Once you choose hope, anything is possible

"Hope is the Last thing ever lost".. - - - - Italian Proverb

Ecc9:4 Anyone who is among the living has hope, even a live dog is better off than a dead lion..

Life is full of pains, suffering, disappointment and knocked down, but it can be overcome with Hope.  Hope provide us with strength and energy to with stand the tussle of life.

"Hope is an Optimistic attitude of mind that is based on an expectation of positive outcomes related to events and circumstances in one's life and the world at large". Hope motivates us to persevere, despite the obstacles, the trial of life, not knowing how, when, or where or why our life story will conclude.

Hope can impact several aspects of life such as health, work, education and personal meaning.  Synder postulated that there are three main things that make up hopeful thinking
Goal- Approaching life in a goal oriented way.
Pathway- Finding different ways to achieve your goals
Agency -  Believing that you can instigate change and achieve these goals.

Benefits of Hope
Rom15:13  "May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may Overflow with hope by the power of Holy Spirit.
- it comfort us
- it gives gift of Faith
-it encourages us
-it gives peace
-it gives Joy

Hope is not a wishful thinking, nor is it magical thinking.  Hope is an emotion, a mindset, a belief, a motivation, that despite set back and obstacles, challenges and circumstances, you believe that your life will workout, you can achieve and do incredible things..

Most difficult age for most Nigerian Men

Found this interesting piece on facebook and i decided to share...enjoy

The most difficult age for any man born in Nigeria should be between 24 and 29 years, the pressure to be something, to be someone is so immense. When you look around you everyone seems to be doing something for themselves, people seem to be living a life you only dream of. You have applied for jobs and the results have been more disappointing than Yakubu Aiyegbeni goal miss at the world cup.

Sadly this is the age when most guys lose it, the age when if not careful one is consumed by alcohol or drugs, because the disappointments become too much and you find alternative ways to face reality. Worse is when a few people you studied with have been lucky enough to land
jobs, soon your circle of friends gets thinner – mostly they don’t even cut you out but you will be real with yourself and cut yourself off. I mean what will you do when you are in a WhatsApp group of friends and they are discussing about last week’s trip in Dubai and planning another trip to South Africa while you are not sure of what your next meal would be?
Most times you follow the conversation silently, all alone like a cross on the grave. Soon you realize this is no longer your kind of crowd because the more you keep around the more the pressure to be something, takes a toll on you.

You know when stories about house parties come up and you act deaf because you don’t know where an extra 5 guys would fit in your house. Have you ever sat in a group of people discussing the new iPhone on the market or how British Airways offers poo services and you can feel your heart whisper to you "boss this is chest pain hour, can we just go and find a group that talks about GMAT, SHL, Dragnet, jobberman or job vacancies sites".

But you sit there as these people are lost in their lifestyle conversations, you are like a secretary taking minutes in meeting. You are totally forgotten like one of a woman’s breasts during pre-intimacy. Once in a while one of the friends will turn and ask if you need another drink and you wonder if you should just say No and head home, but head home to do what? So you grudgingly drop in the comment “I will have just one last one“...Lie!!!

But after a few years of job hunting, you are now ready to take anything even if is to smell a rich man’s farts as long as it pays, so you end up as an office messenger in one blue chip company in town. To imagine that 4-5 years of studying and getting a degree is now reduced to picking and dropping off letters and if you are not doing that, you are being sent for cheap lunch by the employees when they are broke and they can’t order with fast food. This is when conversations about where people schooled start, you go silent for it’s no longer of any use to say you also reached University, it doesn’t matter – you have resorted to surviving.

Once in while you will bump into your now well to do classmates, they would offer you lunch, but not even eating the meals at Eko Hotel or Sheraton will make you feel better about yourself, because in your mind you wish instead they would give you the 30k and you sort your meals for the next 5 weeks. As it is the norm you will have photos taken, and uploaded on Facebook, but always it’s your face that would look the odd one out – not even the best filters can hide a face which has suffered the city's dust and sun but survives on boiled beans.

