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Esther Ijewere

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TACHA IS LAUNCHING HER OWN REALITY SHOW; #KEEPINGUPWITHTACHA

Tacha has definitely been up to a lot since she left the Big Brother Naija house. She has snagged various endorsement deals, established her own clothing line and now she is raising the bar by setting up her own reality show.

It’s a known fact that Tacha managed to captivate our attention during and after BBN and now she has given us the opportunity to get up close and personal with her daily life, by launching her own spinoff reality show which she has called, “Keeping up with Tacha (KUWT).”

According to her, the reality show will feature entertaining mini series and lots more. So our fingers are crossed.

Watch the teaser below:

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CHILDREN INHERIT THEIR INTELLIGENCE FROM THEIR MOTHER NOT THEIR FATHER- SCIENTIST

A mother’s genetics determines how clever her children are, according to researchers, and the father makes no difference.

Women are more likely to transmit intelligence genes to their children because they are carried on the X chromosome and women have two of these, while men only have one.

But in addition to this, scientists now believe genes for advanced cognitive functions which are inherited from the father may be automatically deactivated.

A category of genes known as “conditioned genes” are thought to work only if they come from the mother in some cases and the father in other cases. Intelligence is believed to be among the conditioned genes that have to come from the mother.

Laboratory studies using genetically modified mice found that those with an extra dose of maternal genes developed bigger heads and brains, but had little bodies. Those with an extra dose of paternal genes had small brains and larger bodies.

Researchers identified cells that contained only maternal or paternal genes in six different parts of the mouse brains which controlled different cognitive functions, from eating habits to memory.

Cells with paternal genes accumulated in parts of the limbic system, which is involved in functions such as sex, food and aggression. But researchers did not find any paternal cells in the cerebral cortex, which is where the most advanced cognitive functions take place, such as reasoning, thought, language and planning.

Concerned that people might not be like mice, researchers in Glasgow took a more human approach to exploring intelligence. They found the theories extrapolated from mice studies bear out in reality when they interviewed 12,686 young people between the ages of 14 and 22 every year from 1994. Despite taking into account several factors, from the participants education to their race and socio-economic status, the team still found the best predictor of intelligence was the IQ of the mother.

However, research also makes it clear that genetics are not the only determinant of intelligence – only 40 to 60 per cent of intelligence is estimated to be hereditary, leaving a similar chunk dependent on the environment.

But mothers have also been found to play an extremely significant role in this non-genetic part of intelligence, with some studies suggesting a secure bond between mother and child is intimately tied to intelligence.

Researchers at the University of Washington found that a secure emotional bond between a mother and child is crucial for the growth of some parts of the brain. After analysing the way a group of mothers related to their children for seven years, the researchers found children who were supported emotionally and had their intellectual needs fulfilled had a 10 per cent larger hippocampus at 13 on average than children whose mothers were emotionally distant. The hippocampus is an area of the brain associated with memory, learning and stress response.

A strong bond with the mother is thought to give a child a sense of security which allows them to explore the world, and the confidence to solve problems. In addition, devoted, attentive mothers tend to help children solve problems, further helping them to reach their potential.

Of course, there’s no reason why fathers can’t play as big a nurture role as mothers. And researchers point out that a whole array of other gene determined traits – like intuiton and emotions – which can be inherited from the father are also key to unlocking potential intelligence, so fathers – don’t despair.

Source: Independent UK

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“I WANT EVERY GIRL CHILD IN NORTHERN NIGERIA TO KNOW HER WORTH AND HAVE A VOICE”- JENNIFER AGUNLOYE

One of the biggest challenges of the Girl child in Northern Nigeria, is the way they are mostly objectified or given away in marriage at an early age , thereby making it difficult for most of them to get basic education or even have access to infrastructure that prepares them for the Future.

Jennifer Agunloye is giving these girls hope through her G.I.S.T foundation ( Girls should Thrive), a  Kano based registered NGO focused on raising female leaders from disadvantaged communities through entrepreneurship, education and technology. The  award winning writer and internationally trained civic leader certified by the university of Nebraska, Lincoln is passionate about community development through women empowerment.

She is a Certified leadership coach, who is inspiring youths and raising female leaders from disadvantaged communities across Africa through the Tagit academy.

She’s also the founder of Herfreekan Ventures, a social enterprise set up to empower women financially and Co-founder of Agric-farms enterprise focused on reducing hunger and poverty through agriculture.

