10 Healthy Steps to Defeat Negativity

February 7, 2024 by Esther Adekoya

Healthy Steps to Defeat Negativity

Would you like to be able to deal with the ups and downs of life with strength and grace?

Becoming mentally and emotionally strong isn’t something that happens overnight. If you can start seeing every curveball life throws as a chance to practice being stronger, you’ll begin accruing wisdom and clarity that you can put to the test when things get hard.

Negativity can come at you in different ways: it can be from within, in the form of negative thoughts and harmful self-talk, or from the outside, as negative feedback, business reports, economic downturn, or abuse from other people. While it is beyond a person’s control to ever fully remove negativity from her life, there are ways to manage it.

Healthy Cues to Build Your Inner Strength

Self-awareness: Calm down and take time to notice or capture the streams of thoughts that run in your mind and the myriads of emotions they give birth. As soon as you understand your thoughts and emotions, it will help you recognize negative patterns and what triggers them.
Positive mindset: Intentionally cultivate optimism which brings hopefulness and confidence about the future and have an attitude of gratitude, which would influence good thoughts. Focus on what you can control and find the silver lining in challenging situations.
Healthy boundaries: Negativity can be contagious, so keeping as much distance as possible from negative coworkers and acquaintances can influence your own mood.
Set clear boundaries to protect yourself from negativity coming from outside like negative feedback, and abuse from people. Learn to say no when necessary. Surround yourself with positivity: Build a supportive network of friends and family. Spend time with people who uplift and inspire you.
Mindfulness and meditation: Practice being present in the moment is a gainful self-resource but it involves self-discipline. It distracts your wandering mind and liberates you from the prison of the mind. Mindfulness can help you manage stress and detach from negative thought patterns. Do yourself a favor by prospering your mind with spiritual and healthy thoughts like things that are true, pure, lovely, or of good report and praiseworthy. Don’t allow negativity to steal your positive vibes.
Self-care: Self-care is certainly not selfish. Be kind to yourself and prioritize your well-being. Take time for activities you enjoy, get enough sleep, and maintain a healthy lifestyle. This will help you to rebound and regain lost ground.
Learn from challenges: View setbacks as opportunities for growth. Focus on solutions rather than dwelling on problems. Each difficulty encountered do come with valuable lessons that make you a better person.
Gratitude practice: Regularly acknowledge and appreciate the positive aspects of your life. This can shift your focus away from negativity. Thank God for things that work in your life and place your praise on things you trust God to do for you. Gratitude is the best attitude.
Positive affirmations: Replace negative self-talk with affirming statements. Repeat affirmations that promote confidence and resilience. Use your mouth to say good and great things concerning your destinies. Never let go of hope.
Seek professional help if needed: If negativity becomes overwhelming, consider consulting with a mental health professional for guidance and support. Call for assistance. It is never a sign of weakness to ask for help. Share with a significant individual and you’ll be glad you did.

Remember, building mental strength is a gradual process, and consistency in these practices is key.

