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Imposter Syndrome
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#MONDAYMOTIVATION: 8 THINGS TO DO WHEN YOU ARE FEELING UNMOTIVATED

Being unmotivated is a nasty feeling. You get stuck trying, and no matter what you do during your day (eating your meal, talking to your boss, reading an article), everything seems to blur into sheer dullness.

What this boils down to is a growing pile of assignments and an incredibly dissatisfied you. Don’t let this feeling control you and your life. Break out of it by doing at least one of these 8 simple things that will ignite your motivation.

1. Make a to-do list

Sometimes, there’s a gazillion things we need to do, which could take a toll on our willingness to work. Especially when nowadays our emails get flooded and the tasks we were never assigned to, multiplies. That’s why I always compile a to-do list that covers the 3 main assignments I need to do. Anything minor, I do them at the end of the day or in-between my breaks.

Phone. Laptop. Good old post-its. Use whatever suits your style. As long as you write down all the tasks you got to do the night before, you’ll be prepared for tomorrow’s work. Regain control of your life and sort your priorities. Nothing drives people more forward than usefulness. So let that feeling overcome any procrastination or laziness and start writing that list.

2. Get rid of social media

Social media may seem like a godsend, but it can also be work’s worst enemy. Let’s admit it — almost all of us have secretly peeked at our Facebook or Instagram feed behind our boss’s back. While it seems harmless to take a quick glance from time to time, it actually kills your motivation and stops you from doing what matters most.

According to a study in Irvine, it takes 25 minutes for us to regain our focus after getting distracted. Think about all those wasted minutes every time you check your notifications or browse through your friend’s feed. Remember, your day is more real than people’s updates. Make it productive, and shut down your social news feed. You’ll feel so much better — I guarantee that.

3. Remember what you’re grateful for

Look at what you have, not what you wish you had.

Your computer, your phone, TV, heating, air conditioner, fridge, home. These are all things to be grateful for. But first and foremost is your health and your ability to read this. Don’t you realize how great your situation is? Then what’s stopping you from working hard towards living the life you want?

The faster you understand the importance of the little things you have, the better and more motivated you’ll feel. Want a suggestion? Write ‘thank you’ notes to all the things that make you happy. No one needs to read them — just you.

4. Do what makes you happy

Based on a study by economists at the University of Warwick, happiness makes us 12% more productive at work. We have more energy, learn faster, make better decisions, and work better with others.

How to feel happy? Grab your favorite book and start reading, call your best friend, make yourself a nice cup of coffee, or watch some inspirational YouTube videos. The possibilities are endless.

5. Move your body

Stop for a moment and examine your physique. Did you exercise? Did you step out of the house?

If not, you might want to plan some physical activities to get your blood flowing. This will give your mind a good break from stressing over on the unfinished tasks from your to-do list. Keep your body strong — your mind will follow through.

6. Start small

If you can’t seem to start on anything no matter how hard you try, maybe you’re pushing yourself too much. Start with small steps instead.

Instead of writing a book, write a page first. Make it a habit to write 100 words, then 200, then 300 words, until you finally get to one page. As the time passes, you’ll eventually be able to write a chapter. The idea to keep pushing yourself into achieving the small goals, so you feel more pumped up the next day to do something greater.

7. Aim big

Yes, you should start small, but always aim big. This means having a clear image of your goal before your eyes at all times. More importantly though, aspire to make it happen with class. You get nowhere if you only dream and don’t deliver.

So if your goal is to finish college, expand it with being ‘at the top of your class.’ If you want to be a successful blogger, think higher and aim to attract editors from highly-reputable sites to republish your articles.

It’s more tempting to finish a task when you know how the rewards will pay off in the future.

8. Take a break

As much as you might think taking a break is lazy advice, it isn’t. Sometimes, when we get too invested into something that consumed more of our time than we anticipated, we become irritable which shatters our motivation. That’s why it’s important to know when to stop and how to do so.

Go for a walk, visit a friend or simply stay at home and watch a few hours of Netflix. Your brain needs a little time off as much as you.

Credit: Tifanny Sun; The Writing Cooperative

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TEXAS CHEERLEADER JUMPS OFF HOMECOMING FLOAT TO SAVE CHOKING TODDLER

Tyra Winters, a Rockwall, Texas high school cheerleader, saved the life of a little boy who was choking on the sidelines during the homecoming parade. 

Winters was sitting atop a homecoming float waving to the crowd when she noticed the toddler choking on a piece of candy.

“He was turning purple, so I immediately jumped off the float, I ran down to the kiddo, and I was like, ‘I got him’ and I grabbed him from the mom. I grabbed him and tilted him and I gave a good three back thrusts and he ended up spitting up,” Winters told CBS DFW. 

