lifestyle Archives - Page 23 of 44

In Interviews&profile January 15, 2020 By Editor

COURTNEY WILLIAMS: YOUR CHILD DOES NOT BELONG TO YOU

Your child does not belong to you, you’re on borrowed time with them. Your mission should you choose to accept it, is to build a better human being: not a mini version of you and all your deflated hopes and dreams. Help them become the best them and not the best you!

Whew, despite the mommy and me outfits & the fact that i love to match my kids, I realize my daughters aren’t literal me’s. They have their own individual God-given purposes. Just because their mommy was a dancer for 15 years doesn’t mean they’ll enjoy dance. Just because I’m the ultimate girly girl doesn’t mean they’ll be that way too. Just because I went the University route for my career doesn’t mean that’ll be their journey. We have got to stop pressuring our kids to be doctors, lawyers, engineers, athletes, Youtube sensations ( had to throw that in there for the millenial parents) whatever it may be.. just because that is what you did or wish you would have done.

Because, before you know it, you will pressure them right out of God’s will for their life! My daily prayer is that God will reveal to my children at an early age the call on their life and my job as a mom is to simply support that in any way that i can.

I loves little people with all my heart and i am so grateful for the gift of raising them, but i also realize the time I’ll spend raising them is a short one compared to their lifespan, God willing, so I’m careful not to make my kids an idol. When the time comes to let them go so they can start their individual life journeys, as hard as it will be,, if they are confident in what God has called them to do and they know no matter what life throws at them they will be okay if they are operating under the will of God. Then i will have peace and know my job as a parent was well done!

Cheer to intentional biblical parenting and not pressure cooker parenting!

In Inspiration January 15, 2020 By Editor

BLACK WOMAN SAYS ULTA BEAUTY MAKEUP ARTIST TOLD HER SHE’S ‘TOO DARK’ FOR PRODUCTS

A black woman seeking makeup application services at an Ulta Beauty store in New Jersey says an employee told that her “skin was too dark for most colors in the store.” Now, she’s calling for the beauty store chain to give its workers’ diversity training.

Ebony Kankam London, an expecting mother from Houston, Texas, told KTRK-TV that she traveled to the East Coast for a baby shower on Dec. 28 planned by her mother-in-law. She says she went to the Ulta Beauty store a day before to book a makeup appointment and confirm that their makeup artists were comfortable working with her skin tone.

“Sometimes with darker skin, some people don’t feel comfortable [or] don’t know what they’re doing,” she told the ABC News affiliate. “So, I went in the day before just to see if they could achieve the look I was wanting.” However, she says the makeup artist assigned to her did a botch job and criticized her complexion.

“So today at Ulta Beauty in Holmdel I went in to get my makeup done for my baby shower. I brought in a picture for reference and was told that my skin tone was too dark for most colors in the store,” Kankam London wrote on Facebook and Instagram. She also shared side-by-side images of what she wanted and the look she ended up with.

When London told the makeup artist that she was dissatisfied with her work, she says the staffer “got really upset” and told her that “was the best she could do” because “her skin was too dark” for most of the products in the store.

“In a store full of people who didn’t look like me I felt sad and upset,” Kankam London wrote on social media. “Like my skin tone was a problem.”

The employee also asked her if she had ever had her makeup done professionally. Kankam London told her that she did and even shops at Ulta Beauty, but the staffer didn’t believe her.

In a separate update posted on Facebook on Monday, Kankam London said she was contacted by a manager at the Holmdel store “who is apparently biracial and witnessed the entire situation” but she “didn’t want to make a big scene” by interfering. Kankam London added that the store manager told her that she felt “comfortable doing black makeup” and offered to do her makeup over along with a bag of sample lotions as compensation. Kankam London, however, declined to get her makeup done at the store since she was returning to Houston, reports NBC News.

Ulta said it was in contact with Kankam London in a statement published Thursday on Twitter.

“Guest satisfaction with our services is a top priority,” a spokeswoman said. “We never want to hear that a guest has had anything less than a great in-store experience. This is our responsibility and we take it seriously.”

Ulta provides “ongoing artistry education, and diversity and inclusion trainings across the organization, which is an important commitment that we recognize requires daily action and accountability,” the spokeswoman said. “We remain committed to provide a welcoming, inclusive environment where our guests can feel their best.”

In Entertainment January 13, 2020 By Editor

Woman Welcomes Two Sets Of Twins In Same Year

ALEXZANDRIA WOLLISTON SAYS THAT HER TWO SETS OF TWIN BOYS, BORN MARCH AND DECEMBER, ARE BLESSINGS FROM HER GRANDMOTHERS, WHO BOTH LOST TWIN BOYS AT BIRTH.