How Stoicism Helped Me Overcome the Trauma of Losing My Father

February 7, 2024 by Christopher Salihu

Stoicism is a philosophy that teaches you how to live a virtuous and meaningful life, regardless of external circumstances. But how can it help you cope with the trauma of losing a loved one? In this article, I will share my personal story of how stoicism helped me overcome the grief of losing my father and find my purpose in life. 24th October 2017 ???? Six years ago, I began to learn the ways of the Stoics as a second-year philosophy student. I was trying to find my path between the calling of the Catholic Priesthood or the rich vocation of Matrimony. I was searching for a solid foundation on which to stand. As they say, “Life doesn’t happen to you; it happens for you.” Back then, I hadn’t fully analyzed the meaning of this saying. Armed only with a rudimentary understanding of Stoic philosophy, I set sail on my journey of self-discovery, where I realized that while you can’t control what happens to you, you can control your reactions to life’s events. This newfound wisdom led me to ponder the teachings of Stoicism, a philosophy that produced prominent figures like the great Emperor and author of “Meditations,” Marcus Aurelius. However, reflecting on everything around the demise of my father, I sadly acknowledge that my knowledge of Stoic philosophy was still shallow. I became so entangled in incoherent thoughts that I lost my way. My response to this excruciating event was overwhelmingly negative. It took a toll on my academic performance, and my life felt out of alignment. I was unprepared to live the philosophy I professed and loved. Thus, I became traumatized. Experiencing trauma is a normal reaction, but it was as if my mind was haunted by the incessant knocking of death. I became desensitized to the illusion of the grim reaper and was no longer afraid of death itself. My sole fear revolved around the well-being of my family, hoping none of them would experience the same fate. The true pain of my death, I realized, lay in the fact that those who loved me would miss me terribly. This insight made me acutely aware of the agony my mother would endure if she were to grieve my loss. My mother began having dreams, which she interpreted as signals of death lurking around us. These dreams heightened the anxiety that resided within me, and each time my phone rang, and her name appeared on the screen, my heart would skip a beat. I hesitated to answer, but I knew it was my mother, the woman who gave me my heart. I needed to check on her. I also dreaded seeing my younger brother’s tears. I silently prayed that his thoughts did not mirror my own. From 2017 to 2020, I felt like I was in a state of perpetual darkness, chased by an unseen shadow. I was scared of being alone, even when surrounded by friends. I couldn’t share my premonitions with my friends; it was a personal battle that I had to confront alone. They couldn’t fully understand me, as they were dealing with their own challenges, and I didn’t want to burden them with my struggles. I gnashed my teeth in silence when they were not around. In the midst of my doubt, I found inspiration in an unreleased song by J. Cole, “Show Me Something.” I refused to let my tears fall and instead sought understanding to clear my mind. I was lost, and I even fell into a mild state of atheism, questioning the role of God in my life. Modern philosophical thinking made me more skeptical of the supremacy of the supernatural over the mundane. My philosophical journey became a quest to find myself. In my final year, the rapper I mentioned earlier became an inspiration. In the depths of my doubt, I found myself praying, asking God for a sign to show me something, anything. I began connecting the dots in the lives of those I considered heroes, individuals who had changed the world. I realized that their life journeys followed a pattern, and I discovered that faith played a significant role. Their faith was not rooted in the known but in an assurance and conviction confirmed by the Unmoved Mover. What ultimately restored me was the same question that guided a great monk who lived an austere life, St. Bernard: “Why am I here?” In philosophy, we were taught to ask more questions than seek answers; questions were the Rosetta stone to life. I found my question, my “Eureka” moment. To combat the taunting presence of the grim reaper, I began asking why great individuals lived to a ripe old age or died fulfilled. The only answer I could find, after questioning and re-questioning, was “Purpose.” While I haven’t fully discovered my own purpose, I am on a relentless quest to ensure I live my life in the spirit of Gandhi: as if I will die tomorrow and learn as if I will live forever. I am growing up, Dad, and I hope you’d be proud of me.

Overcoming Bad Habits and Addictions

February 7, 2024 by Evelyn Ajimuda

Overcoming bad habits and addictions can be a challenging journey. Sometimes, despite your strong desire to change, you find yourself slipping back into the same old patterns. These habits and addictions can have a detrimental impact on your health and well-being. In this blog post, we’ll explore effective strategies to help you overcome them. Don’t Rush the Process: As the saying goes, “Rome wasn’t built in a day,” and the same principle applies to breaking bad habits and addictions. Remember, you didn’t develop these patterns overnight, so it’s unrealistic to expect to eliminate them in a single day. Be kind to yourself and take small, gradual steps toward your goal. Celebrate your minor victories along the way. Seek Support and Accountability: When dealing with habits or addictions that can jeopardize your health or even your life, it’s crucial to seek external support. Consider joining support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), fitness communities, or spiritual groups, depending on the nature of your habit. These groups can provide the necessary encouragement, motivation, and accountability to help you stay on track. Additionally, don’t hesitate to consult a professional if you require expert guidance. Don’t ever try to stop a bad habit/addiction without replacing it with a good one: Some months ago, I made a significant change in my lifestyle. I decided to cut out soda and reduce my sugar intake. In the past, I had attempted this before, but I never managed to stick with it for long. This time, I took a different approach. I replaced soda with fresh fruits and water. Since I have a fondness for the sweet taste of soda, I opted for sweet fruits like pineapple, apple, orange, watermelon, and more. The best part is that they are not even expensive, unlike some of these sugary drinks. Whenever I felt tempted to grab a soda, I reached for a bottle of water instead. By the time I finished the water, I found myself satisfied, with no room left for soda. I’ve successfully come this far because I swapped out my unhealthy craving for chilled carbonated drinks with nutritious fruits. Just imagine me at one Owanbe (party) some weeks back, where I turned down several offers of soda. Like me? Quite an achievement! If you’re looking to break a bad habit, remember that it’s essential to replace it with a good one. This shift can help weaken the grip of the old habit on you. Don’t believe it? Take a look at this wisdom from the Bible: Matthew 12:44-45 says, “Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.” In essence, this passage reminds us that empty spaces can be filled with negative influences. So, replacing the old with the new is a wise and effective strategy for personal growth and change. Conclusion: By following these steps, you can start your journey toward overcoming bad habits and addictions and ultimately lead a healthier, more fulfilling life. Evelyn Temitayo Ajimuda is a versatile creative writer, content creator, poet, and captivating storyteller. With her words, she weaves narratives that inspire hope and spread boundless joy to her readers.

