Umana's encouragement

24/06/2022

The Turning Point (From childhood to manhood)


It was David Gilmore who said that “Manhood is the defeat of childhood narcissism.”
I have grown to find this saying to be true, even the holy bible also confirms this saying to be true.



1 Corinthians 13:11
[11]When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; now that I have become a man, I am done with childish ways and have put them aside.



The prove that you are no longer a child will be seen on your ability to leave childish things behind.



You may like to read that again ☝️



You don't become a man by just having the deep bass voice or by having broad shoulders, becoming a man comes with so much responsibility that can't just be determine by mere physical looks.



You see,becoming a man is maturity. Maturity is the ability to be aware of what you are feeling and take responsibility for all forms of emotion including sadness, fear, joy, and anger (expressed without aggression).



You can't say that you're a man when there is no change in the way you talk,think and your understanding of life.



“now that I have become a man, I am done with childish ways and have put them aside.”... this explains that being a man is dependent on your ability to put childish ways aside.

Happy birthday to me

I like the man I'm turning into.

To your continuous growth.

© Umana's encouragement

04/07/2021

UNDERSTANDING PURPOSE AND ASSIGNMENT

•

I have been guilty of using purpose and assignment interchangeably, I know some of you are guilty of doing same thing.

•

I see purpose as what you were created to be/do on earth. Then assignment are seasonal things you were called to do to fulfill purpose.

•

Purpose doesn’t change. Assignments do...... Chandler Moore

•

Assignment's are not destinations,they are just route.you need to pass through to get to your destination (purpose)

•

There is always something to learn in every assignment that will help you in fulfilling purpose.

•

You see, the same way you have routes that will take you to your destination, the same way you will have assignments to complete to get to your purpose.

•

Every assignment should point back to your purpose.

•

Let me borrow this familiar story from the bible, it's a story you know already.( The Joseph's story )

•

The purpose of Joseph was to save the people from the farmine that was to befall them but Joseph didn't fulfill his purpose immediately he was given birth to.

•

There were some things he needed learn before getting there, this lessons are best taught through assignments.

•

One of the assignment was to manage potiphar's house.

•

He needed to know how to manage a home before he could be able to manage the resources of a nation.

•

That was an assignment. He could have just given up on fulfilling purpose, afterall he was working for a wealthy man and he was in charge of the man's house and wealth.

•

Am sure his salary was a fat some of money because the bible recorded that he was a successful and prosperous slave.

•

He would have just given up everything and lay with potiphar's wife but he didn't.

•

Joseph understood that giving up all he had for a temporary enjoyment or satisfaction can leave a question mark in his assignment and reduce his chance of fulfilling purpose.

•

He didn't attach himself to the assignment but he attach himself to the purpose,that was why he was still walking in purpose even when the assignment changed.

•

He had to keep going because where he was ,was not a destination but a route.

•

Today I see potiphar's house liken to our academic journey, a temporary job, a political seat e.t.c

•

Those things are not permanent but if you are opportuned to pass through them,never forget what Joseph did. (Don't give up all you have [purpose] for a temporary enjoyment or satisfaction[assignment])

•

Don't settle in your assignment keep moving till you fulfill purpose.

© Umana's encouragement

27/06/2021

THE MOST POWERFUL MOTIVATION FOR CHANGE

Your reasons for change should not be for any reward or outside gain but instead for the sake of your own happiness and well-being.

•

A wise man once said that “the problem of our resolution for change is that they are not motivated by a healthy kind of hate”

•

Hate is the most powerful motivation for change.

•

When you hate the condition you find yourself in, you will do everything possible to get out of that condition except you don't hate it enough to do something about it.

•

A healthy kind of hate must always push you to do something about the condition but the moment you justify the condition, you are giving it permission to stay.

•

Sometimes our reason for changing becomes the same reason we can't change.

•

You see, before you can change what you hate you must know what to love.

