FOCUS ON YOUR VISION

The sooner you focus on your visions, the sooner they will thrive.” We all know women with big ideas that can’t seem to make them materialize. Are you one of these women? Big ideas and grand visions are never enough. They must be accompanied by a sharp focus. When you focus on your visions, you gain a sense of personal power, a feeling that you are taking control of your life. Both self-respect and self-esteem get a definite boost, as you learn to consciously stay focused on the positive results you seek. Don’t waste another day! Stay true to your visions and never lose focus. Before you know it you will be living and breathing your dreams
 Stay Inspired
Uhanan Mimi

LIFE LESSONS FROM AN EAGLE

My mum has a great fascination with eagles. She loves to observe them, study them and teach others about them. If she spots one, she makes sure we all stop to watch in wonder, as we see them soaring in flight or perched on a tree.One of the most profound life lessons I've learned from the way of an eagle, is how to respond in the storms of life: I can choose to get sour or soar.

An eagle rises above the storm

Our lives are truly more defined through the storms of adversity than during the days of frolicking in the sunshine. My human nature would prefer the ease of blue skies and sunshine, but my spirit loves the outcomes of a good battle when I have chosen to rise to the challenges of life in a hard place.

James actually refers to the battle as a gift!“Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.”  James 1:2-4

When the storm clouds roll in and the rain begins to fall, most birds head for shelter, but not an eagle. It flies directly into the thunderstorm and it sets its wings to be carried by the thermal currents rising high above the storm. You won’t see it flapping its wings–you will see it glide smoothly, seemingly effortlessly and at great speed.My human inclination causes me to want to run and hide when challenges slam me, and to flap my wings frantically. However I have been learning that the strength to soar only rises in the winds of adversity, and so I am learning to embrace the storm.Every great victory comes after a great battle, and the secret to overcome is only found when I lock my wings in place and allow God to take me to new heights as I soar in His supernatural ability.I love those moments when I realize, “I can do this in Him–I was born for this.”When He carries me upward on His wings, my perspective and gaze is heavenward; there I can see things as they really are, not as they seem. 

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Uhanan Mimi

LIFE LESSONS FROM A DONKEY

This is story of donkey which teaches you a lesson. One day a farmer’s donkey fell down into a well . The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he decided that animal was old and the well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn’t worth it to save the donkey.He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone’s amazement he quieted down.A few shovel loads later, the farmer was astonished at what he saw.With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey would shake it off and take a step up.As the farmer’s neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed to see the donkey step up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off !

MORAL
Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a stepping stone to higher success.We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up ! Shake it off and take a step up
Remember the five simple rules to be happy.
Free your heart from hatred – Forgive.

2. Free your mind from worries – Most of it never happen.
3. Live simply and appreciate what you have.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less from people but more from God.

