Author: Jesutofunmi Mary Lawal

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On the Blaze

THREE TIPS ON HOW TO DISCOVER YOUR SOURCE OF HAPPINESS

What brings about happiness should be paramount and foremost to each individual, we all deserve to know and gladly indulge in what brings us immense joy and fulfillment. Your source of constant happiness might be tangible indulgences like diligently building on your career, your course of study in school, your interaction with other individuals, your passion for something, or generally, what you do at leisure like listening to music, reading, surfing the internet, retail therapy and many more.
Nowadays, the majority go about the day’s activities looking worn and morose without a care as to what makes them happy and lightens up their spirit.
Some are clueless about the things that make them happy and those who have one way or the other disregard what brings them happiness, subconsciously or unconsciously overlooking and setting aside what makes them happy due to tedious workloads at the workplace or school, they tend to be so worn out from excessive workloads and overwhelmed with deadlines so much that there is no time to think about what brings them happiness let alone actualizing them. While some out of care and selflessness tend to make other people’s happiness, particularly their loved ones, a priority over their happiness. This kind of people tries everything possible to make sure you are comfortable, healthy, and nourished while being oblivious to the lack of care for themselves. How then do these people discover what makes them happy? Below are tips to discover what makes you radiate with happiness as an individual;

How to discover what makes you happy.

1. HAVE THE RIGHT MINDSET

One of the pathways to discovering what incites happiness in you is having the right mindset and harboring happy thoughts. Prepare your mind towards positive thoughts, reminisce on things that you’ve possibly done in the past that made you immensely happy, remember the pleasurable moments, and memorable experiences you have had, and try doing those things again to spark joy.

2. DISCOVER YOUR HOBBIES/PASSION

• Hobbies:

Hobbies are pleasure-inducing or dopamine-pleasing activities done to evoke enjoyment in leisure time. Check yourself, and your surroundings for a particular thing you enjoy doing that brings you immense pleasure. Even as a person busy with workloads from work or school, there must be something you do that brings a smile to your face each time you indulge in it, find it, and do it over and over to induce happiness.


• Passion:

When we talk about passion, it is simply the great love or strong interest we have in something almost to a fault. Passion in this context is a career path or a lifetime interest that certainly makes you feel happy and fulfilled to do it. It is common knowledge that in the course of obeying our parents, one might be studying or might have studied a course totally of our parents’ chosen and not of ours just to please them. Also, our choice might have been altered by the institution of choice, which in the process leaves us unhappy and unfulfilled. It is not late to pursue what you wanted from the onset, it is never too late to cross over from that course to the one you’re passionate about, not too late to learn and build that career path. See this content as a piece of encouragement to restrategize and center on your passion, if the chance ever comes to make a change seize it and make good use of it. A life of unhappiness & unfulfillment is not worth living.

3. PRIORITIZE YOURSELF

Yes, you are a kind person who finds it hard to say no to people even at the expense of your happiness. Sorry, but it is less of a flex compared to prioritizing yourself first and above all. Now, that’s a flex! Resist the urge to bend easily to people’s demands if it’s at the expense of your happiness and fulfillment.
Anything that requires doing for others, that will puncture your constant laughter, do not do it! Find the courage to say no, buy that stuff before you buy for others! It may be as little as reading a book, read that book before you lend it out! wear that new wig before lending it out to a friend who you do not offend! Look after your wellbeing as much as you do others and practice self-care. Above all, eat foods that make you happy!

HOW TO DESTRESS AFTER A STRESS-FILLED WORKWEEK
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HOW TO DESTRESS AFTER A STRESS-FILLED WORKWEEK

The joy several people feel when the end of the week or weekend is approaching is next to none. Especially on a Friday, you see them work with a big smile on their faces, radiating with the enthusiasm of the coming weekend. To them, it is a time to rest, they get to cook and eat good and healthy foods and not the usual fast food like junk and sodas they take all through the week. Also, the weekend is the only time they get to be with and reminisce with their loved ones.

Meanwhile, some people feel little or no joy about the weekend, majorly because these sets of people do not get due rest during the weekend.

They are in two categories;

• The first category are those who do not get the chance to indulge in de-stressing activities after a stressful work week because they go through more mentally or physically straining activities. The reasons for this default in utilizing the weekend might be routined leftover workloads, urgent calls from the office to work from home while other reasons might be pending house chores such as; unwashed laundry that has been amassed over the week, one to two repairs around or in the house, and others that were left undone during the workweek. 

 • The second category, are those who are not occupied with the reasons above but do not have ideas of the right ways to destress after a long stressful workweek, they do not attempt to indulge in stress-relieving activities.

Health issues like constant headaches and body aches, physical weaknesses, insomnia, and more often than not, the victims of stress getting upset at the slightest provocation and so on, are the resulting consequences of not destressing, thereby worsening the fatigue that has gathered over the week. 

