Do You want Success This Season... Act on this and 2016 Will be the Best of years

30 Things You Must Do When You’re Still Young:

1. Make yourself a priority. If you don’t take care of yourself, nobody else will. You have to be number one. All things in your life stem from your happiness. Be someone who makes you happy!
2. Enjoy the small things. Take walks more often. Stop and look at a babbling brook. Sit in an oversized chair at Barnes & Noble and read a great book. Observe an elderly couple holding hands. Life is made up of these small and seemingly insignificant things. They aren’t insignificant. Be sure to take the time to appreciate them.
3. Get outside. Being outdoors is good for you. Soak in the sunlight, get those endorphins kicking, and enjoy the beauty that nature offers.
4. Be confident in who you are. Every person is unique and special in their own way. Understanding this early in life is critical. Be proud of who you are and don’t be afraid to let the world know it.
5. Take calculated risks. Life is a series of risks and rewards. Be smart with your risks and understand the consequences.
6. Focus on the present. Worrying to a certain degree about your future is normal, but don’t overlook the power of being in the present moment. You can’t change the past, but you can control what you do right now.
7. Stop caring about what people think of you. Fear of criticism is one of the most destructive fears known to humanity. It can debilitate you to the point paralysis. Learn early in life that it doesn’t matter what people think of you. It really doesn’t. And besides, people are too worried about what you think about them to care about you!
8. Remember that people are good at heart. Being a lifelong cynic can and will make your life an uphill climb. Recognize that people are inherently good and you will embrace relationships in a far greater capacity.
9. Be a positive person. Make being positive a habit early in life. Yoursuccess in life will come from your thoughts and your thoughts can be either negative or positive. Only you can control which you choose.
10. Let go of negative influences. Avoid bad situations, unhealthy relationships, and people who make your life worse. Letting go of a good friend who is going to drag you down is a difficult yet intelligent decision. Failure to do so can negatively affect where you end up in life.
11. Surround yourself with positive people. Jim Rohn said “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” And it’s completely true. If you want to be a success, hang around with successful people. If someone has what you want, you can do what they do, and get what they’ve got.
12. Worry less. Worrying about that big test is normal, as is worrying about that possible job promotion, but when you begin to worry excessively, it can become a real problem. Worrying can lead to stress and anxiety, which can become disorders and negatively affect all areas of your life.
13. Learn from your past but don’t dwell on it. Being caught up in your past can lead to stagnation and the inability to progress in your life. Understand that life is just a series of events and move on. You can change the future but you cannot alter your past decisions.
14. Travel. Most of you want to travel the world, see new things, and meet new people. But statistics show that the average mother in the U.S. will start a family at age 25, meaning that your travel options will become quite limited for a number of years after you start having children. And even if you do tell yourself that you’re going to travel, most of you won’t. Don’t put it off. Get out there and see the places you desire most.
15. Learn a new language. In this day and age, knowing a second (or third) language is no longer just a hobby, it can help you in your career. Being able to communicate with people from multiple cultures not only makes good business sense, but expands your personal growth.
16. Overcome some of your biggest fears. Your fears will haunt you for your entire life if they aren’t dealt with. Do you really want to go through life being deathly afraid of flying? Do you want the fear of public speaking to control you? Of course not. Take these challenges head on and early on and overcome them.
17. Experiment. Life is chock full of experiences. Try new things. Get out there and fail often. Learn from your mistakes. You only get one chance at this life. Get as much in as you can.
18. Appreciate your parents. As children, we adore our parents. As teens, we ignore our parents. And in adulthood, we take them for granted. Knowing that they did the best possible job they could raising you will help you appreciate them. Make a phone call right now to tell them so.
19. Stay close with the important people in your life. Most of you will lose contact with childhood friends, college buddies, and past coworkers. But chances are that you’ve made some great friends along the way. If you’ve found that you’ve lost touch with someone who was important to you, reach out to them and try to reconnect. People who you consider important are few and far between, so do your best to keep them in your life.
20. Remember that you do not know it all. It’s a given that teenagers believe they know it all, but as an adult it’s important to recognize how little you know. Make learning something new part of your daily routine. Started at an early age, you will be amazed at how much you can learn in a lifetime.
21. Listen to your parents. As crazy as it may seem, they have much more life experience than you and do know what they are talking about. Take the time to listen to their stories. They have more wisdom than you believe.
22. Face the bully. Most of you have had a bully in one shape or another in your lifetime. Do not let your fear control you. The best way to handle any bully is to confront them. Most are cowards hiding behind their size and/or power. Confronting them will get their attention, and in many cases, their respect.
23. Give unconditionally. Understanding the sheer power of giving unconditionally can shape the course of your life. Learn this early.
24. Working too much. Working yourself half to death throughout your 20s and 30s may seem like a great idea for rising up the corporate ladder, but remember that those are your golden years. Make time for the things you are most passionate about while you are healthy enough to do so.
25. Develop good habits. The outcome of your life will be based on the decisions you make. Making good decisions comes from having good habits. Educate yourself on how to start adopting positive ones and removing the negative ones.
26. Find what you excel at and begin to master it. Spending years languishing in uncertainty is the fastest way to living an average life. Find where your strengths meet your passions and become great at them. Don’t be a jack of all trades. Be the master of a few.
27. Spend as much time with your children as possible. If you lose your time with your children, you will never get it back. Embrace this time with all your heart. Being a parent is the single most important job on the planet. And do not mistake time for quality time, there is a hugedifference.
28. Learn to be grateful. This is easier said than done, but being appreciative of what you have can make the difference between a life of wanting and a life of contentment.
29. Start a business. Don’t spend your life only knowing what it’s like to be an employee. Start your own venture, whether it be mowing lawns or running Internet security, try your hand in business. Lessons in entrepreneurship cannot be learned in a classroom. Real world experience will prove invaluable.
30. Be crazy. Well, not literally. Do something wild and adventurous. As you grow older, you will begin a career, and/or settle down and start a family and will be less inclined to let it all hang out. Be bold and daring. And have fun with it!

