women of rubies Archives

In self development February 27, 2017 By Women of Rubies

TOBY NWAZOR: 5 VITAL CLUES TO KNOW YOU SHOULD BECOME AN ENTREPRENEUR

Most people toy with the idea of becoming entrepreneurs at least once in their life. I mean who wouldn’t? Especially after coming across a very successful one. Yeah, I know that feeling. But frankly speaking, entrepreneurship is not as rosy as it seems. So don’t just run into it because your cousin did so, and he seems to be doing well.

Personally I took that leap of faith that made me a die-hard entrepreneur sometime in 2013, and since then I have not looked back. I have had my fair share of challenges, but rather than deter me, they propel me for greater heights. And if given the opportunity again, I will still opt for entrepreneurship over and over again.

What about you? Have you ever toyed with the idea of being your own boss? Have you ever wondered if starting and running a business is your thing?

Don’t look too far. The clues below will help you make that decision. Of course, it is not exhaustive, but don’t hesitate to raise your hands and shout Hallelujah if I make a point that kinda hits close to home.

Let’s walk…

You wanna be Independent
Earlier this month, I visited an old friend of mine in Warri. And even though we have been in touch to an extent, I was really shocked and excited to see how well he was doing for himself. We had a lot of catch-up time, and I just couldn’t resist asking him what prompted him to quit his job when he did.

I mean, I remember when he was working in Enugu. And before I knew what was happening I heard he quit and started his own business. His main reason? Independence.

You see that life where you call the shots on how you spend your day, where you go, what you do, when you work or not, and most especially, how much you earn, it cannot be quantified.

For me, my eureka moment was when I told myself that even if I was selling zobo and puff-puff, I would make much more than I was being offered in the last place I worked. And when I got to that point, there was no stopping me.

Your job doesn’t give you fulfillment
I know what it means to work at a job that doesn’t give fulfillment. I mean you wake up in the morning happy, only to get sad at the thought of going to work.

Yeah, used to happen to me a lot when I was working with an Insurance company in Lagos.

Truth is that everyone wants to be fulfilled. And if your job doesn’t offer you that, it’s time you thought seriously about creating a job that could give you just that. If working at that crazy million dollar idea of yours smells fulfillment to you…that’s a sign right there.

You don’t want to compromise on your life Goals
Sometime in 2009 I wrote down a list of things I hoped to do before I die. One of them was what drove me to go for what became my first swimming experience. Apart from that, I equally wrote a lot of things that had to do with starting and running a couple of businesses.

But I didn’t just write these goals down; I got committed to pursuing them. I knew that a goal I don’t pursue will never get actualized.

If your job is not helping you achieve your life goals and you’re no longer comfortable with that, it is time to consider moving from employee to entrepreneurship. Nothing should matter more than achieving your life goals. That should form the very essence of your daily activities. So look at your job again, is it servicing your life goals?

Recurrent ideas
Don’t quit your regular job because of one idea that just flashed your mind. Ask every successful entrepreneur, it really has to be an idea that keeps coming to you. In my own case, the thoughts kept me awake at night, and gave me daydreams during the day.

So don’t be deaf. Take note of those ideas that keeps coming to you. The more recurrent, the clearer it becomes. These recurrent ideas come with an unusual surge of energy. If that is you, then entrepreneurship is for you.

An idea is the first milestone in building a successful business. Tweet that!

Your passion
Passion fuels inspiration. If your inspiration is fueled by a passion for something outside your regular 9-5 job, then please consider following your passion.

Find something you are passionate about and do it passionately. If you love the social media a lot, Instagram for instance, then let your passion drive you to seek out how to monetize that Instagram account.

But note that passion, not money, should guide your decision to become an entrepreneur. If you are genuinely passionate about providing a solution, then you are surely going to do well as an entrepreneur.

The hallmark of entrepreneurs is their passion for providing solutions other than just the prospect of a better paycheck. (Quote me)

So, what’s your story? Has the thought of starting your own business been giving you sleepless nights? What’s been keeping you from taking that leap of faith, even if it’s a side-hustle? What are you waiting for?

