Hi,
I'm Elizabeth Olujimi, the Thriving Coach.Welcome to my blog page.
You will find articles on various topics which include:
Mindset, Wellbeing, Personal Development, Pursuing Your Dreams etc.
This blog will also include all my published articles.
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As published by Luminous Wisdom: SOPHIA
Magazine June 2021
DARE TO BELIEVE
Your Dreams Can Come Alive
By Elizabeth Olujimi
Often as children we have unlimited dreams, dreams that are daring, dreams that are courageous, dreams that stretch our imagination. Unfortunately, as we grow older and encounter different life experiences, it seems we either stop dreaming or we allow our current reality to stop us from pursuing our dreams.
As you read this, allow your mind to embark on a journey of possibilities. If you had no limitations, what would your dream job be? What would your dream business look like? What would your dream family look like? What would your dream life look like? Be as specific as you can be and paint the picture in your imagination. Now take it a step further and write it out or make a vision board. How does your life today compare to the future your desire aka, your dream?
It is one thing to have dreams but do not let it stop there, you need to take it beyond that and think about some small actions that you can start taking to make your dreams a reality. Your dreams will not just happen, you need to do something. The journey towards your dreams will not always be smooth, that is the reality of life, but you should be determined to act regardless of the obstacles and limitations. Any dreams worth pursuing will always come at a cost, they might cost you your time, money, or relationships; this will be painful, but you must pursue with the end in mind.
The option of leaving your dreams on a shelf, in a journal or a vision board somewhere is not an option because your dreams are part of your legacy, as you pursue your dreams and live out your dreams, you impact the world around you. Your dreams could be the miracle that someone is waiting for. Your dreams could be the answer to someone’s prayer. Your dreams will reveal to the world an aspect of who you are, and they will be your imprint on the world.
It is easy to formulate a list of excuses as to why you should not pursue your dreams however, there is purpose to your dreams. You might think, what if I fail, what if nobody likes my ideas but to the contrary, what if you succeed, what if the people around you think they are fantastic ideas? The truth is, you will never know until you start acting on them. Pursuing your dreams starts from a place of belief, believing in your dreams, believing that you have what it takes. When you believe in your dreams, you start to value them, and you realise that they are worth bringing to life.
Yes, your dreams are your responsibility, but they will stretch you beyond yourself so do not be shy to reach out for support from the people around you. You have the power to breathe life into your dreams, wake up and take responsibility of bringing your dreams to life.
As published by Luminous Wisdom: SOPHIA Magazine July 2021
DARE TO BELIEVE
You Are Valuable, Yes You!
By Elizabeth Olujimi
When you gaze into the mirror, what do you see? Do you see yourself just as you are, or do you see yourself through a filter? As we go through life, we tend to adopt filters that can affect the value we see in ourselves. These filters can be a result of things we have experienced, heard, or seen. Sometimes we can also see ourselves through a filter of our dreams or desires such that when we look in the mirror, we do not see where we are coming from but rather where we are going.
As you read this, reflect on the filters that you are seeing yourself through. Do they paint you in a negative or positive light? You might have been through traumatic experiences or devastating failures that left an imprint on you, as a result, you are now seeing yourself through the filter of those experiences. Your experiences can shape you, but they do not define you or determine your value. People might label you based on the experiences you have been through but that does not define your value.
When you see yourself through a filter, it covers up your uniqueness however, there is nobody on this earth that is the same as you. That means you are unique in your own way. Your story is unique, your personality is unique, what you carry is unique, your voice is unique. There are somethings that you can do, people you can serve that nobody else can. Filters can make us compare ourselves to others and when we fall into that trap, we are automatically embracing the narrative that our uniqueness is not valuable. Do not see your uniqueness as a limitation, see it as something to build on.
How you see yourself is particularly important, it can determine several factors in your life. If you see yourself as a person of no value, that is how you will present yourself to the world around you. It will determine your attitude, your decisions, and your actions. It will also have impact on your confidence level and the self-talk going on in your mind. On the contrary, if you see yourself as a person of value, it will be evident in the way you carry yourself, and you will naturally want to add value to others.
We all experience different situations in life but regardless of what we have been through, we should not allow life’s experiences to rob us of our value. In addition to that, what you believe about your value is more important than what people say about you. Your value is not determined by the opinions of people, you determine your value. As you read this, dare to believe that there is something of value on the inside of you and you matter to your tribe, to your community, to your world. So, know your value, own it and shine with it.