 The good news is—there are proven ways to destress regardless of how busy you are.

Is stress making you angry, weak, and unhappy, here are some right ways to help you destress or stress relief methods;

  1. MEDITATION: 
Meditation

Meditation is a rapid, easy, and effective way to reduce stress. This involves eliminating wandering thoughts in the mind and gathering one’s focus on the atmosphere, and one’s surroundings while breathing in and out to retain the focus. As a victim of stress, you do not require equipment or any long process to indulge in meditation, all you need is the free will and resolution to spare 10 minutes to perform it. 

Meditation helps clear the burden of work that accumulated during the workweek, it renders balance to the physical, health, and psychological well-being. 

  1. UTILIZING PAID HELPERS.

Paid helpers such as Domestic house cleaners, artisans, dry cleaning services, etc. are great solutions to pending house chores. Cleaners can be paid to help you clear your house from time to time, drop your dirty laundry off at a dry cleaning service, and pay artisans to do the repairs needed around your house, employing a cook is also a good way to reduce stress. Paid helpers relieves you of the burden of coming back home to get house chores done or using your weekend for chores in place of resting. Paid helpers also pave the way for you to indulge in other stress-relieving activities knowing that all pending housework will be catered to.  

  1. SIGNING UP FOR SELF-CARE ACTIVITIES

A great way to ease stress is through indulgence in self-care activities. 

Self-care can be;

I. VISITING A SPA

  A spa offers physical services like thorough body massages, pedicure and manicures, laser hair removal, aromatherapy, hydrotherapy, herbal poultices, hot stone therapy, hands, and feet messages, skincare activities like body scrubs, facial treatments, and so on involving all things beauty maintenance aimed at the relaxation of the body and soul. ‘Beauty maintenance’ is a nominal term popularly used to describe all these body care and stress relieving procedures. 

Booking a session at the spa is a top-tier, wholesome, and extremely effective way to destress after a fatigue-inducing workweek for the two categories of stress victims mentioned above. Spa sessions do amazing wonders for a stressed body and soul, after each session, you’ll feel as if burdens are being dropped from your shoulders one by one until there is none anymore. You feel energized and healed. Yes, each session promises healing to your stressed body and soul.

 Sounds interesting, right? Don’t you think you are due for a visit to the spa?

 Wait! I know some men reading this already think “No, that’s a feminine thing meant for women not suitable for men to indulge in”  I’m sorry to say you are wrong. As a man, a visit to the spa will do your body and soul a lot of good as it will, a woman.

So, go! Go today and experience relief like never before.

We cannot but mention that not everyone can afford spa service and If that is the case, alternative ways to get yourself relieved can be DIY(do it yourself) massages, where you get someone close to you to help with the simplest massages like shoulders, hands, and feet and your body joints. Also, you can research on simple DIY aromatherapy procedures and many more that you can do in the corner of your room to relieve stress.

Self-care can also be;

II. VISITING THE HAIR SALON

Self-care for stress relief can also be in the form of visiting a salon. Loosening your old hairstyle, getting your hair washed, your scalp massaged, and getting other hair care treatments and procedures done in the process. Hair care is a unique form of stress relief, it helps clear your head of discursive and intrusive thoughts, you get to feel the confidence that comes with making a new hairstyle, and above all, you get to destress.

Of course, if you cannot afford to visit a salon, you can indulge in self-service. Outline a time suitable for you to do all of these at home and carry them out as systematically as possible to achieve the main goal of destressing. 

  III. Self-care is also watching movies and playing video games over the weekend. Aside from the other ways to destress mentioned in this content, movies and video games are very suitable activities to indulge in on a weekend to relax.

In conclusion, meditation, paid helpers, and self-care activities are proven ways to destress after a long, burdensome, and stress-inducing workweek for the two categories of people who feel little or no joy when the weekend is approaching. Try one or all of these this weekend or the next and see changes.

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Uncategorized

The backlog and overview of the ongoing ‘end bad governance protest in Nigeria

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Story Time

WHO MADE DAVID MAD? (EPISODE 4)

Alfreda looked into David’s eyes and saw dread. The issue at hand is no joke, right then and there she was determined to try everything possible to find out and discover all about this wrecking game, this mess he got himself into.

“They were just empty threats, Dav. You could have just told me before you got in too deep, to this point of no return, or just reported to the right authorities.” Alfreda said on the verge of tears but no single tear dropped. She needed to be composed and get to the root of this.