Personal Branding: 6 Tips to Shape Your Unique Identity

February 7, 2024 by Oluwafunmilayo Makinde

In a world where there are a lot of people who possess the skills you have and even more, how do you stand out? The answer lies in the concept of personal branding. This is a process that is similar to crafting your unique identity in the professional world. It is not just applicable to only celebrities or influencers; it is a powerful tool that anyone can wield to shape their life and career. In this essay, we’ll dive into the world of personal branding, accompanied by a personal experience that paints the picture vividly. Definition of Personal Branding Your personal brand is a distinctive blend of your skills, values, personality, and passions. It’s the impression you leave on others, the value you offer, and the trust you inspire. In essence, it’s how people perceive you in both your personal and professional life. It’s like an elevator pitch, but more comprehensive; it’s your story. John Jantsch also defines personal branding as the art of becoming knowable, likeable and trustable. My Personal Branding Journey I’ve often heard that the best way to start is by identifying your unique strengths. I followed this advice and embarked on my personal branding journey. My strength, I realized, is writing. Whether it is creative, technical or journalistic writing, it is something that set me apart. I decided to harness this strength of mine, making it the cornerstone of my personal brand. I started a blog to showcase my writing skills and share my insights on topics I was passionate about. It wasn’t just about showcasing my expertise; it was about offering my value to my audience. I took to social media, and joined diverse group pages so as to engage with writers like me. I also joined writing classes to improve on the skills that I had. The process wasn’t without its hurdles. Writing articles meant I had to overcome writer’s block, and networking meant I had to step out of my comfort zone. But the journey was educative and empowering, and I could see my brand taking shape. The Impact of Personal Branding The impact was both personal and professional. On a personal level, my confidence soared. When you’re clear about your strengths and values, it radiates in your interactions. I felt a sense of purpose, knowing that my voice mattered. Professionally, the rewards were tangible. I received writing opportunities and collaboration offers from professionals who resonated with my brand. My online presence began to grow, and the connections I made opened doors to new possibilities. Tips to Shape Your Personal Brand So, how can you embark on your personal branding journey? Here are a few tips: Reflect on Yourself: Identify your strengths, passions, and values. Find out what makes you unique from your peers or those in your chosen field. Determine what topics, activities, or aspects of your work or study truly excite and motivate you. Passion is a powerful component of your personal brand. Also, your values should align with your personal brand. Create a Professional Online Presence: Make good use of LinkedIn to create the online presence you desire. It’s often the first place people look to learn about you. If you love writing, start a blog. If it’s speaking, start with podcasting or creating YouTube videos. Whatever skills you have, there are various ways to showcase it online. Share your thoughts, and provide insights into your professional journey. Use social media wisely to share content related to your field, engage in industry discussions, and present yourself professionally. Be Consistent Online: Your personal brand should be consistent across all platforms. Your posts and the way you present yourself should align with your personal brand. This will enable you to build trust as clients want to see that you can be trustworthy. Build Meaningful Connections: Attend conferences and seminars in order to connect with professionals in your field. Also, network online through platforms like LinkedIn as this will help you establish valuable connections. Offer your expertise and value to others, and be genuinely interested in their success. This will give you open access to also receive from them. Ensure that you are Authentic: Strive to be yourself and not someone else. Oscar Wilde once said, “Be Yourself, Everyone Else is Already Taken.” Embrace your uniqueness and let your true personality shine through. Be honest about your qualifications and experiences. Transparency in your interactions and professional dealings also builds trust. Be Value-Oriented: Focus on offering value, whether through your content, services, or interactions. Share valuable insights, solve problems, and be a resource in your field. Understand the needs and preferences of your target audience, and tailor your content and interactions to provide solutions and address their interests. Personal branding is a journey that can shape your career and life in remarkable ways. It’s about telling your story, and your story is unique. By following these tips, you can gradually and deliberately craft a personal brand that reflects your strengths, values and passions. Remember that personal branding is an ongoing process, and it evolves as you grow and develop in your career. So, go ahead, and let your personal brand shine.

