Just before November slips away,it is nice to report that this month worldwide has been celebrated as Obama's month.
On November 4,the world stood still as history unfolds in the United States of America; Barack Obama was elected her 44th President.
We congratulate this first black American President and challenged him to bring a lasting change to america nay the world.
Obama will be sworn in January 20,2009.
We also wish Victor Attah a happy 70th birthday(Nov.20).Attah is a former Nigerian state governor and a professional architect!
--
IP
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Friday, October 3, 2008
How to Get the Attention of People Whom You Want to Emulate
Maybe it’s a famous wedding planner, talk show host, or a local business man or woman. Whoever it is you admire, and want to be like, has qualities that you want to possess. You may already have these qualities but just haven’t freed them from within yourself yet. Selecting someone who you look up to, who can serve as a mentor or even just a connection who might be able to open doors of opportunity for you, is something worth investigating.
Now comes the question: how do you get Extremely Successful and Busy People to notice you?
Get over the fear.
Before you do anything: let go of the fear. Humans have a habit of putting other humans upon a pedestal, perhaps falsely perceiving that they are somehow unworthy of said successful person’s attention?
So what if they’re famous? They’re still human like you. Whoever they may be “to the public,” they’ve still got a mother and a father, a family to care for, bills to pay and a little child inside of their own head who pipes up every now and again wanting attention and recognition in the most basic of ways.
Once you get over the intimidation, approach this person just like you would anyone else on the face of the Earth. And if for some reason they are rude, dismissive, or condescending to you? Then they likely aren’t worth bothering with, anyway. Know, though, that many Highly Successful people are also happier and more spiritually evolved than most. It’s due to their life experiences and the adversity that shaped who they are today. To your surprise, they might just be kind to you — and they might just have something important to teach you. Remember this before you approach - they’re human and fallible, just like you. And just like you - they want to be appreciated, and they want to be understood.
Ask an intriguing question.
If you’re truly a fan of said person, then dig up some information that validates this fact. Know their history, know their company, know their political position and their philosophies. This should go without saying, but believe it or not, lots of people are “blind followers,” chasing after famous celebrities and high profile individuals simply because they’ve seen their photo on the internet or heard their clip on Fox News. Remember, you’re not a groupie or a stalker - you’re a real person with real ideals, and you want to select role models who reflect your inner values. Look deeply and closely at the person you admire, and be prepared to challenge who they are on the inside.
Once you’re sure that this person would be on your wavelength if you knew each other, you need to take steps so that you eventually WILL know each other. So prepare questions. These should be REAL questions that you actually have - about their industry, their profession, what they think about current issues of the day, how they got themselves into (or out of) situation X, Y, or Z, and so forth. If you dare, probe deeply! Go out on a limb and ask something controversial that will get them thinking and talking. That’s really the first way to capture attention - to ask an intriguing question. Go on, be bold and push the envelope!
Tune up your elevator speech.
An elevator speech is essentially your “personal sales pitch.” It could be about your business, but it could also be about your Personal Mission or the goals you’ve set for yourself professionally. They call it an elevator pitch because you should be able to deliver the meat of the message in the time it takes to ride up an elevator.
Keep in mind that said Successful and Sought-after Person could get off the elevator at any second or minute. You’ll have to work fast, but you also need to be smooth with your segue into the conversation. If you’re looking to get a foot in the door, whether at their company, on their radio program, or what-have-you, you should be ready to whip out that personal pitch and ensure a smooth delivery. DO try, though, to NOT sound like a walking infocommercial. There is nothing less interesting than someone who is trolling around in robot-like fashion, spouting off canned self-promotion. We are all tired of these types of people, so don’t be one.
Network in their general direction.
One of the keys to approaching people who you admire and want to emulate is through networking. Again, this may be a face-to-face connection or it may be social networking through sites like LinkedIn or Facebook. Either way, you have to be prepared and know how to work the room and the individual. Of course, I can’t say enough about NOT coming across as stalkerish or desperate. But DO practice being memorable (think about those Questions we talk about earlier) — and if you’re not sure how to do that, let’s schedule a coaching session to work on your people skills.
After you have your elevator speech prepared, practice it over and over again until you can say it without even thinking about it. Be sure you sound natural - not phony or Crazy-Eddie like. Pick your networking targets and make it a point to meet them and talk to them while you are at the event.
If you know you’ll be someplace where your favorite money expert, Suze Ormond, is speaking, then make her your target. You may or may not get the opportunity to speak to Suze, so have some backup candidates on your list as well. This helps you to organize your networking efforts, and with your prepared speech, you’ll be ready to get the attention of those you admire most.