“I wish they were empty threats, Al. Those people are evil, they are the devil himself. I made friends with a guy, Tunes. His name is Tunise, he was in deep shit as much as I was, and we planned to leave together. We threatened the owner of the apartment we use for the night game, Mr. Shoke, with recorded videos of the murders that had taken place there, he promised to halt the game and claimed he was not aware of such taking place in his building. We made Him swear and recorded a video where he confessed to not being aware of the game and promised to halt further activity,”

He paused to cough and continued,

“I and Tunes left feeling relieved but we both had our doubts, we did not trust him entirely. Believe me Al, there was no way we could have reported to the police, we were being watched day and night and any suspicious movement could have led to instant elimination. That was the instructions the tails watching us were given. We were warned. I and the guy were able to see the owner of the building because the tails knew we were still within the vicinity of the game house and they did not suspect anything, if they had known we went to see the man, we would have been killed. But they got to know eventually, somehow the man betrayed us. Yes, we stopped going to the game house as soon as we spoke to the owner, Mr. Shoke. Three days later, I got an email with a video attachment…In the video, I saw someone who looks exactly like me brutally murdering Tunes, hacking him to small pieces.”

David paused to look at her face and saw the shock, vivid over her face. He rushed towards her and was about to touch her when I raised her hands to stop him.

“Dav, I’m too stricken enough to not want you near me, just move back and tell me everything else there is. I need to know my next line of action”

“I just wanted to be sure you are okay, Al. I did not mean for you to get shaken by all these.”

Alfreda laughed and answered,

“You did not inform me of when you were about to commit this atrocity, you did not before you got in too deep neither did you when you were an inch away from being ruined but now, that you’re too far away from being redeemed, you chose to tell me and you expected me to not get shocked at this folly of yours? You had high expectations, my dear. I hope you do not expect me to find solutions or is that why you are telling me now?”

His expression gave him away. He can’t be for real. Alfreda shook her head and laughed that sad laughter once again. He wants her to find a way to help him out. What can she do at this point? She does have to find out what to do. It seemed like Tunise died but how? God knows she would lose her mind if David died.

With a straight face, she asked David,

“Is Tunise dead?” She asked.

“Yes, they killed him. Those evil people manipulated the recording of his murder, making it seem like I killed him. If the video gets out, all everyone will see is not the real perpetrator but me killing him. Under that video, I got a message saying, ‘That is the exact punishment for those who make any attempt to break free and betray them. I was warned to not try anything suspicious or they will kill you, kill everyone at my place of work, kill your mother, and make me a wanted criminal. They…they came here”

He was no longer speaking, she was not surprised to see him dabbing at his eyes. About time he shed tears. If possible, he should shed enough tears for both of them. She felt like screaming and crying out loud herself but she was too numb to move, not to talk of doing the others.

After a few minutes had passed, David continued speaking,

“They came to throw his corpse in our backyard, they informed me it was there. I did all I could to be careful while disposing of it but somehow, they captured me in the act and sent me the recordings to further warn me. Al, what do you think we should do? I have tried all I can, I have gone to beg them to let me go, I have borrowed some more loans and given them more money yet, they want me to keep on with the game and kill you as a punishment for desiring to leave or they will Kill me like they killed Tunes. You see I’m in deep shit, Alfreda. What do we do?”

She gave no response.

Alfreda’s heart slammed against her ribcage and she almost peed in her panties and was fuming with anger. She looked lost and miserable. The room was hot, her insides were burning and she needed to escape the room. She was taking off the thick clothing she had on when David asked again,
“I need you to answer me, Al. I didn’t mean for any of these to happen to us… I knew… somehow, you’d find a way for us out of this mess. I’m out of options, what should we do? Where are you going? Answer me, Al what should I do!” He cried.

Alfreda was at the door, her hands on the doorknob before she replied and said,

“It seems too late, David”

She opened the door, closed it gently, not paying heed to the urge to slam it shut, and went down the stairs. She needed to vent her anger on something…somewhere. Okay! What she needs is to take a drive with ear-blasting music playing from the car’s speaker.

In the room, she had seen blood drain out of David’s face, he looked like he had seen a ghost and she knew. She knew it was because she had called him David. It has always been anything else lovely, except David.

STAY TUNED FOR EPISODE 5

Continue reading “WHO MADE DAVID MAD? (EPISODE 4)”
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On the Blaze

FIVE (5) Fun and memorable adventure bucket list ideas.


The official meaning of a bucket list to majority, automatically points generally to traveling and achievements like financial goals, career growth, personal development goals, health goals, and many other serious and professional goals.
This article, ‘Bucket List Adventures’ vividly represents the context of this article. I will proceed using an adventure bucket list.

An adventure bucket list is a list of activities that garner fun experiences and memories an individual particularly would derive pleasure doing and hopes to actualize in the course of their lives.

I will always be an advocate of workaholics making time during their work years to have fun and also make interesting memories with their friends or families when the opportunity to do so presents itself. The importance of every individual having an adventure bucket list has always been undermined.

Having an adventure bucket list is more of a proven way to relieve stress, and escape the surroundings one is used to, and actualizing the pleasurable activities on your list, is a means of relaxation for you, your body, and your soul that has probably been working nonstop all year. An adventure bucket list is also a means to create special moments to hold on to, moments that when reminisced on, make you smile and look forward to creating more of such moments.
Everyone can curate an adventure bucket list, you do not have to be extremely financially buoyant before you can indulge in fun-filled activities.
There are a lot of adventures an individual can indulge in.
Below are five adventure bucket lists for Nigerians.