8 Vital Tips on How to Self-Prioritize

February 6, 2024 by Roselyn James

People believe that putting others before themselves is the best, this is not true. Before considering other people around you, ensure you prioritize. Although you may see it as being self-centered, it is not. You own yourself, and you have the right to make yourself happy. We are usually so busy solving people’s needs that we can’t care for ourselves. If you are in this category, you are not alone. Many people find themselves in this mess. They do it to maintain closeness. Dwelling on this will lead to many health issues unsuitable for your mental well-being. Besides, it will not only make you suffer, but you are stylishly making others around you suffer. When you prioritize yourself, you will be happy and fit to help others. We will examine some tips on self-prioritization to help build mental and physical health. What Does Self-Prioritize Mean Self-prioritize means caring for your needs and not always caring for other people’s needs. Self-prioritize also makes you happy and sets limits that others will not infringe on. It also means not allowing anybody to decide for you when inconvenient. Tips on How to Self-Prioritize This is very important in your life. Prioritizing yourself helps you love and appreciate your personality. Here are useful tips on how to self-prioritize. 1. Don’t Always Say Yes, Learn to Say No When you develop the habit of saying no to some request, it positively changes who you are and what you can do at a given time. Saying yes can always make you lose your self-esteem. It gives room for people to take advantage of your virtue. A feeling of guilt can easily overtake you, but there is a clear indication of enthusiasm and limits here. Be transparent with your family and friends, say no when it’s unsuitable, and don’t feel guilty. Nevertheless, it is necessary to learn to say no whenever it’s inconvenient for you. Doing so will help you care for yourself and become the very best of yourself. It will state limits, save time, and empower individuals around you to rethink. 2. Avoid Doing What You Don’t Enjoy. This may sound awkward, but that is the truth. Whenever you feel it’s too tedious to handle any given task. It is better to speak up than allow yourself to continue the task. These will help you know your self-worth and what you can do at a given time. It will also help signal to those around you that you have self-confidence. 3. Reduce Stress Realizing that too much stress is unhealthy will help you set boundaries. This can also affect your physical and emotional well-being, which can cause a lot of health challenges. Spending enough time with the things that matter most in your life has a positive way of helping you manage stress. Getting enough sleep is also vital in reducing stress, which will help you live a healthy life. 4. Improve Your Self-Worth Don’t feel guilty about neglecting other people. You deserve a better and fulfilled life. You need to understand that making yourself a priority in life gives you so much feeling that shows you how much you value yourself. Moreover, there is nothing wrong with you being selfless, but you should try to balance the equation for a happy life. Putting yourself first will make you become a better person. It will help you become mentally and emotionally resilient, allowing you to navigate some situations confidently. 5. Create Time for Yourself Managing time will help you create more space for yourself. This is very necessary as it will help you have enough time to dedicate to yourself. Doing that will help you plan your daily activities, and you will realize the impact it will have on your life. You will have more energy and help reduce your stress, which will help you care for yourself and the people around you. 6. Ask For Help When Necessary. When you feel the burden is too much for you, seek help. Doing this will help set your priorities. When you seek additional help from a close friend to lessen the burden from your shoulder, you will have relief and set for a better life. Quit the pretense and seek assistance from family. You will realize how much they will be ready to help out. 7. Believe in Yourself Despite some circumstances, life may throw at you, always believe that you are special and able to scale through. Believe that nobody can decide for you, and the power to make yourself a priority lies within you. Accept the best of you because you deserve to be happy and take control of what is happening around you. 8. Engage With Positive People. Surrounding with people of a positive mind has a better chance of helping you to have priority in life. Positive people who motivate and encourage you to put yourself first in everything you do are vital for your life. Look out for friends who are in that category that can inspire and lift you to grow. Remove anybody who wants to bring negativity and bad energy into your life, which is best for your well-being. Especially when it seems you are working to make the relationship work. Conclusion When you follow all these tips, you will experience great impact and feel less stressed. It will also positively affect your self-worth, caring for yourself, and support your family. It is good to be generous, but don’t overdo it so you will not get burned out. Always know you are doing it to maintain your self-worth and mental well-being.