Networking is also a way to get someone you meet or know to introduce you to someone they know that you want to meet. That may sound confusing, but it goes back to the six degrees of separation theory. This theory is the basis for websites like Linkedin and Facebook. You add friends and colleagues that you know to your network, and through the people that you know, you can “get introduced” to people that they know. And they’ll tell a friend, and they’ll tell a friend… and so on… and so on… (remember that old commercial from the 1980s? Oops - dating myself here!)
Establish a mentor/mentee relationship:
If you’re still shaky about getting out there and connecting with people who you want to be like, then get yourself some crash coaching in this area. A personal coach can work with you on honing your skills, zoning in on your greatest assets, and getting you up to speed with networking savvy that you MUST possess if you want to persevere in this competitive world we live in!
Just think - connecting with that famous wedding planner (legal expert, green business developer, etc.) might mean that one day you can know the feeling of being the next greatest wedding planner (legal expert, green business developer, etc.). And that’s definitely something worth looking into.
So are you ready to let go of the fear that stops you from “socializing up” - surrounding yourself with people who you want to be like?
Great. Whatever you do, be prepared and be persistent. With concerted time and effort, and a bit of personal ingenuity, you WILL attract the attention you desire and achieve your goal!
by:
David Bohl, Lifestyle Redesign Expert
www.slowdownfast.com
Now comes the question: how do you get Extremely Successful and Busy People to notice you?
Get over the fear.
Before you do anything: let go of the fear. Humans have a habit of putting other humans upon a pedestal, perhaps falsely perceiving that they are somehow unworthy of said successful person’s attention?
So what if they’re famous? They’re still human like you. Whoever they may be “to the public,” they’ve still got a mother and a father, a family to care for, bills to pay and a little child inside of their own head who pipes up every now and again wanting attention and recognition in the most basic of ways.
Once you get over the intimidation, approach this person just like you would anyone else on the face of the Earth. And if for some reason they are rude, dismissive, or condescending to you? Then they likely aren’t worth bothering with, anyway. Know, though, that many Highly Successful people are also happier and more spiritually evolved than most. It’s due to their life experiences and the adversity that shaped who they are today. To your surprise, they might just be kind to you — and they might just have something important to teach you. Remember this before you approach - they’re human and fallible, just like you. And just like you - they want to be appreciated, and they want to be understood.
Ask an intriguing question.
If you’re truly a fan of said person, then dig up some information that validates this fact. Know their history, know their company, know their political position and their philosophies. This should go without saying, but believe it or not, lots of people are “blind followers,” chasing after famous celebrities and high profile individuals simply because they’ve seen their photo on the internet or heard their clip on Fox News. Remember, you’re not a groupie or a stalker - you’re a real person with real ideals, and you want to select role models who reflect your inner values. Look deeply and closely at the person you admire, and be prepared to challenge who they are on the inside.
Once you’re sure that this person would be on your wavelength if you knew each other, you need to take steps so that you eventually WILL know each other. So prepare questions. These should be REAL questions that you actually have - about their industry, their profession, what they think about current issues of the day, how they got themselves into (or out of) situation X, Y, or Z, and so forth. If you dare, probe deeply! Go out on a limb and ask something controversial that will get them thinking and talking. That’s really the first way to capture attention - to ask an intriguing question. Go on, be bold and push the envelope!
Tune up your elevator speech.
An elevator speech is essentially your “personal sales pitch.” It could be about your business, but it could also be about your Personal Mission or the goals you’ve set for yourself professionally. They call it an elevator pitch because you should be able to deliver the meat of the message in the time it takes to ride up an elevator.
Keep in mind that said Successful and Sought-after Person could get off the elevator at any second or minute. You’ll have to work fast, but you also need to be smooth with your segue into the conversation. If you’re looking to get a foot in the door, whether at their company, on their radio program, or what-have-you, you should be ready to whip out that personal pitch and ensure a smooth delivery. DO try, though, to NOT sound like a walking infocommercial. There is nothing less interesting than someone who is trolling around in robot-like fashion, spouting off canned self-promotion. We are all tired of these types of people, so don’t be one.
Network in their general direction.
One of the keys to approaching people who you admire and want to emulate is through networking. Again, this may be a face-to-face connection or it may be social networking through sites like LinkedIn or Facebook. Either way, you have to be prepared and know how to work the room and the individual. Of course, I can’t say enough about NOT coming across as stalkerish or desperate. But DO practice being memorable (think about those Questions we talk about earlier) — and if you’re not sure how to do that, let’s schedule a coaching session to work on your people skills.
After you have your elevator speech prepared, practice it over and over again until you can say it without even thinking about it. Be sure you sound natural - not phony or Crazy-Eddie like. Pick your networking targets and make it a point to meet them and talk to them while you are at the event.
