Monday 23 April 2018

How BBNaija #DoubleWahala changed my life


BigBrother Naija#DoubleWahala is finally over. This show was a nationwide sensation, with unities being formed on one side and for others an avenue to breed hate. To most individuals it was a form of entertainment, to a few it was an avenue for their fav to make some #schmoney. 

Although I joined the bandwagon late; I didn't start watching big brother until week 9 or 10, Every eviction was a room for me to learn a new life lesson, so in no particular order what I gained from big brother are,

1. The world is a stage: all the housemates from different backgrounds were put on the hot seat with nationwide focus on them. Today some of them even though they were evicted were able to sell themselves within the shortest possible time. No one will sell yourself for you, you determine the kind of brand you want to be and the whole world is waiting and watching for what you choose to show them.

                                     
2. Never underestimate anyone: i remember people used to call Nina all sorts, looked down on her, bullied her but shockingly Nina made it to the finals. Most of the housemates who looked down on her watched from the sidelines. The worst thing you can do to yourself in life is underestimate your competition or anyone for that matter.

3. Believe in Yourself: Nina grew the most in the big brother house. From a naive shy girl who couldn't express herself to a young woman who learnt how to speak up for herself. Although she couldn't believe she made it to the finals, the lesson still remains, ALWAYS BELIEVE IN YOURSELF. 

4. Stay focused : Life will always throw distractions, events , occurrences to throw you off balance, it is extremely important to keep your eyes on the prize. A lot of housemates got distracted by emotions, tension, strikes, fights even to the point of disqualification. Never allow what life throws at you to shift your focus from where you want to be.
   
5. Choose your Partner wisely: Some may say it is just a game, but to the #CEEBI fans, we all could see the effect of a toxic relationship. Both parties had their parts to play but it makes it clear that if you don't choose your life partner wisely, that person can make or mar your future. To a large extent, all the drama affected both parties, threw them off balance, made them lose focus, lose some fans, tainted their brand. 


6. When life gives you lemons..... : I can never forget the day Tobi was insulted for close to an hour. This incident is enough to teach us many lessons:
a. Never lose your calm: tobi held back so much emotion, so much anger. He knew that his reaction will determine the rest of his journey. Whatever life throws at you always keep your calm. 
b. Think before you act: I genuinely doubt Cee-Cee did this. Usually when we are faced with a challenge in life we switch to panic mode and start taking action before remembering to think before acting. Anyone who doesn't remember this is setting themselves up for a lot of mistakes. 
c. You don't always have to push back, learn to read between the lines: at a point it was obvious Tobi decided to keep quiet and let Cee-Cee show herself, even when she wanted to stop, he will make a statement that will make her flare up and damage herself a lot more. 
d. Look for the Silver Lining: Tobi turned the situation to his advantage. At the end of the incident everyone was saying Tobi has character, Tobi is a man, he gained more fans because of this. Would this have been the case if he reacted? Definitely not. Learn how to turn situation to your favor. 
7. No one can stop you if it's not your time:   cee-c was up for eviction 7 times,  at the end of the day she made it not just to the finals but to the top two. People can try their best to bring  you down but if it's not your time to leave, there is nothing anyone can do about it, 
As an Alex fan I sat down and asked myself how she got to the finals. She wasn't such a strong contender but the lines fell into pleasant places for her. If she didn't win head of house a week to the finals we might have had to kiss her goodbye a lot earlier. 

8. Position does not equate to value: This! Efe was first place last year, Bisola makes more strides in the society today. Although Cee-Cee came second, she didn't go home with any prize money. Tobi and Alex won prizes although they finished after her. 

9. Nothing is as important as a good name/brand: My dad says this a lot. Now the game is over so what's next? Endorsements, opportunities, brand ambassadors, etc. certain housemates had themselves sidelined due to the behaviors they portrayed. For some the damage has been done and we all cross our fingers and wait for what is going to happen next, while for others are confused on what offers to take. The importance of a good name/brand cannot be quantified. 

                             

10. What is in your hand? Every housemate in that house has been given a platform, an avenue to sell themselves. Some have used it positively, e.g koko's fashion house, bam bam's essential oils, etc. 

11. Spirit of Sportsmanship: Miracle won and all the housemates ran to congratulate him except one person. Yes! It's normal to be disappointed but it is important to have the spirit of sportsmanship. It shows your character.

                   
12. You don't need everyone to get to the next level: the hate Cee-C got was unbelievable. Someone will believe that after all that hate she will be evicted immediately. However, time and time again she survived every eviction. You don't need everyone to like you to get to the next level.

13. Never burn bridges: Certain people were able to create friendships, create long lasting relationships, tolerate each other for the time in the house while some left with burnt bridges. No one in the house who burnt a bridge was better off for it.

The Game is over! The curtains are drawn. How did BBNaija #DoubleWahala change your life?






Sunday 8 April 2018

Reconnaissance





" I am tired! I am tired of trying !, what is it? Why does everything have to be so difficult? And it seems no one understands what I'm going through" Deola Lamented

"And what exactly are you going through?" Victory said with an amusing look on her face.

