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Source: See the #fireworks I created by blogging on #WordPressDotCom. My 2015 annual report.
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State Of The Onion – #YourTurnChallenge Day 3
Day 3 #YourTurnChallenge is centered around – “Tell us about something that you think should be improved”. I know a lot of people will have loads of suggestions for improvement with regards to POTUS’s SOTU address from last night. I’d like to switch things around and not go there, why not start with the state of mind of every individual. The man/woman makes the home, the homes make the community, the community makes the town/city, the town/city makes the state, the state makes the nation which in turn chooses the man/woman that leads her. It’s a cycle. So let’s deal with the nitty gritties of the state of individuals’ onions. Do your onions make you cry? or do you know well enough to slice them under running water to avoid the tears? What is the state of your onion? Are they all good or rotting in the vegetable rack? Here is a story I’d like to share about the onion that made my eyes water.
Let’s call her Ms Angel. She crossed my path today. A little precious Caucasian boy calls out to her “Mom”!. She looks at me and answers the question I did not ask. She tells me the story of her 3 adopted children, all under 10. You see, Ms Angel has a Caribbean accent, she must have been originally from Jamaica maybe. 2 of the 3 of the kids are of a different race, they were abandoned babies. The pretty little doll eyed 2 year old’s name is “Miracle”. Miracle because she was birthed in a hospital restroom, abadoned and later discovered. Ms Angel adopted her and showers her with love. She is improving health wise and Ms Angel is grateful to God. I fast-forwarded my imagination and pictured them all grown, this Mom who saved them all, loving on Ms Angel like crazy and someone will tell them otherwise about color. No way! They are color blind with a clear vision of love. My eyes started welling up. I said a prayer for them.The onion of this situation made me realize you cannot choose the circumstances of your birth, what you look like or your genetic formation. It also affirms that “love indeed conquers all”. With a foundation of love in a home like this, the nation can be stronger. It is as you grow older that you start to make decisions that will determine what the next generation will be like. It’s time to choose wisely and make decisions that positively affect the next generation.
You have onions all around you. What do you make of them? Do you let them make you cry and that’s it? or do you close your eyes and slice them under running water? Do you use them to cook or you let them rot away? What is the state of your onion? I will like to improve on the state of mine, I won’t just let them make me cry. I’ll make them useful. I will do something. Cook them. Stir fry them. Do something. Be the change I want to see.
Beautifully Dreaming…. Positively Doing..
Tosinger
While They Were Sleeping…. #YourTurnChallenge Day 2
While they were sleeping, I pray
While they were sleeping, I read & write
While they were sleeping, I get inspiration
While they were sleeping, I think & reflect
Your state of mind actually determines what you do while ‘they’ sleep. And it doesn’t necessarily have to be during the night, or when ‘they’ are literally sleeping; basically ‘they’ are sleeping when ‘they’ are not aware of your toil, hustle or challenges. As I write this, I have multiple browsers open, I think I suffer from a mild case of self diagnosed internet specific ADHD, I know I am not alone. I can’t seem to focus on writing a blog post at one go without multitasking, but I stand challenged. Focus.
Back to the topic – today’s guide question of the 7 day #YourTurnChallenge ( a blog post a day for 7 days, here’s Day 1) is “Tell us about something that’s important to you”. Focus for one, is important. Focusing on what is important (Focusing on my life’s purpose, my faith in God, family, leaving a legacy for future generations) The ability to focus on the task ahead, the goal in view, the vision in sight, the dream on the horizon – important!. Because, really, how can I ‘ship’ if I don’t keep my eyes on the target, the destination, the light at the end of the tunnel. As I write this, ‘they’ are still sleeping. Who are they? Well, ‘they’ is a mental construct. ‘They’ are _________ insert whoever_______ you think ‘they’ are.
‘They’ is whoever you empower ‘they’ to be. ‘They’ brought the gas prices down , ‘they’ just sent some good vibes my way, ‘they’ gave me a virtual pat on the back, ‘they’ said I can’t wear my hair this way, ‘they’ said “keep pushing”, ‘they’ said “we will get back to you” or ‘they’ live by the wishing well but definitely don’t wish you well. Angels, enemies, believers, leaders, the government, bosses, the naysayers, the gatekeepers, the policy makers, the controllers, savages, humans, decision makers, family, friends, the stranger down the street, the talking heads on TV, the faceless CEOs, the invisible internet trollers, haters, lovers, copycats, fans, demons, facebook friends, twitter followers, instagram stalkers, pastors and healers, whatever. ‘They’ is whoever ‘they’ are in your mind. As long as ‘they’ aid your progress, or you don’t let ‘them’ pull you down, you are ok. They (whether negative or positive) should always be your catapult of success, whether ‘they’ are aware or not, in here or out there.
