THE AWAKENING (PART 2) I received this piece from an online newsletter I’m subscribed to, and I was really blessed by it, hence my decision to share it with you all.

You stop judging and pointing fingers and you begin to accept people as they are and to overlook their shortcomings and human frailties...and in the process a sense of peace and contentment is born of forgiveness.

You realize that much of the way you view yourself, and the world around you, is as a result of all the messages and opinions that have been ingrained into your psyche.

And you begin to sift through all the junk you've been fed about how you should behave, how you should look, how much you should weigh, what you should wear, what you should do for a living, how much money you should make, what you should drive, how and where you should live, who you should marry, the importance of having and raising children, and what you owe your parents, family, and friends.

You learn to open up to new worlds and different points of view. And you begin reassessing and redefining who you are and what you really stand for.

You learn the difference between wanting and needing and you begin to discard the doctrines and values you've outgrown, or should never have bought into to begin with ... and in the process you learn to go with your instincts.

You learn that it is truly in giving that we receive. And that there is power and glory in creating and contributing and you stop manoeuvring through life merely as a "consumer" looking for your next fix.

You learn that principles such as honesty and integrity are not the outdated ideals of a bygone era but the mortar that holds together the foundation upon which you must build a life.

You learn that you don't know everything, it's not your job to save the world and that you can't teach a pig to sing.

You learn to distinguish between guilt and responsibility and the importance of setting boundaries and learning to say NO.

You learn that the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry and that martyrs get burned at the stake.

Then you learn about love. How to love, how much to give in love, when to stop giving and when to walk away.

You learn to look at relationships as they really are and not as you would have them be. You stop trying to control people, situations and outcomes. And you learn that alone does not mean lonely.

You also stop working so hard at putting your feelings aside, smoothing things over and ignoring your needs.

You learn that feelings of entitlement are perfectly OK....and that it is your right to want things and to ask for the things you want ... and that sometimes it is necessary to make demands.

You come to the realization that you deserve to be treated with love, kindness, sensitivity and respect and you won't settle for less.

THE AWAKENING (PART 1)

I received this piece from an online newsletter I’m subscribed to, and I was really blessed by it, hence my decision to share it with you all.

Shalom!

Babatunde

THE AWAKENING

Author Unknown

A time comes in your life when you finally get it...when, in the midst of all your fears and insanity, you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice inside your head cries out - ENOUGH!

Enough fighting and crying or struggling to hold on. And, like a child quieting down after a blind tantrum, your sobs begin to subside, you shudder once or twice, you blink back your tears and begin to look at the world through new eyes.

This is your awakening.

You realize it's time to stop hoping and waiting for something to change...or for happiness, safety and security to come galloping over the next horizon.

You come to terms with the fact that neither of you is Prince Charming or Cinderella and that in the real world there aren't always fairy tale endings (or beginnings for that matter) and that any guarantee of "happily ever after" must begin with you...and in the process a sense of serenity is born of acceptance.

You awaken to the fact that you are not perfect and that not everyone will always love, appreciate or approve of who or what you are ... and that's OK. They are entitled to their own views and opinions.

And you learn the importance of loving and championing yourself...and in the process a sense of new found confidence is born of self-approval.

You stop complaining and blaming other people for the things they did to you (or didn't do for you) and you learn that the only thing you can really count on is the unexpected.

You learn that people don't always say what they mean or mean what they say and that not everyone will always be there for you and that it's not always about you.

So, you learn to stand on your own and to take care of yourself...and in the process a sense of safety and security is born of self-reliance.

SOME 22 FACTS ABOUT YOUR LIFE PURPOSE

1. It is the key to your greatness
2. It is not determined by your past or present location
3. It has nothing to do with your family background or standing in the society
4. It may have nothing to do with your present career or the job you are doing now
5. It helps you to set your priorities in life and identify what is really important and what isn’t
6. It helps you to apportion and make use of time more productively
7. God will require an account of stewardship from you on what you do with it
8. It takes an accountability system to continually live and fulfil it maximally
9. It is what you will do with joy and look forward to doing everyday
10. It will bring you great contentment in life and give you a sense of fulfilment
11. It helps you to identify your destiny partners: e.g. who to marry, who to be friendly with, who to go into business with, who to hire as workers, who to submit to etc
12. In the field of your purpose, you are a king and a celebrity
13. It is in the Word of God
14. It takes God and His resources to fulfil it
15. You are not really successful if you are not fulfilling or living it
16. It guides you to make the right choices and decisions in life
17. It is not something you learn in school, seminars, workshops, or conferences
18. It has been in/with you all along, merely awaiting discovery
19. You might have been fulfilling it without knowing
20. You don’t have to leave your present job or career to start fulfilling it
21. You can make a career out of it
22. It can be commercialised to fetch you money and make you very rich

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, THE POWER OF VISION & MAXIMISING THE MOMENT (PART A)

SELF-DEVELOPMENT: A Major Recipe For Success Men are anxious to improve their circumstances, but are unwilling to improve themselves; they therefore remain bound. The man who does not shrink from self–crucifixion can never fail to accomplish the object upon which his heart is set. - James Allen What is Self-Development? Personal development is the conscious, disciplined, and sustained series of investment in the self through the acquisition of knowledge and skills, as well as the application of the acquired knowledge and skills for an enhanced lifestyle. Areas of Personal Development The development of the self is as composite an entity as the very nature of man. It consists of various interdependent aspects of human, which all work together to produce a better person when cultivated, or result in a debased existence when ignored. The different aspects of man open to cultivation for development are his: Spiritual state Mental state Emotional state Physical state Social status, and his Professional/vocational performance If you want to be wealthy and happy, learn this lesson well: learn to work harder on yourself than you do on your job. - Jim Rohn 

Painting The Right Picture: THE POWER OF VISION AND FOCUS What is A Vision?Vision is the ability to see what is not yet, so you can create what never was. -Doug Firebaugh A blind man’s world is bounded by the limits of his touch; an ignorant man’s world by the limits of his knowledge; a great man’s world by the limits of his vision. - E. Paul Hovey Visions and dreams are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements. - Napoleon Hill The most pathetic person in the world is someone who has sight but has no vision. – Helen Keller, 1880-1968, American Blind/Deaf Author and Lecturer Aligning Goals to Your Personal Vision do an Inventory of your skills, Abilities, Knowledge, Character Attributes/Weaknesses, and Spiritual Gifts ¡ What are your God-given abilities? ¡ What skills have you acquired? ¡ What education do you have? ¡ What are your Character strengths & weaknesses? ¡ What is your Spiritual Gifting? Draw A Life Plan How does your Life Vision Statement translate into practical goals? ¡ Do you have a calendar of when you will do what? ¡ What tasks do you have to undertake to accomplish these goals? ¡ How will you know when you have achieved your goals? Goals must be SMART: Specific; Measurable; Achievable; Realistic; Time Limited. A Career Plan: ¡ What are your career goals? ¡ Do you have a plan to advance in your career? ¡ What experience do you need for advancement? ¡ What education do you need for advancement?