Source: Bellanaija.com

In Interviews&profile February 27, 2017 By Women of Rubies

#PROFILE | BLACK FEMALE INNOVATORS YOU SHOULD KNOW

You know we love profiling Amazons and Trailblazers, Women who beyondjust being part of the board room are making change happen. We profile some of this epic black and female innovators you should know.

The’ Budgetnista’ Tiffany Aliche.

She works tirelessly to make sure more women worldwide become more financially savvy. Isn’t that amazing? She does this through her Facebook group and bestselling books. Because of her consistency and excellence in the field, she has been featured on Forbes, New York Times, Essence and more.

Laura Weidman Powers

What’s not to love about a beautiful and fearless woman who daily does all she can to make black people proportionately represented in tech. She is the co-founder of CODE2040 a nonprofit organization that creates pathways to educational, professional, and entrepreneurial success in technology for underrepresented minorities. Laura was a senior policy adviser for Science and Technology in Obama’s administration.

Evita Robinson

Who creates a group dedicated to building a community of travelers and making world travel more accessible to people of color and successfully builds the group to more than 14, 000 members? Evita! She has even built a successful business around the community.

Bozoma Saint John

Boz as she is fondly called is the Ghanian- Amercian woman , making waves at Apple Music. She was recently appointed the head of global consumer marketing for iTunes and Apple Music and has proved her worth ever since. She is the brains behind the biggest Apple Music ad ever starring Taraji P. Henson, Mary J. Blige and Kerry Washington.

Lindsey Day

Natural hair is the in thing but we love that Lindsey found a new way to celebrate the movement. She started CRWN, the world’s first natural hair magazine. The quarterly publication amplifies the experiences of women of color with curls and afros to celebrates them like the queens they are.

Curled from Leadingladiesafrica.org

In Interviews&profile February 24, 2017 By Women of Rubies

ONCE YOU DELIVER EXCELLENCE WITH INNOVATION & PASSION, IT DOESN’T MATTER THE COLOR OF YOUR SKIN, YOU WILL STAND BEFORE KINGS” – KUNBI ADEOYE, FOUNDER-SESEWA

Kunbi is the executive director of SESEWA; a company she founded while still in university in 2009. She holds an LLB from Obafemi Awolowo University and was enrolled as a solicitor and advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in 2010. Her company, SESEWA is at the forefront of providing internship and career opportunities for Nigeria’s young generation and she is building a legacy for internship businesses in Nigeria. Adekunbi is a frequent speaker at youth events, and a big inspiration for young people in Africa cities in Africa. In this interview, the beautiful entrepreneur opens up on how she has been able to build SESEWA into a formidable brand.

Growing Up
Growing up for me was fun and filled with lessons. I was the child that was born to work…. I was really enterprising, I still am but when I was younger, I engaged in several kinds of businesses. I was particularly thrilled by the reward and satisfaction I got when I delivered a certain value or sold something. Let’s just say I was born for enterprise!

Inspiration behind Sesewa?
My sesewa experience is one that has changed my life forever.
Xby Counterflix

For me, SESEWA is not just a business idea; it is more like a mandate attached to my life. It is seated at the core of my existence. SESEWA started first with my deepest desire to have people experience clarity and pursue a career they were really in love with because that was what I felt like after I had an internship in a law firm as an undergraduate. That experience left me empowered and I felt everyone deserved this opportunity- To be sure about what they wanted to create with their lives.
This desire grew into a business because of my highly entrepreneurial spirit. The business operates as a social enterprise designed to tackle the diversified problems of recruitment and unemployment in Nigeria. We specialize in providing internship, volunteering and job-shadowing opportunities to youths. With our well-developed curriculum, training school and set of assessments, the regular Nigerian graduate is transformed into a job-ready professional. This serves a dual purpose, in that it also provides organizations the best wave of talents to drive their corporate vision. For those who don’t know, the name SESEWA is a coinage gotten from a Yoruba expression ‘Se ise wa?’ (Is there a Job?)This seems to be question on the lips of many Nigerian graduates and SESEWA will always say YES! We have got the RIGHT JOB for you!