ADVENTURE BUCKET LIST FOR NIGERIANS

1. ROAD TRIPS

A road trip is a long-distance journey using a vehicle. Road trips allow you to sightsee the beauty of nature and other countryside and it is one of the best ways to feel relaxed and have fun without doing too much or spending too much.

During your days off work or a long vacation from work, a road trip is one of the fun things you should consider adding to your bucket list adventures as it is also cost-effective.

You will get to enjoy the view of different places at a distance, preferably from the window view of a vehicle. As the car moves, you will feel the rush of the wind against your face with a smile spreading across your face and also, breathe in the fresh air that will seep into your head slowly, relieving you of the burden of work gathered over the week, fresh air not crammed up with the smell or feel the frustration like the places you are used to i.e your place of work, your environments at home.

The top five safest and damage-free road trip routes where you can immerse yourself in the wondrous view of each town or city you pass by and the serene beauty of each within Nigeria are;

• Lagos to Ibadan express road
• Calabar to Obudu Road
• Akure to ikogosi
• Within Osogbo
• Ibadan to Osogbo Road


2. FOOD EXPLORATION

For someone who loves food and yearns to explore different dishes, food exploring and tasting should be on your bucket list adventure.
Exploring different dishes from other tribes across other states within the country or other countries is another fun activity that can be soul-fulfilling and memorable especially.

Food exploration exposes an individual to a variety of foods and knowledge about how some dishes are made and if taken a step further, you get to know the history of how certain dishes came into existence. It’s a must to state that you get to take beautiful pictures and videos of different dishes for future reference, and the most important and interesting side of food exploring is, that you will get to savor each dish with the taste of each staying imprinted on your memory for as long as possible.

You can try food tasting and exploring at;
• Fancy restaurants within or outside your country
• Chinese restaurants to eat Chinese foods
• Indian restaurants to taste Indian dishes
• Korean restaurants with unlimited Korean dishes on their menu
• Local food places to try Indigenous food of different tribes.

3. WINE TASTING

Be informed that Africa brews some of the world’s best wine and tasting is a must as a Nigerian.

It is another fun and unique adventure that should be on every individual’s adventure bucket list. You do not have to be passionate about wines or be a wine connoisseur to indulge in wine tasting. The only exceptions are those who outright dislike wine. Here, you can go to a winery or a restaurant known for keeping wines, especially aged or vintage wines. This particular type of wine is said to offer a better palate experience compared to the others.

Suitable locations for wine-tasting adventures on your bucket list are;

• Wine stores or wine clubs that offer a variety of wines and allow wine-tasting activities. • Countries like Paris and Switzerland have bars and restaurants that majorly offer wine-tasting and wine tours.
• In Nigeria, Plateau State, Jos has a good number of wineries offering wine tours and sampling some of the local wines.
• Premium bars and restaurants like Eko Atlantic City. They offer visitors the choice to select wines from a variety of foreign or local wines made in Nigeria.

4. A PICNIC IN THE WOODS.

This particular adventure is not usual yet so unusual in this side of the world, Nigeria.
Some people in Nigeria consider picnics in the woods a weird concept, some others are scared to indulge because of their safety, some simply do not know if locations to indulge in such activities exist and some are just learning about picnics in the woods from this article. Relax, this article is here to help.
Picnic is another fun activity that involves an individual and loved ones usually, consisting of a person or more. Picnic in the woods is not weird but is one of the most interesting adventures ever. Picnics require lots of planning ahead. Usually, they entail lots of preparation like preparation of wonderful food, packing baskets of food and drinks, blankets and other requirements needed to set the scene, perfect for a picnic in the woods.

It involves laying a blanket or any fabric on bare ground, and sitting on it alongside you and your companions, spending quality time together, taking in the beauty of the woods while having a taste of the food handy. There are protected areas with adequate security that serve as tourist attraction centers where individuals can easily indulge in a picnic in the woods.
Locations where individuals can indulge in or carry out a successful picnic in the woods in Nigeria are;

• Tourist centers

• Agricultural Research institutes like IITA in Ibadan, Oyo state. This place has safe and wild animal-free reserved areas with scenic beauty where an individual can go for a picnic alongside loved ones.
• Other places like Obudu Cattle Ranch
• Well guarded Forest reserves with forest guides that will lead you to areas suitable for your picnic in the woods.

5. VISIT A CASTLE.

I know the majority have seen a castle only in documentary videos and movies.
Castles are large buildings with fortresses, numerous rooms, and the capacity to occupy a large number of people. Castles are fortified against enemies breaching during wars and were often inhabited by a nobleman or king in ancient times.
Visiting a castle sounds interesting, right? Make haste and add it to your adventure bucket list as visiting one holds promises of an interesting and memorable experience. There is also the immense pleasure that comes with seeing in real life, what you only see in movies.