Strategies to Enjoy A Successful Career.(Concluding Part).

February 6, 2024 by Amos Akande

In our previous articles on career success, we were able to look at strategies to build a successful career, part 1, and what to do in order to enjoy career success in part 2. In this concluding part, we shall explore other tips to build a successful career. Having a successful career is something that is under your control. The key is knowing what you have a passion for and pursuing it, it is also in developing habits as well as skills that make you more effective at work and home. To start enjoying career success, the following tips are important as we conclude this series. 7. Keep A Positive Attitude When you have a positive attitude, positive results will come. Your attitude determines your altitude. Pessimism is the enemy of success. Pessimism can turn challenges into insurmountable, while optimism can make every challenge to be surmountable. Always look on the bright side and have a positive attitude and the future of your career will be brighter as well. 8. Maintain Work-Life Balance While it is important to put forth your best effort in your job to have success in the workplace, overworking leads to stress and burnout, which are counterproductive to your desire for success. If you find your job is dominating your personal life, it is time to adopt a new system. Start by developing interests outside of work. Start a fitness routine, seek out social events, or look for new opportunities to learn more about the things you are interested in that are not associated with your job. Take time for recreation. It is just as important to play as it is to work and rest. Recreation allows your mind to unplug and your body to refresh. In turn, you will be able to be more productive and happier in the work place. Read Also: Strategies to Build A Successful Career. Part 1 9. Set Goals for Yourself One of the most crucial things a person can do for his career is to set goals for himself. A set of well-thought-out goals can serve as a roadmap to success, providing you with objectives to meet along the way as you work towards wherever you want to be in your career. Besides ensuring that you do what it takes to meet the goals that you set for yourself, the most important part of setting goals is making sure the goals you set are beneficial. A beneficial goal is that which will improve you and your career when you meet it. Set both short-term and long-term goals that will help you reach the end goal you have for your career, whatever that end goal may be. Read Aslo: Strategies To Build A Successful Career (Part 2) 10. Master Time Management Success tips for work include learning how to manage your time effectively. Some of the best advice for time management is to plan out your workday, either at the end of your current workday or first thing in the morning when you arrive at work. Prioritize tasks so that the most important things get done first. Taking on your biggest, most important and sometimes least desirable task first, then the rest of your day will be more productive. Apply the Pareto principle to prioritizing your tasks, which is a concept that asserts roughly 20 percent of your efforts account for 80 percent of your success. Make sure your 20 percent is focused on the most important tasks that will keep you on a course toward your goals. When you have major projects to complete, break milestone down into smaller, more manageable tasks with clear deadline. Learn the time management skills you need to meet your deadline. Minimize distractions and reward yourself for your successes. 11. Go The Extra Mile One of the most important skills you can gain for success at work is putting in the extra effort needed to make good things happen in the workplace. Employees who are not afraid of working hard develop the skills they need to become leaders within an organization. Instead of being an employee who has a job, you can strive to be the boss who runs or owns a company. Pay attention to the goals your company has, see big picture, you will be able to anticipate needs, notice trends that will bring new developments and offer new ideas that can catapult both you and your organization to success. When needed, add new tasks to your duties that will streamline your progress. Instead of waiting for your boss to assign new tasks to you, take initiative. This is one of the most important skills employees can develop to transition to a boss mentality. By applying these strategies for success at work, you will increase your confidence, improve your skills, and achieve your goals not just at work but in life.