If you know you’ll be someplace where your favorite money expert, Suze Ormond, is speaking, then make her your target. You may or may not get the opportunity to speak to Suze, so have some backup candidates on your list as well. This helps you to organize your networking efforts, and with your prepared speech, you’ll be ready to get the attention of those you admire most.
Networking is also a way to get someone you meet or know to introduce you to someone they know that you want to meet. That may sound confusing, but it goes back to the six degrees of separation theory. This theory is the basis for websites like Linkedin and Facebook. You add friends and colleagues that you know to your network, and through the people that you know, you can “get introduced” to people that they know. And they’ll tell a friend, and they’ll tell a friend… and so on… and so on… (remember that old commercial from the 1980s? Oops - dating myself here!)
Establish a mentor/mentee relationship:
If you’re still shaky about getting out there and connecting with people who you want to be like, then get yourself some crash coaching in this area. A personal coach can work with you on honing your skills, zoning in on your greatest assets, and getting you up to speed with networking savvy that you MUST possess if you want to persevere in this competitive world we live in!
Just think - connecting with that famous wedding planner (legal expert, green business developer, etc.) might mean that one day you can know the feeling of being the next greatest wedding planner (legal expert, green business developer, etc.). And that’s definitely something worth looking into.
So are you ready to let go of the fear that stops you from “socializing up” - surrounding yourself with people who you want to be like?
Great. Whatever you do, be prepared and be persistent. With concerted time and effort, and a bit of personal ingenuity, you WILL attract the attention you desire and achieve your goal!
by:
David Bohl, Lifestyle Redesign Expert
www.slowdownfast.com
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Niger Delta: We must listen to Attah
At long last, Obong Victor Attah, a distinguished elder statesman and erstwhile Governor of Akwa Ibom State, has broken his silence and spoken directly on the Niger Delta question twice in one month since he left office as Governor of Akwa Ibom State.
Based on his reputation as a pacifist and advocate of the Niger Delta cause and the statesmanlike manner he had handled the resource control debate, I had expected nothing less from him. In view of the controversy that has trailed the proposed summit on the Delta problem, Attah’s contribution came on the nick of time and, as to be expected, it came, loaded, with a novelty whose profundity cannot but be appreciated.
Today, do we still need any “summit” on the Niger Delta? This was the question Attah set forth to answer in his first contribution and emerged saying “yes” for a “summit” of summits, which should come in three stages so that nothing, again, is left to chance. Paraphrased, stage One of the “Summit” will involve distillation and collation of all the divergent views contained in those series of reports on the Delta question which should be reinforced with current, additional memoranda from the various interests and ethnic groups in the region.
SUMMIT Stage Two: This, according to him, should be an exclusive gathering of leaders of the Delta region as representatives of all the stakeholders. It should be the task of this forum to come out with a harmonized view on how to finally effectively tackle the Niger Delta problem, based on the product of a Steering Committee of experts.
SUMMIT Stage Three: Finally, this should include participants other than those from the Delta “since we are part of a larger country and cannot pretend that whatever we want is what we will get.” From this stage of the summit, which should also include representatives of the international community, ought to emerge “a program of action and implementation to change for good and ensure the well-being of the goose that is laying the golden egg for this country.”
In his second contribution published in a number of newspapers on Sunday, August 3, 2008, Attah, an architect and renowned town planner, accurately traced the origins of the militancy in the Niger Delta to the Abacha era when youths from the creeks who attended Daniel Kanu’s two-million man march in Abuja saw how oil money had been used to transform overnight a virgin forest into a modern city and became infuriated that the goose that lays the golden egg had been cheated. Ever since, the Niger Delta has not been the same again. So, what is the way out?
Attah must have reasoned alongside Aristotle who said in his Metaphysics: Cessante Causa, Cessat effectus. Meaning: when the cause ceases to be, the effect disappears. Syllogistically, that is to say that the Niger Delta, youths were infuriated that their oil wealth was used to develop a new town like Abuja to the exclusion of towns in the oil bearing area. Therefore, if something like Abuja is replicated in the Niger Delta the youths will be placated.
Thus, citing Britain as an example of countries that have consistently ensured sustainable development via the development of new towns as a matter of state policy, Attah deftly reduced the solution to the Niger Delta problem to three things: “Massive infrastructure and human development; Employment creation and Restoration of human dignity.”
A close look at the three things, he said, would show that, “the second derives from the first and they both will give birth to the third.” Pointing out that new towns would not only come with “certain euphoria”, but essentially also provide employment during and after construction, he stressed that he was not talking about new towns for the Delta people alone, but new towns for - every and any Nigerian that may wish to live there.