She is impacting the lives of the girl child and women through her other initiatives like “March against hunger project”, “Safe Space Program” and Support Her Effort (SHE) , which focuses on supporting women with small businesses hawking in the street in different slums. So far Jennifer has  empowered over 50 girls and reached over 3000 families in Kano state.

She shares her inspiring story with Esther Ijewere in this motivating and eye opening interview, highlighting some of the major problems of the girl child in Northern Nigeria and how she’s amplifying their voice to give them hope.

Childhood Influence

My childhood did Infact prepare me for this even though I didn’t realize it then. I was overweight as a child and that made me grow up with a lot of self esteem issues. Though I was lucky to have encountered the right set of people who saw my potential and nurtured it, I noticed that a lot of girls were growing up with terrible self images for different reasons are were settling for less in life and this was putting them at a disadvantage. This was one of inspiration for going all out with our organization. I also went to school with a lot of girls with amazing potentials but have just refused to dream because of the environment they were growing up. There, women were just considered just good enough to be wives and mothers so any woman with a dream was considered abnormal.

Inspiration behind GIST

I started GiST as an online blog focused on inspiring girls to dream and believe in themselves. But after my university education I returned to the community where I had my secondary school education and I realized that most of the girls were now young mothers of 2 – 3 children with no source of lively hood. The level of poverty and abuse in that community was increasingly in an alarming way and worse the younger girls were headed in the same direction. I knew that if something was not done, the numbers would just continue to sky rocket. So it dawned on me that the people who needed what I was sharing on my online platform were not on the internet. They were on the street and in those villages and undeserved communities. This was what inspired the Girls Should Thrive Initiative to become what it is today.

Combating the demoralization of the Girl child in Kano

Our work is focused on getting the girl child to see herself for who she really is – A beautiful brilliant human that can achieve anything she sets her heart to. We focus on challenging her mindset. Getting her to see herself differently, to believe in herself and make an effort to change her life and not give up no matter what life throws. Simply put, we believe that when these girls allow their potentials to gain expression everyone will have no choice but to reckon with them. This is how we confront the demoralization; getting the girls to see that they deserve better and are capable of more.

Impact of our activities in Northern Nigeria

Through our March against hunger project we’ve been able to enlighten over 3000 families on the importance of Educating their female children.

One of our major success stories is Maman Amira, the mother of a crippled girl who we met living in the street during our March against hunger project. We fixed the roof of her house and empowered her to start up a business. Now Maman Amira has a poultry business which is empowering 6 women through a community-based cooperative and Amira is now in school preparing to sit for her final exams.

Also, through our safe space program we’ve provided in depth leadership and entrepreneurship training to over 1000 girls have so far empowered over 50 girls like Kudirat who has now registered her business and reached over 3000 families.

Challenges of being an Advocate

One of the major challenges I’ve faced is the challenge of keeping the girls coming for our trainings. The girls usually have to be provided with incentives to keep them coming for a while before they realize the value of what they are being given. Since Our organization has operated largely based on donors for individuals and private organizations it has been very difficult to provide those incentives and hence we loose some of our participants along the way and usually have to go back and start afresh with them when next we come for the next batch of training, hoping earnestly that they would follow through till the end.

Our Empowerment programmes

The Support Her Effort (SHE) project was inspired by one of our March against hunger beneficiaries who had given up on her business after facing some challenges but decided to pick it back up after we spoke to them about the importance of entrepreneurship. An elderly woman with the responsibility of training her grand children because their father (her oldest son) is epileptic. She collected some goods on credit and started all over. After I spoke to her I just realized there are many like this woman who are making intense efforts to keep there businesses alive so they can make ends meet. We decided to start supporting such women to encourage them and boost their businesses. The project selects one woman a month and at the end of the year we select the most outstanding one among who has done amazingly well with the investment and give her an even bigger investment. Our goal is to increase the frequency to one woman weekly and take the project to the next level of training this women on how to grow their businesses and select at least 10 women annually to qualify for more funding.

The plight of the Girl Child in Northern Nigeria

Well we’re not where we want to be but we’re definitely not where we used to be. Things have improved significantly to a large extent. I don’t believe girls are being treated as they deserve. A great number of people still see girls as nothing but sex object. They measure her worth by how “sexy” she is or how well she can cook. That’s a huge disrespect to a person created by God Himself with amazing potentials. So honestly we do have a long way to go but like I always say, while we are demanding that society stops obejectifying the female specie, we should all empower these girls to be confident enough to demand for their respect which is what we do at Gist.