As published by Luminous Wisdom: SOPHIA Magazine August 2021
DARE TO BELIEVE
You Are More Than Where You Are
By Elizabeth Olujimi
Last year, I found myself exploring opportunities in my imagination, opportunities that would challenge me, grow me, and ultimately bring me where I am today. What triggered this; the company I was working for was offering its employees the chance to apply for redundancy (or as they called it, voluntary parting). When I initially saw the email, I closed it because I feared what could be, how could I walk away from a job that was comfortable and flexible, a job that brought guaranteed income each month. None the less, I came back to the email later and asked myself....what if? What if I applied for redundancy and started a whole new adventure? What if I dare to take steps in the direction of my dreams and passions?
In life, there are opportunities that come your way that will scare you, they will make you ask yourself the what if question. You will always have the option of thinking beyond the what if's and acting on them or choosing to remain where you are, your comfort zone. Sometimes this is the reason why you do no achieve certain things in life. What if you gave yourself permission to think beyond where you are today? Would you be able to see the possibilities that could be, the dreams that could be achieved, the life that could be lived? Taking action helps you come to the realisation that you are more than where you are.
You all have the potential on the inside to take you beyond where you are but, you must first believe it. Believe that there is more to you. Believe that you can achieve more. Believe that you can make more. Sometimes, you might struggle to believe it, so you need to have the right voices around you, voices of people who believe in you. The voices you give power to affect your belief system however, when you believe that you have the potential to be more than where you are, it energizes you to start pursuing opportunities that will unlock that potential.
Do you ever find yourself saying "I don't have what it takes?". That might be true today, but it does not have to be your reality tomorrow. Take time to find out what you need to grow in so that when the moment comes, you have what it takes. Opportunities to be more are all around you but when you are not consciously looking or challenging yourself to grow, it is easy to miss them.
Where you are today reflects the opportunities you have embraced or chosen to walk away from but, could there be more? does today present any chances for you to stop settling and start looking beyond where you are? There is a bigger space out there for you to occupy, there are more people out there that need to hear your inspiration. Start believing that there is more to you than where you are right now.
As published by Luminous Wisdom: SOPHIA
Magazine September 2021
DARE TO BELIEVE
The Power of Embracing Change
By Elizabeth Olujimi
Ever found yourself in a position where you started a job and thought, this is just temporary but weeks, months or even years later, you are still doing that job because you got comfortable? Or maybe you've gotten used to routines and you don't see the need for change. Looking back at the last 12 - 18 months, most of us would have been forced to change our routines because of the pandemic. We have now developed new routines and as the world opens up again, we can look forward to more changes.
Change is not always easy, and it can sometimes leave you feeling down especially when you have let go of loved ones with whom you shared fond memories with or when you have to leave a place that means something to you. We all experience change daily, and it affects us in different ways. Change can also be scary because we don't know what is on the other side, as a result, we give room to fear. This fear can hold us back from living the life we want to live, and it soon clouds our perspective when making certain decisions. nonetheless, change is a necessary part of life, so we need to learn to embrace it and keep going.
Sometimes in life, we get comfortable doing things in a particular way and we never see a reason to change, or we are waiting on others to change. However, when you find yourself stuck in a cycle that is producing results that you do not like or results that don't lead you towards the future you desire, it is time for change. Its time for you to take control and determine the change you want to see then start to be intentional about being that change.
In addition, change can also stir up feelings of joy and fulfilment. I remember when I held my baby for the first time, there was an overwhelming feeling of joy. Although that was the main change that had occurred, it triggered other changes in my life, changes I had to embrace for me to move forward. If I was going to be a good mother, I had to change my way of thinking, I had to change my routines, I had to change how I managed my time.
On the journey of becoming a better version of yourself and making your dreams a reality, change will always be inevitable. You have to remember that change comes in all sizes, and it can be unique to you. Like all things in life, there is change that's good for you and change that's bad for you so embrace the right change for where you are and where you are going. Embracing change will encourage you to grow and experience new things, new places and new people so don't get stuck with a mindset that resists change.
As published by Luminous Wisdom: SOPHIA Magazine October 2021
DARE TO BELIEVE
Start Facing Your Fears
By Elizabeth Olujimi
What are you doing today to face your fears? Everyday, life presents opportunities for us to try something new but how many times do we reject those opportunities because of the voice of fear in our heads. Sometimes that voice convinces us that people will laugh at us or whatever we are trying to do will fail. The voice of fear will always be there, but you need to use your power to silence it so that you are not robbed of the celebration that comes after trying new experiences that you were once scared of.
Fear can be described as false evidence appearing real, this means that in our imagination, we very easily create a narrative which we adopt as reality. This narrative isn't always based on past experiences, we just seem to think the worst and expect the worst. In such situations, we need to train ourselves to think the best not the worst. We need to shift our mindset so instead of saying "what if I fail?", say "what if I succeed?"
