Monday Token: Enjoy Your Journey

Hello All,

It's amazing to me how long it's been since I wrote on here but a lot has happened in the time in  I've been gone.

A staff of mine that I've come to see as a mentee dropped her resignation. I was shocked to say the least. How does one leave the very area of her calling? I decided to call her and see what made her take such a drastic decision. Some of the things I shared with her are so profound, I decided to share with you all.
 
Many times, we become too fixated with our destination, and we forget to enjoy our journey. When things are not happening as fast as we want them to, we tend to think nothing is happening at all and want to throw in the trowel.

Life you will see, is made up of  months that mean nothing, and moments that mean everything, and  make it all make sense.

When it seems like nothing is happening, that the Grand Author has somehow forgotten your script, you will need to remember (let me quote my husband here) that  "one doesn't always need to grow in height, one will also have to grow in depth".

There is always a waiting period during which your growth may not be visible, but I can assure you, it'd be significant.

So don't allow yourself to become so fixated on your destiny that you miss out on the joy and the knowledge you discover from the journey itself. Let the script of your life play out and you will see how every thing works together to create the joy you will find.

Hey, but this is not supposed to be a Monday post. I hope I'll find time to write soon.

Till then

Remember to pray, and pray to remember

INSPIRATION THURSDAY: TELLING YOUR STORY ... READ LOVE OLALEYE'S COMPELLING STORY

Hello Rangers!

As you all know, one of my objectives for writing this blog, is to inspire you to action; and I love it when I read your comments, or hear them when I meet some of you in person and you tell me how one thing I said inspired you and spurred you to action, it gives me joy.

Today, I'd like to share a story by one person I find remarkable. It goes to show, that every one has potential for greatness in them. You only have to decide weather or not you'd awaken the greatness within you. Read on...

As an undergraduate in the university, I engaged in different business like buying and selling clothes, making zobo, just to earn some money to augment the pocket money that never seemed enough. None of these businesses brought me the kind of joy I experienced when I decided to pursue my passion in makeup. First I became a Mary Kay  rep, I would sell and show students how to use the products they bought. The joy that beams on their faces was fulfilling, despite the frustration of running after debtors.

I remember my first bride who happened to have been my friend who was kind enough to allow me experiment on her face. As I drove out early hours of the morning around 6am, my car brakes suddenly failed, I ran into a tree off the road but God saved me, no scratch, I came out and the car was badly damaged. As the car was being towed home, it was a decisive moment, I had to decide whether to quit or press on. I decided to press on.

That decision was the hard road. After graduating, before going for NYSC I will often question what the future holds. At some point, I got confused, I'm doing free makeup for people, yes I'm pursuing my passion, but for free?!

In January 2009, I finally decided enough is enough, no more non-profit. I enrolled at a makeup school. I remember being happy beyond words! After my training was over, I served my coach 1 full year to learn more about the business.

2010, and harmed with #15,000, I walked into an House of Tara branch and registered as a Beauty Rep. I remember the hope I felt walking out that branch, know that I had something I could really look forward to.

I needed an office and there was no other place to begin than from my sitting room. With the permission of my husband I began to use the dinning area of our sitting room.So when everyone had gone out, the kids went to school and I was left alone, I started work. I had purchased a table and chair, thankfully I had a laptop to work with. The depression I used to feel when I was home alone with no skill was replaced with excitement as I began to carry out research on makeup trends etc.

I am a voracious reader and dreamer like Joseph, I began to research what was going on the international makeup scene.I wanted to know more beyond what was happening in Nigeria because even though my sitting room was my office, I saw my self as global business woman. My present state couldn’t limit my global imaginations. I began Taking interest in the jobs of international makeup artist.

This year the Face to Face makeup competition was announced and it was open for international entries. A first look at the requirements, I thought I wouldn’t qualify, the fear of failure griped me.But after 3 months of looking at the requirements and encouraging myself in the Lord, and I had a conviction to go for it. I ignored my fears I summed up courage and applied. I knew whether I failed or succeeded at the competition It would be a learning platform. Getting to be picked into the finals for me was a tearful moment when I received the mail

 But faith in place of fear, and courage in the face of the despair, I put in the best of what I had, everything, even what I never thought I had, I put it in, and I won!

From an insecure and  depressed housewife I have become an international celebrated makeup artist, and I'm very grateful. Now even I, can share my story with the world!

I am Love Olaleye, and you just read my story.

You out there reading this, have been telling your story,?

 

Inspiration Thursday: Empowerment Culture

“When we want to help the poor, we usually offer them charity. Most often we use charity to avoid recognizing the problem and finding the solution for it. Charity becomes a way to shrug off our responsibility. But charity is no solution to poverty. Charity only perpetuates poverty by taking the initiative away from the poor. Charity allows us to go ahead with our own lives without worrying about the lives of the poor. Charity appeases our consciences.”
― Muhammad Yunus, Banker to the Poor: Micro-Lending and the Battle Against World Poverty

 These words of Muhammad Yunus got me thinking and for many reasons, setting out to create a brand that empowers people, I find myself looking to satisfy what the true meaning of Empowerment will be for our part of the world. I have since found, that simply giving money or other material supply to the poor is not empowerment.
  
I believe when we decide to help the poor, we really have to choose either of two options, empowerment or charity. The easier option is charity. But it is also the one with the direst of consequences, namely dependency.

Our commitment to the poor and less privileged should be to empower them.  We must make it our goal to create lasting solutions by providing the educational, psychological, and economic support they require to improve their own status in life.

You can empower! Start. Do something with what you have, from where you are.  Do not wait until the government create conducive state policies, it may be too long before that happens

At the same time, do not chose the easy way out. Chose to make a true difference. Chose to empower.