If I had the opportunity to share my thoughts about the Girl child with the Kano State Governmen

I’d say you are missing a lot when you don’t empower your girls. There is so much potential buried in those girls that can solve most of the challenges facing the society today but if their potential is not developed, they cannot even try. I must commend the government though. They are beginning to make efforts in that regard and its encouraging but they can do much much more because there isn’t much time. We have to save the next generation from being partakers of the effect of marginalization of girls.

Being a Woman of Rubies

I think what makes me a woman of rubies is my passion. My deep seated passion to see women rise. To see women break barriers, over come limitations and be all they can be. I see it as an honor to be gifted with such drive to contribute to women’s development in my own way and it’s such a blessing to be able to do it in Northern Nigeria. Reading about the qualities that women of rubies should have, I felt so honored to see that I have come to embody some of these qualities over the years through my experiences and God’s grace. It’s such a privilege thinking about it. I don’t take it lightly in any way.

Dear Marginalized Woman

My final word of Marginalized women is this: it won’t always be like this. A time is coming when you will be everything you dream you’d be. A time is coming when you will get an education with ease, you will have a voice in things that concern you and your children. You will give expression to all the gifts that God has blessed you with without being afraid or ashamed. The time is coming when you won’t be careful to raise your head high and be confident in yourself and in your dreams. That time is close. So, don’t give up yet.

 

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SELENA GOMEZ OPENS UP ON EMOTIONAL ABUSE WHILE DATING JUSTIN BIEBER

A few weeks ago, Selena Gomez dropped her highly anticipated album “Rare,” and in between the space of her new project and her 2015 project “Revival,” Selena has gone through a lot, from skin inflammation, depression and anxiety, to two high profile breakups (Justin Bieber and The Weeknd).

Selena Gomez, in a new interview, spoke with NPR’s Lulu Garcia-Navarro about suffering emotional abuse during the period of time when she was dating Justin Bieber.

Read excerpts from the interview below.

“Lose You To Love Me” is your first No. 1 song off this album — tell me about this song.

I’m very proud of it. It has a different meaning to me now from when I wrote it. I felt I didn’t get a respectful closure, and I had accepted that, but I know I needed some way to just say a few things that I wish I had said. It’s not a hateful song; it’s a song that is saying — I had something beautiful and I would never deny that it wasn’t that. It was very difficult and I’m happy it’s over. And I felt like this was a great way to just say, you know, it’s done, and I understand that and I respect that, and now here I am stepping into a whole other chapter.

Saying goodbye to Justin Bieber, who I’m assuming you’re speaking about.

You had to get the name in, I get it.

Do you look back on that time, and when you think about the parts of your life that were painful, that you’ve kind of moved on from, is that one of the harder parts?

No, because I’ve found the strength in it. It’s dangerous to stay in a victim mentality. And I’m not being disrespectful, I do feel I was a victim to certain abuse —

You mean emotional abuse?

Yes, and I think that it’s something that — I had to find a way to understand it as an adult. And I had to understand the choices I was making. As much as I definitely don’t want to spend the rest of my life talking about this, I am really proud that I can say I feel the strongest I’ve ever felt and I’ve found a way to just walk through it with as much grace as possible.

Source: Bellanaija

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KOBE BRYANT SAW HIS DAUGHTER GIANNA AS THE HEIR TO HIS LEGACY- CNN

News that NBA superstar Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash in California on Sunday was made more tragic by what came next — confirmation that his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, also was on board.

The father-daughter duo were expected at the Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks for a basketball game. Gianna was going to play, the team director told CNN. And Bryant was going to coach.
Gianna Bryant and her father, former NBA player Kobe Bryant, attend the WNBA All-Star Game 2019 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.
That wasn’t out of the norm. Gianna — the second of Bryant’s four daughters with his wife, Vanessa Laine Bryant — was a passionate basketball player. And Bryant made sure he was involved in her development by coaching her team. He sometimes shared photos of her at games on Instagram, or videos of the two of them playing together.
Kobe Bryant holds his daughter, Gianna, after the Lakers defeated the Orlando Magic in Game 5 of the 2009 NBA Finals on June 14, 2009, at Amway Arena in Orlando.