A Florida woman is now the mother of two sets of twin boys. The babies were all born in the same year, a pair in March and another in December.

Local NBC affiliate WPTV spoke to Alexzandria Wolliston about her remarkable deliveries. She told the outlet that she was surprised to find out that she was expecting twins during her first pregnancy of the year. Wolliston was even more shocked to find out on Mother’s Day that she would be welcoming another. The West Palm Beach mom says the boys, named Mark, Malakhi, Kaylen and Kayleb are her “jackpot.” They join a 2-year-old big sister Ar’Mani.

Wolliston was recently made aware that multiples run in her family. Both her grandmothers lost twin boys at birth. She now believes that her babies are blessings from above. “I always say that I feel like my grandmothers gave me their kids because two sets of twins and their twins passed away,” the 25-year-old shared with WPTV. “I feel like they just sent them down for me.”

Alexzandria Wolliston with family that includes two sets of twin boys. — ALEXZANDRIA WOLLISTON HAS STARTED A GOFUNDME PAGE FOR HER GROWING FAMILY THAT INCLUDES TWO SETS OF TWIN BOYS. PHOTO CREDIT: GOFUNDME

The University of Central Florida graduate says she was nervous at first about the news that two more boys would be joining her brood but now contends that she’s won the “twin lottery.”

In a YouTube vlog, Wolliston, who gave birth on Dec. 27, shares her excitement and admits to the surprising nature of it all. “This is going to be my second set of twins born in the same year. How crazy is that? Who you know have two sets of twins in the same year? I’ll wait,” she playfully says. “I need a TV show. Somebody call CBS. Somebody call NBC. Somebody call —put me on the news. I done broke history.”

Wolliston’s original due date was Feb. 5, with doctors hoping she made it at least to 38 weeks. That didn’t happen and now she’s adjusting to her new normal as her young boys make their way from the hospital. According to People, Kayleb was released from the hospital on Monday and Kayleb will remain in the NICU as he learns to eat on his own.

Credit: Essence

In food and fitness January 13, 2020 By Editor

How To cope With Parenting While Sick

It is definitely not easy raising kids already. But again, how does a mother cope when she feels really down health-wise? What can you do when you can barely keep your head up to do those house chores?

This seems like an impossible task. Yet mom from all around the world manage to keep themselves and their kids functioning during seasons like this..Hang on we’ve got some tips to help you moms!

Lower your dining expectations

kids would always eat something, they can’t afford to skip a meal. Make it easy on yourself by having quck and easy meal plan. Do not go worrying about real meals. You can pick out healthy fruits and vegetables as side menu, and consider meals like noodles which dont take long to prepare. For breakfast, opt for cereals.

Have some meals frozen before hand that your microwave can quickly heat up to feed the little ones. While you didn’t plan to get sick, if you have family and friends nearby, ask them to come by with a homemade meal — even better if they stay and play with the kids for a bit.

Ask for help

You do not have to hesitate to ask for help when you need to. Ask when you need it, especially when you’re sick and your kids are little. Let your husband understand the situation, so he can proffer solutions as well. If you have siblings and trusted friends nearby, why not have them help too.

Go easy on yourself

Finally, quit the idea that you have to do it all. Meals do not have to be as lavish as they were, your kids bedtime stories can be a little shorter. You can also drop the kids with their grannies if that’s possible.

Rest, drink plenty of water, take a hot shower and do anything that helps you deal with stress. Taking good care of yourself would also teach your kids about self-care and therefore gives them examples of how to act when they’re adults.

These tips may not necessarily make you feel better, but hopefully, they’ll make being sick more easy to handle at home with the kids.

In Career Gems January 12, 2020 By Editor

SERENA WILLIAMS WINS 1ST TITTLE FOR THE FIRST TIME AS A MOTHER

Serena Williams the world famous tennis champion has won her tittle since becoming a new mom. This happens to be her 73rd tittle and, first since becoming a new mom.

Williams hasn’t won a tittle since the birth of her daughter, Olympia. “Finally!” She gushed.

“Oh, it feels good!” said Williams, winner of 23 Grand Slam singles titles. “It’s been a long time. I think you could see the relief on my face.

“It’s pretty satisfying just to get a win in the final.

“That was really important for me, and I just want to build on it. It’s just a step towards the next goal.”

Williams told CNN she “almost died giving birth.”

“You have to be your biggest cheerleader, especially if you’re feeling you’re not doing everything right — or even if you are doing everything right but things aren’t working out for you,” she added.

According to ESPN, “the 23-time major winner donated her $43,000 winner’s

she donated to the fundraising appeal for victims of Australian wildfires.”