Sometimes our fear is a result of the voices we have around us as we go through life. If you have ever been told things like: "you are not good enough", "you do not have what it takes", "you are not beautiful", "you do not speak like them", fear will make you believe that is your reality. If you dare to believe and try whatever you fear doing, you defy the negative statements that have been spoken to you. By doing this, you will soon realise that you are good enough, you are beautiful, you have what it takes, you speak like you and that's good enough.
The main difference between someone who is a go getter and someone who does a lot of wishful thinking is that even though they both feel the fear, one has chosen to take action while the other has remained stuck and chosen to give fear control. when you give fear control, it limits you from moving forward and keeps you in your comfort zone. Imagine you must get across a bridge, if you stay focused on all the bad things that could happen, fear will automatically take effect and you will remain stuck but if you look past all the bad things that could happen and reflect on the positive, you will be energised to move forward and cross the bridge.
Fear starts as a thought and whatever thought we empower, it will gradually become our reality. We all have the potential to achieve great things however, for us to achieve great things, we must start facing our fears by controlling our thoughts and daring ourselves to take action. As you read this, think about what you can do to face your fear because it will grow you and you will discover more about yourself.
As published by Luminous Wisdom: SOPHIA Magazine November 2021
DARE TO BELIEVE
Your Time is Now
By Elizabeth Olujimi
Everyday, we all get served 24 hours and its up to us to either make those 24 hours count or watch them waste away. Time is like a currency and how you choose to spend it will determine how successful you will be with the things you set out to do. Therefore, if you want to be successful, you need to be intentional with your time, use it wisely to do the things that matter top you.
Growing up, I used to hear the saying "time is money" but I never fully grasped what it meant until I was older. We say time is money but do we value time the way we value money, if we did, maybe some of us would be living the dream right now not wishing the dream. If you have a dream and you keep telling yourself, "I will start working on it tomorrow", tomorrow will never come rather why not start working on it now because your time is now.
In life, so many people waste time because they choose to procrastinate. Procrastination can sometimes be a result of fear or a lack of self-belief, when you allow it, it can hold you back from pursuing your dreams and fulfilling your potential, it puts a limitation on how far you can progress in life. Procrastination will blind you from seeing the urgency in the things you need to give your attention to and, this can sometimes lead to costly consequences.
Often, we think our time is not now because we are comfortable where we are, and we are not ready to pay the price of moving forward or experiencing something new. Achieving your dreams and obtaining the results you desire will always be costly and its highly likely that the actions you take will push you out of your comfort zone so instead of delaying the inevitable, choose to make the most of your time now.
Think about this for a moment, how easy is it for you to come up with an excuse instead of taking action? I'm sure most of you would agree, it's easier to make up an excuse. When we become accustomed to making excuses, we are literally saying "my time is not now" but if it isn't now, when is it? For some of the actions we must take, the conditions will never be perfect, but we must be committed because we know the result we are trying to achieve.
Your time is now means it's time for you to stop making excuses because it is time for you to show up and be intentional with the things you are doing so that you can live out your dreams. Start valuing your time and make each day count because once today is gone, it can never be relieved. Time never stands still so likewise, your life shouldn't stand still, look around you and determine what you need to give time towards because, your time is now.
As published by Luminous Wisdom: SOPHIA Magazine December 2021
DARE TO BELIEVE
Your Past is Not You
By Elizabeth Olujimi
Have you ever felt stuck because you are holding on to mistakes or things of the past? You can’t always control what happens to you in life, but you can control how you react to life’s situations. Your reaction and attitude can determine if you stay in a place of surviving or thriving. Just because you have experienced something or made a fundamental mistake, you don’t have to remain in that state, you can choose to start afresh or let go and walk away from the situation.
Everything that you experience in life will present an opportunity for you to learn and grow but the onus is on you to find those opportunities. A few years ago, I found myself in an awkward position where I failed a professional exam, I was embarrassed, disappointed, frustrated and my job was hanging in the balance. I could have decided to remain in a place of self-pity and call myself a failure, but I knew I could do better, I wasn’t going to allow that moment to define my life. So, I gave myself time to reflect and learn from the failure after which, I was able to re-sit the exam and pass it.
Life can also present some very painful moments which can often leave you feeling heartbroken however, when you experience brokenness, it doesn’t mean you will remain broken all your life. Perhaps the brokenness presents an opportunity for you to rediscover yourself. You must remember that brokenness is not who you are, it is a season that has an end date, but you must give time towards your healing process and see the light beyond the dark moments. Those dark moments will remain unless you make a conscious decision to find the light.