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Uhanan Mimi

SUCCESS

The greatest desire of every human being is to attain success in every aspect of their life; be it in the home, in one’s career, academics, finance and other areas. Everyone wants to do well. However, one common factor that both the rich and the poor have in common is the ability to fail. Everyone is bound to fail in something in life.
But you can choose how to react to that failure. Whether you get up, clean yourself up, move on and try to achieve something substantial, or you decide to stay behind to lament and mourn over lost glories, is what makes you who you are today.
My main reason for writing this article is to help you get up and move on after a downfall; help you realise your hidden potentials and maximise them in order for you to be successful. It is to help you to fail your way to success.
Abraham Lincoln is a practical example of someone who failed his way through life. He was a man born from a poor family, a man surrounded by sorrow. Lincoln’s mother died at age 9, his elder sister died at age 20 during childbirth, his first love Ann Rutledge died, his son Edward died of tuberculosis, and his other son Thomas died of heart failure. His life shows that you can’t control where you start but where you end. Lincoln ended up being who many people consider best President of America because of the abolishment of slavery and other deeds. Many great men and women of course, are made from troubles, problems and sufferings they go through. My dad always says to me “What doesn't kill you makes you stronger”. However, many of us don’t want to strive or suffer to get to that point of happiness. We all want a smooth road without challenges. In my opinion, there is nothing like a smooth road in life. I think one of the most essential things we lack is patience. We are never patient enough to realize and make our dreams come true. Let me share a story with you: A man spent millions of dollars buying equipment for digging gold in a particular area of land which he also bought. He dug, and dug, but still didn’t find the gold so he finally gave up, sold all the equipment and the land area which gold was meant to be to another man and went on to another project. But the new owner began to dig and surprisingly gold was found 4 inches away from where the other man had stopped digging. He made millions of dollars from it. The first man lacked patience. Patience is one of the key factors for a successful life.
One man I admire for his patience and persistence is Les Brown, an African-American motivational speaker. I was lucky to hear the story of this great man when he came to Nigeria for a seminar. Mr. Les Brown’s life is more complicated than most of you reading this, and indeed myself as well. Brown and his twin brother Wesley were dumped by their biological mother on the streets, but a woman picked them up and took care of them. Les was always called the dummy twin, even nicknamed ‘D.T’ because Wes was more brilliant and more friendly. One day Les’s teacher asked him a question and he couldn't answer; all his classmates started shouting and telling the teacher, “No sir! He’s not the brilliant twin, he’s the dummy twin,” and Les said to the teacher “Yes, I’m the dummy twin” and the teacher replied, “People’s opinion about you shouldn't be your reality”. This stuck with Les and from that day on he realized he could shape his own destiny.
Now Mr. Les Brown is a multi-million dollar motivational and inspirational speaker & author of books like Live Your Dreams, the famed audio book, The Power of Purpose, and It’s Not Over Until You Win: How to Become the Person You Always Wanted to Be, No Matter What the Obstacle. Mr Les Brown is a man that I would say failed his way to success. It doesn't matter how bad academically you are nor how financially unstable you are now nor how dumb other people consider you to be. Success is on the way, so far you continue and strive to be the best in whatever you do because your failure is the failure of millions of people.
How can we help ourselves become better, you ask?
Hold on to your dreams. Robert Hiyosaki said in his book “The Conspiracy Of The Rich” “Take away a man’s dream and you take their life. Make sure you keep your dream alive because dreams are the windows of your soul.
Maximize your talents because life is a market place where you have to trade what you have to get what you want.
Have a goal, dream & desire because in life something has to drive you to what you are seeking out of it.

Keep away from demeaning friends. Your life is like a rainbow with different colors and you should know by now that those who don’t add more color to your life of rainbow, don’t only crawl away from them, walk away, runaway and, if you have wings, fly away from such people.

Pay Attention. ‘If you want to be somebody, if you want to go somewhere, in life all you have to do is pay attention.’

Read inspirational books. Books that will boost and elevate your life because you are moulding your tomorrow based on what you read today.

Some say life is too hard; here’s my advice to them: ”I believe that life is a journey often difficult and sometimes incredibly cruel, but we are all equipped for it only if we tap into our talents and gifts and allow them blossom”.On the road to success,

Age is not a factor because you are never too old or young to set another goal or dream a new dream. An example is Ted Williams, a 54 year old man found on the streets of America. ‘The Man With A Golden Voice” got a video of himself speaking on Youtube and today he has done several voice-overs for American TV shows. At the moment, he is struggling with addiction, but hey!, the road to success isn’t smooth, and our choices do have consequences.

Gender is not a factor if you do not define your goals by your gender. If you are a woman and you believe it’s a man’s world, it’ll continue to be because you already have that mindset. A great example to look up to is Oprah Winfrey. Who would have thought that an African-American woman would rise to global prominence? She’s one of the richest women in the world and moves with likes of the Obamas and the Clintons.

Religion is not a factor. Neither is height. A local example is Aki & Pawpaw, the Nollywood acting duo. They’ve managed to succeed in the Nigerian movie industry irrespective of their height.
Disability is not a factor - Stevie Wonder and our very own Cobhams Asuquo are practical examples. They were born blind, but that didn’t stop them from getting what they wanted out of life – solid careers and building families of their own.
Beauty is not a factor. Some complain, “I am not beautiful/handsome. My eyes, ears and nose are too big,” etc. Such people are not going to move forward because they believe they are not presentable.
Life is all about risks and risks are also meant to be taken to be successful at times. Remember life would throw things at us that seem rather unfair, but you can fail your way to success by maximising your goals and doing everything you possibly can to walk the path of success.
Stay Inspired
Uhanan Mimi

FORGIVENESS

I am pretty sure we all have one or two people out there who we would rather have nothing to do with due to events which had occurred in the past and has left us with feelings of dread, hate, annoyance, disgust.You name it anything you like! The key here is that there are some people out there that you need to forgive and the question is; are you ready to forgive and move on to your wellness and wellbeing?