The worst mistake you can do during this period is to try and date – there is nothing that a person going through such times can offer in terms of love. How are you going to do evening romantic walks when you are tired from walking delivering letters in offices around town? What are you going to tell your lady when she says she wants to go for relaxation at the bar, pool or love garden sites that are in town? That your financial religion doesn’t allow it or what? This is the age when you sit back and watch as the ladies you would want to date are dating or getting married to guys 10 years older than you. And you can’t blame them – it’s only that your life seems to be progressing slower than their goals in life. Most of the ladies you meet during this period, if you are lucky will be patient with you till you hit 28, and if by then your life is still in disarray like Leicester city's performance in the EPL then my friend be prepared for a walk out.

But then this is the age when you learn a lot of about life, if you can hack through this stage of life the only hard moment in your life would be when you lose your parents - that’s if you are still lucky enough to have them. This stage teaches you a lot about perseverance, about appreciating the small wins you have each day, it teaches you something about friendship, love, career growth and personal responsibility. This is always your rise or fall moment depending on the choices you make.

How you live your life in the 30’s is determined by how you handled your life in this phase. Do not Give up. Do not Be Depressed. remain focused and create a Strategy. Be consistent, you must Surely Win. Peace
https://m.facebook.com/WbsTvUganda/posts/967701073268464

5 Rules of a Relationship

- Stay Faithful

- Make them feel wanted

-Respect your Partner

-Don't flirt with others

-Make time.

Tips on How to Reach Out and Create Personal Connections....

Building social connections is both a skill and an asset. The wider connections of friends we have, the happier and fuller we become as individuals. Regardless of age, sex, race, and financial disposition, we all need to create and grow a network of friends and acquaintance to make our lives more worthwhile.

Aside from family, money, and life insurance among many other things, one other important ingredient to lead a worry-free life is having a solid set of friends. It is our friends that we need when we are down and depressed. It is our friends who turn to when we just want someone to talk to, or someone to listen to our woes. It is also our friends and acquaintances that we need by our side

when all that we want is hang loose and chill. There is nothing but truth in the adage, "no man is an island." It is a fact that we need friends, and we cannot live this life happy, healthy, and worthwhile without them.

But friendship doesn't mean that you need to be with them every minute of every day. That's the beauty of genuine and pure friendship- you don't have to be with each other's company to feel loved.

The connection is what makes friendships special. Common interests, passions, and hobbies connect people and help them to create friendships. These connections grow once you know your friends more. The connection then turns to love, care, and loyalty. With all these ingredients, you have a friendship that will last forever.

Aside from companionship, love, and care, there are also many perks to having a wide circle of friends. You gain benefits more connections, more information, and assistance as you build solid friendships with the people around you.
If you feel unsatisfied with your social life and would like to make it more worthwhile, here are some tips to boost your social connections.

1. Sign up for social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You probably have all of these already. But if you still don't have that many friends, try to browse through their friend suggestions. Join an online group that features your interests and hobbies. Start a conversation with acquaintances, and let these conversations lead you to knowing more people sharing the same interests as you!

2. Join local community groups you are most passionate about. If you are an animal lover, we are pretty sure there are animal advocacy group within your community. Great friendships often start between people who share the same passion and life advocacies.

3. Go to church. The church is a great venue for earning friends and building strong social connections. This is especially true if you want to further strengthen your faith as well as values in life.

4. Talk to your colleagues. To make the workplace bearable, start striking up conversations with your work mates. Having them around should not be stressful, but should be fun and interesting too.

5. Say hello to your neighbors. Don't be the snobbish, grumpy neighbor. Connect with your neighbors as they make excellent friends especially when you simply want to chill and talk about home and family life.