Taking hold of your future will require you to let go of the things from your past that are holding you back. In some instances, the experiences of your past have become engrained in your subconscious and now present themselves as limiting beliefs. You struggle to take the next steps because the limiting beliefs are reminding you of who you were in the past and the things you experienced. The process of letting go is not always easy depending on what you must release however, it is necessary, so if you need the support of people around you, reach out.
There is a sense of freedom that comes with letting go of the burdens of the past, the things that held you back and allowing yourself to be uniquely you so you can shine where you are. Don’t allow your past to define you and put a lid on your future. Choose to remove any labels that you have acquired from the experiences you have gone through in the past. You are better than your past, embrace that and give life your best.
As published by Luminous Wisdom: SOPHIA Magazine January 2022
DARE TO BELIEVE
It Starts With You
By Elizabeth Olujimi
As you start this new year, it’s important to remind yourself that if this new year is going to be a great year, it starts with you. It starts with you realizing the need for change, choosing to step up and doing something about it otherwise, if nothing changes, you will keep getting the same results. You can dream and imagine what the year will be like but if you don’t take action, the dream will not become a reality. You can plan for certain things but if you are not intentional, those plans can never materialise.
If you have ever been in a relationship, I’m sure you will agree that it is easy to find fault in what someone else is doing or not doing instead of looking introspectively. Likewise with many other things in life, its easier for us to blame the things or people around us rather than take responsibility. In some instances, taking responsibility could simply mean that you put in place the right boundaries to limit the effects of the things or people around you. You could also choose to pick your battles because not every battle is worth fighting.
When you have a desire to succeed, reminding yourself that it starts with you will help you take ownership; you will not be waiting for opportunities, you will be looking for opportunities. Your success will be highly impacted by your thoughts, beliefs, attitude, habits, words, and actions. So, you will have to work on yourself as you are on the journey to success because growth happens on that journey and who you become is an important part of the process.
It starts with you reemphasizes the idea that you can’t give what you don’t have so if you are going to add value to others, you also need to add value to yourself, and self-care needs to be a priority. You need to take time to look after yourself mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually so that you can give your best to the things and the people you are committed to. This will also mean developing yourself and putting your best foot forward in every interaction.
Life comes in different shapes and sizes, but it is always up to you to determine what the result will be. How will you react to the thing’s life throws at you this year? Will you choose to concentrate on what and who is around you or will you decide to start with you? Our thoughts greatly affect our actions and ultimately, our results so, for some the biggest battle will be the one going on in our minds, but you must be determined to shift your thoughts and your mindset towards success. It starts with you because you are responsible for your success.
As published by Luminous Wisdom: SOPHIA Magazine February 2022
Dare To Believe
Your Life Serves A Purpose
By Elizabeth Olujimi
When the harsh realities of life hit you, it's easy to get into a place where you start questioning the meaning of your life. Wondering if your life serves a purpose because everything around you seems so dark and hopeless. Life might not always look or feel good but everyday that we wake up is a sign that our life still serves a purpose and we need to live life with that in mind.
Sadly in 2007 one of my brothers passed away and the reality of living a life of purpose really hit home for me. I remember reflecting on the purpose his life served and the difference he made to the lives of those who encountered him. Often I find myself smiling when I think back to how he would walk into a room and light it up with his smile and personality. Your life serving a purpose is not limited to big things that you do, every little act of kindness adds to it.
Sometimes we get caught up in the quest of trying to find our purpose and even get frustrated along the way yet all our lives can serve a purpose when we choose to live life intentionally and positively impact the people around us. Regardless of the pain and brokenness we have experienced through life, we still have something to give therefore, our lives can still serve a purpose.
The purpose your life serves can be similar to the people around you but it won’t be the same because it’s unique to you. The problems you can solve and the people you can serve will be different. Life will present opportunities to you daily so don’t shy away from these opportunities, embrace them and serve your purpose passionately. As a result, your life will be more fulfilled and you’ll be making everyday count.
Serving your life’s purpose is not something that can be accomplished in isolation so it’s important to have the right people around you, people who inspire and challenge you to show up as the best version of yourself. There are times we have people in our circles who always remind us of the darkness and hopelessness we have experienced in life, we need to learn to silence those voices so that we can allow our lives to serve a purpose that transcends generations.
Reminding yourself that your life serves a purpose can be a motivation and a fuel to birth the dreams that you have been holding back on. It can help you stay focused and avoid distractions so you can accomplish certain goals. It can be the anchor that helps you to hold on when the storms of life hit you. It can be the trigger that will drive you to dare to believe and make decisions on the things that you have been procrastinating on. I want to take this moment to remind you that your life serves a purpose.