The northern part of Nigeria boasts of some exotic and age-old castles that are suitable for touring.

The importance of having fun as a working citizen is not emphasized enough. Keep in mind that you can indulge in fun activities alongside being diligent at work, all you have to do is snatch any open opportunity to have fun. After all, you’re just a human, trying to take a break and relax from the daily hustle and bustle that has become a part of you.

Categories
Story Time

WHO MADE DAVID MAD? (EPISODE 3)

Alfreda had taken a seat at the edge of the bed while still laughing hysterically, she felt like punching David in the guts, maybe watching him double over and groan in pain would have eased the pain she felt at that moment. She touched her chest, and moved her hand up and down her chest in a bid to calm herself. David stood there looking so confused and lost. The realization that she had been coupling with a kid who could not make sane decisions for himself and was easily pushed about like a wheelbarrow hit her like a wave. He has never made good decisions for them, she has always been the one looking out for them. How couldn’t she have known all this while? Is love truly, blind?
He just stood there scratching his brows, saying nothing.


“David? What game brought this ruin upon you? What silly game did you squander all our money on?.”

She was looking directly into his eyes and was at the brim of bursting into tears. Several minutes passed and David still had not said anything in response to the question. Her eyes widened suddenly, and she stood up abruptly and said,

“Don’t Tell me you gambled with all that money?” She got no response.

“Answer me David before I pluck your eyes out!” She cried.

His shoulders dropped, he sighed and said, “Something like that. It’s not really gambling, it’s just a sophisticated game of the rich. That is the name for it”


“Sophisticated game of the rich? Interesting. Tell me about it, Dav.”


“See Al, I thought I would be able to do it once, get a whole lot of money off it, and never indulge again according to how the leader of the group described it to me, it was supposed to be easy. I never knew it would turn out this way.”


“It’s no use crying over spilled milk Dav, and I have been patient enough with you at the moment, what the hell was the game you played?!”


“I’m not supposed to breathe a word of this to anyone who is not a member, for all I know there might be a monitoring bug on me, in my phone, or even in this house but since I am totally ruined, I have to tell you. It is called ‘the game of lords.’ It’s a large network of people and all the members are rich, I mean stinkingly rich but there are different categories of the rich there…those still looking for more money, those looking for pleasure, and the ones who make money off the other two. Ermm… we made big money offers on…on…peo…people’s life.”

He went silent, she saw his worried look and his eyes frantically searched her face for any reaction. What should she have done? Cry? Scream? All she felt like doing at that moment was laugh, laugh at the misfortune David had tabled before her and how unbelievable it seems. Isn’t this the kind of occurrence that one only see in movies? Maybe she has been jilted by David. Maybe he was a jigolo who had planned to ruin her alongside his scammer friends all this while? Has she become a victim of scam or?… Her thoughts were interrupted when David asked,


“Are you okay Al?”


“Of course I am, at least your head is still intact and not on the floor in pieces. A very good evidence that I am still very okay.”

There was a long pause and she had to scream at him to continue.


“Calm down Al, I will” Another agonizing silence then he continued.

“We gather at THE NIGHT’s galore, you know that big apartment at the east side of Johnsbuggert City. At first, we were placing hefty sums on animal fights. Each night, we get to pick sturdy animals of choice to fight against opponents for the night, I noticed they were fed substances, I don’t know what it is but it seems like drugs, they said it is meant to energize them. The winning animal takes home the prize, and the other one ends up dead or gets shot dead if injured. I wanted to opt out because the sights of this were too horrific for me. But the anchor persuaded me that it takes getting used to and I was going to lose the money I have invested without a dime returned to me if I opted out that early, so I stayed and kept losing each game. I won on my fifth trip to the club but several games later, here I am about to be a destitute.”


He paused, searching her face, she noticed the genuine look of concern on his face and she just shook her head and glared at him.
She had wasted years loving a foolish man.
He sighed and continued,

“It got worse Al, after my first month there they started bringing in human beings and we started betting on humans, able-bodied men. I wondered why they were taking such a risk, my guess was they were sweet-talked and promised heaven and earth and a truckload of profit like they did to me. The GOATS, we call them GOATS, they also ingest the powdery substance before they wrestle. It was no ordinary wrestling, they wrestled one another until death. The rule of the game was ‘You kill or you die’ It was as if everything was programmed. They let you get comfortable and they show you their true colors… the bets on the animals were like an initiation into their group and there is no turning back…it’s like…like crossing the Rubicon bridge. I tried hard to escape, to opt out but I was completely damned.”


He coughed, took a glance at my face, and continued.