9 Important Signs to Determine if You’re in the Right Relationship

February 6, 2024 by Evelyn Ajimuda

Being in the right relationship is crucial before considering marriage, as the wrong one can lead to a troubled union. Many marriages have suffered because couples couldn’t recognize red flags during their relationship. Some chose to ignore these signs, while others endured them. Here are 9 important signs to help you determine if you are in the right relationship: True Love:True love goes beyond words; it involves actions. If your partner loves you and demonstrates it through sacrifices and willingly giving their time and resources, you’ve found something valuable. Remember, love requires sacrifice, as exemplified in John 3:16 (For God so loved the word that he gave His only begotten Son…). There is no love without sacrifice and giving. Magic Words:Your partner’s ability to say and mean “I am sorry” and “thank you” can be transformative. These words can defuse conflicts and nurture positivity. A partner who readily uses these words is a treasure. Support for Your Dreams:A supportive partner can be a key factor in achieving your dreams. If your partner is your number one fan and encourages you to pursue your aspirations, you’re in the right relationship. Shared Faith/Belief System:A shared faith or belief system can strengthen the bond in a relationship. Differing beliefs can lead to division and misunderstandings. Kindness:Genuine kindness towards others is a virtue that should extend beyond your relationship. If your partner is kind to you but cruel to others, be cautious. Eventually, their callousness may extend to you. Inclusive Decision-Making:A partner who sees you as an integral part of their life and involves you in decision-making is a positive and important sign. This shows their intention to build a future with you and values your contributions. Consistent Prayer:If your partner consistently prays for you, it indicates a deep commitment to your relationship and future together. Physical Attraction:Physical attraction is an important aspect of a relationship. It complements the emotional connection and can enhance physical intimacy in marriage. Love Language:Understanding and speaking each other’s love language is essential. Consistently filling each other’s “love tanks” through words of affirmation, acts of service, gifts, quality time, and physical touch helps maintain a strong emotional connection. Conclusion: Instead of focusing on just one of these important signs, consider them as a checklist. A right relationship should ideally encompass most, if not all, of these signs to ensure a strong and lasting relationship. Evelyn Temitayo Ajimuda is a versatile creative writer, content creator, poet, and captivating storyteller. With her words, she weaves narratives that inspire hope and spread boundless joy to her readers.

Parent-Child Communication: Vital Reasons to Build Bonds that Last

February 5, 2024 by Oluwafunmilayo Makinde

Effective communication is the key element for healthy and nurturing relationships, and there’s no relationship more vital than the one between parents and their children. Theodor Reik once said, “Romance fails us and so do friendships, but the relationship of parent and child, less noisy than all the others, remains indelible and indestructible, the strongest relationship on earth.” Parent-child communication is about creating a bond built on support, trust, and understanding. This essay focuses on vital reasons for parents and children to build bonds that last, its effect on a child’s development, and offers effective tips on how to enable an open and meaningful conversation between the duos. Reasons to Build Bonds that Last The communication between a child and his/her parents must be a two-way thing to make it effective. One of them should not be the listener while the other is the speaker throughout the conversation. If such happens, it causes a gap between the two of them and at the end there is failure in communication. Below are reasons why parents should build bonds between themselves and their children: To build their Emotions: Building great bonds help children to effectively express their emotions. This will make the parents understand them and learn to regulate them when necessary. It also allows the parents to provide emotional support to their kids during difficult times. To foster their Social Skills: The conversations between children and parents help children to develop social skills, empathy and the ability to navigate relationships. To expand their Cognitive Skills: These conversations stimulate cognitive growth by expanding a child’s critical thinking skills, vocabulary and problem-solving abilities. To quicken their Love for Learning: Within open conversations, children are encouraged to ask questions. This curiosity fosters a love for learning which will subsequently lead to better academic performance. Effective Tips to Build Bonds that Last Create a Safe and Judgment-Free Environment: Ensure that your child feels safe to share their thoughts and emotions without fear of criticism. Be a supportive and non-judgmental listener. Practice Active Listening: Pay full attention to your child when he/she speaks. Avoid using your gadgets while you have a conversation with them. Show that you value what they have to say by maintaining eye contact and nodding. Also, limit screen time to ensure that technology does not interfere with face-to-face communication. Share Your Day: Talk about your day and experiences to model effective communication. Encourage them to talk about theirs and the lessons that they learnt from each day. Spend Quality Time Together: Parents need to spend quality time with their children so that they don’t feel neglected. You could engage in activities that you both enjoy. For example, singing, dancing, playing football or some other sports. You could also take the children out to recreational places for relaxation and enjoyment. Avoid Interrupting: When a child is speaking, parents should avoid interrupting or shutting them down suddenly. Allow them to finish speaking before responding. This will show that you value their input. Be Patient with them: Give your child the time and space to formulate their thoughts and express themselves. Whenever you rush them to speak, they are likely to stifle their communication. This will hinder them from wanting to have conversations with such parents. Celebrate Achievements: Whenever your children succeed in school or do something exceptional that makes you proud, celebrate them. No matter how small such an accomplishment may be, ensure you reward them in cash or kind. This will boost their self-confidence and motivate them to communicate. Ask Open-Ended Questions: While communicating with your children, encourage discussions with open-ended questions like “What do you think about this?” instead of seeking one-word answers. This will increase the child’s ability to think properly and also improve effective communication. Finally, effective parent-child communication is the bedrock of a child’s development. It encourages emotional, social and cognitive growth, setting the stage for success in various aspects of life. By creating a nurturing environment, practicing active listening, and spending quality time with them, you can build bonds that last a lifetime.