Beyond Expectation
The truth remains that the big picture for SESEWA keeps expanding as we break new grounds; and yes! SESEWA is having the effect I caught a glimpse of in my mind years back. It just keeps getting better. Today, young people walk into my office with potentials that are worked upon and made valuable. They always leave better than they came. I have my interns go to clients and I get feedbacks from clients saying the interns are so fantastic that it is difficult to pick just one intern for the job. We call it the SESEWA Experience… As I will always say, “there is no discrimination against excellence.” Once you deliver excellence with innovation and passion, it doesn’t matter the color of your skin, you will stand before kings.

Reception
Just like every other ‘new’ idea, SESEWA had some acceptance issues, basically because the concept was not so popular when we started. We just did our part, defined the value we were offering and we were determined to be the best at it. It wasn’t long before individuals and organizations started warming up to the idea. Let me mention here that there are times you just need to believe in you enough to give others the right reasons to believe in you too. I had people who believed in SESEWA because of the confidence and passion with which I spoke about the value we proposed to deliver even though we were doing it for the first time. I look back now; I am so fulfilled and grateful to God for being my Anchor.
Xby Counterflix

Giving Up
This is one truth not so many people talk about. Fulfilling purpose is not as easy as spelling P.U.R.P.O.S.E. It sometimes feels like swimming against the current, it is super difficult. There were days that didn’t look so bright, there were days I didn’t feel up to the title “Executive Director” but at such times I was reminded of the WHY behind SESEWA and I got energized again. This is one thing I tell everyone who cares to listen, understand the purpose behind anything you do because when the road gets rough, you will be in one piece, strengthened by WHY you started in the first place. So, at the times I felt like giving up, I remembered SESEWA is not about me. This makes me jump out bed every morning whether I felt like it or not. Though right now, I feel we have gone too far to look back. The only RIGHT way is FORWARD!
Relationship with Interns
Yes, we have succeeded in building a FAMILY. It is not just a work relationship. Our lives are so intertwined with the entire process that after the internship, it is hard to go back as just regular people. For the SESEWA family, we are consciously raising a new breed of excellent, talented professionals to redefine work in this part of the world.

Challenges
Every idea, business and journey has peculiar challenges. SESEWA had the challenge of acceptance as certain organizations didn’t understand what we were proposing at first. We had to work on our product, curriculum to ensure we deliver excellent value every time. We were also faced with fund challenges just as many start-ups with bills rising and demanding attention.

Future Plans for Sesewa
We hope to expand our sphere of influence, reach out to more youths, develop more products and programmes that can come in handy to youths as we groom the best waves of talent, the most sought after in the land. We also hope to establish solid local and international partnerships with other organizations.
Advice for Young unemployed Female Graduates?
Give yourself more credit. You are awesome too if only you can believe in yourself. Please don’t define your entire life by your current phase of being without a job; just don’t be idle. Keep your hands and mind busy. Get as much skills as possible. The internet has made it so easy for you to learn practically anything, enroll for online courses, volunteer for projects, get an internship just ensure you are increasing in value. What employers pay for is not the number of years you spent in school or the kind of school you graduated from but the value you can bring to the table.
For those who want to run their businesses, don’t get too excited yet; get the needed skills and knowledge and please get a mentor! The concept of mentorship has been abused but I am sure you can still find great people who will be willing to take you through the paths they have walked in smarter ways.
What Makes You A Woman Of Rubies?
I will just describe who I am in my own words and you will decide if that qualifies me to be a ‘Woman of Rubies’, I am simply Adekunbi Adeoye, a woman passionate about living out the blueprint of the Master for her life. I love God with my whole being. The process of fulfilling my purpose of helping others discover who they are has developed traits in me that I find amazing myself. I am a fantastic problem solver. I don’t see problems; I see opportunities to touch lives. I am highly enterprising, I am so gifted that I believe I can sell anything even sand and still create a lucrative business out of it.

Final Word for Young Women?
Don’t put a pause on your life waiting for anything! It doesn’t suggest that you shouldn’t be patient; just don’t be mediocre. Discover what your life was designed to be and spend every moment living it out. Live freely! Dance, Sing out loud! You are beautiful, celebrate yourself always and quit settling for less!