As published by Luminous Wisdom: SOPHIA Magazine March 2022
Dare To Believe
Your Words Have Power
By Elizabeth Olujimi
Our words have the power to build or destroy, to encourage or discourage. There is an old proverb that says ‘Sticks and stones will break my bones but words will never harm me’. Although this might be true physically, the words that we speak and the words spoken over us can take residence in our subconscious and affect the decisions that we make and how we live our lives. Those words can become limiting beliefs that stop us from fully unlocking our potential or they can serve as a motivation to propel us forward.
As a mother to a toddler, I am very aware of the effect my words can have on my child. There are times where she imitates my words and there are also times where her actions are a direct result of the words I am saying to her. There have been incidents where she has wanted to try something new but she was scared. However, with some words of encouragement from me, she knew I believed in her and she was able to look past the fear and do it. In those instances, my words have the power to help her build her confidence.
Imagine you shared an idea or a dream for your future with a friend and the words they responded with were negative, how would you feel? The words we speak to the people around us can reveal our thoughts towards them, whether we believe in them or we dislike them. If our words to other people are mostly negative, they will soon distance themselves from us because we are putting a damper on their mood. So, our words can nurture relationships or destroy them, afterall, who wants to be in the company of somebody who is constantly speaking negatively.
When we speak negatively about ourselves, it’s a sign that we do not value ourselves, we are struggling with our self esteem / self confidence and we are indirectly telling the people arounds us not to value us. Your words are often a reflection of your thoughts so they paint a picture and convey a message to the people around you. Sometimes we wonder why certain people treat us in a particular way, could it be it's because of the way they have observed us speak to or about ourselves?
Your words have the power to frame your world so think about the world you want and who you want to become. Your words are not forced on you, you have the power to choose your words. You can choose to speak words that will challenge and inspire you to be a better version of yourself. Words that will create a conducive environment for you to grow and thrive. Words that will not only encourage you but will also encourage those around you. Choose words that will build not destroy because your words have power
As published by Luminous Wisdom: SOPHIA Magazine April 2022
Dare To Believe
Being Confident is a Must
By Elizabeth Olujimi
Last month we celebrated International Women’s Day which was themed Break The Bias. If we are to break the bias, we must be confident in who we are and present ourselves as confident women in whatever spheres we find ourselves in. When we are confident, we have the motivation to rise up and put ourselves forward for the opportunities that we desire. When we are confident, we don’t see barriers stopping us, instead we see barriers that we have the ability to break and go beyond. Confidence can be our fuel for breaking the bias.
When you have experienced challenges in your journey, it's easy to want to give up and keep blaming yourself. However, if you remain in that place mentally, it will affect your level of self belief and that will have a knock on effect on your confidence. A lack of confidence will mean that you won’t always put your best foot forward in whatever tasks you are doing. For some, it will mean your voice is silent in matters where you need to speak up and be heard. This lack of confidence can result in a false representation of yourself.
Sometimes your lack of confidence is because the people around you haven’t believed in you, you have looked for affirmation to no avail. They haven’t said the things that you were expecting them to say. The people around you might never believe in you but don’t let that stop you from believing in yourself and showing up confidently. In some instances you might have to change your circle of friends or change the room you are in and get around people who believe in you so that you can have that confidence boost.
Your confidence can also be affected by the comparisons you are making and the standards that you are trying to live up to. When you keep comparing yourself to other people, you will never achieve your desire because we are all unique and different in some way. Just because you sound or look different, that is not reason enough for you to hide who you are from the world. The world doesn’t need photocopies of people, it needs originals so you need to learn to accept your differences, embrace your unique features and thrive with confidence.
As you show up with an intention to break the bias, you must choose to ignore the stereotypes and the negative voices that might be speaking. You must believe in yourself and value who you are and what you carry. When you value yourself, you are conscious that your voice matters, your opinion counts, you have a say. When you are in a room, don’t write yourself off, celebrate how far you have come because you qualify to be in that room and you have what it takes to rise to the top. So, be bold, be confident and break the bias.
As published by Luminous Wisdom: SOPHIA Magazine May 2022
Dare To Believe
Stop Being Average, Start Thriving
By Elizabeth Olujimi
When you dare to believe, you are choosing to stretch beyond where you are, you are choosing to believe that there is more and things could be better. Daring to believe first requires a mindset shift where you no longer focus on the limitations but you focus on what could be possible. It means thinking beyond your background, your education, your ethnicity, your space and imagining what could become if you stepped out of average. When you start taking action in line with your thinking, you stop being average and you start thriving.