Forgiving others can be one of the most difficult things to do in life yet you will derive outstanding benefits once you go through the process. Forgiveness is the driving force behind an apology; it has been described in the dictionary in many different words such as let off, pardon, clemency, compassion, kind, tolerance, merciful understanding allowance and many more. The question is which of these wonderful words best described you? New researches are now looking into forgiveness and its relationship to our physical health .This is to say, the world I believe is now paying attention to its importance. A lot of the many benefits however have been linked to our emotional, mental and spiritual well being Some benefits include to reduced stress, improved sleep pattern, more energy (Because you are not wasting energy getting angry anymore), better outlook to life, peace of mind and an immune booster.

I can you give tones of ways on how to forgive and there are lots of information out there but the most significant aspect here I believe is to be prepared to forgive! And please don’t take too long; it only hurts more; I have been there, done it,worn the tee shirt! Mental pain is just a blessing because it is telling you that something is wrong with the way your life is going. It is a sign that something needs correction whether it is the way you think about the world or what you are doing in the world or both by (Susan Jeffers, 2007). So when you feel this pain remind yourself it’s time to forgive and enjoy life. So here are two key points to set you on your journey to forgive and live life to its fullest.

How to Forgive
Be Prepared In anything you want to do in life preparation is usually the key. You just need to think of want goes on in your mind each time you think about whatever it is that has put you in that position where you feel you cannot forgive. Then ask yourself how do I feel? For most it’s an unpleasant feeling; so then would like to live with it? Or release those horrible feelings….. Yes! Please you need to do this it certainly would help you make a life changing decision cum Choice here .I laugh!! Whatever you do here is based on choice even if you decide not to make one. Now ask yourself how you are going to address the issue. Do you approach the person involved or who had put you in that position of feeling hate, unforgiveness or whatever emotion it is you feel? I generally say speak to that person and let them know your perceptions of them and if needed apologise even if you feel you have not been in the wrong, it makes you a better person.
If you are struggling with the above points sought help from forgiveness programmes, churches, meditation, prayer, talking to loved ones etc. What I have learnt through experience is that it could take some people years to get over forgiving; hence the reason forgiveness has been described as a process. So use the above information to see you through and make it quite pleasing-life is too short. Tap into the wealth of resources out there which tells how to use acknowledgement, positive thinking, making a list, applying empathy and visualization. My point and contribution to forgiveness is you need to be prepared and I can’t help but overstress my point that it only hurts more the longer you leave it! I agree with Mahatma Gandhi- “The weak can never forgive; forgiveness is an attribute of the strong”.
Conclusively, a lovely quote from Doc Childre and Howard Martin- For you all Forgiveness means that you’ve decided not to let it keep festering inside even if it only comes up once in a while.
Stay Inspired
 Uhanan Mimi

APPRECIATION, A MUCH VALUED REWARD

It doesn't take a lot of time to say a few words to appreciate someone, yet it can make them happy for a long time. Think about how a simple yet enthusiastic and heartfelt ‘Thank you’ from someone leaves you smiling for the day. It is in our nature to feel needed and important and to know that our efforts make others happy. It is also our nature to usually depreciate our own efforts and hence, we require others to appreciate them.

However, the words to appreciate that you use do not matter as much as the tone of these words. You can write a whole letter filled with appreciative words and send the same one to all your employees and it will be much less effective than a one-liner sent to them individually, appraising each of them for a unique personality trait or on a project they worked on.Most of the time, we tell ourselves that we cannot appreciate everyone because it will take a lot of time. All we need to remember is that you don’t need to write an entire page filled with words to appreciate someone. It is not the words, but the effort that counts the most. People will feel more valued if you personally say a simple ‘thank you’ rather than receiving cards from you that they know you didn't send yourself.

It is not just other people you should learn to appreciate, but also the finer things of life that you have. You should feel gratified for all the blessings you have in life even if you are going through a tough phase. Counting your blessings and appreciating them can actually help you to fight depressive thoughts. A few words to appreciate the healthy lifestyle you are leading can give you a sense of contentment.Even at this moment, you can stop and look around yourself. There are a lot of things you have that others can only dream of, even some of the basic necessities. You have relationships that others may not have. You may have people who take care of you or facilitate you in your life. So, just make a note of these things and write a few words to appreciate them.