•

You can't hate being late for events and not love to prepare early for those events.

•

Untill you love to prepare early for events more than you hate being late,you won't make the change. This does not apply to events alone.

•

If what you hate is for your own happiness and well-being then it is not motivated by a healthy kind of hate and the reason you hate them is because you fail to constantly practice them.

•

If you find yourself in this circle then you need to start doing those things enough to like them.

© Umana's encouragement

23/06/2021

motivation

It is true that we double think ourselves each time we try to do a thing, especially when it has never been done before. We all have that feeling,it is normal as humans.

•

We feel like it's not going to work,it's not going to be what I think it will be but I must tell you the truth.

•

The great men question themselves too but they understand that the only way to find out if what they feel is true, is to try it out.

•

If it works then that's great and if it doesn't they learn something from it that will help them try again or try something else

•

The difference between the great and the others is that they feel the fear and do it anyway

•

Do not let your fear hold you back from trying because the one thing you can't have is more time

•

Feel the fear but don't let it stop you,you can still do it even when you are broke,scared, nervous ..... etc

•

Wishing myself the happiest of birthdays. On this special day, I just want to thank God for the priceless gift of life that He has given me and for the wonderful people He has put in my life and blessing me with such priceless gifts.

•

On my birthday, I celebrate these little but priceless things. Happy birthday to me.

© Umana's encouragement

06/06/2021

YOU ARE WHAT YOU SPEAK

•

If you meet someone for the first time, you may not really know much about the person until he/she speaks.

•

The only thing you can use to describe that person is what you see on him/her,you sometimes try to describe their personality from their dresscode ,hairdo and other things visible.

•

The moment they begin to speak,you become certain of who they truly are.

•

Once you open your mouth, you tell the world who you are.You are what you speak................. Les Brown

•

I am not sure if he was the first person to say it, but I’ve heard him say it a few times. It’s like a whisper in my Spirit.

•

You must incubate your thought in your mind before birthing them in your mouth.

•

Always remember that words are powerful and be careful of the way you use them, it speaks more of who you are.

•

Choose carefully the words you say to people before you say it to them. once you say it, you can't unsay it and they can't unheard you.

© Umana's encouragement

03/06/2021

MANNER OF APPROACH

A friend of mine was ordered out of the bursar's office for nothing.



This singular act by the bursar created a room for fear and worry in the minds of the remaining students on the queue.



The rest of the students were already discouraged to get into the office with the fear of being ordered out in the same manner.



After some minutes,one of the students decided to give it a try. The queue watched carefully to make a mockry of him but this time they were surprised that he was attended to.

The guy went in and did his stuff successfully.



The students on the queue just learnt that the difference between the first guy and the second is in their manner of approach.

*****************


The way and manner you approach people really matters, sometimes it is what determines the fate of your request.



Your manner of approach is the first impression you give to a person.



Manner of approach deals with ways you approach things devoid of any circumstance. It speaks volume on the type of personality you have.



Don't give less attention to this part of you.



Here are some tips you should consider when approaching people to make a request.



* Firstly, greet the person.

Greeting is very important. When you greet a person, you acknowledge their presence.



* Try not to answer questions with questions.



* Don't cut into their response,allow them to finish talking before you respond.



* Face the person you are talking to, don't look down while you are talking to them.



* Use polite words.



* Always say thank you even when the response is not positive.



=>A good manner of approach produces positive response.

© Umana's encouragement

01/06/2021

The reason we have eyes in our heads is so that we can always be looking forward.

That's the reason our necks do not turn around completely without our body turning with it.

You can’t turn the clock back, so you have to look ahead because no matter how hard the past is, you can always begin again.

Seneca once said that
“Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.”

Here is another opportunity to begin something new. Leave old things behind and focus on what is ahead because whenever you try to look back to the old habits,you will somehow be going back to them.