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Making a Great First impression

Making a Great First Impression It takes just a quick glance, maybe three seconds, for someone to evaluate you when you meet for the first time. In this short time, the other person forms an opinion about you based on your appearance, your body language, your demeanor, your mannerisms, and how you are dressed. With every new encounter, you are evaluated and yet another person’s impression of you is formed. These first impression can be nearly impossible to reverse or undo, making those first encounters extremely important, for they set the tone for the all the relationships that follows. So, whether they are in your career or social life, it’s important to know how to create a good first impression. This article provides some useful tips to help you do this. Be on Time Someone you are meeting for the first time is not interested in your “good excuse” for running late. Plan to arrive a few minutes early. And allow flexibility for possible delays in traffic or taking a wrong turn. Arriving early is much better that arriving late, hands down, and is the first step in creating a great first impression. Be Yourself, Be at Ease If you are feeling uncomfortable and on edge, this can make the other person ill at ease and that’s a sure way to create the wrong impression. If you are calm and confident, so the other person will feel more at ease, and so have a solid foundation for making that first impression a good one. See our section on relaxation techniques to find out how to calm that adrenaline! Present Yourself Appropriately Of course physical appearance matters. The person you are meeting for the first time does not know you and your appearance is usually the first clue he or she has to go on. No. The key to a good impression is to present yourself appropriately. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and so the “picture” you first present says much about you to the person you are meeting. Is your appearance saying the right things to help create the right first impression? Start with the way you dress. What is the appropriate dress for the meeting or occasion? In a business setting, what is the appropriate business attire? Suit, blazer, casual? And ask yourself what the person you’ll be meeting is likely to wear – if your contact is in advertising or the music industry, a pinstripe business suit may not strike the right note! A Winning Smile! “Smile and the world smiles too.”* So there’s nothing like a smile to create a good first impression. A warm and confident smile will put both you and the other person at ease. So smiling is a winner when it comes to great first impressions. But don’t go overboard with this – people who take this too far can seem insincere and smarmy, or can be seen to be “lightweights”. Be Open and Confident When it comes to making the first impression, body language as well as appearance speaks much louder than words. Use your body language to project appropriate confidence and self-assurance. Stand tall, smile (of course), make eye contact, greet with a firm handshake. All of this will help you project confidence and encourage both you and the other person to feel better at ease. Almost everyone gets a little nervous when meeting someone for the first time, which can lead to nervous habits or sweaty palms. By being aware of your nervous habits, you can try to keep them in check. And controlling a nervous jitter or a nervous laugh will give you confidence and help the other person feel at ease.. Small Talk Goes A Long Way. Conversations are based on verbal give and take. It may help you to prepare questions you have for the person you are meeting for the first time beforehand. Or, take a few minutes to learn something about the person you meet for the first time before you get together. For instance, does he play golf or know politics ? Does she work with a local charitable foundation? Is there anything that you know of that you have in common with the person you are meeting? If so, this can be a great way to open the conversation and to keep it flowing. Be Positive Your attitude shows through in everything you do. Project a positive attitude, even in the face of criticism or in the case of nervousness. Strive to learn from your meeting and to contribute appropriately, maintaining an upbeat manner and a smile. Be Courteous And Attentive It goes without saying that good manners and polite, attentive and courteous behavior help make a good first impression. In fact, anything less can ruin the one chance you have at making that first impression. So be on your best behavior! One modern manner worth mentioning is “turn off your mobile phone”. What first impression will you create if you are already speaking to someone other than the person you are meeting for the first time? Your new acquaintance deserves 100% of your attention. Anything less and you’ll create a less than good first impression. Follow : Adetubosun.wordpress.com //Adetubosun.blogspot.com

Keep your Feet on the Rock...

KEEP  YOUR  FEET  ON  THE  ROCK  WHEN  YOU REACH THE END OF YOUR ROPE

Don’t  quit. There  is  a  big  difference  between  quitting  and  changing however.  I  believe  that  when  God  sees  someone  who  does  not  quit,  He looks down and says, “There is someone I can use.”

In  Galatians  6:9  (NIV)  we  are  told,  “Let  us  not  become  weary  in  doing good  ,  for  at  the  proper  time  we  will  reap  a  harvest  if  we  do  not  give  lip. “Look  at  this  verse  carefully.  It  urges  us  not  to  become  weary,  assuring us that we will not might, will-reap a harvest if we do not give up. God  does  not  quit.  It  is  impossible  for  him  to  do  so. 