Appreciation is undoubtedly one of the best rewards you can give someone in return of their efforts. It will make them feel valued and important, and give them a sense of motivation. A simple pat on the back or a one-line note of appreciation is enough to do the trick.

Stay Inspired

Uhanan Mimi

BEING SELELTIVE

There is nothing wrong in being selective. I must admit, I'm a selective person...for a good cause and reason. It is through good and bad experiences that you will learn what is best for you. You will be able to discern which friends are keepers, which job suites you, which mate is best to date and so forth. I feel that people associate negative connotations with being selective. That if your selective your too conceited or too picky. But, I beg to differ and choose to change that definition. I believe a selective person is one who knows what they want (due to trial and error) and does not apologize for it.

You need to be selective in different ways. When it comes to the company you keep, be selective. When it comes to the men or women you date, be selective. When it comes to the internships or jobs you want, be selective. When it comes to way you dress, be selective. There is a calculated and strategic reason behind your decisions. Because you have experienced bad company, dated the wrong man or woman, chose the wrong profession...those experiences have taught you to know exactly what works for you. When you choose to be selective, you decide to put yourself first. Not in a selfish or self-centred way but in a loving way. Realizing the things that are needed to take you to your level and destination. Like I stated before, its okay to be selective. It shows how much you love and stay true to yourself. 

 Stay Inspired

Uhanan Mimi

THE POWER OF POSITIVE THINKING

Have you ever taken time to think deeply about the decisions you make, the consequences of your actions, and what it is you desire in life? If not, consider this; you are in control of your life to the degree to which you are able to control how you think. You cannot perpetually think negative thoughts of despair, failure and hopelessness and end up in success.

Your life tends to move in the direction of your most dominant thoughts, therefore you must consciously choose what thoughts you let grow in your mind, so you can have authority as to how your life turns out.

The mind is a vital part of the human being. It is that part of you that is able to conceptualize inspired ideas. With your mind you can take hold of an intangible idea and make it a reality in the world. If you do not learn to take control of your mind and plant useful seed in it, then the abundance of useless thoughts that pervade your world will settle and begin to produce after their kind.

Whatever thoughts dominate your mind will shape the way you perceive situations and alter what you believe. From then on your actions become predictable habits which are resultant of your set way of thinking. These habits then govern the course of your destiny. You will have to make a choice daily, and every moment to choose thoughts that will get you to a successful destination.

If you look through the pages of history, you will find that everyone who made a revolutionary impact in the world chose a thought that challenged the status-quo. They consciously chose to follow after a thought process that transcended the realm of thought of others. It was a thought that transformed the way we use computers. It was a thought that transformed the way we move from house to market, and from country to country. It was a thought that transformed the way we do business through corporations. It was a thought that got Barack Obama into the White House despite all odds against him.

Now think; if a thought was responsible for making a mark in the sands of time, what defining moments are possible for you if you decide to take a hold of your thoughts and actually think for yourself and for your destiny?

Take time out today to imagine what your life can be outside of the current circumstance you are living in. I remember the story of the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11:6. The people had set out against the desire of God to build a tower that will reach heaven, and this is without the modern day construction equipment, but the Lord said, “Behold, they are one people and they have all one language (or mind); and this is only the beginning of what they will do, and now nothing they have imagined (or thought) they can do will be impossible for them.” [I added the words in parenthesis for clarity and illustration].

Develop confidence in yourself and in your ability to reach your goals. Many people who desire a better life, really do not believe they are worthy of it, or they make the mistake of seeking the permission of others to live their dream. How many times do we  think about a business idea, or a meaningful project to provide social justice, or things as simple as a house that we really like, and we automatically discount our ability to attain to the dream. Rather than see ourselves starting the business, contributing to the needs of people, and living in the house, we say something like, “I can’t imagine myself doing _______”, and follow it with an excuse of why we cannot.

Write down what it is you truly desire. The process of writing down your thoughts helps reinforce them. What do you desire in life? In your business? In your career? In your relationship? Be very clear on your goals and your purpose, don’t just write because you think it’s a good idea or because it will impress someone else. Rather, write what is most consistent with your personal beliefs. Writing takes something from the intangible and brings it one step closer to the tangible realm. If these dreams just remain in your imagination, then they will fade away as lofty ideas. Articulate your thoughts, let them be thoughts of victory, success, love, hope, purity, optimism, promotion, abundance, growth and all things good and beautiful.