Keep moving forward and don't forget to begin with the end in mind

Happy new month

© Umana's encouragement

28/05/2021

Get your hands busy

Until you understand the principles of how things work, you will be quoting scriptures to your own detriment

You will motivate yourself wrongly if you don't understand how this things work

Matthew 6[34]So do not worry or be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will have worries and anxieties of its own. Sufficient for each day is its own trouble.(Amplified)

So many are poor today because of their inability to understand this scripture, they fold their arms and expect everything to work itself.

The bible never said you shouldn't work

The bible said you should not worry or be anxious about tomorrow

I can begin to think the bible was saying that worry doesn't solve anything,even if you worry about tomorrow it will not change what tomorrow has in stock for you

Don't join the committee of people praying to God for tables and chairs,they are ignorant that God creates trees and gives man wisdom to make the tables and chairs

When you begin to understand this you will change your prayer points and start praying for the right things.

Pray for wisdom,seek wisdom,seek understanding. All the raw materials you need are available just apply wisdom and get something out of them

I did not intend to make this post lengthy but I'm sure it is worth reading

Stop motivating yourself wrongly and begin to do something with your hands,God said He will bless the work of your hands not the thoughts of your heart

You must also know that it is not compulsory to start small,you can start big if you can. The most important thing is that your hand is doing something.

Don't sit down in a chair cross your legs and expect your tomorrow to work out itself. Get your hands busy.

© Umana's encouragement

18/05/2021

The way to learn

Everything around you has the ability to educate you, you just haven't been paying attention

So many miss the lessons because they had the wrong focus.

The world is a university and everybody in it is a teacher, so when you wake up in the morning make sure you go to school.............. Bishop T. D. Jakes

There is always something to learn in everything. When you take a risk and succeed you become a lesson to others

Everybody who do it wrong can as much teach you as the people who do it right, they all teach you something

But the question is

How do you learn?

1. Paying attention

“When you really pay attention, everything becomes your teacher”

When you pay attention to your environment, you will be able to observe the changes around and learn from them.

There is this popular saying that says “Show me what you pay attention to and I will tell you how great you will be”

Sometimes history repeats itself that's one of the reasons you should pay attention.

2. Focus on the lesson and not the class.

Place your focus on the goal (learning) and not the place where the lesson is received

“you don't get results by focusing on the results but focusing on the actions that birthed the results”......... Mike Hawkins

3. Not judging the teachers.

You can miss the lesson by trying to judge the teacher.When you begin to question their lives to know if they actually practice what they teach,

Then you have the feeling that they are not worthy to teach you something and by so doing you miss the content because of the container.

© Umana's encouragement

09/05/2021

Learn to adapt


Charles Darwin once said that
“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, it is the one that is most adaptable to change.”


You don't have to pause your life because of the new events you never plan for, you need to adapt to the changes around you


You cannot avoid the unexpected events (crisis) in your life, as it is these events that challenge you and force you to step out of your comfort zone.


If you ignore or hide away from the challenge of change, you deny yourself the opportunity to learn and grow.


You don't only learn when you are seated in the classroom or lecture hall but every time you stand up from your bed your lecture begins.


You may feel it is hard to be doing a task and still pay attention to other things but the more you are exposed to other tasks the more you learn.


Sometimes you need to force yourself to force yourself to take risks just to make sure you don't give excuses.


Being able to respond with a positive attitude and a willingness to learn new ways to achieve targets and objectives is a key competency.


Adapting to the situations around you also helps you to actively seek out new ways of doing things and have confidence to improvise or experiment and boost your creativity.


Your ability to adapt makes you able to adjust your style of working or method of approach to meet the needs of a situation or emergency.


As a person who's desire to succeed you need to embrace inconvenient change as a challenge, rather than a frustrating issue. It gives you the opportunity to showcase your problem-solving and delegation skills


Finding positive ways to deal with the stress and pressure that you face daily is key to your survival on both a physical and emotional level.