Kobe Bryant holds his daughter, Gianna, after the Lakers defeated the Orlando Magic in Game 5 of the 2009 NBA Finals on June 14, 2009, at Amway Arena in Orlando.
In fact, Bryant saw Gianna, who wanted to play in the WNBA, as the heir to his legacy — something he confirmed in an appearance on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” in 2018.
“The best thing that happens is when we go out and fans would come up to me and she’ll be standing next to me,” Bryant said, “and they’ll be like, ‘You’ve gotta have a boy, you and V gotta have a boy. You gotta have somebody to carry on your tradition, the legacy.”
 
“She’s like, ‘Oy, I got this,” Bryant said. “I’m like that’s right,” Bryant said. “Yes, you do, you got this.”
Gianna, who was often called Gigi, had a competitive streak, just like her father, he told The New Yorker in a 2014 profile, recalling a game of Candyland they played together when she was 3.
“You know, it’s my move,” he said. “She obviously can see that I can win, so she’ll know that I’m not winning on purpose. Then what’s that teaching?”
Kobe Bryant and daughter Gianna watch during Day 2 of the Phillips 66 National Swimming Championships at the Woollett Aquatics Center on July 26, 2018 in Irvine, California.
Bryant made his move, winning the game. Gianna didn’t take it so well and knocked over the game board.
“I was, like, ‘S**t, the kid’s like me,'” Bryant told the magazine.
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98 YEAR OLD MOM MOVES TO NURSING HOME TO LOOK AFTER 80 YEAR OLD SON

A mother will do anything for her children, no matter how old they get. A 98-year-old mom went viral. But why? She decided to move into the same nursing home her son was in so she could look after him.

 Ada Keating is the amazing woman who wanted nothing more than to be by her son’s side when she needed him the most. Even in her old age, this mom knows best, and it seems that both mom and son are thankful for the companionship in the picture below.

Tom Keating, Ada’s son, became a resident at Moss View care home in Huyton, Liverpool, back in 2016 since he needed more care than he could receive at home. The following year, his mother Ada decided she couldn’t bear being without him. Therefore, she moved into the same nursing home to be with him. Mom and son are so thankful they get to spend so much time together, and they enjoy watching TV and playing games to pass the time.

MEET THE KEATINGS

Ada and Tom were born in Wavertree, Liverpool, and have always been close. That’s because Tom has lived with his mother for all his adult life, never having been married. Ada said they have a routine in place so he knows what to expect. “I say goodnight to Tom in his room every night and I’ll go and say good morning to him,” she said. “I’ll tell him I’m coming down for breakfast.”

Ada says that they still have a deep bond even in their older age. “When I go out to the hairdressers he’ll look for me to see when I’m coming back,” she said. “When I get back he’ll come to me with his arms outstretched and give me a big hug. You never stop being a mum.” Tom added, “They’re very good here and I’m happy to see my mum more now she lives here. Sometimes she’ll say ‘behave yourself.’ She’s very good at looking after me.”

Tom is the oldest of four children; he had three sisters, Barbara, Margi, and Janet who passed away at 13. Tom worked as a painter and decorator before his retirement. Ada worked as a nurse at Mill Road Hospital before she retired. Their family members visit them often at home and are happy to see the two back together again. Some days, up to five generations of the Keating family come visiting!

Debi Higham, Ada’s granddaughter, comes to visit the two often. She said, “There’s no parting them. It’s reassuring for us that they’re both getting looked after 24/7.”

BELOVED BY THE NURSING HOME STAFF

The manager at the nursing home, Philip Daniels, said he’s happy the pair can be together at his facility.

“It’s very touching to see the close relationship both Tom and Ada share and we are so pleased we were able to accommodate both of their needs,” he revealed.

He added, “It’s very rare to see mothers and their children together in the same care home and we certainly want to make their time together as special as possible. They are inseparable.”

Isn’t this such a heartwarming story of a Mom and son’s unbreakable bond? If it touched your heart, please share with your friends and family!

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UGANDAN CLIMATE ACTIVIST WAS CROPPED OUT OF A NEWS AGENCY PHOTO OF GRETA THUNBERG AT DAVOS

Vanessa Nakate is a 23-year-old climate activist from Uganda who this week attended the World Economic Forum in Davos.

On Friday, she took part in a news conference with Greta Thunberg and other activists ahead of a Fridays for Future protest in the Swiss town.

However, she was dismayed to find that in news coverage of the event, she had been cropped out of a photo issued by the Associated Press news agency featuring Thunberg and fellow activists Luisa Neubauer, Isabelle Axelsson, and Loukina Tille. AP later changed the photo that appeared as the thumbnail on Twitter for the story Nakate tweeted.