Deola rushing to get ready for CDS before she misses attendance answered with an exasperated voice " It's bad enough I have to fend for myself in this lagos, My allowee has not been paid, I don't have transport money for this week, I have to register for my ICAN classes and still make time to call home everyday, Why don't people understand that even though I'm just a corper I have a lot on my plate"

"Hmm!! Is that all?" Victory blurted chuckling "I don't really see what is funny Victory, if this is how you will be laughing then please leave me alone"

Victory realizing that Deola was getting upset quickly tried to appease her "Ahn ahn my friend, someone cannot play with you again? I just feel you are so lucky compared to me, you know I'm squatting with you and I don't even have a job yet, oya tell me between me and you who has more reasons to be angry"

Tola who had been sitting on the bed and listening to the conversation sat up and faced both friends " Oh really, so this has turned into competition of who is suffering more?"

Deola replied " Tola Abeg abeg! Not everyone has it as easy as you, not everyone has an Uncle at Aso Rock" Tola nodded her head in dispair and walked to her friend and said " Deola, although things may not all be figured out right now you have a roof over your head, clothes on your back,, a good paying job ,  a good car and lest I remind you that all this were given to you by your parents,  just to buy fuel into the car you are lamenting. And I'm very sure you don't  feel grateful. Honestly that's not good enough"  as she was talking Deola's expression slowly melted from anger and frustration to shame and reluctance.

" Oya what about me? What do I have to be thankful for? I've just been having bad days"  Victory stood up with her hands akimbo in a defensive manner waiting to hear what Tola will say. "Hmm! No matter how bad your day is there is always something to be thankful for, always something to be grateful for. Good health, Life,  Journey mercies, the food you ate, the roof over your head even if you are squatting,  Honestly I can sit here and list more than enough things to be grateful for, there is a  spirit of entitlement most of us have that blinds us to the blessings all around us" 

"The lecture is okay! I'm leaving now, please don't forget to the leave the key under the mat" Deola said as she rushed out of the house.

What are you grateful  for? 

Monday 1 January 2018

Are you Ready?






The new year is here again. Another January, another set of resolutions 😩, for some of us we are excited to have a clean slate and start again, we have set our goals and we are ready to conquer the world. Some of us are more on the uncertain side, better not to be disappointed. Well this year! We are not going to just breeze through, we are not going to get to June and wonder what kind of year is this? 12 months is a long time to just wing it! 

TOOLS YOU NEED to SUCEED
- A notebook/Diary 
- A Calendar 
- Sticky Notes 


NOTEBOOK/ DIARY : Order is so important for success, you need a notebook to prioritize your day, plan your day the night before, write your goals for the year in this book. That way you will be able to look back and know what you are working towards
.

                          
CALENDAR - I mean a Hard copy calendar, not the ones on our phones, you need to hang this somewhere you will see it everyday, probably near the mirror, or on the wardrobe. The important events happening in your life should be ticked on it,   birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, travel plans, etc. a soft copy calendar is good but you don't want to be lost if something happens to your gadget( you can print a calendar on https://print-a-calendar.com/january-2018 )  

STICKY NOTES- sticky notes are so important, sometimes you need to prep yourself, encourage yourself, remind yourself of important happenings during the week, Post your THEME For the year ( your slogan for the year e.g Postivity, Living my Best Life, Be the best Version of Myself, Daughter of the Most High, etc). Sticky notes are a must! So don't overlook it 

So back to the topic! Are you ready? Tick the boxes and let's know what your score is. To make it easy to remember I named it SHIPFCC

S - Spiritual : Did you set spiritual goals for the year? It doesn't have to be something big, little drops make a mighty ocean. You can start by going to church regularly, praying for 10 minutes before your day starts, read a chapter  of proverbs every day, etc




 H - Health: health is wealth! This is not a joke. You need to strive to eat better, take multivitamins if you need it, cut down on calories, excercise. Make sure you set a goal. I decided to drink green tea everyday and excerise twice a week. I know I might fail a few times but I know what I'm working towards. 


I - Interpersonal  Relationship - No man is an island. Our generation has a bad habit of cutting people off, sometimes we are the problems and other times we choose to stay in toxic relationships, as the new year starts take a review on what you can do better, how you can improve your relationships, what relationships need to be left in 2017. 


 

P- PERSONAL - set personal goals for yourself. How do you want to improve and develop yourself? Dress better? Be more presentable? Learn an art? Play an instrument? Perfect something you started previously, take a certification exam, etc .
  


F- Financial - Set a financial goal for yourself this  year. How much do you want to save by the end of the year? How do you plan on saving it? What medium will you use to save the money. We all have dreams but if we don't work towards them it cannot be achieved. Do you want financial freedom? What is your plan? Just a tip! Save before spending! Not after!  




Career - This aspect can be divided into work, academics( for those in school), career, business( for entrepreneurs) what is your goal for this year? Get a good job? Graduate? Increase your CGPA? Register your company? Make sure you work towards your goal. 



Charity-  It is so important to give this new year. You don't have to join an NGO to help someone out but make sure you have a plan to give back to the society. 

I know all this might seem overwhelming but if you can achieve some of the goals you set out in these departments, this new year will be not just eventful but fruitful. 

Remember! Small Victories lead to Big Wins! Start from somewhere! Cheers to a beautiful 2018