In Inspiration January 12, 2020 By Editor

CAREER–Farida Yahya: Use These Methods To Create a Unique Brand Voice

This year, whatever brand tone you adopt, the most important rule is to ensure that your brand tone is authentic. Trying to fake your voice is like asking a goat to sing. You’re literally bleating and people can easily spot anything fake these days. As studies have shown throughout the years, consumers buy products from brands that they connect to on an emotional level. They also stay away from brands that they cannot connect with.

As 2019 came to an end, a good number of startup founders took some time off work to do some introspection. What worked? What didn’t? How can they outsmart the competition in the coming decade?

In my limited interaction with all the sales and end of year bundle ads that flew around, I noticed a predictable pattern: most brands have lost their brand voice in a bid to cash in and stamp “sold out” across their social media pages. While that seems to work short term, it won’t be business as usual in 2020.

How do you keep your “I am different” slogan and still make some cool cash? I have four methods to share with you. But before then, let’s talk about marketing your new business.

New product idea? Check.

A good customer base? Double-check.

Before you proceed with marketing your new business, product or brand, you must define your ‘brand voice’. Your company’s brand voice is the heart and soul of your communication. It is the tone you adapt to speak and connect with your audience.

The absence of a brand voice means that you can’t create your blog, publish your first post, tweet or post a caption on Instagram. Your brand’s voice can range from being authoritative to fun, informative or witty. This year, whatever brand tone you adopt, the most important rule is to ensure that your brand tone is authentic. Trying to fake your voice is like asking a goat to sing. You’re literally bleating and people can easily spot anything fake these days. As studies have shown throughout the years, consumers buy products from brands that they connect to on an emotional level. They also stay away from brands that they cannot connect with.

So how do you make your brand’s voice unique enough to stand out from its competitors?

Build Prototypes

As you work on determining your brand’s voice, you must know who you’re talking to — beyond your audiences’ basic demographics. One trick to help you easily identify this is to pick a person from your target market (it could be the elderly, working mums, stay-at-home parents, bachelors, etc) to answer the following questions:

What does he or she look like?
What does he or she care about?
Where does he or she work?
What does he or she do for fun?
And, most importantly, what does he or she expect from your brand?

Answering these questions will give an insight into people’s heads and teach you how to attract them to your brand. Plus, it’s the first step to defining what brand voice to adopt.

Identify The Language Your Target Audience (Customers) Use

Pay attention to where your target audience gathers: online or in-person? Visit those places and observe the way they write and speak. See how they describe the challenges they face that your product or service solves and bring those terms into your official vocabulary. By using their words, you make it easier for potential customers to immediately understand your company’s value.

Answer These Questions

The next step is to answer the following questions:

I want my brand to make people feel _______ (happy, important, belong, create nostalgia, etc).
_______ makes me feel this way.
I want people to _______ when they see my brand.
Three words that describe my brand are _______ , _______ , and _______.
I want to mimic the brand voice of _______.
I dislike brand voices that sound _______ (cliché, rude, angry, unsympathetic, and arrogant?).
Connecting with my clients and potential clients makes me feel _______.

Since your aim would be to adopt a sincere and natural brand tone, you must pay attention to the answers you get from the questions above. Should your brand voice be plain, witty, authoritative or funny? Is it rolling-on-the floor funny or laugh-out-loud funny? Should it be scholarly authoritative or I’m explaining something to a younger brother/sister authoritative? Take your pick!

Create a Test Group

Get a bunch of your closest people together (families and friends). Please note that these people should also represent your (proposed) target market. Ask for their opinion about:

What excites them the most about your brand?
What makes it unique?
What words describe your brand?

Based on their feedback, craft a 1-2 sentence mission statement in a few different brand voices. Then decide which one feels the most natural to you or excites you the most.

The answers you get here hugely determine the brand tone you adopt. Additionally, it’s okay to combine parts of the answers to the second question above to get the final product. Finding your brand tone can be likened to painting: sometimes, it requires adding a splash of this and that to get the perfect result.

In Conclusion

Finding a unique voice that your customers will love isn’t easy. It isn’t impossible either. With tons of commotion and unhealthy comparisons on social media, it’s hard to stand out and easy to get lost in the noise. However, remember that it’s very easy to create a bad or easily forgettable experience that will make your followers bored and press the mute or unfollow button.

When you develop and stick to a brand voice, social media interactions get easier. People easily identify your brand and know what to expect from it. Make sure to promote your brand voice and have a clear vision of how everyone sees your brand. Brand perception is extremely important!

Here’s to your success in the new decade.