In Interviews&profile February 23, 2017 By Women of Rubies

WHY BONANG MATHEBA IS WINNING THE HEARTS OF MANY

Bonang Matheba keeps winning our hearts all the time! Call her a diva, a social media queen, a super woman – she is all of that and much more! Here are our top ten reasons for not being able to get over her:

Bonang is pro-woman all the way

Boning is a staunch lover and promoter of women. Even more, she is a strong believer in the strength and dreams of African women. To her, a woman can have it all. Her dream to promote self-love in women led her to launch her lingerie line, Distraction. Through it, she encourages women to embrace their bodies.

She’s got burnt and made it through

Bonang did not just wake up one morning to become an overnight ‘disney’ princess. She has had her very fair share of disappointment and frustration. She’s been called names. What she did? She moved past it all and gave herself a better choice. She grew to be the woman we all love now.

She’s a serial achiever

Bonang is such an inspiration to many young ladies. She has had more achievements than most media personalities can get for themselves. Of course, she has become a favourite cover star for renowned international fashion and lifestyle magazines such as Grazia, Marie Claire and Elle South Africa. Talk about a black girl who rocks?

She is love’s biggest fan

For Bonang, love is everything. That, for her, is the biggest principle to live and work by. She tells LLA, “it is the love that drives the passion of what I do, being true to myself means I will always be authentic in what I do and the brands I align myself with, happiness brings positivity into your life and the more of it the more life seems great”.

Bonang is an early planner

For Bonang, life did not have to start at 21. At 13, she did not have anyone telling her what to do, she had it all figured out. She knew just what she wanted to be and went right ahead to chase after it at 16 by kicking off her career in a South African’s television series for kids.

She’s a perfect fit in two contrasting worlds

If she is not here on the noisy, photo-splashed side of glam, then she’s on the other side. Either way, Bonang makes a perfect blend of both worlds. She knows how to be just the diva and the home girl.

She’s a super slay queen

Bonang is a fashion favourite and definitely a designer’s muse. She does as much justice to the red-carpet as to the streets. She is a slay queen with a capital ‘S’.

She’s not just about the glam

Bonang is not just about the pretty face or the 6-inches. She pushes herself to be better and smarter, and we’ve come to know that a pastime of hers is reading. Oh yes, she loves to read. Her favourites are socio-political books. So, thinking of being the next Bonang? Try reading a few books.

She is on the look-out for everyone

There is no disputing the fact Bonang loves her fans and wants as much good for them as she does for herself. She is an amazing giver. Whether it involves offering mentorship to young girls or inviting her fans to an expense paid trip, Bonang is willing to do so much and more.

She stays leading!

Bonang is our quintessential Leading Lady! She just keeps on winning! She is a perfect blend of both the entertainment and fashion industries. She is leaving the B prints everywhere she can possibly be. We love, love, love her!

Source: Leadingladiesafrica.org

In lifestyle February 20, 2017 By Women of Rubies

AKUDO ABENGOWE-ADEBAYO: MY NIGERIAN BOARDING SCHOOL EXPERIENCE

Last week I had loads of fun with the Old Girls’ Association of my secondary school. It was the maiden edition of our reunion and we were happy to see each other again. Of course we have changed, both in looks and sizes, but one thing was sure, we all have fond memories of our secondary school days. It was weird to realise that I graduated from secondary school exactly 20 years ago. There was so much to catch up on, and so much to gossip about. I am looking forward to the gathering again.

My school, St Joseph’s College Aba, was a very popular school and one of the best schools in our time. The standard of education and moral values were high. It also was also reputed to have the finest girls then, and as such our school activities always witnessed large turnout of male guests’ et al. We, the students, always represented that image with well-ironed short school uniforms and our heads held high.

I lived in boarding house and it was great fun. In fact, I learnt how to look out foe and take decisions for myself in the boarding house.I went into the boarding house young and naïve, but I came out sharp and street smart.

You see, lesbianism didn’t start today o. Oh no, even in Biblical times it has always existed. I, however, came to the knowledge of lesbianism in the boarding house. My school being an all-girls school was very much into lesbianism.