A few years ago, I watched an event and thought to myself, it would be amazing to be in that room for the event the following year but, I didn’t bother to count the cost and plan for it. Attending the event wasn’t just about the financial cost, I needed to stretch my mind and dare to believe that I was qualified to be in that room. As a result, I found myself watching the event virtually again, however, something started to shift, I dared to believe that I wasn’t average and I could be one of those people present in the room.
Many times, we settle for average because we have not stretched our imagination, we have not allowed ourselves to dream of a life beyond where we are. We can’t see past the things and places that have become familiar because we are comfortable and we are not ready to embrace the growth that comes alongside stretching. Going beyond average will come at a price and if we are not ready to pay the price, we will forever remain average and never make it to the place of thriving.
You can not stop being average until you change your thinking and the actions that follow. If your thinking is average, your actions will be average. I want you to imagine you have a task to complete, if you have an average attitude, your actions will be average and so will your results. In other words, if you want to shift from being average, you need to stop giving average and let the results you desire drive what you are putting in. So if you have a dream that you are working on to help you thrive, remember success doesn’t come from average effort, you have to be willing to give your best.
Thriving is a place where you are flourishing, a place where life is looking and getting better. A place where you are happy within and it is reflected outwardly. When you are thriving, you are living on purpose, making each day count and doing things that are intentional and impactful. Before you can embrace the place of thriving, you need to be determined to stop thinking average, giving average and being average. That means making up your mind to pay the price and do what it takes to live a life that is above average so that you can thrive.
Self-care is always a win.
By Elizabeth Olujimi
I’ve got a two-year-old and when I reflect back to what life was like when I gave birth, it helps me understand the real need for self-care. There were days I felt like I was running on empty, but I had to learn to balance the hats I was wearing and still look after myself and be present for my baby. There are some seasons we go through in life where we must adjust and find a balance daily. Over the past year, we have all experienced the effects of the pandemic and it affected us in different ways. There were changes forced on us that we had to navigate through and in the process try not to lose ourselves. For some of us, our homes became our offices, and we did not know when to switch off or we could not work, and we had to find a way of passing the time or we had to take on new roles and that presented its own challenges. The pandemic affected us on different levels and if self-care was not something you were conscious of, you would be doing more harm than good to yourself. Self-care is not something that somebody can do for you, it’s about you taking care of yourself however, this can often be misinterpreted as you are being selfish. Self-care is about your wellbeing and when you do not take care of yourself you cannot give your best to the things that are a priority to you. This can also start to affect the decisions you are making, and you gradually find yourself in a place you detest. A lack of self-care can also affect your motivation and your level of productivity. As you read this, look around and think of an item or even a person that is of value to you. What do you do to show that it is of value? If it’s an item, do you treat it like anything else you own or if it is a person in your life, do they get special treatment? You are a person of value, no matter what anyone has said in the past or the situations you have been through in life. By making selfcare a priority, you are saying “I value me, I value my wellbeing”.
Sometimes we find ourselves overwhelmed, constantly on the go or overly giving ourselves to people and things because we fear saying no or hurting someone’s feelings. One of the best ways to practice self-care is by putting the right boundaries in place so that you are not over committing, and you are focusing on what is important. You might be asking yourself what do I need to say no to or am I over committed in certain areas? A good place to start is by determining what your values and priorities are in other words, what is important to you at this stage in your life? We are all different so our values and priorities will be different and sometimes they might be affected by the seasons we are in.
We all get 24 hours in the day but some of us find ourselves more stressed out or tired than those around us because of the things we are involved in. it seems like everything around you wants a piece of your time. Sometimes we even say, “I wish there were more hours in the day.” The key is in how we spend our time, that is what makes the difference. If you find yourself in a place where you are not having time for the people and things that are important, it is a good place to rest, relax and reflect. Rest by taking a break from your normal routine. Relax yourself, your mind and body. Reflect on what is working and what is not in relation to the things that are a priority to you. When you have done that, act in a way that says, “I value me, and I value my wellbeing”.
Self-care is a win in every way because it shows that you value yourself and it ensures that you can be fully present with the people and things that are important to you.
4 Tips to Shift from Surviving To Thriving
By Elizabeth Olujimi
Are you satisfied with where you are? If your answer is no, now is the time to shift from surviving to thriving. For this shift to happen, you need to get uncomfortable with being comfortable in survival mode. When you are surviving, you are not living at your full potential, you have capacity for more but for whatever reason, you are not achieving it. Sometimes this could be a result of circumstances beyond your own control however when you realise that a shift is necessary, you must take responsibility and be prepared to make changes where necessary.
Once you have determined that something needs to change, you need to identify the areas where change must happen and determine what you are going to do to implement the change.