Nakate told BuzzFeed News via Twitter DMs she was heartbroken when she saw the photo. “I cried because it was so sad not just that it was racist, I was sad because of the people from Africa.

“It showed how we are valued. It hurt me a lot. It is the worst thing I have ever seen in my life.”

Nakate also posted an emotional 10-minute-long video discussing her experience at the summit and how it felt seeing the cropped photo.

Nakate, an activist since 2018, was inspired by Thunberg to start her own climate movement in Uganda and began a solitary strike against inaction on the climate crisis in January 2019.

There has been criticism in the past for the way media coverage has focused on the climate activism of white protesters.

AP later issued a version of the same photo featuring Nakate standing next to the other activists.

A spokesperson for AP told BuzzFeed News, “There was no ill intent. AP routinely publishes photos as they come in and when we received additional images from the field, we updated the story. AP has published a number of images of Vanessa Nakate.

Source: Buzzfeed

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FINLAND IS NOW BEING RUN BY WOMEN, FOUR OF THEM UNDER 35

Thirty-four-year-old Social Democrat Sanna Marin took office in Finland on Tuesday as the world’s youngest serving prime minister, heading a coalition with four other parties led by women, all but one of them under 35.

Marin won the confidence of parliament with 99 votes in favor and 70 against.

She replaced Antti Rinne, who resigned last week after the Centre Party, one of the members of governing center-left coalition, said it had lost confidence in him over his handling of a postal strike.

“I want to build a society in which every child can become anything and in which every human being can live and grow old with dignity,” Marin wrote on Twitter.

The new cabinet takes over in the middle of labor unrest and a wave of strikes which have halted production at some of Finland’s largest companies for three days.

Twelve ministers in the new cabinet are women and just seven are men. The head of the Centre Party, Katri Kulmuni, 32, becomes finance minister, Green Party leader Maria Ohisalo, 34, continues as interior minister and the Left Alliance’s chairwoman Li Andersson, 32, remains education minister.

The Swedish People’s Party’s Anna-Maja Henriksson, 55, remains justice minister, the only coalition leader to finish school before the 21st century.

Despite outward shows of harmony, divisions remain between the main coalition partners, Marin’s Social Democrats and the Centre Party.

Marin will struggle to defend her leftist views against the Centre Party, which wants action to boost Finnish employment to pay for the costly welfare state.
Center Party chairwoman Kulmuni defended her decision to force out Rinne, accusing him of having taken the employees’ side in recent labor market disputes when he should have remained neutral.

Before his resignation, Rinne defended the publicly-owned postal service’s employees in their labor dispute by saying their employment conditions would not be trampled while his government was in office.

“It became sort of a habit to flag in advance in favor of one side, in matters which should be dealt with cool impartiality,” Kulmuni wrote in a long post on Facebook.

Marin said recreating trust between the coalition partners was one of her first tasks.

“It demands discussion, a direct one,” she said.

Meanwhile Marin said she would keep using social media — but with care.

Defending her frequent use of social media, she said: ”I present a younger generation but of course, when it comes to social media or Instagram, I think that I’m an individual, a person, a real person even though I’m a prime minister.”

“So I won’t change the way I behave. Of course I have to be careful in what I say,” said Marin, who posted pictures of herself pregnant and later with her child, now two, on Instagram.

She made no reference to other leaders, such as U.S. President Donald Trump, who frequently use social media and sometimes attract criticism over their online comments.

 

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IF YOU FEEL DEPRESSED, REPEAT THESE 12 PHRASES

Before depression medications like Xanax and Prozac were introduced and became the norm for depression treatment, people relied on phrases or mantras to help calm their system and relieve anxiety. The practice of repeating phrases until you feel better has been done for centuries among those who believe in various faith traditions. These phrases are like hymns and chants that implore spiritual and psychological healing, but you can still use these phrases to repeat under your breath as a remedy for when you’re feeling depressed.

HERE ARE 12 PHRASES TO REPEAT TO YOURSELF IF YOU’RE FEELING DEPRESSED

1. I AM STRONG.

It’s a misconception that only the weak and the needy suffer from depression. It’s also a myth that those who ask for help are actually the weakest because they depend on someone else. On the contrary, many depressed people who ask for help show self-awareness, and that’s a sign of strength. It shows that they want to change their situation.

