Who Cheats the Most in a Relationship
This Is more of a controversial topic of discussion because both genders would not like to admit that their gender cheats more in relationships.
But really, let us be truthful to ourselves. Who cheats more in relationships? Is it the male? Or is it the female?
I have interviewed quite a number of friends about this issue and they have bared their thoughts.
The gents admitted honestly that though ladies do more of the cheating, sometimes, ladies push them into cheating on them by acts such as neglect, not showing them the love, care and affection they really needed but instead drive them away further into the arms of another woman.
Another reason they gave is nagging. Nobody likes a nag, not to talk more of a nagging partner -- someone they plan to spend the rest of their lives with. When wives/girlfriends nag, that act tends to push the man away further into the arms of another woman who would be more receptive of them.
But all in all, the gents unanimously agreed that women cheat more in relationships. Some even cited examples where some ladies cheated on their partners because the guy turned out to be a very calm guy who doesn't like conflicts. The ladies took advantage of their gentility and made them look stupid.
Now over to the ladies. The ladies all agreed that men cheat most of the time, and more often that they do. They argued that, that philandering habit in men have always been an inborn thing in every son of Adam.
They also argued that society is unforgiving towards women who have been caught cheating. Some ladies even cited examples of how biased society is by giving examples from the Holy Books. In the Bible, in the story of the adulteress, she was to be stoned to death, if not for the mercies and wisdom of Jesus Christ that saved her. Meanwhile, the man was left alone.
Also, according to Islamic laws, if an adulteress was caught in the act, she is to be stoned to death publicly.
They argued that men expects to be readily forgiven and accepted back when they are caught but these same men aren't so forgiving when they catch their spouse in the act. They would not want to have anything to do with that cheating partner again.
My opinion? In order for me to not be biased here, I would say that both genders cheat equally.
Haunted
(A piece of imaginative writing)
Hello, My name is Nuella, and I am cursed by the gods. Let me tell you my story.
Millions of years ago, I was created and blessed by all the gods of the planets. I was a beauty to behold as I was created to near perfection. I was almost perfect, but do you know my only flaws? I guess you don't, so I'll tell you. My only flaws was stubbornness. I was very stubborn and too adventurous for my own good.
My home originally is Jupiter, but I heard that the Earth is sucha beautiful place and so I really wanted to come to Earth by all means. Don't get me wrong, Jupiter's also an amazing beauty to behold, but I wanted to explore other planets, especially Earth, even after I had been warned severally against it because I didn't belong there.
So one day, my adventurous and stubborn nature put me in big trouble. I was caught trying to sneak into Earth and I was brought before the king god Demirus to face my judgment. I was to be punished and cursed. All the gods cursed me and banished me to Earth. This is what I've always wanted- to come to Earth, you might say, so I was supposed to be happy and jumping about for joy. But No, because I am now a cursed being, I am very bitter.
On getting to the Earth, I decided to disperse into the air and enter through breath, into every living human being. I enter people right from when they draw their first breath at their time of birth. Now,I live in the mind of every human.
Like I said, I've been cursed and so I'm bitter. So bitter that sometimes you can feel my negative energy emanating from your mind and charging through your brain.
I cause you to have thoughts of bitterness, Suicidal thoughts, Depression and sadness, Thoughts of longing and of pain.
You cannot run away from me-- because I'm there with you everyday of your life. You can handle me -- or try to. But know this for sure, that I'll always win. And that's because I can very well control you, and I can drive you crazy till your death.
You will get no rest or respite from me until the day you die.
I leave your body in form of your last breath.
Celebration of New Yam Festival Amongst the Igbo People
Yam (plural yams) is a commonly grown tuber crop and a staple diet in many African and Asian homes.
The tasty and super starchy tuber crop is said to have its origin from Africa, Asia and The Caribbean. Yams are rich in calories and dietry fiber, as well as high in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.
Where I come from here in Nigeria, in Igbo land to be precise, yams are often referred to as the king of all tuber crops because while yams vary in size which is as a result of the variation in the size and healthiness of a planted seed yam, they are generally bigger in size than other root crops that are grown; such as potatoes, cocoyams and cassava crops; and so the process of cultivation and harvesting of the crop most especially the harvest season is always celebrated with so much fanfare and feasting.
NEW YAM FESTIVAL
The age-long and undying culture of yam cultivation, celebration and preservation is one characteristic of the Igbo people, and it has been successfully handed down from one generation to the next, from the times of our forefathers in the olden days till this current generation.
A typical Igbo man's respect for the crop is unmatched. In the past, a man's wealth and strength was measured by the number of yam tubers he could produce.
The month of August down till November is always a festive season and a period of great gladness among the Igbo people of Nigeria and those in Diaspora who are committed to keeping the age-long culture alive, as it is the celebration of the new yam "**Iwa Ji na Iri Ji Ohuru**" as it is called in Igbo language.
So much significance is placed on new yam festival that Chinua Achebe of blessed memory gave credence to the yam dish in his book "**THINGS FALL APART** ". He described it thus :
"The pounded yam dish placed in front of the partakers of the Festival was as big as a mountain. People had to eat their way through it all night and it was only during the following day when the pounded yam "mountain" had gone down that people on one side recognized and greeted their family members on the other side of the dish for the first time "
I read that book sometime in 2020 during the lockdown and trust me, it is VERY interesting as well as enlightening about the culture of the Igbo people.
**Iwa Ji** which means the breaking of new yam and **Iri Ji Ohuru** which connotes eating of new yam is observed as a public event on certain appointed days of the year (ranging from August when the new yam is harvested) till the ending of the year.It is the feast of the new yam; the breaking of the biggest amongst the new yams followed by subsequent thanksgiving to the gods of the land for a bountiful harvest and to pray for renewed life and strength as well as the blessings and protection of the gods as the people partake in the festival and eating of the new yam.
To celebrate, an offering is made to the gods of the land with special reference to the presiding deity of the yam crop. My mother told me that in the olden days, fowls to be used as sacrifice must be carried to the farm and killed there, and the blood would be sprinkled on the farm. The biggest yam is then cut into large pieces and thrown to the Earth and the gods with special prayers of thanksgiving and supplications for blessings to the gods.
When the ceremony is over, everything is then taken home afterwards; the yams together with all the farming tools and implements are taken to the local deity and while the fowls are plucked, boiled and used to prepare various soups with which to eat the yam.
Different yam delicacies are then prepared (boiled yams and peppersoup with the chicken, pounded yam with various native soups, roasted yam and palm oil sauce) and feasted upon, amid so much merry making, spectacular street dances, songs and masquerade displays are the forms of jubilation that usually take place during the festive period.
In some areas in Igbo land, new yam cannot be eaten without first making the necessary sacrifices and prayers to the deities of the land - in fact, it is considered a taboo. Also, yam plays a very important role during traditional marriages. Not only in Igbo land alone but in the whole 250+ tribes of Nigeria and the whole of West Africa in general, traditional marriages are often referred and taken very seriously and marriages especially in Igbo land cannot take place without yams being in the dowry list. It is unheard of.
MY FAMILY TRADITIONS BEHIND YAM PREPARATION.
Yams can be prepared in various ways and for various occasions.