It was called ‘sure’ and the partners were referred to as lovers. Some school mothers and their school daughters turned their relationship from mentorship to lesbianism. It was a big deal then, and if as a junior student you didn’t have a lover you were deemed as being ‘jew’ – an unattractive and inactive person. I was initially curious to know what and how they did their ‘sure’ act, and when those who have experienced it narrated it to me, it just didn’t feel right to me. I believed intimacy was supposed to be between both sexes and not vice versa.

Anyway I kept my thoughts to myself and went about my business, no one wanted me as a ‘supe’. I was too stubborn to the seniors. I would flout school rules and regulations with my friend, and would be the first to report any senior that victimised or intimidated me to the principal – in well spoken English. God help the senior if she did not defend herself in English, as well as I did, the principal would show her pepper.

So, they all hated me and used every opportunity available to flog me. However in my JSS 3, I was almost lured into ‘supe’. It had become a norm amongst my friends, and I was almost the only one who didn’t have a lover.

One of the most beautiful and popular seniors in SS3 approached me after admiring my legs. I promised her I would think about it, because I had my reservations about her due to the rumours about her being possessed by evil spirits.

She persisted, buying me snacks during break, and making sure I ate the best portion of food during dinning hours. Valentine’s day was approaching, so I decided to give the ‘supe’ thingy a trial. On Valentine’s Day, she sent me the biggest card I had ever seen and a set of lingerie. I was touched. Later that evening I honoured the invitation to her hostel, not knowing that I was going to sleep there. So when I entered the seniors’ hostel, I saw that all the bunk beds had been covered with mosquito nets and then bed sheets. There was practically no way to let air into the bed, I got scared because I can’t stay in a choked environment. She explained that the bed sheets were for privacy. I started wondering how I would breathe through the covering. I quickly lied to her that I hadn’t taken my bath because I thought that I would go back to sleep in my hostel. I begged her to let me go and freshen up and then come back. She agreed. I ran to my hostel and slept there.

She was very angry with me the next day. I apologised to her, promising to repeat the visit, while inwardly wondering how I would get myself out of the mess I was in. Fortunately for me, she woke up very early one morning and sat on the bare floor in front of her hostel. She refused to get up, claiming that she was instructed by her ‘people’ to stay there for the whole day, and indeed she stayed there even in the hot sun. My friends, the kain Ben Johnson wey I do. I ran faster than Usain Bolt and never contacted her again. I was more than relieved when she got another girl in my set as her ‘supe’ and forgot about me.

After that experience, I learnt never to allow myself be influenced by peer pressure or the need to belong. We can’t al belong in the same place. Some can belong in the sitting room and some can belong in the kitchen.

You can share any tales about your secondary school as well….

In Interviews&profile February 20, 2017 By Women of Rubies

#PROFILE| MEET UDUAK DEBBIE NWAOZO THE WOMAN DETERMINED TO FIGHT SICKLE CELL DISEASE EVEN WHILE BATTLING RENAL FAILURE

She was born in a small city called Ilesha, in the Western part of Nigeria. Her parents were educationists hence they were considered somewhat strict. She grew up with four siblings, second of five kids; Uduak lost two of her siblings in year 2000 and 2010 to Sickle Cell Disease (SCD).

Their mum brought them up almost single handedly; as the dad was often away. She was a little over a year when my mum discovered I had SCD.

ON LIVING WITH SCD

Living with SCD impacted my life in so many ways; both negatively and positively. As a teenager I battled with quite a lot of stigmatization especially because I looked very different from my peers in secondary school. I had somewhat stunted growth, yellowish eyes and looked very fragile.

I learnt to talk to my mum a lot and she would in turn advise me to tell God about how I felt. My parents were very religious; so they instilled in my siblings and me the need to appreciate our spirituality. I guess this is a big part of what helped me through life as one living with SCD.

As an adult, living with SCD has also affected my relationships with people especially in relation to getting married . I have had quite unpleasant experiences with parents of supposed spouses because of course no one really wants his or her son to have a wife who might be ill most of the time.

Dealing with SCD as an adult has been better compared to my childhood and teenage years; at least I learnt how to manage my health better and I am more careful. Every now and then though, I have had to cancel appointments, cancel outing with friends, and deal with crisis, mood swings, and hospital sessions and so on.