2. I WILL GET BETTER.

Depression triggers hopelessness. Saying these words over and over promotes positive thoughts despite your emotionally stormy state. The reality is, eventually you will get better because the dark clouds hanging over you won’t be there forever.

3. I AM STILL BREATHING.

Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh believes in mindful breathing and shared a similar phrase in his book “You Are Here.” The practice of concentrating on the breaths you take, while chanting this phrase, helps the mind to unite with the body, thus bringing a sense of calmness.

4. LET IT GO.

There is a lot of wisdom in the famous words from Elsa, the animated Disney character from “Frozen.” If you find yourself in an obsessive state of anxiety, where you worry about things that haven’t happen or won’t likely happen or conflicts that might arise, then simply say these three words over and over.

5. BE NOT AFRAID.

This phrase, and its variation, “Fear not,” is repeated over a hundred times in the Scriptures. Many people, including the non-religious, find comfort in it. There seems to be a healing power in meditating on the words of a Higher Being and repeating the phrase could pacify anxieties. While the fear is still there, uttering the phrase gives you control over it.

6. THERE’S NO DANGER.

Depression can trigger thoughts and feelings that might make you feel your life is under a threat. Saying these words repeatedly should appease your thoughts and open your eyes to the reality that the danger is all in your mind. This phrase goes hand in hand with, “Be not afraid. “

7. I HAVE INNER PEACE.

“Om Shanti Om” means inner peace and it is the simplest mantra that Tibetan monks often chant. Invite inner peace into your mind and body to relieve depression and its physical symptoms. You will start feeling your tensed chest loosening up by repeating to yourself that you have inner peace.

8. MY THOUGHTS, WORDS, AND ACTIONS CONTRIBUTE TO MY HAPPINESS AND FREEDOM.

This phrase encourages a life of positivity, compassion, and empathy. It implores a person to live as a servant of life who is in harmony with other beings, including nature and the environment. It has its roots in the tenets of Jivamukti Yoga, which shows the path to enlightenment.

9. SOMEDAY THIS PAIN WILL MAKE SENSE.

People who haven’t experienced sadness or pain aren’t interesting because there’s no depth and growth in them. While it seems like life is full of misfortunes now and it’s causing a wave of depression in you, be assured that one day you’ll see the purpose in your pain. By repeating the phrase over and over, you will find your strength, resilience, and maturity.

10. I NEED TO BE KIND TO MYSELF IN MY SUFFERING.

Kristin Neff in her book “Self-Compassion” had a similar mantra for handling negative emotions. She said that it’s important to acknowledge your pain and suffering, so you can treat yourself with compassion in moments of difficulty. It follows the same advice as famed teacher Pema Chödrön in the book “When Things Fall Apart,” where she instructs followers to face their problems, not run away from them. Feeling depressed should help you see what’s vital to your life and it should trigger your drive to overcome it. After all, life is about surviving.

11. ONE STEP AT A TIME.

Depression may spike because you feel a loss of control over a situation that’s causing stress. This phrase helps to remind yourself to beat that depressed feeling slowly but surely. When life drags you down, your best choice is to take a moment to help lessen the weight of your burden. One day, nothing will hold you back.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Depression can be crippling but it’s an emotion you can help control with positive thinking. The choice is yours – you can either let either let this pain hold you back or let this feeling enlighten you. Hopefully, one of these suggested phrases will help you find peace.

12. TRUST IN THE PROCESS.

Obstacles are part of life, but depression sometimes leads you to ask questions like, “Why me?” or, “Why does this keep happening to me?” or, “Why is my life so challenging?” It’s hard to see the right path clearly during your most troubled times, but with this phrase, you can condition your mind to see obstacles as part of a learning opportunity. They’re not there to make a victim out of you. You have to trust in the process.

Source: Power of positivity

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“I DIDN’T HAVE IT ALL ROSY GROWING UP BUT I AM BECOMING” – MOSOPE ODESEYE

Someone once said women are the best multi-taskers, that is exactly what Mosopefoluwa represents, a woman who can manage and joggle more than one task and excel in all.

The experienced event planner is the Creative Director at Mode Seven Events and   doubles as the Head Chef at Iyameto’s kitchen, a catering company she founded about 3 years ago. She has a diploma in Mass Communication from Olabisi Onabanjo University. Ago Iwoye. Lagos & also a basic presentation certificate from Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria. Lagos.