Inasmuch as yam is a staple diet, it would not be enjoyed if it is eaten on its own. To better enjoy yam no matter how you prepare it, it is better to eat it with a sauce or soup of your preference.
One common way preparing yams traditionally is by making it into a sticky dough called pounded yam, "fufu" among the Igbos and "iyan" among the Yoruba people. Notwithstanding, yam can be prepared into other, various dishes (like roasted yam, yam pottage, fried yam, boiled yam, candied yam, etc) but I am going to talk about how pounded yam is prepared during my family traditional functions.
During the yam festival for instance,after the prayers performed by the eldest man in the clan,the men beat drums, drink palm wine, dance and generally have a fun time while; the women and young girls all file into the built general kitchen to prepare yam dishes.
Big tubers of freshly harvested yams are cut up into sizes and put in a large pot to boil. Then the yams are boiled until they are soft in texture.
While that is ongoing, some of the women (about 2 or 3 women) wash the mortars and pestles and proceed to pound the soft yam into a smooth, sticky dough, sometimes dipping their pestles into a bowl of water beside them to give it that super smooth consistency.
Another group of women would be preparing different native soups like Oha soup, Okazi soup, Egusi soup (melon seed soup) and Okra soup with which to eat the yam.
I remember with nostalgia, the delicious soups laden with stockfish, meat and dried fish. Yummy yum yum. Hmmm.
There would be of course, freshly tapped palm wine and when all the cooking is done, the food is dished up and all the family members are called in to enjoy the feast.
New yam festival is always such a beautiful season and I hope that through this article, you my readers would want to come partake in and enjoy the next new yam festival.
Substance Abuse
Technically, a substance means a type of solid, liquid or gaseous element that has particular qualities.
There are quite many meanings and applications of the word "substance". In this case when I say substance, I mean hard or/ illegal drugs.
Substance abuse is the continuous, long term and pathological usage of hard or illegal substance, often characterized by daily consumption and intoxication, inability to cut down on its consumption and finally, impairment of social interaction - or simply put, having a boring or deadened social life.
**What are the types of drugs that are usually abused?**
Methamphetamine: commonly known as crystal meth because it looks like little crystals or little drops of dew.
Heroine
Cocaine
Codeine
Opium ; etc
**Other drugs and substances that are being abused are:**
Locally produced adhesive gum: This is a somewhat new discovery. As a source of cheap high, some drug addicts deeply inhale locally produced adhesive gum. It has a strong,almost pungent odour so it serves the purpose of providing what I call, the cheap high effect.
I say cheap because the gum is not expensive and can be gotten from cobblers shops in local markets.
Coffee: Late night readers like to drink lots of coffee in the hope that the caffeine which is present in the coffee would help them keep awake during the midnight so they could read.
It has also become a habit for most workers to start their day with a cup of coffee because like I said earlier, the caffeine present in the coffee would give them the ability and clearness of mind needed for them to begin their day with.
We might even heard some people say things like "I don't function well in the mornings if I have not taken a steaming cup of coffee".
Depressants: Cigarettes; but to mention a few.
N.B: If you are an ardent lover of coffee, my humble advice is that you opt for decaffeinated coffee.
**WHY DO PEOPLE ENGAGE IN SUBSTANCE ABUSE?**
A few reasons why people engage in substance abuse are.
PLEASURE:
One of the main reasons why substances are taken is to induce pleasant feelings, ranging from well being and relaxation to mystic euphoria.
SOCIAL CONFORMITY:
If the use of a substance is accepted in a peer group to which a person belongs or which he identifies with, he will feel a need to use the substance to show that he is a part of the group.
CURIOSITY:
Curiosity about the substance and why people take them, can often start off substance abuse.
EASY AVAILABILITY:
Illegal drug usage where there is a ready supply (take university towns as an example) or the market has attracted a ready supply. Illegal drugs use also increases with availability, alcoholism is common in the liquor trade if bars are located within accessible environment.
**STEPS OF SUBSTANCE ADDICTION**
FIRST USE:
The first step to substance addiction is trying the substance out and seeing how you like it, its feel, taste and the effect it has on you. This often time result from boredom, curiosity and in some cases, no pursuit of gainful or meaningful activity.
REGULAR USE:
As one become regular, users because they like taste or whatever it is that makes them like the drug and want to continue taking it, they begin to display a weird behavioral pattern.
RISKY USE:
As the use of the drug deepens, one may begin to exhibit dangerous, sometimes psychotic behavior.
DEPENDENCE:
This is the stage where one becomes a chronic users of the drugs and is therefore now dependent on it. He /She now becomes dependent on the drug and any day that they do not take the drug they feel incomplete.
SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER:
This stage is a highly critical one and such person needs to be put in check.
****STEPS IN TREATING A SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROBLEM****
The first step is **Detoxification**:
This involves using medical equipments and procedures to clean and rid a substance-laden body of the substance that is in the body and limiting withdrawal reactions.
Behavioral counseling and therapy sessions.
Evaluation and treatment for co-occuring mental health issues such depression and anxiety which is caused by continuous usage and abuse of substances.
**FIVE STEPS FOR QUITTING AN ADDICTION**
Get a treatment plan
According to , a treatment plan is an individualized written document that details a client's goals and objectives, the steps needed to achieve those and a timeline for treatment.
These plans are mutually agreed upon by the client and the clinician.
Change your environment.
The environment you stay in also matters and could actually be a trigger to engage in substance abuse. For example, if you stay in a place where substance abuse is seen and accepted as a norm, then you may be forced to conform to these norms.
Or if it is your friends that use these drugs and because you want to be to be accepted as one of them, you join your friends in doing what they do, you might want to change your circle to hasten your journey to recovery.
Distract yourself:
Play games, hang out more with friends and family, have fun times and don't be lonely all the time because loneliness could actually be a trigger to substance abuse.
Review past attempts:
Review past attempts at quitting and see how far you've gone or if you need to work more on yourself.
Create a support network of family, friends and your loved ones.
With a cup of coffee in hand, Let's talk about the weather
The above topic sounds British, right?
It sounds like what a British person would say to another British person. But not only the British say it. Other people use those words when they want to avoid discussing other issues, perhaps personal issues.
Personally, I feel like I have been a little uptight and sounded maybe too formal with my blog posts lately so I am just going to be a little informal and even chatty with this particular topic.
We've entered the Rainy seasons now.
This is the month of June and we entered the rainy seasons in the month of April and the rain is expected to become heavier in the Months of July, August and early September (is it just me or does this year seems like it is moving very fast? It seemed to me like it was just days ago that we were celebrating the new year with lots of fireworks ! )
The rainy season is always a beautiful season.
I consider it a season of blessing. Generally, for many people which I am inclusive, people like to believe that the rains signify one of God's many blessings upon all the inhabitants of the Earth.
As we all know, crops needs water for them to have a healthy growth and so God sends the rains down to water the crops so we could have food to eat.
If the rains do not fall and cool the Earth would become too hot to dwell in. So to speak, the rains prevents the Earth from being too hot and unlivable.
We all know how hot the weather can be during the dry season and it is always such a much welcomed surprise (for me though) for it to rain during the dry season (it happens like that sometimes).