While it’s never too late to work on your personal growth, getting these things done early in your life can truly make the difference between a life lived on your terms or a life lived on someone else’s.

Make it yours!

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LITTLE THINGS YOU CAN DO TO IMPROVE YOUR LIFE EVERYDAY

MAKE THIS CHRISTMAS MEMORABLE WITH OR WITHOUT GIFTS.

While giving and receiving gifts is fun, the celebration of Christmas can be special without breaking the bank. Here are some ideas of how to make Christmas memorable without spending a fortune on presents.

1. Send a meaningful letter 

Sometimes, the best gifts are words. Consider taking time this Christmas season to sit down and write a heartfelt letter to a family member or friend. When you express your gratitude and love, it will brighten their day and also make you feel good. You can also send a letter or card to someone who is deployed in the military.

2. Go Christmas caroling

Gather up your family and friends and go Christmas caroling through your neighborhood or to a local nursing home. There are many people who are shut-ins, and bringing the joy of Christmas to them can brighten their day and make Christmastime memorable for them and for you.

3. Invite a new guest

Although Christmas time is full of joy and hope, it can also be a time of sadness for people. Facing the holidays alone while missing a loved one who has passed away or is very far away can be incredibly difficult. If you know someone who will be spending time alone during the Christmas season, consider inviting him or her to join you as you celebrate.

4. Get creative in the kitchen

Baking Christmas treats with loved ones can be a memorable event. Multiple generations can be involved as you have fun in the kitchen. Teaching kids to decorate Christmas goodies or make a classic treat  makes Christmastime special for all involved.

5. Pack a shoe box

Consider being part of the meaningful mission of Operation Christmas child. When you fill a shoe box with items for a child in need, it can give them hope and help make their Christmas special.

6. Get together with neighbors

Invite your neighbors over a tasty holiday drink. It doesn’t have to be an extravagant party requiring tons of planning and stress. You can mix up a delicious holiday drink for adults, or you can skip the alcohol and serve hot cocoa and candy canes.