© Umana's encouragement

07/05/2021

You need a mirror


As humans we can see everyone around us but there is one person we can't see without a mirror



And that one person is you



It is easier to recognize other people's fault but it is not the same with our own faults



That is why you can easily spot the stain left on a colleague's face and not spot the stain on your left ear



We all need a mirror, it might not necessarily be a material mirror, It might be someone that gives you a reflection of who you are,I mean a person who can tell you your stains



A person who can help you see the part of that you can't see



There are so many people that would have cleaned their stains but never knew they had one and the best way to help them is to be a mirror to them.



Sorround yourself self with people who help you see yourself



Sometimes what they say is not what you want to hear but it is what you need to hear



If you are criticized constructively by a person and after a while the same person tells you what you can do to improve on those areas they criticized then value them.



If you can trust them in their criticism then you should trust them with their compliments.

© Umana's encouragement

26/04/2021

Blisters that teach

It is true that blisters come as a result of the pain people go through trying to cut grasses to make their environment look neat with the use of a cutlass

Are you also aware that most people use mowers to serve the same purpose? I'm sure they must have been tired of using cutlass.

John uses cutlass to keep his sorrounding clean and tidy despite the blisters

John knew that mower could be used to serve the same purpose but he had to use what he had to get what he wanted

I really admire the effort of John who still use cutlass to keep his sorrounding clean

Just because you can't afford a mower doesn't mean your sorrounding should be kept untidy

Who knows, someone might admire the way you cut the grass with your cutlass and get you a mower to finish the work

Here is the main point👇

Just because you can't afford everything you needed to achieve that your dream doesn't mean you should give up on them

Start with what you have,

Sometimes it will require you to work under someone to fulfill their dreams and inturn raise the capital to fuel your own dreams

The blisters you will get from that should be your motivation to work harder, knowing that you have your own dreams to fulfill.

Don't see serving people as a punishment but as a temporary help to grow and learn,knowing fully well that one day someone will serve you too.

Who knows, someone might admire the way you cut the grass with your cutlass and get you a mower to finish the work.

Dreams will always remain dreams until it is fulfilled, do your best to fulfill your dreams

© UUmana's encouragementeUmana's encouragement

20/04/2021

See why you shouldn't assume

The biggest predicament with making assumptions is that people believe they are the truth.

When you begin to work with assumptions with the believe that it is the truth,you may end up starting all over again.

What is assumption?

Assumption is the act of taking for granted, or supposing a thing without proof; a supposition; an unwarrantable claim.

Put it in another way, assumptions are mental shortcuts that save us time and effort since we don’t check out all the information surrounding the situation.

Unfortunately, the problem is that many of the assumptions turn out to be wrong and that can turn out badly if important things ride on those assumptions

Assumptions keep you in suspense for the truth, the truth set you free from assumptions

You may like to read that ☝️again

Know this

Assumptions remain assumptions until proven to be true.Stop assuming that some things will work out itself,make that thing work !
Assumption can be a trap.

Assumptions are limitations to making productive decisions,it also robs you of the chance to make final conclusions.

I will not advice you to plan your life with assumptions, that is a risk I will not like to take

Sometimes assumptions come out to be true but the chances are slim.

The best advice is to only make an assumption if you have to. Then ensure that it is validated as true as quickly as possible.

I hope this helps someone, let me know in the comments.

© Umana's encouragement

17/04/2021

The secret of achieving

Most people make the mistake that the main goal in life is to stay busy and try to do everything. this way of thinking is a trap.

I will show you how to achieve those dreams of yours if you can read this to the end. It will no longer be a secret because you are about to discover it yourself

Busyness does not necessarily equal progress. I love the way Myles Monroe puts it “When you aim at everything you usually hit nothing”

When you try to build to too many things without completing any of them, then you have built nothing all. (you were trying to build a not actually building)

Follow things one after the other. Like the music scholars would say “poco a poco” meaning little by little.