Best of all, I don't know about you but it feels so good when it rains at night and I am snuggled up in bed with my blanket raised to my chin (my heart goes to all the people who doesn't have a home or warm shelter to live in, away from the rains and its accompanying cold).
Of late, when I wake up in the mornings, it is always cold because it had rained the previous night.
It always feels so peaceful for me to school in the mornings after the rains that had fallen the night before, enjoying the view of beautiful flowers blooming, bright colors bursting forth with so much life and vibrance.
According to a little research from the Bible that was carried out by me, (please don't hesitate to correct me if you think I am wrong about this) the first rains can be traced to **Genesis 7 : 11 - 12** which says
"In the year 600 of Noah's life, in the seventeenth day of the second month, that same day all the fountains of the great deep were broken up and burst forth, and the windows and floodgates of the Heavens were opened.
And it rained upon the Earth forty days and forty nights "
-Amplified Bible Compact.
And I will explain.According to the Bible, when God created the Earth, during the generations of Adam till Noah,bit never rained (because I'm yet to see where it was stated that it did).
God used to make dew fall upon the Earth and that was enough for the crops. It was what they needed to grow at that time.
The people never experienced rain and perhaps that was why they didn't believe Noah and thought he had gone out of his head when he prophesied about God sending a flood upon the Earth for the very first time to destroy the Earth because of the sins of mankind.
I remember with nostalgia, the fun memories the rains brings.
I remember when I was a little girl, children in my neighborhood, my other siblings and I loved to play in the play in the rains to my mother's chagrin because we would sometimes come down with a cold and she'll have to nurse us back to health.
Even till now that I am a little grown, I love and really enjoy watching the rain. If I am walking on the road and it suddenly started raining and I am not with an umbrella, instead of hurrying to find a shelter from the rains like every other person would do, I would prefer to keep walking in the rains and feeling it wash over me.
It feels so therapeutic and it also makes me feel like I have a super power of not cowering to the rains.
I remember again, my birthday this year. Normally, it rains on my birthday most often than not. This year, it rained very heavily. My birthday fell on a school day (I was writing exams that period and I even had exams that day In the afternoon ) and I had to go to school.
When I got to school, my close friends and other classmates were already in school. They were happy to see me and we all played in the rains like little children. It felt so good to just let go of every worry and just be laughing happily with loved ones around.
Inasmuch as I enjoy the rains so much, there are some minor misgivings that I have concerning it.
One of it is that I don't like to feel cold ,and the rain brings cold, forcing me to be all kitted in thick clothing to keep out the cold.
Another reason is, my laundry takes longer time to get dried.
In the dry season, when I spread out my laundry on the line for them to get dried by the sun, they get dried under a few hours. But now, in the rainy seasons, my laundry takes longer time to dry out because its either raining, or the sun shining - the sky's hazy with clouds.
These are just, but a few of my experiences of the rainy seasons.
Write back to me in the comments section, telling me about your own experience.
I would love to hear from you 😊
Malnutrition
Malnutrition can be termed as a condition of poor health which is as a result of lack of proper feeding; or a lack of the right type of food and amount of nutrients needed by the body for healthy and even development.
Food, as we all know plays a very vital role in the healthy living and growth of all living organisms, and a lack of good food which is packed with vitamins and nutrients required by the body could result in immune weakness, making it easier for illness - causing germs to be able to penetrate our bodies.
Malnutrition tends to occur most often than not, in areas where there is a surge in population and a drop or reduction in generated income or revenue.
Malnutrition could also be as a result of natural and man - made crisis such as wars, famine and drought, harsh weather conditions, and a lot more.
So to speak,malnutrition is found more in poor, overpopulated and war ravaged localities of the world, especially in African countries and in some parts of Asia.
Personally, I feel that this issue of malnutrition in our climes is not insurmountable if the privileged members of the society come together to help the less privileged.
For most people,we have homes, we have families, some of us have a job/jobs, or other sources of income; we are healthy and fine - - all these are blessings from the Almighty God.
But then, He didn't give us all these blessings for just our personal benefits and enjoyment alone but he would be pleased if we use the things He has blessed us with for the betterment of other people, especially the less privileged in the society who has no means of paying back.
A lot of helpless kids are out there on the streets begging for alms as a means of survival.
We see them when we step out everyday.
They are hungry, tired, helpless and prone to attacks from hoodlums who might want to take advantage their helplessness and vulnerability. And yes, they could be feeling hopeless too! They could be feeling like there's no light at the end of the tunnel.
What makes us humane ?
I think it is the ability to show love and affection, and truly care about the needs of other people, whatever those needs might be.
In other words, helping one another grow.
Giving, or the act of giving rather,is one way we try to help other people.
Speaking religiously, there are five pillars of Islam : Sawn, Iman, Salat, Zakat and Hajj.
I'd like to speak a little on Zakat and Sadaqah.
Zakat is about the rich and well-to-do in the society giving a certain percentage of their properties to the poor and needy.
While Sadaqah on the other hand is about the average members of the society giving alms to the beggars and any other person in need, as many as the giver can afford to give.
The Holy books ( both the Bible and the Qur'an ) encourages us to give alms and render help to the poor and needy in the society - the child beggers, out of school children, people in Internally Displaced People's camps (if such area is a war ravaged area), widows and so on.
There are a lot of them. Let us cultivate the habit of giving, not to the aim of receiving back from them but giving because it is the right thing to do.
From my perspective, giving is more like planting a seed.
When you plant a seed is not when it would germinate and yield fruits - it would first have to go through all the process of fertilization and germination.
Same with giving. When you perform the act of giving or rendering help, its like you have sown a seed for your future; and its germinating somewhere, you never know - somehow would come through for you at the point of your own need.
Let us cultivate the habit of giving and remember, ***Nobody is an island***.
I hope you enjoyed this read?
Have a pleasant weekend.
Gaining Weight
Although losing weight is a dream for many girls and weight gain isn't so much of a discussed issue, there are some girls (and boys) out there that are looking for ways on how to gain weight.
Children throughout their developmental stages (from being toddlers to being child and then a teenager, moving on to becoming adolescents before finally becoming full fledged adults) needs all the nutrients they can get for them to have a healthy growth.
Being underweight might mean a lack or an insufficient amount of those nutrients and might cause delay in growth and development, especially in kids.
Also, as a child or even as an adult, there is a chance of having weak bones (Osteoporosis) If you have a deficiency in vitamin D, coupled with low body weight.
****WHAT CAUSES WEIGHT LOSS ESPECIALLY IN GIRLS?****
Poor feeding habit is the main and most common cause of weight loss; deprived selection of foods (you might hear some kids and girls say things like " I don't like vegetables, I don't like carrots but give me a huge chunk of steak" ), more significant physical movement, and too - quick metabolism are some factors that causes extreme weight loss in kids and girls.
*Is your skinny physique causing you embarrassment?*
A healthy addition of some muscles to your skinny figure will add to your body's look and health.
Below are some useful tips to help skinny girls gain weight:
A. CONSUME EXTRA FOOD:
As it has been rightly stated before, being underweight could mean a deficiency in essential nutrients or poor feeding habits.
As a skinny girl who would like to add a few pounds, keeping an eye on your calorie and carbs intake Is essential.