She has worked as a co-host on two different shows on radio and also worked as a production manager at a movie production company.   Mosopefoluwa is often called a philanthropist & has volunteered for a number of organisations which include Mich Consulting, Inspiro Consulting, The Pamilerin Company, Christmas on The Streetz, an organisation that caters for the less privileged, specifically at Christmas and many more.

She is the event planner for the Australian Education Exhibition annual event where her company provides 50 stand assistants for delegates yearly and also the event planner for BTDT Hub, Lagos and coordinates the annual Leadership Legendary Lessons and the masterclasses. She currently serves as the service coordinator at her church and supervises all departments at church amongst many other events.

She has a genuine interest in young men and women who are interested in business & generally need a push in life to start up new things & move from where they are to where they want to  and she has been privileged to speak with and inspire undergraduates, graduates and entrepreneurs across Nigeria.

In her words; “The world may not accept you immediately, but be consistent”.

She shares her inspiring story with Esther Ijewere in this interview.

Childhood Influence

Yes, my childhood influenced me. However, I had no idea I’d be doing this. I never learnt how to cook from any catering service, but my mum is a professional caterer and I’ve practically watched her cook every other day. She had also worked at a hotel, in charge of hospitality, worked at some other, organisations as a caterer. I’d visit her at work during school breaks.

Inspiration behind “Iyameto”

I had a conversation with an older friend a few years ago & they talked about not being able to eat as much as they needed to. I mentioned I could make soups for them regularly that they’d stock up in their refrigerator & pick up whenever they needed to eat. I made the first set of soups, they picked up & they were impressed. So, I thought “why not make this into a business for busy parents, bachelors& more?”

Being a certified event planner and mass communicator but pitching my tent catering services

I picked interest in catering because I observed a pattern during events, especially parties at the caterer’s stand & I wanted to make a change.

Reception of my widely delivered local snacks

The reception has been fantastic & gets me super excited every single time! The catering business started less than 5 years ago but it feels like I’ve been in it for so long. People easily relate with the business & most importantly are amazed by business name. The “widely delivered local snacks” has received fabulous reception & folks recommend us over & over again after they’ve had a feel of it. Someone once mentioned on social media that i (Iyameto’s kitchen) invented it. That felt good even though I didn’t invent it. It shows I’m doing it right!

My multiple certification and personal growth

It has given me more experience & also help me feel more confident that I can fit into different fields if and when I find myself there. It also makes me more versatile & it has been what I had interest in from childhood, so I intentionally went a step further to train for them. It is also what I thought I’d be practicing at the moment & I like doing.

Other projects and activities

I consult for start ups, I speak at seminars and trainings package, I also help busy mums & families shop for groceries, some monthly, some quarterly. I volunteer for NGO’s as often as I have the opportunity to. I package & sell food items to folks within & outside the country.

Challenges of being a Caterer

Deliveries! Deliveries!! Deliveries!!!! The dispatch (courier) companies. Logistics & transportation is basically one of the major challenges. Managing humans is also not as easy but we keep building & getting better at it.

Unexpected increase in price of goods as is also one. In a case where you have given cost to your customers/clients, you meet a different price at the local market but you have to deliver anyway!

My community service and it’s impact

Christmas On the Streetz (an annual giveaway/hangout) I discovered in 2018 on Twitter. Pamilerin foundation, Inspiro consulting & a few others I had volunteered for over the years. Giving to needy individuals & reminding myself that everyone out there needs a lifting at some point in life. Basically trusting myself to do better and do more & believing that others can have Hope based on how I inspire them to do more & be better people, generally!

Being a Woman of Rubies

I am exceptional! I am hardworking! I am a humanitarian! I am a philanthropist! I have failed many times but I never give up! I didn’t have it all rosy growing up but I am becoming! I treat everyone I meet well & I do not look down on anyone! I am focused! I make the best of every situation I find myself!

To young women who want to go into catering business

To every young woman out there who aspires to go into the catering business! Believe in yourself, you can do it if you really want to! Start from where you are! Build up! Don’t expect the world to accept you the first day you kick off!! Also, be sure you can handle all that comes with it. Some days are high, some days are low! Take feedback from those who patronize you or eat freely from you & be a better caterer! Sometimes, cook for people around you & ask that they rate your cooking, the real but firm ones! Be confident! The “world” may not accept you immediately but be persistent! I’d also like to say, be sure you have passion for it before you go into it! Don’t give up when the results don’t look like it. Be consistent!!!

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