He therefore proposed four new towns for the region - Towns which, could be designated as “company towns” i.e. towns with economic base that would automatically “provide employment for all employable Nigerians.” Such towns should be located thus: One in Ijawland - Bayelsa State; One in Ogoniland, for River State; One in Akwa Ibom (a sea port for Ibaka town), and One in Delta State, preferably in Warri town which should be modernized. These new towns, Attah argued, would come naturally with “the desired elements: roads, power, water, good communications, schools, hospitals, housing, recreational and other amenities and in particular security.”
I cannot agree more. Attah knows where the shoe pinches his people and by extension, the Nigerian economy. He spoke the minds of most Nigerians. The Niger Delta issue must be resolved objectively and systematically. And one sure way is the three-stage approach because, a high hill, as Isaac Pitman said, grows lesser as we take each step. Moreover, there is no way we can do real justice to the whole matter today without refreshing our memories of all those past recommendations and reports. If Attah’s first dossier is a novelty par excellence, his second is even more so given its comprehensive nature. It is perhaps scary to talk of “comprehensive development” of the Niger Delta, but Attah’s new town approach offers an effective if less cumbersome solution to the problem, because of the domino effect inherent in a new town: new roads, housing, new utilities, new jobs arising from new factories, schools, colleges, hospitals, sea or river ports, construction sites etc.
Funding the development of a new town should not be a burden for the Federal Government alone to shoulder, if the right and proper fiscal federalism is allowed to thrive here. Today, the Federal Government finds it almost impossible to discharge its duties to the people merely because the center has bitten more than it can chew. As they say, to whom much is given, from him much is expected. Like Attah suggested, it is improper for the FG to retain 60% equity in every major oil company.
By reducing its holding to 30% and redistributing the remainder to a resource bearing state (20%) and the immediate community (10%), the development of a new town can easily be funded through equitable contributions by the three tiers. In fact, when the state takes 20% revenue and the community takes 10%, it can be rightly argued that a derivation principle of 30% as opposed to the existing 13% is in effect and, therefore, to raise say N250billion to develop a new town, say, at Ibaka in Akwa Ibom State, the community could conveniently contribute 10%; the state government 20%; the Federal Government 30% making up a pool of 60% which would possibly be augmented by the private sector, oil companies and the international community and a seaport town would shine at Ibaka to the benefit of not only the immediate state, but also all Nigerians.
For the right fiscal Federalism we may yet revisit the Igbeti Marble formula so that when we begin to give agriculture the focus it deserves, the affected communities and states in the North would be adequately compensated. Therefore, in order to reduce the envy that frustrates the idea of payment of adequate royalty to the oil bearing area, let us develop our agriculture and also begin to exploit the huge mineral wealth trapped under the Northern soil, so that the derivation money can go round because it is only when the two sides of the chin take turns in chewing your food that you can swallow with confidence. By shifting to other minerals like tar sands found in Ondo state, and the mineral deposit in the North, we could diversify the economy. Total and indefinite dependence on oil - a depleting resource, cannot but spell doom for the economy. The issue of reviewing the Mineral Oil Act; Land Use Decree; Petroleum Tax Law raised by Attah is a whole topic on its own and therefore deserves a separate and exhaustive treatment next time.
Meanwhile, let us ignore Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s bravura and the French’s braggadocio. Let us invite the British Town Planning Association to help carry out Attah’s statesmanlike recommendations on new towns. My fear about the violence in the Delta region is that it may force America to intervene under the guise of the Monroe and Roosevelt Doctrines. Especially if, one way or the other, one day, an American vessel comes fatally under the Delta crossfire. Remember Panama (1903); remember Cuba (1889); Pearl Habour and the Second World War?
---
Godwin Nzeakah
www.sunnewsonline.com(Tuesday,August 12,2008)
Based on his reputation as a pacifist and advocate of the Niger Delta cause and the statesmanlike manner he had handled the resource control debate, I had expected nothing less from him. In view of the controversy that has trailed the proposed summit on the Delta problem, Attah’s contribution came on the nick of time and, as to be expected, it came, loaded, with a novelty whose profundity cannot but be appreciated.
Today, do we still need any “summit” on the Niger Delta? This was the question Attah set forth to answer in his first contribution and emerged saying “yes” for a “summit” of summits, which should come in three stages so that nothing, again, is left to chance. Paraphrased, stage One of the “Summit” will involve distillation and collation of all the divergent views contained in those series of reports on the Delta question which should be reinforced with current, additional memoranda from the various interests and ethnic groups in the region.
SUMMIT Stage Two: This, according to him, should be an exclusive gathering of leaders of the Delta region as representatives of all the stakeholders. It should be the task of this forum to come out with a harmonized view on how to finally effectively tackle the Niger Delta problem, based on the product of a Steering Committee of experts.