While munching on junk food filled with calories might prove to be doing the trick as you would gain unhealthy weight temporarily and quickly, that is not the proper way to go about it.
Therefore, you ought to replace **junk foods** with healthy foods like **yoghurt, pasta, banana, milkshakes** etc, that are high in calories as well as very nutritious.
**Protein** is the nutrient needed by the body for rebuilding of worn out body tissues and so therefore protein - rich foods like **poultry, seeds, legumes, nuts and lean meats** can be added to added to your weight gain diet.
B. USE HEALTHY COOKING OILS:
One of the worst enemies of our bodies is processed cooking oils because they tend to contain a high level of cholesterol which is bad for the heart -they go to block the arteries hereby making Circulation of blood difficult and so the heart would have to do more work to pump enough blood that would be needed to keep the alive and running.
When looking for a healthy way to gain weight, consuming healthy oils such as extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, sunflower oil, etc is the very key.
C. DRINK HEALTHY SMOOTHIES:
Consuming smoothies that are high in calories, milkshakes and healthy drinks are some of the best weight gainers for girls.
Smoothies have never failed to do the trick.
These healthy drinks not only help you gain the few desired pounds but they also give your body a boost of the much - needed nutrients that your body needs.
Banana and avocado smoothie ,strawberry avocado smoothie are good examples of high calorie smoothies.
D. INCREASED WATER INTAKE:
Water is absolutely amazing for the healthy functioning of the body generally, but then taking other healthy drinks as alternatives to drinking just water is a good idea.
Up your intake of non-caffeinated beverages like fruit drinks, milkshakes, soya milk because these beverages contains a high amount of calories and nutrients that are essential for weight gain.
Another important thing to note is that while **8 glasses of water** is recommended for a healthy body functioning, do not drink water 20 mins before or after every meal,as taking water before having meals would make you get full faster.
E. CONVERT THAT CALORIES:
Working out is essential for anybody, irrespective of gender or age as working out not only helps to keep the body healthy and fit, it also helps to tone our body muscles.
What's more, by working out, your body would be able to convert calories into muscle, thereby bulking up in the healthiest way possible.
F. GET YOUR BEAUTY SLEEP:
While having a proper diet and doing regular exercise sessions are vital in maintaining a healthy body, but then all these efforts and practices would go down the drain if you don't get the required amount of sleep.
Sleep not only helps to relax the brain and body, it is also essential in weight gaining processes and healthy living in general.
I would also like to use this medium to say a big thank you to my sponsors, existing and new, as well as all my readers and followers worldwide.
I really appreciate you all.
I hope you found this article helpful ,and you enjoyed your read as well.
Ciao ! 😊
Changes
Change like death is inevitable.
It is one constant phenomenon that occurs every day, whether we want it to happen or not.
Looking around us, we all can agree to and attest to the fact that everything, whether living or non living, dead or alive undergoes some certain changes at different points in time.
Looking at humans and other organisms, it is agreeable to state that we all have underwent certain physical developmental changes at different stages in our lives - I mean, we were not the way we are now, five to ten years ago.
Even dead organisms, both plants and animals undergo certain changes when they die - from decomposing and being used as manure for farm crops, to becoming fossilised after several millions of years.
Since it has already been established that change is a constant phenomenon that occurs in our world every day and in different aspects of life, why then is change dreaded by human beings?
And I will explain what I meant by that.
**Change** is one of the things - one of the most difficult things that we face and have to deal with.
One reason we humans don't like change is we tend to get really comfortable and relaxed where we are and the **thought of coming out of our confort zones and facing the hurdles we might have in front of us.**
We get used to our old friends, our jobs, even the places we live in.
And even if they are not perfect or good enough for us, we accept them and deal with them because we are familiar with them.
We get stuck with them because we are not ready to accept and deal with changes.
Speaking generally, it is in the human nature to want to just relax in our comfort zones because we feel a sense of safety and familiarity in it.
It could be quite challenging to push oneself further away from one's comfort zone into greater and more challenging heights, because the higher heights we attain life, the more responsibilities we get from them.
Speaking about jobs, as an example; while some people prefer going out to work everyday - the 9am to 5pm type of jobs (I feel its because they like the feeling of consistency that such job gives), others prefer being entrepreneurs.
For an instance, in a situation where a person gets a 9am - 5pm job that can provide for his needs, such a person might tend to feel so comfortable with his job that he would find it challenging to actually branch out and stand on his own two feet. It could be as a result of being unsure of himself, or fear of what the future holds, or "what if's "
We like to get stuck in what God has done for us instead of moving forward into what God is about to do for and with us.
Just because God has blessed you where you are right now doesn't mean. He wants you to just sit back, get all cozy and just settle down there in your little cocoon. No, You have to stay open to what God Is doing now.
You have to stay open minded to and welcome new ideas that may differ from yours.
You have to stay open to criticisms and learn from them because it would aid in our development as well as capacity building.
**Think outside the box!**
What worked and was applicable ten years ago might not work today and if you are going to be successful, you have to be willing to change some things about yourself which may be an impediment to your growth, as well as to accept external changes.
Now in the aspect of our interpersonal relationship with others, we should constantly evaluate our friendships.
**Who is speaking what into your life?**
**Who are you depending on?**
Ensure that the person you're depending on or looking up to is actually not dragging you down or limiting you from blossoming from a bud into a beautiful flower.
Thanks for reading !! 😊
I hope you enjoyed this article?
Dealing With Insecurities
Insecurity can be termed as anxiety or the lack of confidence in oneself or in one's abilities, mainly because the individual sees all the flaws he /she possesses more than the good parts of them.
Most times, it's results from when such individual is often compared with other people who seem "**perfect**" or when they think other people around them seem perfect - perfect marriages, perfect bodies, perfect skin and they lead perfect lives in general; meanwhile there's no such thing as a perfect life.
From my close observation as a female, and from the observations of others, I have come to the conclusion that we the females have this problem more than the males.
We often worry if we have the perfect bodies, perfect hair, perfect skin, if we look beautiful enough or if we're the perfect weight and height, and all whatnot.
Sometimes as females, we feel we look good enough and might even feel comfortable with how we look, but then if we constantly keep hearing things like "**you don't look good**", or "**you're fat**" or "**you're too dark skinned/too short/too tall**" etc, these words would begin to stick and we might be forced to conform to having society's standards of the perfect body or being the perfect woman that society wants us to be if we want to be accepted.
This has made a lot of people to "**lose themselves**", in the sense that they leave who they really are and conform to other people's standards just to be accepted and not be termed as "**archaic**" or "**old fashioned**".
Speaking generally, we all have insecurities. We all have one thing or the other that gets us anxious or not so confident about ourselves; be it our physical bodies in general or a certain part of it like I have talked about previously; family background, financial status, even academic status among so many others.
Even though when people talk about insecurities they often refer to their bodies, but personally I feel insecurities are deeper than that. It encompasses a lot of things.
**How Does One Deal With One's Insecurities While In A Relationship?**
The main solution here is **talking about it with your partner.**
Like the old saying goes, a problem shared is a problem half solved.
Communication is key in every type of relationship we build with people,and should be even more so in love relationships.
