IF ONLY

My friend jenny got a job and o boy was I envious of the job am sure you know the type I am referring to, the type that comes with an apartment in Victoria island, as in serviced apartment with a pool and gym, plus a car with a driver, pls, who doesn’t dream of that type of job? I forgot to add, she also gets paid in US dollars. She was living the good life. In fact, once it's the weekend, we are all jet to her place to have some fun and relax. But as the saying goes, onto whom much is given, much is expected. She had to work her ass off to keep at her job and there is always someone in her office that wants that position.

So this faithful day her supervisors came from the United States, they expected a presentation on how she intends to project the company forward. She had sleepless nights on studying, researching and eventually came up with two proposals which contradicted each other. She had to go with one and she, unfortunately, went with the one the supervisors weren’t too pleased with, which regrettable cost her the job she was so much in love with. Days later, as she was clearing out her office, one of her supervisors picked up the other proposal and told her that if only she had presented it, she will still be here.  

Two months later I went to visit her in her sister’s apartment and the first thing she told me was, If only, jcee, if only I had presented the other proposal, I will still have had my job, she continues,it has been two months and I still can't get over the fact that if only I had presented the other proposal I won't be in this hopeless, jobless, homeless state with no prospect or future plan. I feel so abandoned by God!

If only is a bad baggage many people carry around, this baggage is often full of unfinished business, plans that went away or hurt feelings that have not been healed, the if only baggage gets heavier over time, because it has the ability to keep growing and growing if you don’t let it go, it has the ability of holding you back and preventing you from moving forward.  It makes you feel hopeless and helpless, I can say this because I have been in the same situation on several occasion. But I have learned that mistakes and failures always lead to growth and development. I refuse to dwell in the past and block new ways into the future. I have learnt to replace the word if only with two dynamic, hopeful and optimistic words NEXT TIME, knowing that if I keep regretting my past it prevents new ideas and ways into the future.  

This is to encourage and inspire anyone still holding on to if only , Just like Isaiah 43.18 says remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of the old behold I will do a new thing. Let go of the past and embrace the future with all its limitless possibilities. #wegomakeam  #bosseswithattitude

Jenny’s story is to be continued in the next post.

Things That Are Not, As Though They Are....

“Being a model is all about attitude not body type. It is a thing of the mind and so like many other professions, you have to make up your mind about it”. These were the words of my sister just before she told me to do a photo shoot and give the pictures to her agent so that he could get modeling gigs for me. Looking into the unusually large make-up mirror she produced from her bag, I replied her: I don’t think I can be a model, I am not skinny enough.

The look on her face showed she was having none of that as an excuse, she said; Jcee, I rather u say u are not interested in modeling, than giving this your lame, usual excuse. Because since I’ve known you, once you make up your mind to take up a challenge, something as little as losing weight can’t stop you.  

This was our argument years ago as my sassy sister and I boarded a flight from Jos to Lagos. At the time, she was schooling in the University of Calabar and was also modeling part-time. In fact, we were traveling for one of her events.

She always believed she should be an international model living in California. hence calling Calabar "Cali" helped bring the beautiful city’s name up to her level and as such, took her a step closer to her dreams.

So it was no surprise to me when after we had disembarked the plane and her phone rang, she answered the call and was like "Hi, I am currently not in Cali, left yesterday but will be back  tomorrow" she said it unconsciously and was quite loud, such that everyone around us could hear her conversation and the reaction on their faces was quite comical like; “does this girl know where California is?” I felt like digging the floor and covering our faces. We had to keep ourselves from telling them that "Cali" we meant was just Calabar here o that someone can even trek to.

Fast forward to today, my sister has lived in California and eventually moved to other cities. Though she is not modeling anymore, she is doing something close to what she loves.  

Thinking big can benefit everyone regardless of profession. Like President Trump once said “We all as humans need to Think so why not Think Big’. Big picture thinking has the ability to bring wholeness and maturity to a persons mindset. It brings perspective, and in the process not just expanding what you can see but also what you are able to do. Amazingly perceptive minds like Robert kiyosaki wrote “If you want to change your life begin by changing your words, start speaking the words of your dreams, of who you want to become not the words of fear and failure” To think big,you must have a vision as well as goals and like my sister often says; “you have to make up your mind on what you want which is your vision and then, you have the permission to think as big as u want”.

This is to encourage all of us to keep calling things that are not as though they were (Romans 4:17) and also to keep thinking positive and inspiring thoughts. #wegomakeam #bosseswithattitude #thepowerofpositiveattitude #thinkingbig

Positivity on the Highway of Negativity

Positivity on the Highway of Negativity.

You know that feeling when you open your eyes in the morning and you’re immediately accosted with the feel of pleasantness. Well, that was me today.

I woke up with a goody bag positive energy, telling myself today is going to be a good, productive and beautiful day. You know… all those stuff some motivational speakers say we should do.

