God’s action in my life:

In that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book, and out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind shall see. The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the LORD, and the poor among mankind shall exult in the Holy One of Israel” (Isa 29:18-19).

Do you have questions about God? Or perhaps you would like to believe there is a God but you don’t know where to start, click on the pop-up banner below.

Content credits: Christianity.com

What You Need To Know About Resisting Temptation

Glo

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September 21, 2015

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What You Need To Know About Resisting Temptation

Temptation is part of everyday life. I don’t think there’s a day that will go by when we won’t experience the temptation to sin in a variety of different ways—like the temptation to stay angry at someone, to give up, to worry or complain, or to not keep your word to someone who’s depending on you.

Temptation is endless. And we’ve got our hands full resisting it.

I want to make it clear that temptation itself is not sin. It only becomes sin when we enter into that temptation. I say that because I realize many people feel like they’ve sinned when they’re simply being tempted, but that’s just not the case.

God has given us the fruit of self-control, so when we’re tempted to do wrong things, we can make right choices. But if we want to be successful in resisting temptation, we need to know some things about ourselves.

How Well Do You Know Yourself?

Because we have a tendency to deceive ourselves by glossing over areas of weakness in our life, it seems like the devil knows us a lot better than we know ourselves sometimes. But we can gain an advantage over him by studying our behavior and dealing with our weaknesses.

Personally, my greatest weakness is being impatient when things are not going as smoothly or as quickly as I’d like. It’s a temptation I need to put extra effort into resisting, and although it has gotten easier, it hasn’t completely gone away.

Isn’t that interesting? Even the things we’ve studied and studied and have worked hard to overcome can remain an area of weakness for the rest of our life. That’s why the Bible says in Galatians 5:1, “…Stand fast then, and do not be hampered and held ensnared and submit again to a yoke of slavery [which you have once put off].”

See, you may have received freedom and revelation in an area, but the devil will always come back around and try to tempt you. That’s why you need to learn to continually say, “I am more than a conqueror in Christ. So I’m going to pray and God’s going to help me. And I’m going to have the victory every single time.”

Don’t Try to Deal with It Yourself

Sometimes we try to deal with everything ourselves, don’t we? We just try to resist in the flesh when we should be asking God to help us.

Matthew 26:41 says, “All of you must keep awake (give strict attention, be cautious and active) and watch and pray, that you may not come into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

We can have the best of intentions and still cave in. So we need to get God involved as early and often as possible.

Think about it. What would happen if people would pray on a regular basis that they wouldn’t overeat at meals? What would happen if people who know they have a bad temper would pray on a regular basis, “God, give me grace to stay in peace today”?

I honestly believe that this is one of the most beneficial things we can do as believers: Pray ahead of time; pray often about your areas of weakness, and just accept that some things you will have to pray about for the rest of your life.

Recognize the Times You’re Weakest to Temptation

You know, one of the times that Satan will come and try to tempt us to cave in is when we’re overly tired, when we’ve been working too hard or when we’ve gotten out of balance doing things for other people and are not taking care of ourselves.

First Peter 5:8 says, “Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour.”

The good thing about God is He’s always with you—and He’ll never give up on you.

Can Anything Good Come Out of Temptation?

Believe it or not, it’s very beneficial to experience temptation because it gives us an opportunity to reflect on our own behavior and grow. Vine’s Greek Dictionary says: “There are trials that are permitted for a beneficial purpose.”

Always remember this: God is faithful to make good out of every trial you go through.

Source: joycemeyer.org

When Your Life Does Not Go As Planned

Glo

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September 18, 2015

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Have you ever missed a flight? Or a bus or train going on a tour with classmates or colleagues? I missed a flight early this year and for hours I struggled to rid myself of feelings of frustration and being annoyed with myself.

It was very early in the morning and, though I was frustrated, I had to come to terms with the fact that a few hours of my day would be spent walking around the airport, waiting for the next available flight. The choice to remain grumpy or rearrange my schedule and move on with my day was mine.

As it is, missing anything or being made to wait for much longer than we anticipated can be frustrating.

When we are young, we tend to believe that if we do everything right, behave well, go to school, then college, life will just progress as expected, everything will fall into place and by the time 30 rolls out, we hope to be established in our career paths, and settled to raise a family.

Now, when according to our own timing, we experience delays or different outcomes on the plans we had for our lives, we begin to fall into depression wondering where we went wrong.

I have been there. In fact, I am there.

Ten years ago, I had the most exciting picture of what I had hoped my life would be. But the journey I have been on has taught me to realize and accept that :

1. We are just finite beings. Though we have big dreams, which are good to have, no amount of preparation and admirable conduct will guarantee that we will have the things we dream to have.

2. In life, we are guaranteed disappointments. It may not be in the delay of what you desire to have but somehow you will encounter setbacks and therefore your vision of life, your reason for living have to be anchored in something greater than peripheral circumstances. Because when you make a successful career or marriage your ultimate goal and final destination in life, you will be disappointed.

3. There is purpose and value in that ‘waiting’ season. Often we fail to see that there is greatness in our times of weakness. This is where our character gets shaped and our perspective realigned. The ‘waiting’ is the story of our journey through life being unravelled. It is here that we write our script, it is here that we are made great! I have often cried when things in my life didn’t go according to my plans but lately I find I have an unusual appreciation for the toughest experiences I have been through. They molded me.

So what do you do when things are not going according plans?

1. Don’t put your life on pause, thinking that life will begin when you have a job, a child, a spouse, a house, a car; live now. Most importantly, be grateful for what you have at the moment, and make the most of your present. Do not remain idle in this time thinking that your happiness will come with the change of your circumstances. Focus your attention on the moment, be grateful for what you have now and this will lead you to a fulfilled life.

2. Don’t compare your life to that of others. Daily social media showers our online pages with announcements of promotions, travel plans, graduations, engagements, weddings, babies and we are left feeling like we are missing out on life. You are uniquely designed and regardless of where you are, what you have or don’t have, your life is meaningful. It is hard to see things this way at times, I know. But don’t give in to jealousy, it’s unhealthy and simply not worth your time. Rather, focus on your life, keep hoping, remain grateful and keep challenging yourself in the areas in which you desire to improve.

3. Allow every experience you go through teach you something and shape you. Reflect often and don’t stop learning.

Above everything shared, have your hope anchored in God. Circumstances change, money comes and goes, people can be on your side today and tomorrow be against you. But hope in God will always lead to a fulfilled life. If you are going through a difficult patch in your life and don’t know how to begin to find contentment or even trust that there’s a future for you, click on the banner pop-up banner below.

Glo

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