Telling your partner about how you feel would help you relieve your problems, but that is if the partner involved is understanding and not judgmental because does more harm than good to the insecure spouse.
Judging your partner's body when you're supposed to make them feel good about it wouldn't do much to soothe your partner or make them feel good.
While love should go beyond just physical appearance no doubt, I understand the fact that sometimes, our partner might not be exactly how we want them to be, they might not exactly fit the image of the ideal man/woman that we have in our heads and I'm speaking in terms of body wise and general physical appearance.
Instead of talking them down or body shaming them, you could gently give a suggestion and see how well they accept it.
For example, if your partner is plus sized, you could gently suggest to him/her saying "how about WE (You both should do it together, trust me it'll be much more fun for you both) the gym and lose a few pounds? I love your body no doubt, but I feel we'd look and feel healthier if we shed a few pounds".
**How Can One Cope With An Insecurity?**
Insecurity is not an illness. It is something one can actually deal with and overcome.
Boosting your self esteem, being self confident and encouraging yourself.
Believing that **you can** goes a long way in overcoming those little fears.
I hope you enjoyed this article?
Ciao ❤️
Child Labor
There is no country in the world (correct me if I'm wrong here) that does not have child laborers, but it is predominant here on the **African continent**, some parts of **Asia** and parts of **war - torn Middle East**, for example **Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran**,etc.
There are various reasons why there are child laborers, and those reasons range from poverty which is thought to be the main cause, lack of education, insurgency, ignorance of the parent/guardian of such child, broken or toxic homes which could force the child or children involved to run away from such toxicity to the streets.
Even cultures and traditions of some tribes or societies could be a contributing factor to child labor, in the sense that take for example in the Igbo tribe here in **Nigeria** (which I am proudly a member of) in the olden days, girls were not allowed to go to school because their parents thought that if they educate their female children, all their education would have to end up in their husband's kitchens when they are married off, where they rightly belong. So their female children are forced to do farm labor or become market women together with their mothers.
What a wrong ideology and I'm glad that we're now changing such narrative.
**Child laborers** engage in various types of jobs which are stressful and could as well pose a risk to their personal safety,when they are supposed to be in a classroom and receiving lectures.
The labors they engage in range from being mechanics, to manual labor of different sorts,to working at construction sites carrying moulded blocks and head pans of sand, housemaids ( though not in all cases), farm labor, work at restaurants as serving boys/girls, and in some cases, some children are trafficked to become child prostitutes or servants for their rich masters.
Every time I walk around my street, I see quite a number of children mechanics, even children who I guess are below the age of 15 , children who are supposed to be getting an education, doing such strenuous labors just to feed or try to make ends meet.
Some of those child laborers we see are the ones carrying the responsibility of providing for their families.
From my own point of view, child labor is synonymous with crime.
Those innocent children could be easy target for kidnappers, they could easily be recruited as thugs, banditry, insurgency and all forms of crime in general.
According to recent research study conducted by **Statista**, **10.5 million** Nigerian children are out of school, and 1 out of 5 out of school children is a Nigerian .
Those figures are huge and I strongly believe that every child deserves an education because it is part of our fundamental rights , but then struggling economy which was worsened by the **COVID -19 Global pandemic** forced many countries to slip into recession and brought many businesses to its knees, making an already bad situation already worse.
Many countries are just getting back to their feets in terms of economy and other key sectors, after the havoc that the pandemic wrecked on the economies of many nations.
**What is the way forward, you may ask?**
This is where our national leaders, those in places of power and authority come in.
This is where benevolent and kind hearted members of the society come in; this is where various **NGOs** and **Charity Organizations** come in.
We need to start doing more for our children as they are the leaders of tomorrow.We need to give our children a solid base, a hope and a bright future.
**Formal education** backed up with vocational training or learning a skill not only improves the confidence of such child at the prospect of having a job or being one's own boss at the completion of the formal education, but it also removes inferiority complex, stigma, ignorance, and it improves the mental wellbeing of the child generally.
**Education** is the tool for change, and a nation without educated children is a nation with no hope for a bright future but a nation with educated and enlightened citizens is a nation that has the prospects or hope of growth.
I hope you enjoyed reading this article.
CIAO ! 😊
Your 24-hours
Due to the rotation of the Earth round the sun to complete a day, time varies from place to place in different, and there is a significant difference in the daily hours of every locality of the world, hereby making some countries to be in daytime and others to be in nighttime - at the same time.
For example, I could be watching the news and a newscaster could be reading the 7pm evening news somewhere in Britain, but if I tune in to a different news channel, another newscaster somewhere in Indonesia could be reading the 10am breakfast news. Meanwhile it is 7pm where I am located.
Both events are happening simultaneously.
That doesn't mean that the timing in Indonesia is wrong, rather it is as a result of the variation of time from place to place in parts of the world.
But even as there is variation in time, one thing is undisputable: Every country can attest to the fact that they have 24 hours in a day !
**So how do you spend your 24 hours?**
It is understandable that as individuals, we would have to go to our places of work - or school almost on a daily basis, so as to be able to cater for our personal needs and wants, and if we are in the position to, render what little assistance that we can to our families.
And working could be stressful - at least for most people that I know.
It is even more so if you are a student - worker or you are starting a family. Having to balance your work life with family life and then social life have proven to be a difficult task that many people are faced with.
Sometimes those tasks you have to do on a certain day rolls over into the next day, and that could leave you feeling like you haven't got much time.
It is surely an exasperating feeling because you might start feeling like you're doing too much, like you're putting too much strain on yourself and as if you're going bananas.
This is an issue that many people are facing almost on a daily basis and I think we need to start talking about it.
When someone is stressed or continuously overstretched, it could lead to a number of things like **early aging, wrinkle formulation, back, shoulder and leg pains** which could be a result of sitting down for too long at the desk, headaches, poor eyesight resulting from sitting in front of a screen for too long, amongst many others.
**WHAT SHOULD YOU DO WHEN YOU ARE STRESSED?**
**TAKE A BREAK:** Most importantly, take a break.
When you're working and seated at the desk especially for long period of time, you should take a break at about every 30 minutes.
Get up, do some stretches, walk around for a bit, do some mild exercises to improve blood flow especially around your leg region, as blood might not be flowing to those parts.
Wear a pair of dark sunshades to protect your eyes or better still take a break from the brightness of your screens - computers, televisions, and phones too.
**DON'T OVERSTRETCH YOURSELF**: Work according to your abilities. Don't do more than you have the ability to do because you are trying to impress your boss.
Whether you have a health condition or you are medically sound,doesn't matter.
Your health should come first, infact it ought to be among your top priorities so you won't suffer a break down in health presently or at old age.
**WRITE A TO-DO LIST:** It helps a lot. Not that writing a to-do list would reduce your daily tasks, No! It'll rather help you to know what tasks you are to do for that day and since you are also going to be setting a time frame to your activities, it would give you a sense of direction.
That way, you would know how many tasks you have to accomplish and the ones you're yet to accomplish.
The tasks you have on your to-do list should be written in an order of importance - from the most important to the least important.
Your to-do list could be like:
Do assignments.
Take a nap (very important because it helps your brain to relax and rest after all that tedious learning you had to do at school)
Go to the grocery store.