Now I’d love to hear from you. What are some Christmas traditions you have that don’t involve spending a fortune on presents?

SEVEN REASONS WHY LADIES SHOULD MAKE THE FIRST MOVE ON THE GUY THEY DESIRE .

We have heard of the stigma that comes with a lady making a first move on a man and with the African mentality, a lady would rather wait and hope that that guy that gives her goose pimples would just walk up to her and woo her but most times,this never happens and when the man who does not catch her fancy comes her way,she will bark at him so ferociously as if the guy is responsible for her "timidity"

I have actually sat down to reason deeply about this issue and i have come to a solid conclusion that judging from the happenings of today,it will be a wise thing for a lady to stop waiting and hoping that one guy she wants will just read her mind and walk up to her and i would like you all to see 7 realistic reasons why you should give that guy a green light without outrightly wooing him if you truly want him rather than wait and pray he comes your way.

1.Many men are confused and don't know what they want: Yes many guys are so confused and ths has nothing to do with imaturity.Each day, a guy sees different ladies of different ersonalities, colors,curves and beauty and just when they are thinking about dating a lady, they see another one that looks even more alluring to him and on and on he gets so lost as to which lady to go for even when he is not sure which one will say yes to him but when you give him a green light,,he is likely to let down his guards and settle for you. Guys love daring ladies and we find them amusing

2.Takes an extra effort to woo a lady: Don't be deceived when you see a dude and you start thinking he has all the ladies in the world after him because in actual fact, many guys battle with fear of rejection even the sweet looking ones. No matter how sweet looking a man is, he usually plans his moves and they know there is a possibility of you turning them down but maybe just a sweet flirtatious glance or sweet smile from you to him will make him more relaxed and feel more confident to approach you and pour out those lyrics.

3.Most responsible guys are shy or don't have that time to woo a lady: The bottom line is that in most cases,those bold and daring guys that walk up to you are playboys but the more reliable,responsible and purposeful guys are shy or don't even know how to woo a lady or are too devoted to their career to do that so if you see that sweet looking dude,just say hi to him and if he does not catch the drift,he is on his own.

4.Hard to get syndrome: Some ladies still think playing hard to get is in vogue..I am one guy that will not bother you again if you give me any strong NO body language. I believe if you want me as a friend even if not as a date for a start at least be friendly with me and don't give me this appalling attitude. Honestly there are too many ladies out there for one girl to dey form hard to get and if i am a lady, i would rather prove hard to forget rather than hard to get.Many men don't even bother these days wooing ladies because they have that mindset that these ladies will end up forming and are easily drawn towards the ones that show them a green light.

5.Every lady deserves the man she desires: As guys,we are cool with the fact that we know what we want in our lady as regards her physical appearance and when we see such that meets up, we simply summon courage and walk up to her but in the case of a lady,it is expected of her to just sit and wait in hope that the guy walks up to her and it is considered improper for her to express her desire for that guy...how partial and wicked can this ever get?. I believe that What's sauce for the goose should also be sauce for the gander and i believe it is unfair for ladies to just cry in silence when they see a man they so desire and who might just desire them with hope that he makes the first move.

6.Making the first move on a guy is never the same as throwing yourself sheepishly at him: I have heard many people use these erroneous remarks that when a lady makes a first move on a guy then the guy will not value her or will see her as cheap...you never jam babe that will make the first move and will comport herself so well that the guy will have a rethink and value her even more than he ever imagined. When you make a first move on a guy,it does not mean you will start monkeying over him or be at his beck and call and yes you can make a first move on a guy and still deny him sex wella so ladies must understand that whoring over a guy is a total different ball game and making a first move is another.

7.Economy crunch:In-fact in Nigeria, this has become number one deterrent as many guys have lost hope of ever getting a girl to truly desire them because to these,they will always believe its about money and not love. You will be amazed that the guy you are so much into is also deeply attracted to you but he has been thinking about his pocket and asking himself how on earth will he be able to meet up with "your standard" especially if you are the high class babe.But if you just show that guy a little encouragement,he just might overcome this thought and make that move.