“All I could do was keep playing, watch the gruesome game take place, loose and lend more and more money from other members and keep watching all over again as they wrestle relentlessly with one another, clawing blindly and breaking bones with each blow, none of the two fighters must rest, any slight attempt to rest from your GOAT is inviting death from the opponent and you, the GAME LORD losing money and the profits. It became a routine. Believe me, I tried but I was threatened, they threatened to falsely accuse me of all sorts of crimes so, I had to give in.”


The sound of Alfreda’s phone ringing had jolted the both of them. She looked across the bed at her phone and saw that it was the alarm she had set for 4 pm. The time had passed so quickly and David was still telling her what seemed like rubbish and seemed like the truth at the same time.

“You gave in to empty threats? Just like that?” Alfreda asked, she was about to reach the limit of her patience at that moment.


“I wish they were empty ones!” He cried.

STAY TUNED FOR EPISODE 4

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On the Blaze Uncategorized

THE GINGER FOR A NEW WEEK

Monday, despite being the start of a new week, is a dreaded day for so many people.
“It’s about to be Monday again” “Tomorrow is Monday” “How I wish this weekend does not end” and so on is usually the lamentation of all and sundry prior to Monday, especially students, 9-5 workers, apprentices, and even the self-employed.

But why do people hate Mondays? Usually, Monday marks the beginning of a stressful week for some, and of rigorous school activities for students. A day that ends the comfort associated with a weekend, it is a day that kick-starts another five to six days routine race of humans chasing survival, that is, striving to make a means to an end which also at the same time makes it an important day. A day needed to kick-start the other days to continually set in place and stabilize our means of survival.

How to get Motivated for Monday

We all simply feel less motivated on Mondays and we tend to need an assurance or a sort of motivation that preaches “tomorrow will be better than yesterday” or “this Monday will be better than the past Mondays.” The truth is that we can be our own source of motivation. We can set the wheel of a better week running ourselves. How about we stop dreading Mondays? What if we start approaching Mondays with zeal and optimism?
Here is how you can make the best of the beginning of a new week:

1. Prepare your mind for a successful day/week:

View Monday as a day to gear yourself towards positivity, take time to relax your tense mind either by affirmations or meditations, reminisce back to the past weeks, reflect on your past tasks, check for mistakes, and seek for improvements to avoid recurring mistakes and be hopefully for the best throughout the rest of the week.


2. Have a positive mindset:

Cultivating a positive attitude in every ramification of life begets fortitude, assurance of the best, and enthusiasm towards one’s objectives. Every individual needs to approach Monday, the beginning of the week, the rest of the week, and the milestones ahead with a positive mindset. One should view difficult tasks as an opportunity to learn more and grow.

3. Set Clear Goals For the Week:

Setting clear goals itself is motivation enough to set a tone for a successful week ahead. This enables you to focus and narrow down the possibilities of overwhelming tasks to clear and purposeful ones. When you’re at it, be stern while setting your goals for the week, and outline the things you aim to actualize, they might be workplace-related jobs or geared towards personal development.


4. Have a curated list of your plans:

Draft a plan or to-do list to guide you throughout the day or week, and arrange the order of your tasks according to how they suit you or according to your work pace. Do not be in a rush to carry out if not required of you. An organized plan motivates and contributes to a successful week.

5. Seek more knowledge about your goals:

Associate yourself with individuals equipped with more knowledge on the goals you wish to tackle, and source for inspiration on your objectives by reading reassuring or motivational quotes, books, or online content like this one you’re currently reading. Indulge in activities that arouse your creativity and quest for learning.


6. Be Consistent:

Your motivation towards a new week can be further backed up by being consistent in whatever you set your mind on whether workplace-related or a self-objective, show up every day, and get it done at the time you have assigned to get it done. In other words, consistency serves as an instrument to spur a productive and positive week.


7. Be mindful of your well-being:

Good health is mostly underrated and unappreciated meanwhile good health is easily a source of motivation. Your body loses the ability to engage in important activities when experiencing weakness both physically and in the mind. Eating healthy, taking time to relax, and prioritizing self-care activities like exercises revitalize your mind and body.


Also, remember to always share your achievements with your loved ones, and celebrate your achievements regardless of how little. This would further make Monday less dreadful for you and motivate you for the coming weeks. So, as each beginning of the week draws closer, do not hesitate to seek and cling to any source of motivation, embrace positivity, look forward to daily growth, and of course, make more money.

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JOLLOF RICE: WHICH AFRICAN COUNTRY MAKES THE BEST ONE.

Which African country makes the best jollof rice? This has always been a topic of discourse between citizens across African countries, especially Nigeria and Ghana. Jollof rice is an extremely savory dish common to African households. No African country has come close to taking the trophy for the African country that makes the best Jollof rice from Nigeria.

Nigeria has always been and will always be the country that makes the best Jollof rice. Although Ghanaians will always argue this fact. Jollof rice is about being colorful. The other African countries have only birthed their Jollof from what they picked out of other’s ideas.