SUMMIT Stage Three: Finally, this should include participants other than those from the Delta “since we are part of a larger country and cannot pretend that whatever we want is what we will get.” From this stage of the summit, which should also include representatives of the international community, ought to emerge “a program of action and implementation to change for good and ensure the well-being of the goose that is laying the golden egg for this country.”
In his second contribution published in a number of newspapers on Sunday, August 3, 2008, Attah, an architect and renowned town planner, accurately traced the origins of the militancy in the Niger Delta to the Abacha era when youths from the creeks who attended Daniel Kanu’s two-million man march in Abuja saw how oil money had been used to transform overnight a virgin forest into a modern city and became infuriated that the goose that lays the golden egg had been cheated. Ever since, the Niger Delta has not been the same again. So, what is the way out?
Attah must have reasoned alongside Aristotle who said in his Metaphysics: Cessante Causa, Cessat effectus. Meaning: when the cause ceases to be, the effect disappears. Syllogistically, that is to say that the Niger Delta, youths were infuriated that their oil wealth was used to develop a new town like Abuja to the exclusion of towns in the oil bearing area. Therefore, if something like Abuja is replicated in the Niger Delta the youths will be placated.
Thus, citing Britain as an example of countries that have consistently ensured sustainable development via the development of new towns as a matter of state policy, Attah deftly reduced the solution to the Niger Delta problem to three things: “Massive infrastructure and human development; Employment creation and Restoration of human dignity.”
A close look at the three things, he said, would show that, “the second derives from the first and they both will give birth to the third.” Pointing out that new towns would not only come with “certain euphoria”, but essentially also provide employment during and after construction, he stressed that he was not talking about new towns for the Delta people alone, but new towns for - every and any Nigerian that may wish to live there.
He therefore proposed four new towns for the region - Towns which, could be designated as “company towns” i.e. towns with economic base that would automatically “provide employment for all employable Nigerians.” Such towns should be located thus: One in Ijawland - Bayelsa State; One in Ogoniland, for River State; One in Akwa Ibom (a sea port for Ibaka town), and One in Delta State, preferably in Warri town which should be modernized. These new towns, Attah argued, would come naturally with “the desired elements: roads, power, water, good communications, schools, hospitals, housing, recreational and other amenities and in particular security.”
I cannot agree more. Attah knows where the shoe pinches his people and by extension, the Nigerian economy. He spoke the minds of most Nigerians. The Niger Delta issue must be resolved objectively and systematically. And one sure way is the three-stage approach because, a high hill, as Isaac Pitman said, grows lesser as we take each step. Moreover, there is no way we can do real justice to the whole matter today without refreshing our memories of all those past recommendations and reports. If Attah’s first dossier is a novelty par excellence, his second is even more so given its comprehensive nature. It is perhaps scary to talk of “comprehensive development” of the Niger Delta, but Attah’s new town approach offers an effective if less cumbersome solution to the problem, because of the domino effect inherent in a new town: new roads, housing, new utilities, new jobs arising from new factories, schools, colleges, hospitals, sea or river ports, construction sites etc.
Funding the development of a new town should not be a burden for the Federal Government alone to shoulder, if the right and proper fiscal federalism is allowed to thrive here. Today, the Federal Government finds it almost impossible to discharge its duties to the people merely because the center has bitten more than it can chew. As they say, to whom much is given, from him much is expected. Like Attah suggested, it is improper for the FG to retain 60% equity in every major oil company.
By reducing its holding to 30% and redistributing the remainder to a resource bearing state (20%) and the immediate community (10%), the development of a new town can easily be funded through equitable contributions by the three tiers. In fact, when the state takes 20% revenue and the community takes 10%, it can be rightly argued that a derivation principle of 30% as opposed to the existing 13% is in effect and, therefore, to raise say N250billion to develop a new town, say, at Ibaka in Akwa Ibom State, the community could conveniently contribute 10%; the state government 20%; the Federal Government 30% making up a pool of 60% which would possibly be augmented by the private sector, oil companies and the international community and a seaport town would shine at Ibaka to the benefit of not only the immediate state, but also all Nigerians.
For the right fiscal Federalism we may yet revisit the Igbeti Marble formula so that when we begin to give agriculture the focus it deserves, the affected communities and states in the North would be adequately compensated. Therefore, in order to reduce the envy that frustrates the idea of payment of adequate royalty to the oil bearing area, let us develop our agriculture and also begin to exploit the huge mineral wealth trapped under the Northern soil, so that the derivation money can go round because it is only when the two sides of the chin take turns in chewing your food that you can swallow with confidence. By shifting to other minerals like tar sands found in Ondo state, and the mineral deposit in the North, we could diversify the economy. Total and indefinite dependence on oil - a depleting resource, cannot but spell doom for the economy. The issue of reviewing the Mineral Oil Act; Land Use Decree; Petroleum Tax Law raised by Attah is a whole topic on its own and therefore deserves a separate and exhaustive treatment next time.