The child’s mother, Nicole Hornback, said that the Rockwall High Senior saved her son Clarke’s life. 

“I was sitting right next to him, I just happened to look over. There was no noise, no coughing, no breathing,” Hornback said. That’s when Winters came to the rescue. 

“She saved my baby. I commend her for being a teenager and being trained,” Hornback said. 

After Winters saved Clarke, she did what any teenager would do and ran to get “back on the float before [she] missed it, she told NBC DFW. Hornback said she never had the opportunity to properly say thank you so she wrote a message on Facebook about what happened, thanking the 17-year-old for saving her son’s life. School administrators saw the note and arranged for the two to meet at the school. 

Clarke and Winters greeted with a high five and Hornback said that she really didn’t have the words to properly express her immense gratitude. 

“The words that you would say to anyone who does something for you is ‘thank you.’ But that doesn’t seem good enough,” Hornback said.

Winters wants to be a pediatric surgeon and was trained in CPR and the Heimlich maneuver at her mother’s group home for foster children. Despite all of the praise she’s receiving, she said she really was just trying to help. 

“I know they’re calling me the town hero,” Winters said. “It’s super exciting to own that title. But most importantly, I’m just glad the boy is OK.” 

A round of applause for this real life hero and future doctor.

Photo Courtesy of Rockwall ISD/Facebook

Source: Beacauseofthemwecan

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ASTRONAUTS TO MAKE HISTORY WITH 1ST-EVER-FEMALE SPACEWALK

Two female astronauts are close to accomplishing something no women have done before.

U.S. astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir will step outside the International Space Station Friday morning, the first time in history that two women have done a spacewalk together.

Koch and Meir are expected to spend more than five hours outside the space station to replace a failed power controller, according to NASA.

The remaining four astronauts aboard the International Space Station, all men, will remain inside while Koch and Meir complete their work.

NASA is marking Friday’s “HERstory in the making” by asking schoolteachers to share photos of their students celebrating the spacewalk, according to The Associated Press. NASA has a “HERstory” oral history project documenting the experiences of women who have contributed to the space agency.

Koch and Meir both joined NASA in 2013, the year NASA’s astronaut class was 50% female. Koch is also on her way to making history with a 300-day mission, which will be the longest single spaceflight by a woman.

The astronauts were asked in an interview from space earlier this month about whether they mind having their accomplishments qualified by their gender.

Story continues

“In the end I do think it’s important because of the historical nature of what we’re doing and in the past, women haven’t always been at the table,” Koch said on NASA TV. “And it’s wonderful to be contributing to the human spaceflight program at a time when all contributions are being accepted, when everyone has a role, and that in turn can lead to an increased chance for success.”

“There are a lot of people that derive motivation from inspiring stories from people that look like them and I think it’s an important aspect of the story to tell,” she said.

sonos sonos One (Gen 2) – Voice Controlled Smart Speaker with Amazon Alexa Built-in – Black read more

Meir added, “What we’re doing now shows all the work that went in decades prior. All the women that worked to get us where we are today. I think the nice thing for us is we don’t even really think about it on a daily basis. It’s just normal. We’re part of the team.”

Koch and Meir’s spacewalk comes seven months after NASA had to cancel its first attempt at making “HERstory,” because the space station did not have enough medium-size spacesuits on board.

Koch and another astronaut, Anne McClain, were supposed to make the first all-women spacewalk back in March.

When Koch and McClain, who is no longer on the ISS, discovered they both needed to wear a size medium in the “hard upper torso,” or the shirt of the spacesuit, the walk was canceled.

NASA faced swift backlash from people who viewed the spacewalk cancellation as yet another sign of women being held back on the job.

The decision by NASA though was largely one borne out of logistics, as there are a limited number of spacesuits on the space station and NASA has lacked the funds to update its spacesuits in recent years.

(MORE: NASA’s interns remixed Ariana Grande’s hit song to promote its next mission)

Since the cancellation of the female spacewalk in March, NASA has been preparing its spacesuits for a series of 10 spacewalks.

The International Space Station is now equipped to make four complete spacewalking suits, with two “hard upper torso” components of the same size to be available at any time, according to NASA.

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MEET THE SENEGALESE DESIGNER MAKING MATH CHIC

Diarra Bousso uses algorithms to create designs for her line DIARRABLU.