Take out the trash.
Take the dog for a walk in the evening.
Make dinner etc.
Then as soon as a task is completed, you tick it off your list and move on to the rest.
Honestly, sometimes I feel like the 24 hours we have in a day isn't enough for me to complete the tasks that I have to do daily, and I'm talking based on personal experience here.
**I hope you found this article helpful.**
**Please leave a like, a comment and kindly subscribe to my blog page.**
Ciao ! 😊
Effects of Television On Students
In the olden days, especially here in the African continent, we've developed and has discovered diverse means of communicating with people afar off.
The various media used in communicating with people afar off were beating of drums, making of bonfires, using animals such as birds and parrots to deliver messages across from the sender to the receiver; and many others not mentioned here.
Then gradually, civilization began to creep in and we started using advanced and more sophisticated means of communication to send messages to people who are at even farther distance such as fax machine,radio sets, computers (through email) and now television sets.
Then we further advanced from box television to B/W television, then to colored television, and now we even have the smart televisions. What a feat !
My father used to tell me that back in the good old days, during his own time, owning a television set was seen as the height of luxury because television sets were scarce and therefore very expensive at that time.
But welcome to our generation where television sets are now made more available and it can now be owned by all and sundry.
It is no longer regarded as a privilege of the rich alone as most households can now afford to own a television set.
Who's a student?
A student is someone who is studying at an institution of learning, and is under the tutelage of someone who is often regarded as a teacher, a master and so on.
Now, acquiring quality education for youngsters is no doubt a top priority in the government of most, if not all countries of the world and education is one of the sectors that takes precedence in the budget making of almost every country.
The advent of television sets and other means of learning and making research such as smartphones, computers etc, are making things a lot more easier for the students concerned.
Whatever has advantage must also have disadvantages, and television is no exception.
The Merits
Television sets have proven to be really helpful and effective in the dissemination of information which could be needed by students.
It Is also a medium used in gaining new knowledge as televisions are audio-visual. We can see images being displayed on the screens as well as hear what's being said. So therefore any new knowledge gained tends to stick faster.
Watching television is also a way of relaxation and entertainment.
After a long day people love to come home, recline on their couches and watch television.
Students love nothing more than coming home after school hours to watch their favorite programmes showing on television channels.
The Demerits
Inasmuch as television seems fantastic, it also has its bad sides especially in the lives of students.
Number one on my list and most importantly, television could be a promoter of violence.
All sorts of things are being showed on TV nowadays without them being censored for the sake of younger viewers below the age of 18.
It is no news that children learn faster by what they see.
As they keep watching **uncensored programmes** on television because they are inquisitive and curious by nature, they would want to try out what they have learned from watching television, be it violence or whatsoever it is.
Another bad thing about television is that it could be misleading in terms of moral standards.
Quite a number of people who are into **drugs** now learned that from the movies and programmes they have watched on television.
**Swear words and inappropriate slangs** now said by youngsters were picked up from TV programmes.
Moreover, **pornographic contents** are also showed on TV and youngsters are picking that up too.
Worse, they may even go the extent of practicing them due to their curiosity which is a natural trait in teenagers and adolescents, and in the process, they could put their lives and futures in jeopardy .
Another problem is that television could be addictive especially for people who don't have self control.
It could also prove as a terrible distraction to students, as they ought to spend their time reading and doing assignments. Rather,they might choose to indulge themselves and watch their favorite programmes to their heart's content.
In Conclusion:
Television isn't bad in itself, rather it should be the responsibility of its users to discipline themselves to make the utmost use of it to their advantage.
Moreover, programmes that are being showed on television should be censored to protect students and youngsters who are the future.
The Purpose Of Human Existence
Have you ever wondered and asked yourself questions like;
*"why was I even born?"*
*"Why am I here?"*
*"What happens when I'm gone?"*
*"Is there life after death?"*
Many people around the world believe that life exists after death. In fact, it is entrenched in and it forms a basic part of some cultural and religious beliefs in some cultures and religions of the world, but that's not where I am headed.
Many at times, I have sat down in my moments of solitude and wondered to myself. I have thought deeply about the purpose of human existence.
I have asked myself several questions pertaining to human existence like
*"why was human beings created?"*
*"What is our purpose of being here?"*
*"How did we get here in the first place?"*
Even funny and not-so-funny questions like *"will there be an end to the human race?"*
*"What if this Earth gets invaded by , dominated and controlled by Aliens? Robots?"*
Yes, I have asked myself questions like that and I have tried to the best of my ability to search for answers to my questions and to other questions that may or may not have crossed your minds.
I have asked around and rubbed minds with some friends who I must say, are great minds.
Now to answer the questions
"How Did We Get Here?"
There are so many theories revolving around the existence of the human race.
Actually, there are quite a number of theories explaining how Man got to start living on Earth, and I know about two of those theories.
One of them is the **Big Bang Theory**
For those who do not know what the Big Bang Theory is about, I will give a brief explanation about the theory.
If you want a more detailed and thorough explanation, I would advise that you make your own research.
In the Big Bang Theory, at first there was nothing; there was pitch blackness. And then suddenly there was a deafening, almighty bang called the Big Bang when a cluster of stars exploded into space and each little fragment was made of an atom of hydrogen/oxygen/carbon (I can't fully remember which, or if its a combination of life there).
Some of those fragmented pieces stuck together and formed the Earth, the Sun and the Moon (and other planets).
The sun shone brightly and hard upon the Earth and heated it up for several millennia until one day, one of those atoms boiled bubbled to the point of becoming an **Amoeba**.
That Amoeba, after several more millennia had passed, developed into fishes, and birds and snakes and every other living creatures we're having now; and oh, not to forget monkeys. Now those monkeys then evolved into human beings.
Honestly, this theory sounds silly to me and like I said earlier, this is just the little I could remember.
For more details, please conduct your own research.
Moving on to the second theory (this one sounds like a continuation of the first), I guess this one is much more popular than the Big Baby Theory.
The second theory is the **theory of evolution** where man is believed to have evolved from Apes and then to Monkeys and then finally into a human being (or whoever the evolution process took place).
Even at that, I believe that (due to some pictures that I have seen), that prehistoric humans look slightly different from the human species we are having now - **the Homo Sapiens**.
I believe tha these theories were given by scientists as a way of explaining what I call, the "human phenomenon" - as a way of explaining how we human beings got to find ourselves here.
There have been an age - long debate about whether human beings were created by God or whether we evolved from animals like Apes, Gorillas and Monkeys.
As a staunch Christian and believer in the Christian faith as well as the Bible, I would prefer to go with what the Bible said says - about how the first man named Adam was created.
The other animals were created before Adam was made but God gave Adam the responsibility of naming the animals.
So whatever theory you choose to believe; or if you believe that humans were created by God according to the Creation Story in the Bible, I guess that explains how we got here.
To answer the main question which is
**"What Is Our Purpose Of Being Here?"**
*(Disclaimer: Because we live in a Democratic society, everyone is entitled to their freedom of speech, thought, conscience and belief.*
*What I'm about to say next is my personal belief, and you are free as well to believe in and hold firm unto whatever belief that you like).*
According to the Christian religion (and even in the Islamic religion)we are made to understand that the main purpose of our existence here on Earth is to serve God and worship Him.