I established good relationship with my medical team and I have always had an excellent support system from my family and the few friends I have.

ON FINDING HER VOICE ON SCD

I schooled in Ghana and during this period I tried to find myself. I felt something was missing. I wanted to say something to the public about SCD but I found myself always timid when it came to SCD issues but quite bold on other issues.

After I lost my only brother in year 2010 in Russia, I decided to finally talk more about SCD i.e. to create the awareness and educate people but I became more occupied with my job as a Project Manager which entailed a lot of travelling; I could not quite make time to plan strategies on how to go about my awareness creation.

I finally got the bombshell when my friend and colleague told me her 1 year old son had SCD. I remember feeling extremely guilty because she categorically told me she didn’t know anything about SCD and here was I refusing to dedicate time to talk about it with people. I eagerly decided to work on creating awareness; this is when I came up with the Sickle Cell Support Group – Ghana (SCSG-Ghana).

SICKLE CELL SUPPORT GROUP

SCSG is a registered not-for-profit organization and a social health group that was formed in 2014 with the aim of creating aggressive awareness about Sickle Cell Disease (SCD), its causes and prevention, and providing educative support to persons living with SCD for improved quality of life. SCSG-Ghana is meant to reach out to persons living with SCD in Ghana.

So far, SCSG-Ghana has organized the SCD Awareness march which was done in June 2016 in collaboration with Lister Hospital, Sunlodge Hotel, Green TV, Business and Financial Time, Special Ice drinks, Chicken republic, Ghana Police, Green FM ad Ovation International.

I was in the US having my surgery done at this point but I have a very effective team that handled everything. I wasn’t thrilled that I missed it but I had no choice. SCSG-Ghana also has an awareness video which can be watched on our site on www.scsgghana.org or directly on YouTube

I believe SCSG-Ghana will do its own little part to gradually break the barriers that SCD has created by educating people. It is important that everyone knows their genotype. I believe this is the first step in avoiding SCD. SCD is inherited from carrier or suffering parents who have the double AS genotype.

FOR PEOPLE WHOSE LOVED ONES LIVE WITH SCD

I am of the opinion that people living with SCD need all the love and attention they can get. If you are a sibling, spouse, parent or friend, the best you can do is to be very loving. We do not need pity.

Some people tend to pity you when they discover you are living with SCD; but with me once I see you pity me, I start to avoid you. Pity is the last thing I need from anyone.

FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH SCD

People living with SCD also need an excellent medical team. With me, for instance, I bond very well with my medical team, they are a very integral part of my life. I don’t hide or keep anything from my doctors. They know everything about my health. I also try to keep away from anything that causes me stress especially if I have the power to avoid it. I stay hydrated and keep to my doctors’ appointments the best I can; and as mama often advised, I rest even before I even feel tired.

I think as persons living with SCD we should also be careful of the kind of things we consume. Our organs tend to get damaged easily hence the need to consume the right kinds of foods. I recently became a dialysis patient because my kidney packed up as a result of severe damages from SCD, going through frequent infections, crisis and so on. I also think there were many foods I consumed that might have led to damaging my kidneys i.e. weighing down and overworking the kidneys. So now I don’t only battle with SCD but also with end stage renal failure.

ON TURNING 35

I turned 35 years in November, 2016 and for me it was the greatest joy ever. People always say I lie about my age because of my looks but I don’t see why I should tamper with my age. I live each day thankful for all the experiences I have had. I have been able to visit so many African and European countries. I have stayed in the US for a while and I can go whenever I want to. I have had exciting experiences with my work, I have met and made very good friends and I have a very supportive immediate and extended family. I can only stay thankful because I am not better than anyone. Ultimately, I think the best attitude in life is to be thankful in spite of what we think we are going through.

***** Uduak is battling renal failure and needs your help to raise the funds for her treatment. Kindly support her on her journey to better health with your donations and your prayers. Please click here to donate –> gofundme.com/debbie-kidney

This article was curled from woman.ng to support the fundraiser for Uduak’s surgery.

In self development February 15, 2017 By Women of Rubies

NIKE ADEDOKUN : DEAR WOMAN, YOU DESERVE MORE….

Ladies, you have been praying about your new relationship. You even chose to pray when he started misbehaving.

