Equipping young women professionals with young families to find fulfillment, contentment and joy as mothers and home makers without losing sight of who they are as women.

Volume 12: Issue 41: Assess Yourself

We are at the last week of the year, an opportune time to conduct a self assessment of how we have done this year. Let's take advantage of the slow pace of this week and conduct an end of year review against the benchmarks we laid out for ourselves this year.

I recommend a detailed assessment at this point of the year. Don't do a blanket review but rather take it one category of your goals after another. Assuming you had goals and action points for your career, for your health, for your relationships, for learning, for your finances, for your spiritual walk, and so forth. A year-end review would serve you best if you assessed each category of your goals on its own.

Once we conduct an assessment of our performance, we should then outline an action plan detailing what we want to do about the results of the assessment. We should be clear about this before setting goals for the new year if we are serious about self improvement and growth.

If we invest time in an objective assessment, we may find that there may be goals we did poorly in that we don't want to work on anymore. Or that there are benchmarks we exceed that we want to raise the bar on in the new year. We could also find that there is a goal we flopped at that we want to prioritize and throw all our weight behind next year. Or that there's a goal we aced that we think we had no business pursuing in the first place.

So let's do it. Let's conduct a thorough end of year review this week, even if it takes us to the start of the new year. It's going to be worth it if we are going to have a more successful year. Because by doing so, we won't be held back by last year's mistakes, mishaps and baggage.

For His Glory,

Lillian Chebosi

Volume 12, Issue 40: Watch Out

One of the things that have stood out for me these last few days of the year is things and people are not always what they seem. We at times encounter people who are lovely until you disagree with them on something, albeit minor.

Just this month I had someone pull out all "guns" on me in front of people for having made a design choice that displeased them. I also got surprised by someone's emotional outburst when I expressed a concern about an item on a bill.

These experiences reminded me that things and people are not always what they seem to be. People can hide emotional baggage and immaturity that can shock the daylights out of you when unleashed.

So, what's one to do when they find themselves on the receiving end of such situations? Remain unmoved, calm and dispassionate. You must realize that any sort of outrageous outburst has nothing to do with you or what you have done. So be the wiser and leave a fool to fight with him/herself.

Don't let other people's behavior rearrange the atmosphere of your emotions and disrupt your well being. Resist the temptation to stoop to their level and fire back at them. Instead, rise above it and remain unbothered. Such a response will not only serve you, but will also send a strong message to the offender.

For His Glory,

Lillian Chebosi

Volume 12, Issue 39: Stay Grounded This Holiday Season

The holiday season tends to be a busy time. It comes with a new set of demands for our time and energy. It also comes with possible interruption of our regular schedules and routines, especially when travel is involved. As such, it's easy for us to lose our footing.

It's good and normal to take a break from some routine disciplines during the holiday season. But taking this too far does more harm than good. What can follow after the holidays is difficulty in getting back to the disciplines you take a complete break from during the holidays.

I believe the best course of action is to slow down the intensity of routine disciplines during the holidays rather than putting them on pause. If one of your routine disciplines is regular exercise, you can still do light exercises and stretches when removed from your normal environment as a result of holiday travel.

You can still eat sensibly while on vacation if one of your disciplines is healthy eating. Many establishments and house parties now provide their guests with a variety of food options to choose from. You can always call ahead to find out and either request the host to include your preferred food options in the menu, or you can bring your food for the table or refrigerator.

The holidays don't have to be about staying up late or sleeping-in much longer than your usual schedule. If you operate your life in such a way that you get the right amount of sleep each night, then you don't need to excessively sleep in during the weekends or holidays.

Excessive sleeping-in during the holidays may be hard to recover from after the holidays. And so is lack of exercise and poor eating habits among other disciplines you have armed yourself with for successful living. So, do yourself a favour and stay grounded this holiday season.

For His Glory,

Lillian Chebosi

Volume 12, Issue 38: It's Not Too Late

I read this question from a post James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits posted a couple of days ago. "There is one month left in the year. Most people are ready to coast to the finish line, but one good month can make the whole year feel like a success. What can you do in the next 30 days to build momentum and finish the year on a high note?"

It's not too late to turn the tide. It's not to late to put your best foot forward. It's not too late to bring the best version of yourself to the game. It's not too late to go after a goal you thought you couldn't attain.

It's not too late to build a new identity. It's helps to finish the year on a higher note, and with a new identity. It would give you morale to start strong in the new year. So, what can you do in the remaining 16 days to build momentum and finish the year on a high note? It's not too late to turn the tide.

For His Glory,

Lillian Chebosi

Volume 12, Issue 37: Delight Yourself This Christmas Month

It's the best time of the year. December is the best month of the year for most of us. A time to be merry. So take time to be merry this festive month. Enjoy the lights. Enjoy the music. Enjoy good food and desserts with family and friends.

This December just started and it's already the 8th day. This is telling that the month will go by quickly. So let's determine to soak in each day until Christmas day and thereafter.

When I was a child, I eagerly waited for Christmas day. Then I would feel bad after Christmas day. I wanted it to last longer than it did. I wanted more of the moment. Now I don't live for the day. I revel in the Christmas month. I put up and decorate my Christmas tree in November before thanksgiving week.

Decorate your house for Christmas. Play Christmas songs in the background all day as you work. Watch Christmas movies. Attend your Church's Christmas extravaganza.

Go to the malls. You don't have to indulge in unnecessary shopping while there, but the atmosphere is delightful. Take pleasure in just being there.

Take yourself and the children in your life to big malls in the evenings for ice cream and enjoy the extensive display of lights and Christmas decorations.

Enjoy imagining, buying or making gifts and cards, and wrapping them for your family and friends and stack them under your Christmas tree. Invite manageable groups of family and friends for treats and exchange gifts and other pleasantries.

Whatever you envision would speak Christmas to you, and bring Christmas cheer to your loved ones, indulge in it. And as you do, celebrate the King of Kings, the reason for the season.

For His Glory,

Lillian Chebosi