Friday 30 December 2016

The making of the new year.

The year is gradually winding down and the new year waits with arms akimbo! This Christmas season must have been for me the most unusual. No Christmas decorations, no lightnings, no chicken slaying, no cakes and creams, no special rice combination cooking and all the 'accessories' that goes with party rice and the euphoria of yuletide season! To think that I missed all these without an iota of guilt is still amusing as I've had a handful of unprecedented events one after the other taking away the familiar and the usual. The current year has been particularly unusual too with so much ups and downs, really tough times laced with trimmings of good times, seasons of laughter and melancholy seasons, uncertain times and hopeful times, times of high and low energy. Despite all, it's still a privilege to be alive with hope for tomorrow and the morrow after which will then be the new year! The year winds down irrespective of the bliss, woes, gains or losses in 2016. 
The year 2017 will gallantly arrive and catch up without restraints. Last minutes preparation is not too late for an inevitable journey. The privilege to author our lives is inherent and cannot be taken away. It's time to do the unusual and forge on new terrains. Forget about all the goal setting classes that makes "new year resolutions" look so scary. Take a clean notepad, detail key areas of life, draw or create the imaginary and desirable pictures, acts and scenes of the new year. (The Quadrant below might be useful). 

The principle of life is first in, then out. So, it's critical to focus energy and investment on internal personal development as you cannot offer what you don't have. Then focus on the means to the end. It's important to have mental note of those dreams, goals, plans and visions and it's more important to take a further step to hold self accountable to those big dreams and plans by writing down note. Identify the aspects of life, the desired outcome and activities to be channeled for the end result. Keep it simple, draw three columns - one column for what you want, second for what you need and the third for what you need to do to get what you want or need in every aspect of life. Draw up a personalized plan and keep updating as the year progresses. 
This is not a time to guilttrip of what is not, what could have been or what should have been and all that. It's time to hop on the hope lane, stay aware, alive, agile and active to self, dreams and plans. It's not a time to stay on the usual path, doing what you know how to do best! No way! If that was not enough for 2016, then you need much more for 2017. The difference between where we are and where we are going is hidden in knowledge gap - "what we know and who we know"! It's time to dig the ground of knowledge, ask, explore, learn, know and seek wisdom like you wanna breathe!
The year 2017 is the now and so deserves so much! The new year will require the ability to discern what's needed for success; the determination to start on the dreams and plans no matter how big; the consistency to stay true from start to finish; the serenity to adapt to shortcomings whenever they surface and the tenacity to stay active and agile on the dream 2017 from January to December and beyond. Wishing you the most interesting journey in 2017 and a year filled with achievements, bliss, fortune, hope, opportunities, wealth and good success.

Thursday 1 December 2016

Life: A pen on paper

Life has a way of giving one refresher courses so we can be reminded of its irreplaceable value, many opportunities to value life over and over again fly around us in our daily lives.
Life is the reason why we get up and down, it's the reason for all the hustle and bustle, the reason for the innumerable goals and visions. It's the reason why emotions both positive and negative exist, it's because there is life, that's why we can identify a season or a phase no matter how extreme or negative and that's what makes tomorrow viable. 
A thousand inspirational talks and a million motivational speeches can jerk up and turn around a life in safe mode or a life taking left turn but cannot bring lifeless mode back neither can it add any value or iota of breath. Everything in life stays still, quiet and serene after that phase. The agility, vibes and flow of energy when there is life makes all the appearances we have when we have breath seem like an dynamic machine designed to function forever! 
Sleeping and waking up seem like a predictable cycle because we have hope and breath in concurrent sync. We easily take for granted the few privileges that we got freely. The gust, the zest, the dreams, the goals, the vision and the hopes that seemed like all to live for remains only relevant when the most important asset- life is intact and breath flows without any aid.
This year has earned so much tags and names describing the various challenges faced nationally and globally which in uncountable ways trickled down to individual lives, despite that something sure lies ahead that is yet to unfold and hoping for the best is just the sane thing to do. The year keeps ticking and passing by and by! Suddenly, the November that began stealthily has come and is exiting already. The month of December arrives in the usual elegant and flamboyant entry accompanied with the seasonal nostalgia. 
You're first alive before your dreams and visions. Your vision and dreams are like pen on a paper, you need paper to make a pen fulfill it's purpose. Before you start counting all that came through and all the others that are on pending list, all the could-haves and the should-haves, pause and consider the essence of it all with gratitude and serenity.
Life's worth living despite all.
Welcome to December.