Change your mindset.
Believe that the change you desire is possible, and you have what it takes to makes the change a reality. In believing, you must shift certain mindsets that have held you back and put a lid on your potential. For some, it could be fear because you do not know if the change you are looking to make will be effective. It could be things that people have said to you in the past and those words are still ringing in your subconscious. Believe that regardless of what has been said, you are more than able to make the changes and shift from surviving to thriving. Your mindset will determine how you will react to any limiting thoughts that crop up in your mind. If your mindset does not change, all the other changes you make will not have a lasting effect.
Change your habits.
Your habits are the things you do repeatedly so if you find yourself in a place where you are surviving, look at your habits and work towards changing them and adopting habits that will enable you to thrive. Shifting from a place of survival to thriving requires an element of growth however, your growth can be affected by several things, one of which is your habits. It has been said that your future is a result of what you do today, so your habits are impacting your tomorrow.
Change your environment.
If a plant is in the wrong environment, it will never grow to its full potential likewise, if we are in the wrong environment our potential can be easily hindered or restricted such that we do not see beyond where we are. The room you find yourself in, will automatically cap your growth and potential at a certain level however, if you want to grow beyond that level then, you need to be intentional about changing the room you are in. Sometimes the environment you are in can limit the resources you have access to, if there are resources you need outside of where you are, do not be afraid to go in search of the resources by so doing, you are moving outside of your current environment. So, look around you and decide what needs to change about the environment you are in, does it enable you live out your full potential?
Change your association.
As they say, we become like the people we surround ourselves with so, who are you surrounding yourself with? Are the people around you comfortable with just surviving or are they tired of where they are and making changes to start thriving or maybe they are already thriving. If the people around you are comfortable just surviving, over time, you will find yourself in the same place. Aim to have people around you that encourage, challenge, motivate and inspire you to be at your best and shift from surviving to thriving.
(Published in Branz Magazine July 2021)
How to Confidently Pursue Your Dreams
By Elizabeth Olujimi
We all have dreams at some point in our lives but unfortunately, we don’t all get to live out our dreams. This could be because of various reasons, or should I say excuses that we choose to accept. The path of least resistance will always be the one where we choose to settle where we are and do nothing. However, it is important to wake up to the fact that our dreams won’t just happen, we have a part to play in making them a reality. You are responsible for your dreams.
1. See It
In case you are wondering what your dreams are, I would like you to take a moment and imagine the future you desire, what do you want your life to look like in 5 / 10 years’ time? This will help you to start putting together a picture of your dreams, write them down and put them on a vision board. Position your vision board somewhere visible so you are constantly reminding yourself of what your dreams are. Being able to see your dreams will enable you to start with the end in mind, as you plan your steps to making it a reality.
2. Believe it
If you are going to confidently pursue your dreams, you need to believe in your dreams and believe in yourself. This is where some of us struggle because we have a negative narrative in our minds feeding us the lies that we will fail, or we don’t deserve it. Maybe you have shared your dreams with some people in the past and they laughed at you so now you have lost the confidence to pursue them. The environment you are in and the voices you are listening to can affect how confidently you pursue your dreams. If you need to make certain changes, do so because you need to give your dreams a chance. Believe that your dreams are possible, and you have what it takes to make them a reality.
3. Act on it
Your dreams will remain wishful thinking or a picture on a vision board unless you start taking intentional steps to make them a reality. If I asked you, what is standing in the way of your dreams, it would be easy to draft a list of excuses, those excuses will largely be linked to a fear you have. If we embrace it, fear will always stand in the way but why not feel the fear and do it anyway. You will never know how successful your dreams can be if you don’t act on them. Your dreams are an opportunity for you to leave an imprint so if you don’t act on them, the world will never feel your impact.
I will leave you with this mantra, “When I see it, believe it, act on it, my dreams can become a reality.”
(Published in Brainz Magazine November 2021)
Positioned to Thrive in 2023
By Elizabeth Olujimi
I’m sure you have heard it said before that your life will move in the direction of your strongest thoughts so if you want to position yourself to thrive in 2023 then you need to start thinking about thriving and ask yourself some questions. What does thriving look like for me? What areas would I like to thrive in? How important is it for me to thrive? How do I start to thrive?
Positioning yourself to thrive starts from an agitation and discomfort with the norm. You have to want change, you have to desire more for yourself, you have to want to go beyond the norm. For some, that might mean getting tired of living life in survival mode and making a decision that you will do whatever it takes to get to that place of more, that place of better, that place of thriving.
