Many are those times that we fear letting go of an expired version of ourselves because we simply are comfortable with just being that.
The times we hold on tight on what we used to be instead of dwelling on what we should be, and that is sad because we get toxic .
As we start a new month, I hope you will be in a position to shake your norm a bit and break up with your old self because it’s quite important.
“But how am I gonna do that?” You ask.
1. Go back to scratch
-Your old toxic habits are not needed in this next phase, go back and keenly check on yourself and take inventories of what should be added or eliminated from your old ways for you to progress forward.
That nasty attitude, pride, ego, jealousy, insecurities, procrastination, laziness are not needed in this phase, let go of them, honey. They’ll keep costing you so much.
ACTIVITY: Maybe this is the time to think hard on what toxic traits you’ve been carrying along and make adjustments.
2. Dare to feel uncertain and unsure
-Look at it this way, imagine crossing a river in a foreign land, you simply are unaware of what awaits you on the other side, but you have to cross the river for you to reach your destination . Does that make sense? Well, it does for me.
3. Return to a place of faith
-So you’ve crossed this river, unaware of what waits for you on the other side,but you know what? Your faith is still intact because you are hopeful that you will reach the final destination unhurt. Learn to operate in that place of faith. Execute what you’ve always wanted to do and have faith that everything will work out just fine.
4. Seek fresh knowledge,fresh strategy, and fresh creativity
-Keep learning,find new ways of operating your day-to-day activities. Dont under estimate the small positive things you do on a daily.
‘ Hard work of laying down your life, will constantly yield beauty that you can’t fathom.’
Babies are amazing creatures,what amazes me the most is their development and progress.One time the baby is this tiny being, months later the baby is all grown.I love how their growth is usually noticeable, no matter what one still gets to see the growth in a baby.I tried analyzing some things that in one way or the other may contribute to the growth in babies .
The first thing is ; Most babies get that first-hand relationship with their mums,nothing else matters in a baby’s world if the mum is around.Second,a baby gets to experience a life free from distractions,in as much as the mum may have some problems,the baby literally never cares because in the first place that kid may not be aware of what may be going on in her surrounding.
Babies have this beautiful life to be honest and that’s why their development and growth is usually a fascinating experience for me.
Ps:Understanding this formula back in Uni sucked!!
Adulting is not a walk in the park! I mean look at everything you experience as an adult ,shitty right?One day you have your life figured out,the next day you are there trying to gather the pieces of your messy life.To be honest this adulting life is terrible,most of us can attest to this.From being broke,to job hunting,getting to start that business,moving out of your parents home ;Wow!!
In retrospect,people have managed to get through this tough phase alive lol not unless one decided to give up before the finishing line. I thought of some few ways I may apply to avoid beating myself throught this adulting shenanigans.I am allowing myself to become a baby again,yes!I am bringing back the infant in me who was unbothered and undistracted.
The infant in me clinged unto my mama’s breast milk in order to grow,the well prepared food with so much nutrients was what I woke up to everyday.I was flipping through my photo album and trust me I was quite a healthy baby I must admit.
Significantly,We may choose to have that peaceful life right now if we choose to go for the right things. For instance, the relationship between a baby and a mum may be compared to the adult you getting that small circle of genuine people who help you grow in different aspects. The unbothered baby is the adult you starving your distractions to avoid self-sabotaging your plans and ambitions.
Remember the breast milk and food my mama fed me?Is the adult you feeding yourself with positive affirmations,knowledge by reading books ,harnessing that skill and every other thing you all do to grow.
I am a firm believer of being the best version of yourself no matter how messy life may be.I strive daily to right my wrongs since at the end of the day I’m accountable for that growth and progress I desire.
Sometime last year I listened to a whole album by Jhene Aiko ,the album has quite a number of songs about 20 or so.But there is this one song that really got to me ever since ,’born tired’. The title of this blog is actually an extract from the song ,that is how much I love it. But on the real though, this song is for you who feels ‘tired’ but still have so much energy,positivity,confidence ,zeal in yourself. Most of us are in that phase of trying to figure out this thing called life, seems like a puzzle to me and it honestly sucks .It’s still okay that you don’t have all answers regarding your life. This song constantly reminds me to look back at where I have come from ,who I have become and appreciate every single step. I may not be there yet but honestly, I am proud of myself, you should too.
Image from depositphotos
I know you are tired but remember to :
Never be afraid of re-inventing yourself.
So often we get locked inside the roles that we think we should play in order to appease other people, embrace your truth and identity with an unapologetic strength. Through this you will be able to use your own voice without letting people scare you out of using it.
Break out of your patterns and rhythms
I admit I can be toxic to myself and others sometimes; I think we all are in one way or another. For growth or change to take place I believe one has to examine whatever intentions, motives or ways one has ,are they positive or negative? Examining this will make you realize that if you do things the way you’ve always done them, you will always get the results you’ve always had.
Believe in yourself
I am not quite of a confident person, trust me if I was ,the world would have known my name by now . For you who is still not confident enough, I am here to remind you that whenever you need to get something done, slap self-doubt in the face and let the confidence ooze out, dont even think about it.