When you jump from one thing to another without truly focusing and completing any, you are liable to losing them

Imagine you trying to catch seven birds with one hand, I know how frustrating that would be and you may end up not catching any

What if you channel that same energy into catching two, it would be easier for you to focus, plan and execute.

After getting the two you really wanted then getting the rest will be easier because all you will need to do is to apply the wisdom you got from the two you've got.

That alone has saved you from the tragedy of trying to catch all and losing all. It has also taught you to focus, plan before executing.

In summary, the secret in achieving your dreams lies on focusing on the goal, planning with vision and executing with passion.

© Umana's encouragement

13/04/2021

Tolerate others

It is true that everyone cannot be like you, infact if everyone was like you this world would not be a place to be.

Who will do those things you are scared of doing? Who will do the talking and who will listen?

Come to think of it, there are somethings you don't even like about yourself that is a greater reason to tolerate others

Tolerance is accepting differences in other people. It is thinking 'It is OK that you are different from me

There are some habits that will never change in some people's lives sometimes those habits are not bad but you just wouldn't like it

Tolerance is the mindful capacity to love, respect, accept the differences that make people unique.

This tolerance exists so that all people can live in harmony without the exclusion of one over the other or the will of the few disaffecting the lives of the many.

Tolerance is possessing a heart or a spirit that gives room at all times for people's weakness and imperfection with a view to fostering peace and promoting friendship

Toleration is a distinctively modern response to disagreement and difference, and its ills are variations on modernity’s own.

When it is endorsed nevertheless, the act must be unmasked as a swindle, as a cover for either domination or moral collapse. It must be replaced with some other response.

"Laws alone can not secure freedom of expression; in order that every man present his views without penalty there must be spirit of tolerance in the entire population." Albert Einstein

“In order to achieve great things, you must stretch your beliefs, your efforts, and your tolerance. You will have to face new situations with an open mind, eager to reach your destiny."......Brain Cagneey

The secret to long lasting friendship is tolerance but be wise enough not to tolerate everything.

© Umana's encouragement

07/04/2021

6 life principles to have personal freedom, confidence and wisdom to create a meaningful life

Sometimes the best life-advice comes from its simplest form. Such simplicity causes it to appear so delicate and easy to ignore.

Understand these 6 life principles to have a personal freedom, confidence, and wisdom on creating your true meaningful life.

1.Overcome your self-doubts

By overcoming your Self-doubts you will be able to rejuvenate your confidence, you need to light up the spark by throwing away all the doubts.

2. Don't worry about what you can't control

There are things in life that we can’t control.The idea of control, whether to a person or a situation are the root of all kinds of blame nowadays.

3.Try not to make others feel less

Trying to show your strength by making others feel they are weak is not the best way to show your strength

4. Make your leisure time productive:Leisure time can also be spent with some fun-filled activities, these activities can make you learn many things. So give it a go and see what you are going to get.

5. Be sensitive enough to identify which one of moral are missing in your life per time and do something about it immediately.

6. Talk to God often

Even if you are not perfect just talk to him often, you may not call God the same thing I call him but talk to him often

Talking to him gives you faith and that faith is what gives you strength to push through

Faith don't make it easy but it makes it possible.

© Umana's encouragement

05/04/2021

The best way to change the world

One of the fears world changers have is the inability to control things beyond their control

Sometimes they wish they could change the way their leaders think,act and lots more.

There are things in life that we can’t control.

The idea of control, whether to a person or a situation are the root of all kinds of blame nowadays

Human capabilities are so powerful and yet diverted to the wrong effort.
We can never control weather, politics, our place of birth, our parents, the problems of other people and a lot more.

If your goal is to change the world then you must start by changing Yourself.

We can only control our self, which is, in fact, a true gift to every mankind.

How you handle yourself is what truly makes you “in control”, and that’s powerful.

A wise man once said this “there are so many good people in the world, if you are yet to find one then be one”

Changing the world starts with changing Yourself.