7 Tricks to Staying Positive When Things Get Tough

February 5, 2024 by Roselyn James

To be your best right now is very tough. There are lots of people complaining and upset, while some are thriving in adverse situations. They need help to achieve progress in life. You may think life is unfair after dedicating your time to working hard to be your best, but all seems not to work. All we need to learn is to be more resilient and transform all the negative energy into what we can control and create positive outcomes toward those things we desire. We may find it hard because of our business struggles, relationships, and health. However, we need to understand that it is necessary to realize that conserving a clear mindset helps our thoughts and well-being. It also helps us get through difficult situations. This post will discuss tips on overcoming those bad days, setbacks, and challenges with a positive mindset. Tips To Stay Positive In Life Challenges Below are six tips to stay positive when life seems complicated. 1. Know Your Strength Understanding how you react to things around you dramatically impacts how you will handle challenges when they come around. Understanding your area of strength and what you can take will positively affect your well-being. Always ensure you guide your thoughts; otherwise, look for areas you need to improve in your life. When you examine yourself and identify those areas that make you feel bad about yourself, write them down in your notes. When you have it handy, it is time to work toward dealing with them. Doing this will help you stay positive and calm to deal with the chaos you may encounter. 2. Always Focus on the Positive Things in life. We experience challenges daily and cannot escape them. So, how we handle those challenges matters most in life. To stay optimistic, we need to focus on the good aspects of life rather than dwelling on the wrong side. These will help us deal with those years and chaos faster. Moreover, we should see the good side of our challenges to have a winning mindset. Doing so can teach us a positive attitude toward our mental health. 3. Meditate and Breathe Mindfully. Living and focusing our thoughts while meditating helps bring us peace. We will, therefore, become bright and shine. Though we may find it difficult to stop our thoughts, breathing, and meditation will bring quietness and calmness to our minds. Mindfulness is an act of becoming aware of ourselves and our environment. It helps you have positive thinking that lies within your emotional resilience. You can practice these meditations, breathing, and many more. Anytime you meditate, that is the time to ask yourself how to be positive in any situation. It will help you fight to stay positive. 4. Be Grateful It would be best if you were grateful for being able to face the challenges themselves. Amid every adversity, you will become stronger. It will help you realize more about who you are. To show attitude, you need to have a note where you will pen down some of those things you are grateful for. Let it be your morning routine that will help resonate your day on a fresh note. Besides, it isn’t easy to be grateful for challenges, but it is necessary to recognize those good times in our lives and be happy. We must remember and be thankful for so many things that have happened. We should sit back, look through, and appreciate ourselves for all those achievements we had in the past. We should also focus on the good things we understand about people around us and our family members. 5. Connect with Positive People Choosing your company is crucial to staying upbeat. It helps build your self-esteem and makes you stay happy always. People with a negative mindset will influence you negatively. They tend to make you angry and always see the impossibility of your challenges, so you have to keep yourself away from them to live a healthy and fulfilling life. 6. Be Happy Happiness is what fuels life. It is a state of being joyful and living a fulfilled life. Anytime you face challenges, ensure you make yourself happy. You have the power to make yourself comfortable amid circumstances that are beyond your control. You may face challenges, such as losing your job, losing someone, or having other life issues. Focusing on the possibility of conquering those challenges will help me achieve a positive attitude. To stay positive when you face chaos, listen to your favorite music. Music can help you soothe relief, believing you will overcome those challenges. 7. Be Kind to Others As you know, treating others well positively impacts their life. Whenever you show kindness to people, it will surely return to you. To stay positive, you should help the people around you, share their joy, and build a strong relationship with them. Showing kindness to others will help you know more about the good things life offers. It has a way of making you feel better and good. Final Thought In life, what we put in will resonate with us. In the face of challenges, we should understand that it helps us become more assertive. Staying optimistic will help us conquer issues that may confront us. With the above tips, stay optimistic amid adversity. Feelings of sadness are norms, so you must accept that these feelings are temporary, not permanent, so you must take them and stay positive. Even when the pieces of life’s puzzle don’t fit, focus on remaining positive.