Meanwhile, let us ignore Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s bravura and the French’s braggadocio. Let us invite the British Town Planning Association to help carry out Attah’s statesmanlike recommendations on new towns. My fear about the violence in the Delta region is that it may force America to intervene under the guise of the Monroe and Roosevelt Doctrines. Especially if, one way or the other, one day, an American vessel comes fatally under the Delta crossfire. Remember Panama (1903); remember Cuba (1889); Pearl Habour and the Second World War?
---
Godwin Nzeakah
www.sunnewsonline.com(Tuesday,August 12,2008)
Friday, August 8, 2008
You Hold the Keys to Happiness in Your Hands
We all have the ability to have as much happiness as we want, as much happiness as we can stand! But if we don't, whose fault is it? We'd like to blame the economy, our spouse, our work, or our bodies. But in truth, we are the only ones who can put any limits on our happiness. We are all put here with the same capacity for happiness, pleasure, and success. If you learn how to choose happiness by focusing on it as your goal and learning what it takes to create a happy life, then you hold the keys to happiness in your hands.
First, you need to define what being happy means to you, since it might not mean the same thing to everyone. Next, you have to commit to pursuing happiness as a goal and doing whatever it takes to achieve it. You may find some of these ideas helpful to create all the happiness you could ever want.
1. Dream. Don't give up on your dreams just because they haven't come to you yet. They keep us excited and motivated. Look at your beliefs and see if they're getting in the way of achieving your dreams, and if so work with a coach to shift your beliefs. Spend time feeling how you would feel and visualizing what it would be like if your dream came to pass. When you get into this state, you will not only be happier, but your joy will create the energy to draw your dream to you. Get clear about what you want and be sure you really still want it. Maybe your dreams have changed over the years and you never took the time to re-evaluate. Sit down and write out what your dreams and goals are in as much detail as possible and set dates by when you'd like to achieve them.
2. Accept. Where you are now is fine. Look for what you can enjoy in your life now while you pursue your dreams. Maybe you just haven't known what to do yet, but you are open to learning. Maybe it just hasn't been the right time for you to achieve your dreams. If you're not getting the results you want today, change what you're doing for better results tomorrow. But always come from the place of being happy in the present so that you are more open to happiness in the future. Remember that you are the only one affecting your happiness, so don't play victim, make excuses, or blame others if you're not as happy as you'd like to be. Don't expect anyone to rescue you. What can you do to turn your life around? How can you take responsibility for your happiness? Knowing that you alone affect how you feel at any time, gives you great power. Now use it wisely.
3. Shine. Do what you love. What are your unique skills and talents? What do you do that you would do every day even if you weren't getting paid? Aren't you happiest when you're doing what you're good at, what you love, and what you are confident at? If you're not even sure what you love because it's been so long since you did it, take an assessment test and start moving in the direction of your passions.
4. Grow. Life is a classroom and you can either learn and grow or stay the same. Learning new subjects or mastering your present skills brings great joy. Weren't you excited the first time you could speak a whole sentence in a foreign language? Wasn't it a thrill when you could actually send an attached file in an e-mail? Continued growth adds to your happiness.
5. Love. Do everything you do with love and you'll always experience happiness. Even when you find yourself doing some activity in pursuit of your dreams that isn't your most beloved activity, see what you CAN enjoy about it. Say you're making cold calls for a new business venture you want to get off the ground. Make it fun by being as personable as possible with people you speak to, and treat each stranger as a friend you just haven't met yet. Imagine what you can love about this person, even if they don't seem lovable. They are someone's child, so someone loves them. And for every NO you get, consider that it means NEXT ONE. That very next one could be your big opportunity. If you learn to love everything you do, you'll never have unpleasant chores and you'll find happiness in every moment.
---
source:
www.slowdownfast.com
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***Olympics in Beijing,China commences today***
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First, you need to define what being happy means to you, since it might not mean the same thing to everyone. Next, you have to commit to pursuing happiness as a goal and doing whatever it takes to achieve it. You may find some of these ideas helpful to create all the happiness you could ever want.
1. Dream. Don't give up on your dreams just because they haven't come to you yet. They keep us excited and motivated. Look at your beliefs and see if they're getting in the way of achieving your dreams, and if so work with a coach to shift your beliefs. Spend time feeling how you would feel and visualizing what it would be like if your dream came to pass. When you get into this state, you will not only be happier, but your joy will create the energy to draw your dream to you. Get clear about what you want and be sure you really still want it. Maybe your dreams have changed over the years and you never took the time to re-evaluate. Sit down and write out what your dreams and goals are in as much detail as possible and set dates by when you'd like to achieve them.
