Truth | I Am Akanji.

Halfway Progress Check

We’re half way through 2018 already! #timeflieswhenyourehavingfun

Here are 7 things I’ve learned so far;

Set Goals.. I know this is cliché but for me, it’s been a slow realization. I used to let the chips fall where they may, go with the flow. Nope, that doesn’t work. Make a list, check off accomplishments one by one. It’s not only a great motivation, but also very satisfying.
Be intentional.. Be it professionally, personally, with friends or family, be intentional about what you do. Make an effort where neccessary and let go of things or people who do not fit into your life. There’s peace waiting on the other side.
Save money.. Well, I’m just really bad at this but I’m learning. Wealth is built they say.
It’s not that serious.. I look a few years back and I laugh hysterically at the “worries” that kept me up at night. It really isn’t that serious and even if it is, “this too shall pass”. So live with hope for tomorrow’s sunrise.
Do things that bring you joy.. This one’s easy to say but hard to do, yet absolutely critical to a healthy state of mind. Find time to invest in your own happiness. You’ll be glad you did.
Be patient.. I’m prone (as I’m sure many of us are) to comparing our growth and success with others. This is destructive because it oftentimes is demoralizing. Appreciate your process and know that you shine just as brightly, in your own right.
You’re not in control.. As much as we want to plan and orchestrate and perfect our lives, we don’t own our lives. God does. So follow His lead, and let Him work for your good.

Most of us spend an awful lot of time, pondering what fulfillment in life means. Usually, it is a bland routine we have come to endearingly hate. Our lives are spent wishing we could be living life to our fullest potential, yet we stay in draining jobs, living miserably, constantly in anticipation for the next vacation.

Still, we fiercely protect this routine. If asked to answer the call in our hearts, next month’s rent immediately becomes our primary focus. Better to give our skills for the advancement of someone else’s vision, than give any attention to our own desires and goals.

My intention is not to undermine the value of stability. Yes, shelter and food are important for survival. The question becomes; do these needs render us petrified to listen to our own callings?

It is true that not every path is the same. Perfectly content employees do exist. They create fulfilling lives for themselves in service to others. It is equally clear that success is not measured by the size of one’s staff, wealth or ego. Success is measured by the joy our lives bring for us and others.

Therefore, evaluate yourselves by asking the right questions and examining your life honestly. Are you living your purpose? If the answer is yes, then bravo! If the answer is no, you are faced with a few choices.

Steve Harvey says at a given point in one’s life, we face a cliff. That cliff signifies our talents and desires. Jump off that cliff into the unknown, or stand at the edge and forever wonder what could be. The leap guarantees one of two possibilities; fly or fall. But first we must jump.

So, overcome fear, and Step off that ledge! Follow your heart’s call. We are vessels created for the Glory of God, thus we cheat ourselves by living mediocre lives.

There will never be too much joy in the world, and everyone deserves it.

We Should All Be Like Children

Posted on May 6 by I Am Akanji.

Have you been around a child? They are the freest creatures. They laugh aloud, cry aloud, think aloud, and are unafraid of their emotions. Their friends are spoons, the sofa, mommy’s high heels, daddy’s hat, or anything in their immediate vicinity that calls to them. They play with people/things everyone can see, as well as those no one can see. They spill things and wallow in the mess because it feels good. Children live in the present, they are creative, naive, innocent, and full of life and wonder. We should all be like children.

Why you ask? Consider this; adults worry all the time, mainly about things they cannot control. It’s almost pre-requisite to being a grown-up. They care about how others perceive them, which often influences their actions and reactions. They typically befriend people who hold the same values. They imprison their creativity and lock away their dreams because they live by the “responsible” taxpaying, bill-paying standards of societal acceptance. As a result, only 30 percent of the world reported a 6 or higher on a happiness scale from 0 to 10, according to the 2017 World Happiness Report.

That said, what must adults do? We should all be like children. Rich in wonder, doe-eyed at the world, and never afraid to feel. We should never stop inquiring, trying, imagining, trusting, and believing in the impossible. Imagine if we combine our advanced intellectual comprehension .