You might argue that if that is so, then why did God give us free will to do as we please?
I think that God gave us free will because he didn't want us to be like robots that have already been programmed to act in a certain way or perform some certain tasks.
He didn't want to force His reign on us so he gave us the free will to choose whoever we decide as our master.
We might have been born free and not as slaves, but in actual reality we are not free as every of our actions has a reward, either here on Earth or in the Afterlife.
As a way of creating and ensuring balance on Earth, God made everything in opposites of each other for example:
****Good and Evil,****
****White and Black,****
****Day and Night,****
****Sun and Moon,****
****Right and Left,****
****Man and woman**** _ _ _ the list is endless.
In conclusion, it is my humble opinion that we ought to live our lives with the thought that every of our actions, good or bad, has a reward - or a consequence for that matter.
And that (apart from Atheists who probably do not share in this belief system) we have a Maker who we are returning back to when we depart this life.
Did you enjoy this article?
Please drop a comment about your thoughts.
Ciao! ☺
Dealing With Losses - Grief
**What is grief?**
I will simply term grief as extreme sadness that is caused by the loss of someone - or something valuable, special or loved.
Grief, like other strong emotions like anger and sadness must be handled with care so it doesn't get out of hand or transcend into something worse than that.
Grief occurs mostly with irreparable damage or irreplaceable losses; take for instance the death of a loved one.
We all have at one point or the other in our lives had irreplaceable losses, be it the death of a loved one,or the death of a favorite pet, and so on.
When we lose anything that has to do with us, we must grieve it and because as human beings, we are different from one another. So therefore people have different ways which they grieve their losses.
There are five stages of grief. There are:
**Denial stage**
**Anger stage**
**Bargaining stage**
**Depression stage and;**
**Acceptance stage**
**DENIAL STAGE:**
The denial stage is the first stage.
This is the stage where people like to remain in when hit by a loss.
In this stage, someone who is grieving a loss has not come to the realization, willingly or unwillingly, that such a thing has occurred.
I like to call it a **mental cocoon** - **a safe haven** because in our heads, we think that such thing didn't occur and so we tend to seek solace in that thought.
That's where you hear someone grieving from a loss (most often when it has just freshly occurred) say things like:
"I can't believe he/she's gone".
"No that's not possible, Alice *(Disclaimer: I am using this name as an example*
*If you or anybody you know is bearing this name,it is purely coincidental and I do not wish anybody death)* can't die!" and so on.
In this stage people have not accepted the reality of things.
**ANGER STAGE:**
In this stage, the reality of the matter is beginning to dawn on the person, but such person is still not fully ready to accept the harsh reality just yet.
Such person begins to get mad at people, at themselves, at things etc.
Such a person might even become "**chaotic**" as the grieving process progresses.
**BARGAINING STAGE:**
In this stage, the person begins to ask questions like "*why did this happen?*".
The person begins to blame themselves or other people. The person begins to blame things for not going right, or for going the way it went.
The person might even question God.
Perhaps you have seen movies where someone was grieving a loss and the person is asking questions like;
"*God why did you let this happen?? You knew how much I loved her and you still took her away from me !* "
Or you might have heard "*if only I was there for her. if only- - -"* blah blah blah.
**DEPRESSION STAGE:**
At this stage, such person is hit by the full force of the harsh reality of things.
But the person might be having problems dealing with it and this could lead to such person being extremely sad.
Such person might slip into depression or get suicidal if care is not taken or if help is not rendered.
**ACCEPTANCE STAGE:**
This is the final stage of grief.
At this stage, the person has come to terms with the situation.
The person has accepted the reality of things and is now ready to move on with life.
The loss is not entirely forgotten, but they have accepted to move on with it and life in general.
**HOW DO WE HELP PEOPLE WHO ARE GRIEVING?**
I would like to begin this with a short story. A fiction.
There was an old woman named Mrs Humphrey.
She had been married to the absolute love of her life,and her and her husband loved each other deeply and truly.
They had been married for years and shortly after they had celebrated 27 years of marriage,her husband came down with cancer and he had to be hospitalized.
Mrs Humphrey had such an agonizing and traumatizing time helplessly watching her husband fade away before her very eyes.
After battling the ailment to no avail,her husband died.
Sad,right?
But Mrs Humphrey didn't cry.
She never shed a tear when she learned about the death of her husband.
Other people thought it was strange and they even went as far as labelling her an evil witch who had killed her husband.
Months later, Mrs Humphrey suddenly dropped dead.
Little did they know that she was deeply grieving and mourning her loss, and she needed all the love & care she could get at that time.
But did they try to help her? No.
Did they add to her pain? Oh yes, they did.
One thing I would like for us to know is that not everyone gets **theatrical** (permit me to use that word) when grieving.
Like I must have mentioned before, we as humans differ from one another and so therefore our response to situations would obviously be different.
While some people let it all out while grieving, other people grieve on the inside.
Emotions that we internalize are the things that breed complications with our mental health.
**It begins to eat you up inside, it messes with your sanity.**
If you or anyone around you are showing signs of **Psychosis, aggressive anger, Schizophrenia** or excess anxiety, please see a therapist as a case of urgency before it worsens and becomes a psychiatrist case and then it gets only more complicated.
**Additionally, Here's how Therapy works**
It helps because we all have life situations weighing us down one way or the other and that is the reason you should talk to a therapist, because they'll help you.
Whatever you tell a therapist is safe and confidential because they are sworn to confidentiality.
It is important to speak with a therapist because they'll help you retrace your steps and set you back on the right track.
Therapy sessions would help you to be reflective and introspective, and best of all you'd come back to your true self.
Thanks for reading the article.😊❤️
Drink more water
The extraordinary rising temperature which is said to be caused by global warming is now setting people on edge.
Just before midday each day, the sun is already up, shining too brightly, hot and scorching and beating down savagely mercilessly and savagely on both man, animals and plants. In some places in certain parts of the world, the daily temperature is now climbing above 40°C !
This too-hot weather condition has continued to drive many crazy and leaving people sweating profusely, whether one is directly under the harsh glares of the sun or away from it.
Now, the heat waves caused by the rising temperature causes dehydration in humans beings.
Dehydration is simply put to be ***to lose too much water in one's body***. This could deprive the muscles and cells in the body enough water that is needed for them to function properly, hereby making rehydration difficult.
If the water in the body is drained, it affects all the body systems, especially the cardiovascular system and it could lead to death.
Once the body water is gone, the cells are also drained and they will not be able to function properly.
Even the human brain too. If the human body is adversely dehydrated, that found impede the functionability of the brain and such individual could have a mirage, go into a coma or could in worse cases die.
A baby's body is made up of about 60% water and I'm guessing this is because some of its internal organs and tissues are not yet fully matured yet; while an adult body is made up of about 35-40% water and a lot of body tissues.
When people are exposed to certain degrees of high temperature, they start to feel dehydrated as well as get cranky and worked up. Then the body sends a signal that it is thirsty and needs water, urging people to go for water.