2. Accept. Where you are now is fine. Look for what you can enjoy in your life now while you pursue your dreams. Maybe you just haven't known what to do yet, but you are open to learning. Maybe it just hasn't been the right time for you to achieve your dreams. If you're not getting the results you want today, change what you're doing for better results tomorrow. But always come from the place of being happy in the present so that you are more open to happiness in the future. Remember that you are the only one affecting your happiness, so don't play victim, make excuses, or blame others if you're not as happy as you'd like to be. Don't expect anyone to rescue you. What can you do to turn your life around? How can you take responsibility for your happiness? Knowing that you alone affect how you feel at any time, gives you great power. Now use it wisely.
3. Shine. Do what you love. What are your unique skills and talents? What do you do that you would do every day even if you weren't getting paid? Aren't you happiest when you're doing what you're good at, what you love, and what you are confident at? If you're not even sure what you love because it's been so long since you did it, take an assessment test and start moving in the direction of your passions.
4. Grow. Life is a classroom and you can either learn and grow or stay the same. Learning new subjects or mastering your present skills brings great joy. Weren't you excited the first time you could speak a whole sentence in a foreign language? Wasn't it a thrill when you could actually send an attached file in an e-mail? Continued growth adds to your happiness.
5. Love. Do everything you do with love and you'll always experience happiness. Even when you find yourself doing some activity in pursuit of your dreams that isn't your most beloved activity, see what you CAN enjoy about it. Say you're making cold calls for a new business venture you want to get off the ground. Make it fun by being as personable as possible with people you speak to, and treat each stranger as a friend you just haven't met yet. Imagine what you can love about this person, even if they don't seem lovable. They are someone's child, so someone loves them. And for every NO you get, consider that it means NEXT ONE. That very next one could be your big opportunity. If you learn to love everything you do, you'll never have unpleasant chores and you'll find happiness in every moment.
---
source:
www.slowdownfast.com
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***Olympics in Beijing,China commences today***
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Friday, July 11, 2008
DON'T GIVE UP
Don't give up..... One day I decided
to quit... I quit my job, my relationship, my
spirituality... I wanted to quit my life. I went to the
woods to have one last talk with God. 'God,' I asked, 'Can you give me one
good
reason not to quit?' His answer surprised
me... 'Look around,' He said. 'Do you
see the fern and the bamboo?' 'Yes,' I replied. 'When I planted the
fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of
them. I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern quickly grew from the
earth. Its
brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing
came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the
bamboo. In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant
and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo
seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. He said. 'In year three there was
still nothing from
the bamboo seed. But I would not quit. In
year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboo
seed. I would not quit.' He said.
'Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from
the earth. Compared to the fern it was seemingly small
and insignificant...But just 6 months later the bamboo
rose to over 100 feet tall. It had spent the five
years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave
it what it needed to> survive. I would not give
any of my creations a challenge it could not
handle.' He asked me. 'Did you know, my child,
that all this time you have been struggling, you have
actually been growing roots'. 'I would
not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you.'
'Don't compare yourself to others.'
He said. 'The bamboo had a different Purpose
than the fern. Yet they both make the forest
beautiful.' 'Your time will come,'
God said to me. 'You will rise high' 'How high should I rise?' I asked.
'How high
will the bamboo rise?' He asked in return. 'As
high as it can?' I questioned. 'Yes.' He said, 'Give me glory by rising as
high as you can.' I left the forest and
brought back this story. I hope these words can help
you see that God will never give up on you. Never,
Never, Never Give up. For the Christian Prayer is not an option but an
opportunity. Don't tell the Lord how big the
problem is, tell the problem how Great the Lord is!
Heavens door open this morning, God
asked me... 'My CHILD, what can I do for
you?' And I said, 'Daddy, please protect
and bless the one reading this message.' God smiled
and answered, 'Request granted.'
---author unknown---
to quit... I quit my job, my relationship, my
spirituality... I wanted to quit my life. I went to the
woods to have one last talk with God. 'God,' I asked, 'Can you give me one
good
reason not to quit?' His answer surprised
me... 'Look around,' He said. 'Do you
see the fern and the bamboo?' 'Yes,' I replied. 'When I planted the
fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of
them. I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern quickly grew from the
earth. Its
brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing
came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the
bamboo. In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant
and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo
seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. He said. 'In year three there was
still nothing from
the bamboo seed. But I would not quit. In
year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboo
seed. I would not quit.' He said.
'Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from
the earth. Compared to the fern it was seemingly small
and insignificant...But just 6 months later the bamboo
rose to over 100 feet tall. It had spent the five
years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave
it what it needed to> survive. I would not give
any of my creations a challenge it could not
handle.' He asked me. 'Did you know, my child,
that all this time you have been struggling, you have
actually been growing roots'. 'I would
not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you.'
'Don't compare yourself to others.'
He said. 'The bamboo had a different Purpose
than the fern. Yet they both make the forest
beautiful.' 'Your time will come,'
God said to me. 'You will rise high' 'How high should I rise?' I asked.
'How high
will the bamboo rise?' He asked in return. 'As
high as it can?' I questioned. 'Yes.' He said, 'Give me glory by rising as
high as you can.' I left the forest and
brought back this story. I hope these words can help
you see that God will never give up on you. Never,
Never, Never Give up. For the Christian Prayer is not an option but an
opportunity. Don't tell the Lord how big the
problem is, tell the problem how Great the Lord is!
Heavens door open this morning, God
asked me... 'My CHILD, what can I do for
you?' And I said, 'Daddy, please protect
and bless the one reading this message.' God smiled
and answered, 'Request granted.'
---author unknown---
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Archbishop Benson Idahosa :10 Years ...
Archbishop Benson Idahosa was living proof that God can do anything with anyone who is willing to serve Him. Before he died on March 12, 1998, this native of Benin City, Nigeria, had become one of the most beloved leaders in the Pentecostal Charismatic world. Placed on a garbage heap just after his birth, Idahosa nevertheless overcame that rejection to become the pastor of one of the world's largest churches, Faith Arena, and the founder of thousands of other churches with millions of members.
At the time of his death,several people had this to say about him:
Chancellor Oral Robert: "I never met a man who so completely saw himself as God did: a man. It says in the book of Genesis, 'And God made him man.' Not something else, not a Jew, not a gentile, not white, not black, not this or that--but man. I am honored to have personally known and closely worked with a man who stood so high with God and mankind in life, and who doubtless will stand higher after his death."
International Evangelist T.L.Osborn: "Many who follow Idahosa's teaching have been saved from poverty and have learned to plant out of their desperate need and to look to God as their divine source thereby becoming prosperous Christians in their own land. Idahosa rose from the rank of an ordinary man to world leadership as a pastor, builder, counsellor, prophet, teacher, apostle, evangelist,--a man of godly wisdom and of Christ-like compassion, whose ministry has blessed millions the world over. Idahosa was the greatest African ambassador of the apostolic Christian faith to the world."
Dr.Freda Gordon Lindsay: "I know of no young black in all of Africa who is reaching millions as Benson is,--in crusades with hundreds of thousands in attendance, in his weekly nationwide telecast, in his Bible School, training eager students from several nations. He also conducts campaigns in Sweden, Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, Australia and the United States, where he often appeared on national religious telecasts. His burden for souls, his ministry of healing and miracles, even to the raising of several dead, demonstrates he is especially called of the Lord in these end times."
Dr.John Bienose(Dir.Of Admin Church of God Mission): "Idahosa is a living legend, an amiable visionary leader, a trailblazer and an institution of legacy."
@www.cogm-usa.org and other media sources
Integrity Projects celebrate this man,who made impact in his world.
At the time of his death,several people had this to say about him:
Chancellor Oral Robert: "I never met a man who so completely saw himself as God did: a man. It says in the book of Genesis, 'And God made him man.' Not something else, not a Jew, not a gentile, not white, not black, not this or that--but man. I am honored to have personally known and closely worked with a man who stood so high with God and mankind in life, and who doubtless will stand higher after his death."
International Evangelist T.L.Osborn: "Many who follow Idahosa's teaching have been saved from poverty and have learned to plant out of their desperate need and to look to God as their divine source thereby becoming prosperous Christians in their own land. Idahosa rose from the rank of an ordinary man to world leadership as a pastor, builder, counsellor, prophet, teacher, apostle, evangelist,--a man of godly wisdom and of Christ-like compassion, whose ministry has blessed millions the world over. Idahosa was the greatest African ambassador of the apostolic Christian faith to the world."
Dr.Freda Gordon Lindsay: "I know of no young black in all of Africa who is reaching millions as Benson is,--in crusades with hundreds of thousands in attendance, in his weekly nationwide telecast, in his Bible School, training eager students from several nations. He also conducts campaigns in Sweden, Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, Australia and the United States, where he often appeared on national religious telecasts. His burden for souls, his ministry of healing and miracles, even to the raising of several dead, demonstrates he is especially called of the Lord in these end times."
Dr.John Bienose(Dir.Of Admin Church of God Mission): "Idahosa is a living legend, an amiable visionary leader, a trailblazer and an institution of legacy."
@www.cogm-usa.org and other media sources
Integrity Projects celebrate this man,who made impact in his world.
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