Who knew that math and fashion could work together so seamlessly? Apparently Diarra Bousso did, the self-described “Creative Mathematician” and mastermind behind DIARRABLU. The Senegalese serial entrepreneur and multidisciplinary artist left a career of trading on Wall Street to pursue design and it paid off. She has just been awarded a coveted spot as the Designer in Residence at the San Francisco Fashion Incubator for her innovative use of equations and algorithms in her beautiful designs.

The name DIARRABLU is a portmanteau of her own name and the color blue, representing the infinity and abundance of the ocean. The fall/winter collection “Linguère,” named for the Wolof word for a royal female, launched earlier this week. Linguère pays tribute to the tradition of strong Senegalese females of antiquity—specifically the Jolof Empire of the 14th century from which Bousso descends. We caught up with her to ask a few questions about what it is like to merge the nerdy with the glamorous.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Nereya Otieno for OkayAfrica: When did the idea to start a fashion line first come to you? Did you foresee it when first leaving trading in Wall Street?

I wanted to have a fashion line since I was very little but it always felt like a far-fetched dream. When I was working on Wall Street, I got even more inspired and excited about the idea. I also was getting more involved in the creative scene through photography and blogging. When I left trading it was with the goal to start a fashion line right away, even though I had no experience in the field back then.

Did the idea of merging mathematics and algorithms with fashion come naturally to you? Or was it more of a stretch?

I always loved mathematics and liked the idea of using geometric shapes and cuts, but the idea of using algorithms didn’t come until I joined the Mathematics Education program at Stanford. We had this amazing professor named Jo Boaler and her work was focused on Creative Mathematics. I was like “wow, what a cool way to describe one’s work.” I started brainstorming in my free time and started toying with the idea of using math in the design process itself and not just the cuts.

After graduation, I started graphing equations, creating shapes and getting really excited. By December 2018, I had generated hundreds of designs algorithmically and decided to work on a collection while in Dakar. We made the first prints and I decided this was going to be the new direction.

So, wait, yeah—how does your process actually work?

I use equations to graph lines, curves, parabolas, hyperbolas, basically anything that can be represented by a math equation and graphed. Then I focus on where those lines and curves meet, which creates kind of random shapes. Then we hand paint those shapes using a color scheme that I’ve chosen.

What do you think it means to use algorithms in instances of self expression and art?

I think it is very empowering. It is a merger of the authentic and the automatic that can be extremely rewarding. Math is limitless, numbers never end and the fact that it is my tool for creation makes me feel like the opportunities are endless. Sometimes, I can stay up all night after writing new algorithms and experimenting with all the iterations that can come out of it. By just changing one number in your equation of flipping the signs, you get a complete new set of patterns. It is so mind blowing!

Your current collection is meant to evoke feelings of the 14th century Jolof Empire, how does it feel to use such contemporary methods in order to create the past?

I have always been fascinated by the past. Perhaps because it is somehow mysterious and hard to grasp. Growing up, I was always excited to dress up on special days as a traditional Wolof princess. My grandma would share her old clothes and resize them for me and I would get traditional braids and jewelry. I am from the Wolof ethnic group in Senegal and my parents raised us with a lot of cultural and historical references. My dad would always tell us stories about our grandparents and mom secretly thinks she is the style heir of the family.

Revisiting Senegal’s past with a collection was very exciting. I wanted to evoke that sense of comfort, freedom and power in traditional wear while adhering to the color palette of the fauna and flora of the Jolof region in Senegal. Clothes are convertible and adjustable just like the traditional boubous and wrap skirts and colors follow an arid climate’s palette of camel undertones and green accents. The algorithmic patterns are abstractions of animal inspired prints and have names like Gyraf and Zybra.

What do you think technologies like this mean for the future of fashion?

I think technologies like this have the potential to make fashion more efficient and circular. In our case, designing our prints algorithmically allows us to generate hundreds of options but only printing the ones that our audience responds to via social media. This has allowed us to reduce fabric inventory wastage by 80% and take a closer step towards sustainability.

What’s next for you and DIARRABLU?

The focus for me is to use this amazing opportunity to scale with the support of Silicon Valley tech executives through the program and expand both our online and store footprint to be able to reach more consumers around the world. We are also working on exciting initiatives to expand our design universe from clothing and accessories to art and interiors. Finally, working towards sustainability is a big goal for us with a focus on more circular solutions to textile design. I hope we keep growing and sharing our story of the intersection of tradition and algorithms with a larger audience.

Source: Okay Africa

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“THERE IS A REVOLUTIONARY SPIRIT THAT THRIVES IN SOUTHERN AND EAST AFRICA THAT DOESN’T THRIVE IN US” – CHIMAMANDA ADICHIE

Felabration is an annual festival held in honour of the late musician and activist, Fela Anikulapo Kuti. This year’s theme is ‘From Lagos With Love’.