© Umana's encouragement

02/04/2021

If you were ask to wish for one thing and one thing alone and it will be given to you immediately, what would that thing be?

I can imagine how your mind is perplexed right now, you have so many things to wish for but I said one. please think very well before answering this question

Let me take your mind back to the bible, there was a man that was asked this same question

His response to it was what made him the wisest man. Am sure his mind offered him options too as your mind is offering you the same right now

He could have chosen fame since he was a king, kings always want to be popular in every kingdom

He could have chosen money since money could make him rich and powerful but if he had chosen money, it would have been possible for him to be a rich fool

Did it surprise you that his choice was wisdom?

A group of teenagers were asked this same question,while others were mentioning big houses,money and others things

The wisest one among them said this “I wish that everything I wish for will come to pass” what a wise teen!

Does it mean that the person asking the question doesn't know that you will wish for so many things? Then why did He ask you for one?

Pay serious attention now its about to drop

Here is the reason

Out of everything that your mind will think of,it will still be tied to one thing and the moment you locate that one thing the rest will accompany it

Solomon understood that with wisdom he can get money, fame and all those options his mind offered him.

Sometimes all you want is tied to one thing and all you have to do is to locate that thing

Once you locate that one thing all other things shall be added to you.

I hope this helps someone,do well to share your voice in the comments.

© Umana's encouragement

01/04/2021

30/03/2021

Dear young people,

Did you remember that feeling you had those days when your parents gets you a new dress?

I can recall how happy I was each time I got a new dress,I would invite my friends to come and see it and we will just be smiling at the dress every ten minutes.

Do you have the same feeling now?

Looking at those dresses now,you will just smile at them and kick them away that's if you are not using them as rags

at first when the dress was new you will feel like rocking it at every occasion, you invite your friends to come and see it but with time you turn that same dress into a rag

Because they are of no use now, you have outgrown them.

That should also happen to your thinking, your view of things and your beliefs.

When I was a child I thought like a child

That's why it was easy for them to make you believe that “if you swallow a seed it will grow on your head”(African proverb)

Thinking about those things now, you will think you were a fool for believing those lies but no,you were just a child and that's why it was easy for you to believe it.

For some of you, you buy clothes for yourself now and you do so many things for yourself now compared to how it was before

You will be lost in this world if you don't begin to accept this change and start taking decisions for yourself

There is no one to wake you up from the bed, there is nobody to run the bath for you

You do all that by yourself now because you have to take full responsibility of yourself now.

Do the same to your mind, you dad fought those battles for you while you were still a child, now you have to fight for yourself

Don't just abuse the freedom you have now, discipline yourself for your own good

Not just because you should but for the sake of your future because you won't be a child forever

Nobody will flog you for not working hard but life will.

Thanks for reading,do well to share your voice in the comments

27/03/2021

Have a schedule

In every thing you do, value time.

If you are human then you must learn to manage time not just because you have to but because everybody has twenty four hours

No matter how rich, powerful and Influential you are,you can't get an extra hour.

Your excessive lamentation is a prove that you are not managing your time properly.

Nobody tells you when to read, eat,play,pray and when to hang out with friends but your schedule should

Always get a schedule for your day,it helps you manage time properly.

Now what is a schedule?

A schedule is a plan for carrying out a process or procedure, giving lists of intended events and times.

Scheduling is the art of planning your activities so that you can achieve your goals and priorities in the time you have available. When it's done effectively, it helps you: Understand what you can realistically achieve with your time. Make sure you have enough time for essential tasks.

A phone call can last for hours and a meal can be consumed in hours but if it was not there in your schedule it would rob you of somany things

There are things you create time for and there are things you do in your spare time

You don't create time for everything and you don't do everything in your spare time

The earlier you know this the faster you get to achieving something.

I hope this helps someone do well to share your voice in the comments.

© Umana's encouragement