This post was first published on BellaNaija.
Daily learning to make new laughs, and while at it threading with Grace and Gratitude. Being a Nigerian, the past few weeks have been torrid to say the least. Ill-fitting atrocities and a genuine charge for a long overdue sustainable change. So, I can fully understand if I end up playing a tune that doesn’t deliver the kind of immediate answers that many want especially in these present times.
We have lived in a harsh context all our lives. Situations far from ideal, in fact many if not all were born into it. This is the reality many have died with and perhaps many will still keep till their dying bed. There is better than our norm out there. Over the past few weeks, I think a chord has been struck, we might feel not a lot has been achieved and yet despite so much loss, exploitation, foolery and lack of visible changes but there is a wave of seed that has been sown. There has been some sort of subtle shift in paradigm. That is the only narrative of hope I choose to cling on to, the alternative which is the current state of things is not sustainable.
That being said, I am learning the merits of taking the time to look deeply within to internalize and reflect. Whatever you decide about the next steps in any situation life is currently throwing at you, I hope you do make a fair attempt to thread ahead with Grace and Gratitude. These are two habits I have been cultivating and building through what has been a tough year for many like me out there. Taking it all in with Grace and Gratitude. Our time on here is not forever, each day is a privilege. It has helped me destress a lot. Things still get murky but learning how to overcome such moments.
Grace: Not everything will go as planned. Not every conversation will favour your narrative, not everyone would appreciate your value or the relevance of your existence. However, you can’t go approaching each narrative with a confrontational mindset. Most times choose the strategic mindset and self-resilience. Its never easy, emotions are hard to rationalize and control being their innate nature. Most times, choose Grace, choose calm, choose the bigger picture, choose caution, choose to fight another day, take the feedback or the trigger circumstance with a bold heart, a smiling face and with as little aggravation as possible. Flood the situation with a positive mindset. While this has not gone your way, many more would do, just ensure that you stay ready by recalibrating and making changes where required.
Gratitude: You have done well by staying alive. That in itself is the greatest blessing of all. Even better if in good health and access to clean breath of air. Be grateful for the effort you have put in to stay alive. Thank your maker for the Grace to soldier on. Acknowledge the privileges you enjoy, no matter how little or small they may seem. Own them and be grateful for them, handle them with Grace and be conscious not many share the same perks, no matter how curtailed. So, when you get to the top of the lift, remember to always make genuine effort to send the elevator back and keep the chain reaction going. While at it, take stock of your privilege and victories achieved so far. This would form the platform and the leverage for a passage to better your time on here. Be aware but also grateful of the leverage you have built so far during your journey and be ready to evolve as a person. There is a new version of you required for every new phase. So, remember to refuel, recalibrate and re-access per time. Your leverage is the passage and currency in life’s trade. Everything we do during our time on planet Earth boils down to building and exchanging leverage.
In the end, I hope the days on the road, late nights, early mornings, tireless hard work, strategic alliances and alignment, adulting and having to withstand constant scrutiny and revalidation all make sense at the end of it all. I hope there is depth in existence and fulfilment. And more importantly, I hope we keep the faith and continue to push the status quo for the change we desire for our respective beloved countries.
BJA | TDM 