Speaking of making Jollof rice with completely rich ingredients, and using the right process in making it, leave it for Nigeria, and Nigerians, they own it.
We are not talking about ‘sapa jollof’ here, where you’d just mix powdered pepper with water and pour in everything at once. No!
We are talking about a savory and rich-in nutrients kind of Jollof rice. The kind of Jollof rice you will eat and forget your date of birth for a moment.

To crown it all, Nigerians have successfully invented different types of Jollof recipes without having to depend on other countries’ recipes.

This variety of Jollof has made NIGERIAN an African country with the A-list Jollof. And here they are;



SMOKY JOLLOF RICE

Smoky Jollof Rice

Which one is smoky jollof again?
Nigerians can be funny while giving names to anything that was birthed or brought to life through their ideas.

But, you see this one, it is one of a kind. No other country makes it better other than Nigeria. This jollof got its name because it is prepared on firewood. Smoky Jollof is characterized by the way it is prepared, the unique scent of food that is almost burnt but not literally, and that savory taste that tells you it was made with the local means of cooking.


PARTY JOLLOF RICE

Party Jollof Rice

If you ask any Nigerian you come across what they see in party Jollof? Or what makes it stand out? They’d tell you party jollof is sweeter than any other type of Jollof and it is just the classic Nigerian Jollof Rice prepared at parties. It is the most popular Nigerian rice recipe and you will always see it at parties. It is easy to prepare.

MINCED MEAT/BEEF JOLLOF RICE


Minced meat/beef Jollof rice

Beef or meat Mince Jollof Rice is a tasty version of Nigerian Jollof Rice prepared with minced beef or ground beef.
It is common knowledge that meat-endowed Jollof rice has a paradisiacal taste. Nigerians will gladly use all kinds of meats, mince them into small pieces, and add them to Jollof rice to give you that sensational taste of chewing Jollof at the same time with small chunks of meat.

NATIVE JOLLOF RICE

Native Jollof Rice

I once came across an individual who thought this type of Jollof is made by native doctors hence, the reason why it earned the name. No, no, no.
Native Jollof is made with local cooking ingredients with palm oil as the main ingredient hence its name. In native jollof, you’d see locust beans, a lot of smoked fish, snails, and plenty of minced meat. It is another type of Jollof that made Nigeria the African country with the best Jollof.
Nigerians have a way of making people fall in love with their foods because this native jollof is another version that has managed to win the hearts of people at home and abroad.
Many times food vendors have sent this particular jollof outside the country to other countries.


COCONUT JOLLOF RICE

Coconut rice?
By now, you would be saying out loud ‘Nigerians and food 5 and 6’

This Nigerian food is called the Jollof with another dimension!
It feels good when your friends think you are serving them the good old Jollof but gbam, the moment the first spoon enters the mouth, you are sure to be rewarded with looks of pleasure from them as it gives them an entirely different sensational taste. It makes you feel good, right?
Yes, this looks the same as the Jollof rice but the aroma and taste are different making it one of those special Nigerian Jollof rice recipes.


These are some of the several varieties of jollof rice that have made Nigeria’s Jollof A-list compared to other African country’s Jollof rice.

Have you tasted Jollof rice from some other African countries? Compare any one you’ve tasted to Nigerian Jollof rice, in your opinion, let us know which one is better or the one you prefer in the comments section.

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NIGERIAN SLANGS THAT EXUDES POSITIVITY.

Have you ever wondered why it is peculiar to Nigerians to be positive when in extremely difficult situations and particularly in trying times when the economy of the country seems to be swaying on an imbalanced scale? Nigerians still manage to proclaim positivity when inflation is the order of the day, when the usual price for food and other things is raised to power ten, the instances when individuals’ usual budget is no longer sufficient and the budget needs to be increased which may lead to exhaustion of one’s income on a particular need i.e foodstuffs alone whereas other bills need to be sorted urgently, and in most cases, one has to be placed on hold for the other to be fulfilled.

Is it to mention the periods when heat is taking a toll but the power holding company who holds a solution to that refuses to let go of the electricity? Or is it the numerous times citizens get exploited by those in power and those placed in charge of protecting the citizens? Have you ever wondered why regardless of all these, we always stay positive? As for me, I believe this positivity is a result of having grown thick skin over the years, and the resilience that follows the near irremediable nature of most situations we find ourselves and the situation of the country.

Against all odds, with our unshaken faith and optimism, our watchwords are those that exude positivity, and you’ll find us chanting these words in the face of difficulty, every one of us conveying it in the languages, and ways we know best.

Some of these words and why they’re used.

Most of these words are usually two to three words or more joined together to form a phrase and they are mostly formed with pidgin English which not only makes them more distinct while being used but also outrightly unique. Some of these phrases are;


1. ‘E GO BE’

‘E go be’ is one of the exceptional phrases used to portray positivity. It simply means, “It will come to pass.” It is mostly used as a word of assurance amongst Nigerians to cheer up one another. Although it sounds playful and is mostly used playfully, it holds a deeper meaning than it seems.