The event, which held yesterday at the NECA Events Center, Ikeja Central Business District, Alausa Ikeja, Lagos, had the theme: “Teacher Don’t Teach Me Nonsense.”

On the need for a revolution, she said Nigerians are docile when they should be vocal and as a result Nigeria does not matter in the global scheme of things.

“There is a revolutionary spirit that thrives in southern and eastern Africa that doesn’t thrive in us, a political revolutionary spirit and I worry that it has a lot to do with the way our educational system is, we don’t really matter. I think that’s the reality. It is up to us to make that change because if you look at the foreign policy of positive nations, by their actions, you can tell that they don’t think we matter. They think China matters. They think India would matter, not really us. And you can tell by their foreign policy,” she said.

The popular writer said she fell in love with Fela’s music through her older brother, Chuks, she said.

On Fela, she said: “When I was younger, he came to represent a kind of unapologetic courage and authenticity.”

Other speakers at the event included law teacher, Prof. Akin Oyebode, Kingslee James, McLean Daley, a British activist popularly called Akala and Ugandan singer and politician Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu (Bobi Wine).

Dignitaries at the event included , Femi Falana (SAN), Kingsley Moghalu, Professor Wole Soyinka, Professor Femi Osofisan, Rikki Stein, Femi Kuti, Yeni Kutiamong others.

 

Watch the video below:

Photo Credit: @felabration

 

 

Credit: Bella Naija

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OLUTOSIN LOST HER MOM WHILE PREPARING FOR MBGN 2019 & SHE MADE HER PROUD BY BEING CROWNED MBGN UNIVERSE

Olutosin Araromi, the beauty queen who is partly Yoruba and partly Benin is the current MBGN Universe 2019 after becoming the 1st runner-up at the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria ceremony Friday night.

Olutosin Araromi (Miss Taraba) lost her mom, Elizabeth Araromi on the 6th of September 2019 after a trip to Nigeria to pursue her daughter’s lifelong dream of representing Nigeria at the MBGN 2019. She wrote:

I never thought in my life I would be writing this but with a very heavy devastated heart I’m here to inform everyone of the untimely passing of my sweet Mother Elizabeth.

My mother and I travelled back home to Lagos, Nigeria to pursue my lifelong dream of representing Nigeria on an international platform so I applied to compete for @silverbirdmbgn.

Unfortunately this past Friday evening when me and her were coming back from the mainland after wrapping up my final evening gown fitting disaster struck.

Our @uber@ubernigeria broke down on the 3rd mainland bridge-ojoo express. When we were trying to get to safety and get into our 2nd Uber a danfo bus veered off track and struck my mom.

The danfo bus didn’t stop it kept on driving. Thankfully by a Good Samaritan we were able to get my mom into a car and rushed to the hospital. After about 20-30 minutes of trying to resuscitate my mother the doctor announced that the injuries she sustained were fatal. My whole life changed in less than an hour. Those who are close to me know how close I was to my mother.

She was my friend, my mentor, my spiritual prayer partner, my motivation, my confidant, my everything. She sacrificed her life to help me pursue my dream. The marathon will continue…I will still compete in @silverbirdmbgn to honor my mom and her legacy.

And in the future I plan to start a foundation in her honor. Threw this hard time in my life I’ve learned that time with your loved ones should never be taking for granted. Love and cherish the people who truly support you in life. And God will give you strength through all of life’s burdens. Thank you to everyone who has prayed for me, reached out to me and donated towards my mom’s funeral.

Mommy I will make you proud I promise everything you taught me I will apply it to my life and teach my future children. I love you soo much ma, till we meet again in heaven, love you forever🙏🏾✨❤️(The go fund me link to donate to my mom’s funeral will be in my bio) #RIPmom#heavengainedanangel #iyaniwura #loveyou9/6/2019💔

Photo Credit: silverbirdmbgn

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OPRAH WINFREY OPENS UP ON NOT GETTING MARRIED OR HAVING KIDS

Oprah Winfrey has opened up about why she never got married or had children.

In an interview with People Magazine for its Women Changing the World issue, Oprah Winfrey says although marriage and motherhood weren’t exactly in her cards, she did consider it at one time.

“At one point in Chicago I had bought an additional apartment because I was thinking, Well, if we get married, I’m going to need room for children,” Oprah said.

However, due to the demands of her talk show, “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” Oprah said she started to think of the depth of responsibility and sacrifice that is actually required to be a mother.

“I realized, ‘Whoa, I’m talking to a lot of messed-up people, and they are messed up because they had mothers and fathers who were not aware of how serious that job is.”