Your thriving will be a result of the intentional actions you will choose to take in 2023. So be prepared to embrace change and ultimately growth. Growth might not always be comfortable and indeed your journey of growth will sometimes be lonely but it is inevitable and it will result in thriving. As you read this, take a moment to reflect on the different areas you would like to grow in this year and determine what intentional action you will need to take.
One of the things that often stops us from positioning ourselves to thrive is because we don’t always believe its possible. We give in to the inner voice that says “you will not succeed, remember the last time you tried this, look what happened”. And yes, sometimes we have actually tried and failed but just because you tried something and failed doesn’t mean that you can never succeed at it. There is always an opportunity for us to try again and be successful. When we change our belief and our thinking that in itself can position us to thrive.
Your environment is another aspect that needs to be considered if you want to thrive. Imagine a plant, in order for it to thrive, it needs to be in the right environment, the same is true for us. Your thriving in 2023 is going to be affected by the environment you are in. Our environment could be the company we are keeping or the things that we are surrounding ourselves with. So take a look around you today and decide what needs to be removed and what needs to come in. If you want to be positioned to thrive in 2023, get around people who will challenge, provoke and encourage you to shine in your fullest potential.
(Published in Powerhouse Magazine January 2023)
How to say Yes to Life
By Elizabeth Olujimi
When you find yourself in a place where life has become a routine, nothing exciting is happening around you and nothing seems to be going right, it's time for you to make some changes and start intentionally saying yes to life. Sometimes situations happen around us that make us feel like we are on a roller coaster, we are not in control and life is happening to us. We are in a place of surviving and we have become complacent. It's time to step out, say yes to life and start thriving.
1. Start to see value in yourself
When you want to say yes to life, it's important for you to start to value yourself because when you value yourself, you value your life and you come to a realisation that life is meant to be lived not endured. Seeing value in yourself allows you to start valuing your time and how you spend it. When you value yourself, saying yes to life can also be likened to saying yes to you because you can not live life to the full if you are running on empty.
2. Be intentional in making each day count
Saying yes to life means that every day matters and as long as you are alive, you need to make everyday count towards your future, your happiness and your purpose. The decisions you are making today will determine the life you are living tomorrow so when you say yes to life, you have to be intentional in the decisions you are making and the actions you are taking. Being intentional also means being present in the moment, switching off the distractions and making the most of every moment. Being intentional can also mean that you are choosing to live life passionately and purposefully.
3. Guard you peace
Sometimes the frustrations of life stop us from saying yes to life so, what is causing you frustration and stealing your peace? You need to learn to walk away from situations or relationships that have a negative impact on your peace. Your peace is important but you need to be willing to pay the price to guard your peace no matter how hard it seems. When you choose to guard your peace, you have to put in place the right boundaries, this might hurt people’s feelings but your peace is important. Guarding your peace is one way to take control and say yes to life.
4. Say yes to your dreams
Your dreams are a picture of the future you desire, your dreams are not to be ignored but rather pursued. Your dreams become part of your legacy and the in print you leave on this earth so when you say yes to your dreams, you are effectively saying yes to life. You know that there is more and through your dreams, you are opening up that avenue for more. Saying yes to your dreams is choosing to dare to believe that life can be better and life will get better. We can very easily get so busy with life that we forget about our dreams and put them on a shelf but, it's time to dust off those dreams and start taking action because there is more and you can't experience more unless you say yes to life.
(Published in Prosperity Business Magazine September 2022)
Be Prepared
By Elizabeth Olujimi
Imagine you are invited to an event, you have a role to play at this event but as the moment draws closer, you realise that there is something you need that’s missing and you need to pop out for it. As you get back, you find out that the moment you were needed for has passed, what would that feel like? In the passage today, this is what we see happening for some of the people. We see the wise virgins who were prepared for the moment and the foolish virgins who were unprepared.
As Christians, God always has opportunities prepared for us not just to encounter Him but to be the vessels through whom other people encounter Him but when those moments come, how prepared are we for them? We need to constantly aim at being in a posture where we are prepared not just for His coming but also prepared to be used by Him. Remembering that God doesn’t just use those with titles or those from a certain background, He can use you if you are willing and available.
We don’t always know the specific time or hour but we have a responsibility to be prepared for the moments when God requires us. Those moments can come when we are going about our daily routines like being on the bus,in the supermarket, in the workplace, speaking to a neighbor, attending an event, having family time. All these moments can seem ordinary and mundane but they are moments God can use to reveal Himself to others through us.
We know that the Lord is coming back again but we do not know the time or the hour, all we can do is live in a manner of constant preparation. By nurturing a thriving relationship with God, we can ensure that we are prepared for the moment when He comes back for us.
(Published through God on Monday)