I seem to do the most important things while they are sleeping.. I write new songs and I draft blog posts…because I am a Singer and a Writer, expressing my talent is important to me. So, I just got Day 2 of my #YourTurnChallenge down. What do you do while ‘they’ are sleeping?
Beautifully Dreaming….Positively Doing…
Tosinger
Day 1: It’s My Turn To Sing … and Write – #YourTurnChallenge
Hello there. I am participating in the #YourTurnChallenge. I’m doing the #YourTurnChallenge starting today Jan 19 — 1 blog post every day for 7 days powered by Marketing Guru and BestSelling Author Seth Godin (who I’ve followed for a while) and curated by his project manager @winniekao. No regrets.
Why am I doing the ‘Your Turn Challenge’?
I’ve chosen to do this challenge because I know that I need to stretch. What am I stretching? my mind, my state of mind, my abilities. My resilience. This challenge will definitely make me stretch, intellectually, mentally and even spiritually. It’s also good for where I am creatively at the moment. The #YourTurn challenge came at a very good time when I was hitting a roadblock with the whole blogging thing. As a blogger, my first post of 2015 was delayed until Jan 14, that does not sit well in the blogosphere which depends on frequency of content. And when I eventually posted, it was audio visuals – videos, photos and musical expressions; something I usually do when I have no words to describe my state of mind or when I am just absolutely speechless on a situation. The situation in this case being the massacre of about a reported 2,000 or so of my Nigerian people by the Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram, coming at a very politically sensitive time. But will my keeping mute help? No. It’s time and it’s my turn to write. It’s my turn to speak up, put pen to paper, write, sing, address issues, be the change I want to see.
Thanks to my subscription to Seth Godin’s blog and grateful that he stepped out to write his book ‘Your Turn’ ; I would have missed this life changing opportunity. Life changing? Yes! because if I say I am a Writer (albeit a very underground and succinct one) Why does the momentum to write (express) fluctuate like the waves of the sea?. So it is very life changing to get a wake up call to rise up to the occasion and conquer fears of contradictory mental voices of one’s adeptness.
Frustration number 1, is anyone out there? The readers, “where they at doe?” . My blog was the best place I could express my writings on topics/subjects I am passionate about – the Arts, Africa and the diaspora, hoping someone out there is reading. Being a writer of brevity, the blogosphere was a space I could express my interests without being judged (per se) on the specificity of content or the length of it (Side note – Seth Godin’s blog made feel OK about the latter part). However, I thought twice about the challenge. What if my post was too short, what if I hit another roadblock? but I breathed a sigh of relief, there was no word limit, and there were question guides. Phew! Good. It’s a challenge but it’s a pleasure.
My body of writing work includes but have not been limited to a few random, seasonal, freelance copy-writing work for brands here and there, ghostwriting, academic work and a short poetry blog which has not been recently updated. I have made absolutely no attempts to write a novel and my short stories/poetry has not made it into any anthologies. I waded in the waters of the writing space, but never really took a dive. But wait. I do sing. And I am known for that. Oh yes, my songwriting – writing lyrics to music is a great strength of mine and singing is my thing, more than a thing; it’s my calling. I do it well and I am well received doing it. So that exactly is what’s my turn to do. It’s my turn to sing and write more. Generations have come and gone, they did their part, they left their footprints. Now It’s my turn.
What is it that it’s your turn to do? Is it your turn to _________? ( see below, an excerpt from Seth Godin’s book)
Ship.
Speak up.
Stand out.
Build a following.
Market a product.
Make a connection.
Solve an interesting problem.
Write, sing, invent, create, ask a
question, launch a project, organize a protest,
open the door for someone, question authority,
make a short film, direct, produce, create, or adopt.
Learn a new skill.
Help someone who needs you.
Be missed if you’re gone.
Your Turn to make a ruckus
How will I be missed when I’m gone..? What is my legacy? Well, I have my songs and my writings, I’ll love to keep copy-writing for other brands for income, express my poetic side and write more short poems and of course continue to mark my footprints on the blogosphere. How about you?
Can I? Will I? Sure. I’m up to the challenge. A mini step to the bigger steps. And this is why I am doing the #YourTurnChallenge. Thanks Mr Godin.
Beautifully Dreaming…Positively Doing..
Tosinger
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