You asked God to show you signs if you should marry him or not.

Suddenly, his mild bad attitudes became worse. He even maltreat and abuse you more. He doesn’t respect you and doesn’t bother about your welfare.

You have been asking him what went wrong and he says nothing or talks down on you.

You have been fasting and praying more for greater signs and wonders and after every prayer, his attitudes become worse.

What else do you want?

Greater miracles? Unseen signs and wonders?

The problem is not that you can’t see the signs, you just expect a change because you’re deep in love. You are obsessed.

The love is not the problem, he is not the issue too, you just haven’t discovered who you are what you want and what you deserve.

You even think you don’t deserve better. You are so used to being abused and you have embraced it more. You keep projecting your insecurities but you think you are just a slaying Queen.

Take a look at your past and your present. Observe the patterns, notice the emotional instability and ask yourself questions that can preserve your future.

Don’t get carried away by the internet and it’s societal pressure of what a woman is.

Don’t read fashion magazines alone, read quality books too.

Your life is more than what you see now. You are a treasure waiting to be found.

Pause and seek within. You deserve more.

Don’t limit yourself to the experiences you have had with friends and men while growing up.
You need to sort out your issues and inner demon before it consumes you.

I know what it feels like to be insecure and have low self-esteem. It’s not a good pace to be. I know what it means to seek for validation from men and relationships but that’s not what you need yet. Let God fill your heart and give you a sense of purpose and essence. Work on your values and what you project. Talk to someone if it’s not doable by you.

Enough of nudity, promiscuity, abusive relationships and purposeless life.

It’s time for you to evolve.

We can connect on: adenikeadedokun@gmail.com if you need to talk about it.

In self development February 15, 2017 By Women of Rubies

OPE TAIWO :4 MORNING ROUTINES THAT PROMOTE WEIGHT LOSS

The beautiful things about morning is that they largely determine the rest part of the day. To keep that get-fit momentum going all day long, start your day off right with these morning habits that will motivate you even more.

GET SOME SUN

Basking in the sun’s rays can help you drop pounds. Why? Morning light helps regulate your internal clock, which aids your sleep schedule (crucial for weight loss). Morning sunshine also contains higher levels of blue light, which has the strongest effect on your circadian rhythm. You only need 20-30 minutes of morning sunlight between 8 a.m. and noon to get in on these benefits!

GET IN A MINDFUL MOOD

Mindfulness is a key strategy when it comes to weight loss. It’s all about taking a focused, intentional approach to your life by really tuning in to your body and mind. Even better, it can stabilize your emotions, potentially making you less likely to give into stress-based eating. Take a few minutes at the start of each day to sit quietly and focus on the rhythm of your breath.

CHANGE UP YOUR COMMUTE

Driving to work is easy, but it may not be best for your waistline. A study published in the journal BMJ shows that people who walk, bike, and take public transportation have lower BMIs and body-fat percentages than those who depended on their cars to get to work. Even walking to the closest bus stop or train station can be beneficial.

GO HIGH-PROTEIN

While the jury’s still out on whether breakfast is essential for weight loss, a healthy dose of protein in the morning looks like it can help you drop pounds. Protein takes a long time to digest and pushes your body to secrete the gut hormone Peptide YY, which helps increase feelings of fullness.

Photocredit : kokofeed.com

In Career Gems February 14, 2017 By Women of Rubies

WOMANESS SKINFOOD LINE PRELAUNCH “VAL” GIVEAWAY

Omaness Skinfood is an African-inspired beauty brand that offers a range of exquisitely natural skin and hair products. The products are handcrafted with a hero indigenous ingredient of shea butter and other naturally derived active ingredients locally sourced from Nigeria and other African communities

Omaness Skinfood combines the wealth of Africa’s natural oils, simple century-long skincare tradition and modern technology to create products that deliver on value and result.

The products are great for variety of skin and hair types.

From sustainably sourcing active indigenous ingredients from artisan producers to local production and community empowerment, Omaness Skinfood is building a truly African brand that fosters beauty, wellness and livelihood.

This month, Omaness Skinfood is celebrating its prelaunch with a giveaway of mini sized products to 50people.