I did all I had to do at home in a flash so I could hit the road just in time to catch up with a 10 am appointment all for me to turn on my ignition and the car wouldn't start. Damn!!! This was not the time to start tracing the fault.

So I hurriedly got a cab and headed out for my appointment, but just as I was about to relax and mentally steady myself, the cab guy started lamenting about the situation of Nigeria, the horrible roads, unstable power supply, the bad educational system and all other issues wrong with the country that I was all too familiar with. I was still like NO; this is not going to kill my positive vibe. 

I got to the office and the secretary was straight-up rude to me and giving off a whole lot of negative energy. I took a deep breath and chanted in my mind one of my favorite quotes… “you cannot control someone’s attitude towards you but you can control  your attitude  towards others” bottom line, how someone treats you is their problem, not yours.

She later directed me to the reception where I had to wait to see the chairman for another six hours, but guess what? My morale still dey kampe. I just believed it was still going to be a good day.  At last, I was called upon for the meeting with the chairman, which he; after viewing my proposal unfortunately turned down due to it being well above their budget.

As I stepped out of the office my positive vibes just went down like a deflated balloon. It was gone with the wind. I just kept thinking of my car, the wasted day and the hours I spent waiting for nothing. But just as I was about to fast forward into self-pity/depression mode, I remembered one of Joyce Meyer's favorite sayings, "you can't be pitiful and powerful at the same time, you have to choose one".

I immediately snapped out of it. I refused to wallow in self-pity. I am a strong, powerful, alpha female; I declared. I also got to understand what Maya Angelou meant when she said; “you may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from and how you can rise from it.

Armed with these thoughts, I decided to go back to the drawing table and see how to make things better. I am going to learn from this then focus on the opportunity not the obstacle as whatever your focus on expands. I will keep my eye on my goal and the prize awaiting me, steadily moving towards forward with a positive attitude.

This is to encourage anybody trying to turn their ideas or innovations into reality not to give up but to keep pressing forward with a positive attitude.

#wegomakeam  #keepmovingforward #makeitwork #bosswithattitude

so guys, share your experiences of how your day crumbled before your eyes and how you managed to stay encouraged and forge ahead. I’m eager to hear from you.

LIVE YOUR DREAMS.......

IT’S ALL ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT…

Jcee ooo! You won't believe who just bought a 2017 range rover sport… my brother excitedly told me over the phone. Who? I replied. It’s my guy Jude ooo. That my guy is doing very well. He went on to tell me about the many business ventures Jude was involved in and how profitable they were. After I dropped the phone, I reflected on how I met Jude.

There was a 3-day exhibition program the Federal government organized to support youths’ ideas that can lead to employment. I was then single and living with friends. Coincidentally, two of my younger brother's friends came all the way from Jos and since they didn't know anyone in Abuja, they decided to sleep in the venue. At midnight, some armed robbers came and took everything they had including their laptops, leaving them stranded. My bro had to call to ask me if they could stay with me for the duration of the program; to which I accepted.

After they had settled down in the parlor and were about having dinner, one of my flat mates was like; So you guys came all the way from Jos, put yourselves in harm's way in fact on gun point for this government and you guys actually believe this government will fund this your million naira dream? She continued; well let me tell you what will happen. The government officials will only favor somebody who knows somebody among them. So I’ll advise that you better wake up and forget all about this dreams you’re dreaming because it will not work here in Nija, except you have someone  in government!!.

I could see the hopelessness written all over their faces throughout the rest of our dinner. 

The next morning one of them (Jude) came over to me and said Jcee it is true that I don't know anybody in the government; I don't even know anybody in Abuja.  But God has given me ideas and I am definitely going to put my all into this project because I believe that He who began this work in me is faithful to complete it

I remember marveling at such faith; such confidence, determination and belief. I just knew he would go far because the first and greatest obstacle to success for most people is their level of belief in themselves and their dreams.

What often hinders them is not lack of talent or intelligence, but lack of trust in themselves,   which is a self-imposed limitation.

 You need to believe your best; you need to believe in your potentials. Having confidence in what you do gives you the power to achieve it.

“Talent is given, and it opens doors to opportunities but you must earn success.” If you keep believing in yourself and your potentials, you will someday find yourself doing what you once considered impossible.

At the end of the seminar, he was amongst those that won and was awarded Ten Million Naira for his dream.  This is to encourage all those with ideas and innovation in whatever field. There are going to be storms and there would be destiny blockers also; but do not get distracted or allow them to prevent you from achieving that very purpose and dream you have inside of you

When you find a dream inside your heart, don’t ever let it go; for dreams are the tiny seeds from which beautiful tomorrow grow. Don’t downgrade your dreams to match your reality, upgrade your faith to match your destiny. Do not to give up, keep pressing forward with a positive attitude. 

#bosses #dreams #thinkbig #wegomakeam #thepowerofpositiveattitude #bosseswithattitude.