In  Philippians  1:6 NIV)  the  Apostle  Paul  writes  about  “Being  confident  of  this,  that  he who  began  a  good  work  in  you  will  carry  it  on  to  completion  until  the day  of  Christ  Jesus.” 

There  are  several  important  pints  in  this  verse.  The most  crucial  is  the  fact  that  God  does  not  quit.  Therefore,  we  can  have great  confidence  that  He  will  complete  the  good  work  He  has  begun  in us.  He  will  see  us  through  every  step  until  we  reach  our  ultimate destination. One  of  the  best  scriptural  examples  of  a  person  who  did  not  quit  is Joseph. 

He  had  many  reasons  to  justify  giving  up.  When  he  was  trapped in  the  pit  where  his  brothers  had  thrown  him  because  of  their  jealousy,  I am  sure  he  said  to  himself,  “This  is  not  the  way  I  dreamed  my  life  would work  out!”  Later,  he  had  a  marvelous  opportunity  to  become discouraged  and  quit  when  he  was  thrown  into  prison  for  a  crime  he  did not  commit.  Again  he  could  have  said  to  himself,  “This  is  not  right;  I’m not  supposed  to  be  here.” 

Although  Joseph  did  not  understand  the  steps through  which  the  Lord  would  lead  him,  he  remained  true  to  his  God. Despite  the  trials  he  faced,  he  did  not  quit.  Eventually  the  dream  that God  has  given  Joseph  became  reality.  He  was  elevated  from  a  prisoner to a prime minister. There  is  no  greater  reward  than  that  which  comes  as  a  result  of holding  fast  to  the  Word  and  to  the  will  of  God.  Only  you  can  decide not  to  lose.

Most  people  quit  when  they  are  on  the  verge  of  success. Often,  success  was  at  their  fingertips.  There  is  only  one  degree  of difference between hot water and steam. In  Luke  18  (NIV)  Jesus  told  the  parable  of  the  persistent  widow.  The Bible  reveals  His  purpose  in  relating  this  story.  Verse  1  says,  “Then Jesus  told  his  disciples  a  parable  to  show  them  they  should  always  pray and  not  give  up.”  The  psalmist  tells  us,  “Commit  thy  way  unto  the  Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass” (Psalm 37:5).

The  only  way  we  can  lose  is  to  quit.  Quitting  is  the  only  decision  we  can make that can keep us from reaching God’s goals in our lives.

Effectiveness

The Basics of Effectiveness

People are facing different challenges in their daily lives. They need to come up with good results to prove themselves or somebody else that they are worthy of doing so. Basically, these tasks are evaluated according to their degree of effectiveness and efficiency. Whether you are in a business owner, an employee, or an ordinary person at home, it is highly essential to management effectiveness well.

The overall success of what you are currently doing depends how you will get things done right. For this reason, you need to learn what it is all about and how it can totally affect your personality and the things around you. Bear in mind that the final outcome of what you had done will reflect to you as a person. Thus, you must think and follow what is right naturally. If you want to improve your perception about effectiveness, continue reading and put into your mind and heart all the information you are going to learn.

What is Effectiveness?

Effectiveness refers to the degree in which objectives have been obtained and the extent which target problems have been resolved. It is distinguished with no reference to cost. Effectiveness also means “doing the right thing while efficiency is about “doing such thing right”. Another definition that may be incorporated with this word is the ability of intervention to perform more good things than harm for target population in the real world situation.

Personal effectiveness is not all about reaching your goals for you can do it in a time consuming, sloppy, or wasteful way. It implies that you have to start making use of time practically as well as the rest of personal resources. This is how you achieve goals efficiently, such as investment, and get the best return.

Effective individuals are more than those persons who obtain what they exactly want. These people have 2 qualities: They are making the best use of resources and they have been skilled at reaching their goals. Regardless of your main purpose in life, being effective indicates a good combination of skilled execution and efficiency.