Give yourself time daily to affirm your dreams, goals and vision. Affirm your goals and desires daily until they begin to drive your behavior and actions. A target that is clearly seen is much easier to hit than one that is vague. The Bible records in Joshua 1 God preparing Joshua to take on the Promised Land saying, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” (1:8). You have to do the same with your goals and dreams. Keeping them before you day and night will ensure that they remain as your most dominant thoughts. This will also keep you motivated, and ready for the burst of inspiration that will take you from where you are to where you need to be in life. Also remember, out of sight is out of mind.

Identify and remove obstacles. Every journey has obstacles along the way. As you embark on yours, you will face challenges, but if you are able to anticipate some of the challenges you may be faced with, with adequate preparation you can deal with them. As an example, if your desire is to start a business, identify what your business will be doing, what your market is, what human resources you will need (intellectual, relationships, laborers etc), and how much money you need to raise. The next thing is to ask yourself what hindrances there are to getting all of the things you have identified. What steps can you take to overcome the challenges? Do you need to get more education? Do you need to build more networks? In what little ways can you raise money? While you may not be able to identify all, but you run a lower risk of discouragement and letting negative thinking set in if you are prepared. It’s also important to note that the exercise is not for you to identify and dwell on the obstacles, but you’re brainstorming for solutions.

Diligently pursue. Every thought must be followed by a diligent pursuit. You must persistently apply yourself; time and resources to investigating, researching, gaining additional knowledge and cultivating the idea inspired within you to a reality. Diligence is the basic law of success and achievement. Whatever you invest yourself into will in return give back to you in multiple measures. The exercise is not just to think differently, but also to take charge of your life. Don’t procrastinate. Start immediately. Remember always that tomorrow is the only day in the year that appeals to a lazy man.

Be enthusiastic. Let your thoughts about your new life excite you so much that you act as though it were already. When asked about it, don’t be negative, don’t speak against what you want, but speak with confidence and enthusiasm. Let your excitement and earnest expectation be heard in your words and seen in your action. Charles F. Kettering said, “High achievement always takes place in the framework of high expectation.”

Dear Friend, think big! Always remember that the quality of  the life that you have is the quality of the mind you carry. You attract the material equivalent of your most dominant thoughts. Therefore, never let your circumstances determine how you think, because whatever thoughts become dominant in your mind will eventually recreate itself in your reality. Rather take charge of your thoughts and watch your life change.

Stay Inspired

Uhanan Mimi

GETTING BETTER EVERYDAY

Have you ever sat down and wondered how blessed you are. When I think about my life, all I see is God's blessings. Every detail, every person, every goal, every dream that have entered my life has always worked out for my good. One thing you must understand that it is not me who is great, it is the God that lives in me that is great.
Where would most of us be without the favor of God. Whether you believe or not, there is something special about you for a reason. Whether it is Allah, the Universe, God or Jehovah, at one point in time their divine presence was felt in your life. That is why you must honor yourself, you are the child of true royalty. When things seem a bit difficult, close your eyes and just envision yourself enthroned in the most beautiful jewels and clothes. Envision yourself living the life you have dreamed of for so long. Your thoughts are very powerful. For the Bible says in Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable...if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things." The things you constantly think about will materialize itself into your actions and how you perceive yourself. If you repeat over and over, I am great...I am blessed...I am the I am because of the I AM, you will raise yourself to a higher level of spiritual understanding.
I am here not because of my might, not because of my power but by the favor and grace of Jesus Christ. He has provided me with the tools to create the life that I envision for myself. He has prepared me for every battle that may come. He has adorned me with every good thing so that I may not lack. I do not look at my present as my defining moment, but my present is only a glimpse of the great things that are sure to come. You may wonder, why I am so confident that these things will come to pass? Because, whatever I loose here on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Like I stated before the mind is a powerful thing.
I hope that you will find something that you believe in that will direct your path and make it clearer for you to see. For I have found mine and embraced it fully, and hope that you too will experience such a feeling that transcends all knowledge and power.Happy new year!

Stay Inspired
Uhanan Mimi