Oprah’s longtime boyfriend, Stedman Graham, 68, also agrees that being married would have changed their relationship.

“Both he and I now say, ‘If we had married, we would not be together, no question about it.” she said.

Looking back, she says she made the right decision.

“I believe that part of the reason why I don’t have regrets is because I got to fulfill it in the way that was best for me: the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa,” she said. “Those girls fill that maternal fold that I perhaps would have had. In fact, they overfill I’m overflowed with maternal,” she added.

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11-YEAR-OLD NAOMI OLOYEDE GETS STANDING OVATION AFTER SPEECH AT UNODC ANTI-CORRUPTION CONFERENCE IN VIENNA

Earlier this week, Naomi Oloyede, an 11-year-old anti-corruption activist addressed the High-Level #Education4Justice conference in Vienna, Austria.

Naomi Oloyede, from NIgeria, travelled to Vienna, Austria in October 2019 to take part in the International Conference “Educating for the Rule Of Law” held under the Education for Justice initiative of UNODC’s Doha Declaration Global Programme.

At the High-Level opening, Naomi addressed over 350 leaders, policymakers and educators gathered from across the world and, on behalf of all children, urged them to make the world a better, safer and more inclusive place: “We want to grow up in a place where there is peace and where the rule of law is respected”.

Watch her speech below:

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AFRICA’S FIRST SMARTPHONE FACTORY OPENS IN RWANDA

Africa’s first “Made in Africa” smartphones are here, and being made in Rwanda!

Africa's First Smartphone Factory Opens in Rwanda

 Rwanda Opens Africa’s First Smartphone Factory.

Africa’s first smartphone factory was opened in Rwanda by the country’s president, Paul Kagame on Monday. Mara Phones, a subsidiary of the pan-African conglomerate Mara Group, opened its factory in Kigali, Rwanda as part of the manufacturer’s ambitious plans to lead smartphone manufacturers on the continent.

Mara Group described its first range of models it has unveiled as “made in Africa.” The group released two models, the Mara X and Mara Z which will be operating on Google’s Android operating system. The new phones cost 175,750 Rwandan francs ($190) and 120,250 Rwandan francs ($130) respectively. The brands that currently dominate the smartphone market in Rwanda are Tecno and Samsung, and Mara will be competing with these established brands for the dominance of the smartphone market in Rwanda.

Businessman Ashish J. Thakkar, the owner of Mara Group, gave high-sounding remarks towards the company’s new venture saying, “this is the first smartphone manufacturer in Africa.”

“We realized a few years ago that to create a positive social impact on our continent and in emerging markets, we need to have high quality and affordable smartphones. That’s when we came up with Mara Phones.”

“We are actually the first who are doing manufacturing. We are making the motherboards, we are making the sub-boards during the entire process. There are over 1,000 pieces per phone.” The plant cost a total of $24 million.

One may wonder what favored Mara Phones to choose Kigali as their preferred destination of business. They made full use of the special economic zones established in Kigali. This means they have the capacity to employ over 200 people to manufacture high-tech smartphones for the local market and for other markets abroad. They have also established partnerships with local banks and telecommunications firms to forge a finance model that allows customers to pay over a period of two years.

Rwanda’s current smartphone penetration stands at 15% and for Mara, this is a chance to disrupt the market and make a smartphone a very basic gadget affordable to everyone.

Paul Kagame gave his thumbs-up to the efforts led by Mara Phones to provide as many Rwandans as possible with smartphones.

“The smartphone is no longer a luxury item, it is rapidly becoming a requirement of everyday life,” Paul Kagame said.

“That trend is bound to increase in the years to come as more and more services migrate to digital platforms. We want to enable many more Rwandans to use smartphones. The cost and quality are very important and the introduction of Mara Phones will put smartphone ownership within reach of more Rwandans.”

Mara also capitalized on the general goodwill that Rwanda is enjoying in the business community not only in Africa but globally.

Header image credit – VisitKigali

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ADESUWA ONYENOKWE INTERVIEWS UNILAG’S MANAGEMENT OVER BBC AFRICA EYE #SEXFORGRADES DOCUMENTARY

The interview is a follow-up to BBC Africa Eye #SexForGrades undercover documentary on sexual harassment on female university students in West Africa.

Two lecturers from the University have been indicted of sexual harassment and have since been suspended.

The VC talked about the well-being of one the lecturer who attempted suicide, the “cold room”, and the steps the management are taking to eliminate re-occurrence of such situations. The DVC expressed her disappointment and also talked about steps taken by the school’s management, as well as the “panic button” project.

Watch the full interview below:

 

 

Credit: Bella Naija

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