Choose peace
One must be willing to accept that some situations aren’t about being right or wrong ,they are about peace. This applies to the connections we often make with other people.
Offer your best self
When your offer your best self, you automatically increase your value to the people around you. A couple of times I tried looking for acknowledgement and validation from others ,but that was really a bad idea .People around us change all the time, but who we are at our deepest core never changes. Believing in your intuitions, core and beliefs will lead you to a phase of believing in your own potential more that external words of encouragement or praise.
Good luck to your tired self but keep the fire burning .Xoxo
Something about life is that it happens while we are busy making plans regardless of who you are.Life just happens!
Planning is of little importance ,but planning is essential-Winston Churchill,Former British Prime Minister.
Apparently the whole world is in the midst of a pandemic,i mean who saw Covid-19 coming?Me neither.Imagine being in your final month as an Undergrad?You feel me now?The pains are severe but we move on regardless.
I recently enrolled for a two weeks’ course on Professional Resillience it was great ,i honestly got so much insights when it comes to tackling uncertainities.I guess that is where this post inspo came from.
Life is hard,especially now when normalcy is a thing of the past.The thing now is to basically get new strategies of adapting to this situation at hand,and that is what Professional resillience is all about.Bouncing back in the midst of hardships ,adopting and finally adjusting.
Mental Health similar to Sexual Health is so important,being able to stay sane in the midst of insanity is an underrated sport,we all have to admit that.
I have to acknowledge myself for how i have constantly been pouring out tonnes of gratitude each and every day.Honestly it’s close to impossible to feel gratetful and depressed at the same moment.Every day above the ground is a total blessing.
Anyway,listening to people talk about life makes me happy,deep talks for me hit hard, i love.To make this post a success a few friends shared the coping mechanisms they have been using to enable them keep in check during this period.
Ps:(I was able to interview both my male and female friends)Looked at mental health care from both the male and female perspective.
Reading this might honestly be far from what you are doing to stay sane during this period,but getting insights from this beautiful stories from amazing ,strong people might excite you .
Keep scrolling down for this amazing stories from amazing people.
1.FINDING A NEW LOVE
Jessy Awinja – Student, Enterpreneur
Honestly,this era of Covid -19 has not been a walk in the park.I recall how anxious i was in the beginning of all this but i am grateful that in the midst of all this uncertainities i was able to find my new love and that is Crotcheting.This has really kept me in check,doing what i love makes me so happy.I am currently speaking 3 languages;Yarn,hooks and needles.
Ps:(Jessy is doing an amazing work ,You can check her beautiful hand-made outfits from her Insta page-@awinja.)
2.LET’S DESIGN OUR LIVES.
Max Imweno-Student,Graphic Designer
Staying sane for me during this period has been easened by alot of things.First,since our new normal has shifted to almost everything going virtual,i make efforts of attending youth summits and conferences.Being a Youth Empowerement Advocate,i do not let such opportunities pass by.
Being a graphic designer has also enabled me to tap into so much creativity during this period.As it is said;Good art inspires,Good design motivates .
3.LET’S BE PHILOMATHS
Brenda Gitahi-Student,Enterpreneur
Where do i even begin,staying sane during this period has pushed me to go beyond my comfort zone and seek more knowledge .For now i am really enrolling to those online courses, working on my School project as well as reading books.
I recently started a Lampshade Business that i am so proud of.Finally seeking God is key for me at all times.
4.BE POSITIVE
Bradley Floyd-Student,Enterpreneur
Well to be honest this pandemic is still far from over but we gotta face up and hope for brighter days ahead.
Now back to the activities that I do during this period.I have to admit it hasn’t been easy on me but it has brought some blessings in disguise because I got a job that is keeping me going.I make efforts to connect with loved ones and that too keeps me in check.Not forgetting my love for movies,i get to watch abit of them during my free time.
5.WORK HARD,PLAY HARD
Rhoda Were-Student,Enterpreneur
It’s actually a tough time but we all need to stay sane and keep healthy.I try so hard to avoid thoughts that will stress my mind.All I do is let things flow, pray,work a little hard to cater for those needs we all have.Connecting with loved ones has also played a major role in maintaining my sanity.
Ps:Rhoda runs an online clothing page on Insta @affo.rdable wears.Check her page for affordable outfits
6.BE A LIFE-LONG STUDENT.
Kevin Ngetich-Student,Graphic designer,photographer
I love to free my mind especially during stressful times.Covid-19 has not been an exception either, since i have really put efforts towards keeping my sanity in such a time .Learning new skills has been key for me.The urge to constantly learn is honestly keeping me in check.
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I loved how each and everyone was really specific with the efforts they are putting to stay sane during this period.I love listening to the Nitty Grittys you know.Men are weirdly less great at really prioritizing mental health but i am glad they are making efforts .Let us engage on the comment section as you share the habits you have developed in order to stay sane during this period.Peace of Mind matters!
TEACH HIM INITIATIVE. 