Happy New Year

By Farida Yahya

Credit: Bellanaija

In Entertainment January 11, 2020 By Editor

Sandra Ikeji Breaks Guinness Record with 200 Bridesmaid

Sandra an event planner and sister to popular blogger, Linda Ikeji makes history with her huge number of bridesmaid. She celebrated her wedding at the Landmark event centre. She shut down Lagos state on her wedding day this Saturday, January 11, in Lagos state.

Ikeji excitedly shared photos of herself and her bridesmaids on her Instagram page.

She had earlier planned this record breaking feat according to bellanaija.

The bride had gotten engaged in 2018, and their traditional wedding was held in December 2019.

In Entertainment January 11, 2020 By Editor

OAP Toolz Celebrates 10 years in Her career

Toolz Oniru Demuren has been appreciated for her 10 years of service and contribution as an On-Air-Personality with the radio station Beat 99.9FM

The popular media personality was presented with an award of service by the operators of the station which she shared on her Instagram page.

She wrote:

I’ve been in this industry for a second phewww!

Who would’ve thought that my first ever radio gig would last this long??

Grateful for everything!!
Thank you Megalectrics @thebeat999fm@chrisubosi @dayjeea (aka Terrorist).

She truly has had a rewarding career and is probably going to be longstanding with it.

In Inspiration January 10, 2020 By Editor

Congratulations to Damilola Ogunbiyi On Her New Appointment At UN

On January 1, 2020, Ogunbiyi announced her resumption and vision for her new appointment and efforts to achieve the Sustenable Development Goals (SDG7) in its last decade.

Today as I start my term as @UN SRSG for #SEforALL, Co-Chair of @UN_Energy, and CEO of @SEforALLorg, we mark not only the beginning of a new year but also a new decade, the last one to achieve #SDG7. We have only a decade left to succeed – it is #10to2030 pic.twitter.com/ij9yTyO4LU

— Damilola Ogunbiyi (@DamilolaSDG7) January 1, 2020

Mrs Damilola Ogunbiyi was appointed as the new Special Representative for Sustainable Energy for All and Co-Chair of United Nations-Energy by the UN Secretary General António Guterres on October 29, 2019.

According to Sustainable Energy For All, Before joining SEforALL, Damilola Ogunbiyi was the first female Managing Director of the Nigerian Rural Electrification Agency and responsible for successfully negotiating within 18 months the Nigerian Electrification Project which is a USD 550m facility (World Bank USD 350m and AfDB USD 200m) to rapidly construct solar mini-grids and deploy solar home systems across Nigeria. She was also responsible for the Energizing Education Programme which will provide uninterrupted electricity to 37 federal universities and seven teaching hospitals through off-grid captive power.

Mrs. Ogunbiyi has good interest in mentoring and empowering young people through skills acquisitions. She also created the Lagos State Energy Academy to help build the capacity of young people in renewable energy technology.

Vanguard Nigeria cited that Her appointment comes as the world is about to enter the final decade to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7) – access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all by 2030. SEforALL is an international organization, headquartered in Vienna, Austria, that is dedicated to helping the world achieve SDG7 and Paris Agreement targets.

Women of Rubies say Congratulation to Mrs Ogunbiyi on her exalted position.

In Inspiration January 9, 2020 By Editor

Lady Gaga Opens Up To Oprah Her Rape Struggles

Talking to someone about our hurting experience does a lot of good to our healing. Lady Gaga shares to Oprah Winfrey in an interview tagged ‘2020 Vision: Your Life in Focus’ about her mental health struggles. She talked about being raped repeatedly at 19.

The singer revealed that she did not have a therapist, or doctor to help with her trauma. And so it got worse because, it was there all along. At the peak of her career all she could do was travel all over the world. “I never dealt with it and then all of a sudden, I started to experience this incredible pain throughout my entire body that mimicked, actually, the illness I felt after I was raped,” she said.

The pain was a ‘trauma response’ according to her. She has also had struggles with fibromyalgia, which she described as a chronic pain condition which makes your body hurt through your brain. “What’s interesting about it is that I’ve found through neuropsych research and my relationship with my doctors that fibromyalgia can be treated through mental health therapy. And mental health should be treated as a medical condition. It should not be ignored.”

She perfectly understands now the importance of accessing a mental health care. “Not everyone has the access to these things and not everybody has money for these things and i want the money for it, I want the best doctors in the world,” she shared. “Mental health is a crisis”.

Although she has perfectly accepted everything that has happen to her, and believes it all happened for a reason.”And i think it happened because God was saying to me, I’m going to show you pain and then you’re going to help other people who are in pain because you’re going to understand it”. She added, Now I’m in problem solving mode!.”