The truth is that making a first move on a man can be done tactically and does not really mean throwing yourself at him or opening your legs for him to take undo advantage of you but you can go for the man you want and still maintain your dignity and he will respect you all the way.

I don't know if this makes sense but just thinking out loud.

 Written by TOKS2008

DEPRAVITY BY EDIFY

HOW TO FUTURE PROOF YOUR CAREER.

  This article is about us developing skills for our today as well as for tomorrow. Our tomorrow is very important to us, and its almost here. Time flies like mad; it has never waited for anyone. It keeps ticking away.

Given the present economic challenges all over the word and particularly here in Nigeria, losing one's job is one of the most challenging thing anyone can experience. Its capable of leading to economic difficulty, especially if the victim wasn't prepared for such an event, and could lead to depression and other issues. A friend called me about two months ago and told me how he had lost his job. Its not being easy for himself and his family. Its just advisable that the gainfully employed must be prepared for such eventualities. I tried to put myself in his shoes and it wasn't funny a though at all. We can learn from the challenges and experiences of others. This event led me to critical thought about the future. Its the ideas from that process of thought I'm sharing here. And majority of the article was culled from: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCDV_81.htm

How will your job be different five years from now? Will your job exist in its present form in five years? In 10 or even 20 years? And over this time, what will happen to the company and industry you work for? We really don't know what the future holds. What we do know for certain is that change is a constant in the workplace. This means that what we are doing NOW will be different in the future.

How can we predict and prepare for this workplace of the future? What should you be doing now to make sure you don't find yourself facing a dead end in your career, with no opportunity to change direction without crashing?

Get and remain tech-savvy

Much of the change we see has to do with new technology. We keep finding faster and leaner ways to do things. Force yourself to keep your technical skills current, even if new developments don't seem to be related to your current job. Otherwise, you'll get left behind and may have to catch up a huge amount before you can get off in a new direction in the future. If you're in a highly technical field of work, be proactive and stay current-even when your company doesn't.

Develop your competences, skills and experience

Along with technical skills, it is critically important to continue your professional development to remain in demand in the workplace. You need to develop the transferable skills that are universally sought by employers. Leadership, communication, innovation, stress management and interpersonal skills are all fundamental requirements of the jobs of today and tomorrow. Majority of these skills can be learned online. Free. Here are some ways to do this:
* Choose two competencies or skills to improve each year. Monitor and track your progress.
* Develop a five year learning plan to acquire the knowledge and education you need.

The HSE profession is a very dynamic and challenging one. Hitherto this period, it was relegated and limited to identifying hazardous conditions and mitigating their possible outcomes. Now, its gone far beyond that. We now study human behavior, emotional intelligence, statistics, history, environmental modeling and quality management systems. I had to learn all these on my one. And for the past 3 years, I've not failed to ensure I take at least one HSE certification. I must be prepared for the future. The only way to guarantee the future is to invent it.

You've Got to have more than ONE skill

For economic safety of the future, you must have more than one skill. Beyond a certain stage in your career and in uncertain environments, specialization is no longer the route of choice. It can pay off for some; however, it has a very high risk of obsolescence attached to it. Its very risky. Your specific technical skills may get out of date. That's why you see nurses with business skills and technology experts with financial experience. A broad range of competencies, skills and abilities can help you secure a new job or may even open the door to working in a new industry. Aside from being a HSE professional, I can teach music theory alongside the piano( though I'm still maturing). I'm also seriously working towards becoming a motivational speaker. I just need to learn all I can.

Think globally

In many industries, geographical barriers to business are getting less and less relevant. Your co-workers, clients and stakeholders now and in the future can be from anywhere in the world. You need to acquire the ability to work within the international marketplace by:
• Learning about working with diverse cultures.
•Asking for assignments that require international exposure.
•Learning another language.