How to Become a Good Brand Marketer

February 5, 2024 by Chioma Eneje

To understand who a brand marketer is, we need to know the meaning of the keywords. A brand is a business or product that is used to identify the discretion of the consumers. The brand is made through rigorous practicals, advertisement, packaging and numerous designs. Also, a marketer is a person who promotes a business, products and services of an organization. They are tasked with the duties of figuring ways or activities that can boost sales and revenue, whatever is figure must align with the objective and mission of the organization and market demands. Brand Marketing Brand Marketing entails the process of increasing a brand’s recognition and reputation to a targeted audience. This involves creating and maintaining brand-consumer relationships and marketing brand attributes. A brand marketer conveys the value and idea of the brand in an engaging and relevant way. The importance of a brand marketer should never be underrated. They help customers identify and differentiate products from one another. Also, they build customer loyalty and encourage repeat purchases. Importance of a Brand Marketer There are genuine reasons why a brand marketer is important for a brand. Although, I do not pressurize anyone to be in a hesitate to get one, it all goes down to having a plan and knowing what he/she wants for the brand. The importance of a brand marketer is: • To provide a great publicity and reach out to targeted audience. • To create a unique identity for it’s brand and processed products • To be a globally recognized brand • To be outstanding in the competitive market. • To help consumers understand the products and usages. What Makes One a Great Brand Marketer? Laura Fitton said; “Focus on the core problem your business solves and put out lots of content and enthusiasm and ideas about how to solve that problem.” Everyone can hold a phone and make content but no all can give befitting content. What makes you a great/unique brand marketer is your output of given assignments /tasks. Good marketing makes the company look smart. Great marketing makes the customer feel smart.” – Joe Chernov. To become a great marketer, the following tips should be at the back of your palm.  Be Extremely Observant: Great marketers observe and pay attention to deal, and customers’ reactions. A marketer should look out for what intrigues the customers, makes them calm, and why they love a product. It is said that a successful marketer should be observed with market behaviours.  Be a Good Sales Rep/Person: A talented marketer can sell the least meaningful thing. Having the power of conviction as a marketer is a great tool. They ignite the sale of a product, subscription, launch and more. The messages are passed in a convincing manner.  Be a Great Planner: A marketer knows what content and words are appropriate for a brand. They are strategic and give a commendable output. More so, they are always working on new and exciting projects.  Ego is in Check: A great marketer should never begin a conversation with his achievements, rather he should focus on the customer’s challenges and ways to solve them.  Be Accountable: Great marketers believe in accountability and are not afraid of data and reporting. They are always accountable for their actions. Read Also: Healthy Ways of Burning Fat in the Body (Part 1) Conclusion As you plan to become a brand marketer or search for one, I urge you to remember these listed tips.