This is not a magic solution to world unhappiness, seeing as circumstances are usually more complex than flipping a switch. It is insensitive to trivialize grave world issues that cause pain and sadness in people’s lives. What this write-up hopes to establish is that if people saw life with a child’s eyes, living under less than ideal situations – often beyond our limitations – could become less burdensome. Lisa Rosas writes; “If we can learn to let go and not want to control all aspects in life, we can then feel freer.”

So, watch children’s cartoons, and read children’s books. Share, trust, forgive, and love wholly. Most importantly live in the moment. Growing old is inevitable, but growing up is a choice.

Choose Your Road

Posted on April 29 by I Am Akanji.

Ordinarily, waking up ready to conquer the world, being alive, ambitious, bold, and beautiful is effortless.

Still, there are days when blankets are havens, and the ground would feel like thorns beneath weary feet. It is for such days that Jim Rohn spoke the following words;

Truth.

The difference between success stories and everything else is this; the great ones never adopt mediocrity. Routinely, the extra mile is how far they go.

So, on such days when life is less than remarkable, remember Jim Rohn’s words alongside these;

Greatness Unmasked

Posted on April 22 by I Am Akanji.

A faint glimmer of greatness. So faint it almost isn’t there. In fact, most days the rough around it masks it’s magnificence.

This particular day, I – frustrated, toss my hoe to the side, arch my back for relief, and curse every drop of sweat on my furrowed brow. “What do I plough so hard for? Is this hustle worth it?”

You can only find what you seek if you never stop seeking. You can only get where you’re going if you never stop moving.

I remember the one for whose glory I was created to live. I choose greatness, even if all I see is a faint glimmer.

This particular day, I – encouraged, pick up my hoe, smile with purpose and wipe with pride, the sweat on my furrowed brow. “I plough because I must fully unmask my magnificence. It must shine for the glory of He who made me.”

Be Your Own Hero

Posted on February 24 by I Am Akanji.

Self motivation is underestimated. Too often, we rely on others to push us where we need to be, or we look on the success of others to serve as our inspiration. While this is encouraged, the bulk of our accomplishments will come as a result of our personal dedication and mental readiness to tackle the big plans our dreams lay before us.

I used to live vicariously through others. If someone was travelling the world, writing a book or releasing a new album, I would relish their accomplishments with a hint of jealousy and a deep feeling of longing,. I often ended up measuring my success to theirs. Mine never lived up!

Those moments did fuel a fire within me. I’d tell myself how I would conquer the world with the art I was created to create, I’d make mental plans and envision unmatched success.

The disappointing news is that though powerful and important, that external motivation was always short-lived. A little time would elapse and I’d be back to seeking more from those who already ‘made it’.

Someone smart once said doing the same things and expecting different results = insanity. So, I looked within myself and I realized that I’d based my personal growth on that of others. Something had to give, scratch that, something NEEDED to give!

I began to embrace my own growth no matter how slow, I began to enjoy the success of others, not just as fuel for my own fire, but as a genuine appreciation for how far God was bringing them. I started to seize my own journey, and remind myself that no one will walk my walk for me.

I cannot over state how life-changing this has been. This realization has polished not only my approach to grabbing destiny by the horns, but there’s a magical feeling of liberation that comes with it.

As much as we’d like it to be so, God did not put us on this planet to live another person’s life. We are each responsible for our own journies. You’d think this is a simple lesson, yet many – myself included, struggle with accepting this. Something needs to give!

All this to say Live Your Own Life, Be Your Own HERO.

Lost Compass

Posted on December 18 by I Am Akanji.

when will my heart know what it is that I was put here to accomplish
destiny wouldn’t be destiny if we had a way to decipher her
today i surrender to THE force beyond my puny comprehension,
that HE will serve tomorrow on my platter of hope for greater
today, i’m lost
i will find my compass soon
i pray

via Daily Prompt: Compass

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