The more experience you get, the more confidence you will have when working in the global marketplace. This will make you much more attractive to employers of the future. I recall running a safety pep talk. We had a French worker amongst us, who spoke scanty English. It wasn't easy at all. Luckily for us, we had a Nigerian who could speak French fluently. He became the interpreter. The two workers later became very close friends.


Create and maintain a success journal

The time to start thinking about your accomplishments and skills is not when you are looking for a new job. You have to be proactive and take continuous inventory of what you do really well, the accolades you have been given and the noteworthy results you've been responsible for. Employers want to know what you will do for them. When you have a ready list of things you have done, it is much easier to recall your most relevant rewards and skills.
•Track your duties, projects and results.
•Keep a list of professional development activities you've participated in.
•List the training you've completed.
•Note your volunteer work.
•File your performance reviews and the written letters and emails you receive that note your performance.

Build and maintain a professional network

You should be developing relationships with people both within and outside your organization. These people will be invaluable as the landscape of work changes. They can bring you along with them as they weather the changes and can provide opportunities when your current position looks a bit uncertain. When you add a mentor or two to your network, you have the added bonus of learning new skills, technologies and strategies that will help you move your career in the direction you want.
•Collect business cards.
•Keep track of former bosses and colleagues.
•Join professional networking associations.
•Participate in a wide range of activities and build relationships beyond your current career or industry.

Nairaland means different things to different people. Away from the normal political section gists, I've been able to build a vey formidable network of political and career friends. Your networth is equal to your network. Take advantage of the vision of Seun in giving us this platform. Build your friends. Scan the right ones that will make your life more meaningful.

Scan the environment

Be aware of changes and trends in the economy, your profession and the industry you are in. No one can accurately predict the future; however, stay ahead of the crowd by keeping yourself informed and choosing to work in industries and for employers that have long-term sustainability.

Keep a clear career path open

You may be fortunate enough to be in an organization where there's a clear and attractive career path ahead of you. For many, this will not be the case.

This may not be a problem if you're in a fast growth industry – if you're good at what you do, opportunities will most-likely appear with alarming regularity. However if you're in a slow growth industry or are one in decline, then this is a problem: There may be no onward path, and development may be blocked, however hard you work. This will lead to frustration, boredom and, in the long term, failure to achieve your potential.

This is where you need to review your options and take action to unblock your career, even if it means a job- or career-change.

Develop resilience

Because the future is uncertain, you will probably encounter setbacks no matter how much you prepare and plan. People who will emerge successful are those with the ability to bounce back and consider such setbacks as learning experiences.
•Evaluate and affirm your strengths on a regular basis.
•Develop realistic and achievable goals, monitor your progress and identify what is holding you back.
•Build your flexibility and maintain your enthusiasm despite what is happening around you.

All of these techniques can be very useful as you begin to plan and prepare for your future career(s). And they all have in common the elements of risk management and career planning. You need to become good at both to secure your future career.

If we must secure our career, we must plan TODAY. While we do not pray that people lose their jobs, we encourage them to be prepared for the worst. These sad events happen. We must be proactive with our lives. And for those who are believing God and working hard to get a job, I wish you all the best.

THE GOSPEL OF TRUTH

I am part of the "Fellowship of the Unashamed."

The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line.

The decision has been made. I am a disciple of

Jesus Christ. I won't look back, let up, slow down,

back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present

makes sense, and my future is secure.

I am finished and done with low living, sight walking,

small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams,

chintzy giving, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position,

promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I now live by

presence, lean by faith, love by patience,

lift by prayer, and labor by power. My pace

is set, my gait is fast, my goal is Heaven, my

road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few,

my Guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought,

compromised, deterred, lured away, turned back,

diluted, or delayed.

I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the

presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy,

ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander

in the maze of mediocrity.

I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I must go until

Heaven returns, give until I drop, preach until all know,

and work until He comes. And when He comes to get

His own, He will have no problem recognizing me.

My colors will be clear