2. ‘LAS LAS, WE GO DEY ALRIGHT’

This depicts “eventually, we will be fine” It is mostly used to proclaim that something good will come out of a situation eventually, or to assure ourselves or a person that no matter the situation, they’d overcome and be fine at last.

3. ‘GOD GO RUN AM’

This one holds an in-depth meaning, from the words put together alone, one can easily decipher that it means “God will grant a wish or request or God will take control of a situation” This phrase also radiates faith, hope, and assurance.


4. ‘GOD ABEG’

This is a plea to God and can be related to the one above in instances whereby people say “God abeg run this thing for me” a plea to God to speedily grant a wish or prayer. Nigerians mostly incorporate this while ‘catching a cruise’ that is while making a joke out of something. Take for instance couple uploading their lovey-dovey videos or pictures online or a person putting up a picture showing them accepting gifts or shopping stuff worth much money and several similar scenes, you’d see Nigerians commenting ‘God abeg’ on such media uploads. Although, ‘God abeg’ is used ambiguously nowadays, sometimes as an exclamation to a weird happening or to something funny.

5. ‘E DON LAND’

This means “it has eventually happened.” This phrase announces good news about a particular thing an individual has been looking forward to. It might be Good news that a visa has finally been approved, or collection of salary at the end of the month, or admission into a higher institution or a new job, and so on. Several people look forward to using this phrase to announce when good things happen to them.

There are numerous positive words put together that have surfaced over time just to keep our faith and optimism going strong.
Do you remember any other words such as the ones above? You can also contribute by adding them in the comment section.

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What PROCRASTINATION costs you and how to tackle it.

There is a common habit practiced by the majority of individuals. I refer to it as the “I will do it later syndrome” and it is generally referred to as procrastination.

Procrastination is being aware of the task at hand but choosing to postpone and carry out the task at die minutes or close to the deadline which mostly leads to the task being poorly done.

Procrastination does a lot more bad than good. Procrastination;

  • Disorganises schedules 
  •  Activates “the deadline mode”. Here, your brain is under the pressure of workloads and placed on impromptu to carry out the work meant to take some days under a few minutes to do research, put things in order and so on while battling with deadlines, you may make series of mistakes when carrying out a task.
  • Procrastination affects your income due to the inability to meet deadlines, which might lead to a query or a job being terminated if not done on time and loss of the stipulated reward or payment in the process. 
  • Procrastination affects your well-being i.e. the intake of food is also affected in the sense that the time meant to take in food is used to keep up with deadlines.
  • Opportunities may slip off one’s fingers, and one may miss life-changing events.

Procrastination can be a challenging habit to overcome, but with determination to change, some right steps to take, and incorporating discipline while taking those steps, you can reduce its impact on your productivity. Here are some tips to help you put an end to procrastination;

1. Define your goals for a certain period: Get a piece of paper or a journal or better still a notepad app on your phone, clearly outline what you want to achieve for the day, the week, or the month. Put down the tasks you have to get done and set an ultimatum to get them done. Outline what and what not to do when carrying out the tasks.

2. Set a reminder: A marked calendar, a to-do list with time intervals, and a labeled phone reminder placed on an alarm to remind you of a pending task can go a long way in getting your tasks done.

3. Create a Schedule: Create a to-do list for all the tasks at hand, opt for setting each task to each day of the week i.e. writing 1500 articles on Monday, doing laundry on Tuesday, rearranging the room on Wednesday, and so on. Also, set a particular time of the day to get the tasks done. 

4. Prioritize Important tasks: Make sure to downsize your to-do list to the paramount tasks, remove the unproductive ones away from the to-do list, the hard tasks that are likely to take a lot of time to be completed should be done first, followed by least hard then the easiest.

5. Eradicate Distraction: To not procrastinate while carrying out your tasks, focus and do away with any form of attractive and tempting distraction such as;

  •  Mindless scrolling on social media platforms.
  • Noise in the form of songs that you might be tempted to abandon your task and dance to, the source of noise might be your family or friends calling your name now and then. Find a solace away from noise or better still, carry out your task when the activities around you are lessened.
  •  Another source of distraction is the hustle and bustle of other people around you. What to do is ignore and try hard to concentrate. 
  • The source of distraction might be wall geckos or cockroaches fighting or mating, just shake your head and get back to work.

6. Books: Reading books that edify personal growth and teach how to break habits has a very big influence on you and can help provide you with more tips on how to tackle the habit of procrastinating.

Solid books like;

  • Brian Tracy’s Eat That Frog: 21 Great ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time
  • Neil Fiore’s The Now Habit
  • James Clear’s Atomic Habits

Most importantly, the determination and zeal towards changing this habit and cultivating discipline contribute a lot to finally eradicating procrastination.

Remember, procrastination has no benefit and you can not overcome it if your mind is not set on breaking through from it.