Body Butter Soufflé
Creamy Body Scrub
Moisturizing Body & Hair Oil

Follow the steps in the AD to win

In self development February 14, 2017 By Women of Rubies

TALE ALIMI : 6 YEARS TO BECOMING….

I grew up in a nice middle class home.

Growing up in a middle class family had its pros and cons.

The pros were:

We had just enough to eat
We had just enough clothes to wear
We had a roof over our head
We had a good enough school to attend
We lived in a secure enough environment

In a country where over 70% of people live below one dollar a day, having those five things made you privileged!

I remember being driven around in my Dad’s staff car(official car in the military) and looking out of the window at the crowd in Oshodi(a busy area in Lagos) which was not so far from our home in Airforce base Ikeja and wondering why people had to go through so much stress to make a living….

Little did I know that some years later I would join that crowd as I made my way in life…

Which leads me to the cons:

A false sense of security that made you want to stay safe and remain there forever.
A fear of dreaming big and wanting more; you were already in the top 30% so what more could you want?
Just enough became good enough!

One day I got fed up and told my sister that this was the curse of the middle class; just enough to keep you going, but never more than enough to give you the best life had to offer…

I wanted more!

My journey to searching for more led me through mountains, valleys, heart breaks and breakthroughs which mainly started to come when I developed a relationship with God and found my purpose.

6 years ago after a pseudo recovery from another heartache that life threw my way, I decided I was going to write a book!

For me, writing has always being therapeutic and the book was going to empower people to live their best lives and find their purpose.

5 years ago, I wrote a book with and about Mrs Tara Fela-Durotoye in what was supposed to be a series titled ‘The Empowering women series’. It was a great adventure, but distribution and awareness creation was a herculean task as social media had not opened up as it has now.

I shelved the series and kept on living my life and doing my work…..

I knew I was going to write again. About what, I did not know.

As my work as a business coach progressed, I thought it was logical that I wrote a book about how to grow a successful business. However, I began to remember how I felt all those years when I said to myself; there has to be more!

I started remembering the questions I was asked by several people about how to find their work that they could make into a profitable passion. It became clear to me that people were looking to find their niche.

I kept that in mind as something I would possibly write about to give people a practical guide to find their niche and turn it into a profitable passion.

However, I did not have a book title…..

Last year April, I began to feel restless, I had that same nagging feeling in my heart that there must be more, I realized once again that I was not living to my fullest potential.

I was letting fear rule again, the curse of the middle class was haunting me again…just enough was becoming good enough!

I took some time off to think, strategize and pray and one day, I woke up with a word in my heart; UPLEVEL!

I had never searched for that word before so I was curious. According to the urban dictionary, Uplevel means to grow in areas you have been previously stagnant.

I knew it was my word! I knew I had found my call to action! Most importantly, I had found my book title.

The other day, someone called me the Uplevel queen. I smiled because I realize one word has really made such a significant impact on my life and it is time for me to share it with the world.

The book is titled “Uplevel-find your niche, share your story, build your tribe and profit from your passion”.

My goal through the book is to take you on a journey to uplevel. I provide both inspiration and practical exercises that will guide you to find your niche, teach you how to craft a compelling story, show you how to build a tribe of raving fans and customers and then guide you to profit from you passion as you serve the world at your highest potential.

Uplevel is a call for you to raise your standards, to awaken that part of you that ‘life happened’ has shut down. It is also a practical guide to show you how to do this.

The book is slated to be officially available on the 6^th of March 2017, however we have opened it for pre-orders for the next two weeks (13^th to 28^th of March) for people who want to enjoy the special privilege of getting it first at a discounted price and also get some special bonuses with it.

I will be doing free and exclusive uplevel book workshops in various cities in Nigeria. Our first workshop is slated for Sunday March 26^th in Lagos and we already have some amazing brands partnering to make it an amazing experience.

If you pre-order the book, you will be on the priority sitting list.

I want to go on this journey with you to Uplevel and I want us to partner, if you are ready to start the journey, you can learn more, watch videos and pre-order your copy of the book at www.talealimi.com/uplevelbook.

It is your time to raise your standards and Uplevel!

women of rubies