People have been personally effective in distinct ways. This is due to the fact that everybody has various values, priorities, and goals in life. For instance, skilled communicators are effective in various ways according to what they wish to achieve. Some individuals who wish to entertain others should have an exceptional sense of humor. Once they impressed a broad audience, then they posses incredible presentation skills. On the other hand, the coach has to become a good listener and communicate sensitively.

Key Themes of Effectiveness

- Reliable – consistent, predictable, supports “single truth source”, self- correcting

- Appropriate – optimizes support and supports for business purposes

- Elegant – simplicity, self adapting, clarity, consistency for various human factors

- Integrated – supports, creates, and optimizes synergy in the entire systems

- Efficient –minimizes resource wastage and optimizes resource use

Effectiveness takes place when all things support everything else. When talking about business, many organizations are focused on giving exerting more efforts for efficiency. Efficiency is just a dimension of the entire effectiveness. To achieve exceptional results, all elements should be managed properly, fairly and consistently.

Steps to Develop more Discipline...

At some point in life, every person will feel the effects of a lack of self-discipline. It is a challenging goal to conquer, but anyone can develop more discipline. There will be set-backs along the way, but establishing good self-discipline is an important step for your personal development.

1. You are human
Don't forget that you are a human being. You will make mistakes, it is only natural. People start learning by trial and error in infancy-adult learning is often no different. The goal here is to learn from your mistakes and not keep repeating the same error time and time again. If you mess up one day, don't give up and don't beat yourself up. Just start fresh the next day.

2. Set attainable goals
Nothing kills a plan faster feeling like it's impossible to get anywhere. It's not conducive to your personal development to set the bar too high at first. If you currently don't exercise at all, a goal of walking three times a week is a nice, attainable goal. You are not going to go from being sedentary to running marathons overnight. Remember to keep your goals in check with your abilities. If you set the bar too high at first, you will burn out and give up. Set yourself up for success by keeping your goals within your abilities.

3. Reward yourself
When you reach a goal, go ahead and reward yourself. If you walk three times this week, allow yourself to splurge on a night out with friends. When goal achievement goes unrewarded, we have a tendency to stop moving forward. Everybody needs to feel like they got a "win" sometimes. When you attain a goal, reward yourself. You are worth it.

4. Use your time effectively
Time is a precious commodity-treat it as such. When you get wrapped up in a task, you sacrifice time elsewhere. Creating a schedule for your day can help to eliminate situations where you feel like you worked all day, yet accomplished nothing.

5. Schedule fun time
Often we get so wrapped up in everything we have to do that we forget about doing what we want to do. The stress of everyday life can feel crushing some days. It is so important to schedule time in your day for something you enjoy. Without this release, you are setting yourself up to burn out. Burn out can kill any self-discipline progress you have made. Scheduling a few minutes each day for enjoyable activities is not only fun, it's essential to your mental health.

With these simple steps even the most disorganized person can achieve some self-discipline. Take charge of your life today!

Do More...

Nugget By John Mason (An Enemy called Average)
DO MORE

Do more than think.. CREATE
Do more than Work.. EXCEL
Do more than Share.. GIVE
Do more than Decide. DISCERN
Do more than Consider. COMMIT
Do more than Forgive.. FORGET
Do more than help.  SERVE
Do more than coexist.. RECONCILE
Do more than sing. WORSHIP
Do more that Hear.  LISTEN
Do more that Agree.. COOPERATE
Do more than Spend.. INVEST
Do more than think.  PLAN
Do more than Dream.. DO
Do more than see. PERCEIVE
Do more than Read..  APPLY
Do more than Receive. RECIPROCATE
Do more than Choose...  FOCUS
Do more than Wish..  BELIEVE
Do more than Advice.. HELP
Do more than Speak..  IMPART
Do more than Encourage. INSPIRE
Do more than Add..  MULTIPLY
Do more than Change..  IMPROVE
Do more than Ponder..  PRAY
Do more than Live.  LIVE FOR JESUS