It is important that we increase our water intake, as we tend to sweat a lot especially during these hot seasons **3-5** liters or **8** glasses of water a day is the recommended amount to remain hydrated at all times.
Water also helps to maintain fluid balance in the body. It also helps in the removal of toxins and waste products from the body which could be really harmful to the body if not removed. Another function of water is that It helps in blood circulation in the body. Water also helps in the digestion of the food we eat.
We as humans have to work and hustle almost everyday to make ends meet which means we might be in the sun for long periods of time depending on the nature of the job but then we should try as much as we can to stay in cold places and avoid staying in the sun for long.
Use a good sunblock that has about 30% **SPF( Sun Protection Formula)** or more. Wear sunshades to protect your eyes from the harsh glares of the sun. Take a lot of fruits that contain water for example watermelons, cucumbers and pineapples.
Now moving on to the **immune system**; the immune system is called the body's defence mechanism that provides resistance to infections and toxins and to prevent them from harming the body and making us sick.
I like to call them the body's army.
Take care of your immune system; build your immune system.
Take more of organically grown fruits and vegetables. Taking a fruit is better, healthier and more beneficial to the body than taking a fruit drink because fruit drinks tend to contain added sugars and preservatives.
You might ask, when should we drink water?
We ought to drink water when we wake up.Start your day with a prayer and a glass of water.
Take a glass of water 30 seconds before meal or after meals.
Water helps in portion control, so if you drink a glass of water before eating a meal, you tend to eat less food. I personally do this one. I make sure I take about 1-2 glasses of water before dinner everyday before dinner so I don't eat much.
I also take water at regular intervals during the day.
In fact, drink water at regular intervals; do not wait until you feel thirsty before you drink water.
A water bottle should be in handy always.
Take care of your health in general and stay safe.
Happy new month!❤
I wish you the very best of everything that this month has to offer.
What do you plan to achieve new month?
Well as for me, I wish to achieve most, if not all the laid down goals that I set for myself in this beautiful month of May.
Thank you for reading! 😊❤️
Learning style: How To Get Better Grades
Everybody wants to become the best at their chosen endeavors, and it is the desire of every student to make the best grades at school and be at the top of their class.
Achieving that feat is no easy task, I mean, nothing good comes easy. One has to be disciplined, hardworking as well as persevere.
You want good grades? You must be ready to pay the price for it.
Daily studying is the key to having better grades.
While some are accustomed to the practice of studying daily, some are just starting and some others are finding it difficult to start.
To those who have already started and are accustomed to the practice, well done. More grease to your elbow.
For those who are just starting, keep up the good work.
And for those who are finding it difficult to begin the practice, or have already started it but are finding it hard to be consistent with it, here are a few steps that could guide you.
First and foremost, find out what your learning style is. Are you a Visual learner? An Auditory learner? A Kinesthetics learner? Or do you prefer the Reading and Writing method?
For the **Visual learners** (like me) they see and learn quickly with pictures, colors, charts, maps, graphs, diagrams etc. They prefer things to be written down in books or on the board. They need to see the teacher's facial expressions and body language, they like having pen and paper in handy and of course, they need quiet study time.
For the **Auditory learners**, they like to read aloud and talk to themselves-they like to hear themselves speak. They are good in study groups, they are not afraid to speak in class and they enjoy acting and being on stage.
A **Kinesthetics learner** is good in sports, they enjoy science experiments and constructional games, they usually study with loud music, they are not all that great at spelling, they learn more effectively when they are free to move about freely and they fidget during lectures.
The **Reading and Writing learners** likes to have pen and paper in handy, they also like to jot down things said by their teachers, they read aloud and they also need to see the teacher's facial expressions and body language.
Having explained the different learning styles, take an assessment test on yourself and ask yourself which one you fall under.
That would help guide you towards becoming better at studying.
Below are some other suggestions and guides towards having better grades at school;
**HAVE A PERSONAL TIMETABLE:**
My school principal has been drumming those words into our ears at school almost every morning when she's giving her assembly speech, and those words have stuck to me.
I have a personal timetable elaborately drawn up and posted on my wardrobe door where I can see it everyday, and I made sure that all the subjects I was offering at school was evenly distributed between the days
You could make yours as well, with the help of your teacher or counselor at school or your parents at home.
**STUDY DAILY:**
Dedicate two hours of your time every day to studying at home. That way, you could revise what was taught in class, have enough time to do assignments and even study ahead of the next class.
That's what I do. Every term, I get a new exercise book and I dedicate it to studying at home as well as taking notes of important points when my teachers are teaching in class.
Let me be honest, I used to study everyday before but I don't do that anymore due to the fact that I have to combine school work with my blogging career, but I always try to balance everything.
I try to study at least **3-4** times a week now and I'm still topping my class.😊❤️
**GOAL SETTING:**
At the beginning of every academic year and even every term, set some goals for yourself. Realistic ones.
Set some goals on what you would like to achieve at the end of the term and the academic year, and not just setting goals but work towards achieving such goals.
Don't sleep on them. Work hard so you would pat yourself on the back later for a job well done.
**BE ORGANIZED:**
Have your necessary materials eg textbook, study notes, colored pencil markers (for highlighting important points) etc ready at all times.
Keep a calendar, make your Reading desk tidy at all times so you don't feel overwhelmed by too much books. Keep to time.
Get yourself more involved in class activities and note that reading time is different from play time.
**REST WELL:**
It is okay to have a nap before you can start reading so your brain would be well rested and ready to accommodate new information and knowledge.
Give yourself breaks (maybe a minute or two) to cool your brain down and assimilate new knowledge so your brain doesn't feel overworked or clogged up.
Appreciate yourself and give yourself a treat at the end of your reading task.
What some people do is, they put bars of chocolate into the pages of their textbook or whatever book they have to read, so as they read on and they get to the page where there's chocolate, they eat the chocolate and give themselves a short break to rest their brain.
You can start this method and see how good it'll work for you.
**NOTE TAKING:**
Take notes of what your teacher's teaching, listen attentively in class and ask questions when in doubt.
Teachers are always happy when their students ask questions because it shows that such student is paying attention to their lectures.
**GROUP STUDY:**
Surround yourself with friends who Like to study so you will feel encouraged to study whenever they are studying. Do group study ejyh your friends, and conduct a pre-test before exams.
That's what I do. I have group of close friends and before test or exams, we conduct group study and pre-test to test our knowledge of what we've learned during the term, and my friends and I are the top five in my class.
**PRAY:**
Finally, pray to God to back you up and help you remember all that you've studied during the term and be confident in yourself.
Don't entertain fear as fear could make you forget what you have studied.
**Give all these a try and I can assure you that you will be at the top of your class.**
I hope you enjoyed this article.
Cheerios 😊
APPRECIATION POST
Before I started blogging on read.cash, I was ( and still am) a creative writer and I used to upload my works on my Facebook timeline.
Then I got to know about this amazing blog website, read.cash through a friend. Ever since then, I have been writing and uploading my articles on this platform and I must say that read.cash is one wonderful blog website that is not only welcoming to new bloggers and readers alike, but it also gives bloggers an avenue to interact with their readers as well as explore their intellectual creativity.
I have been blogging on read.cash for quite some time now-over a month If my memory serves me correct, and I can say that I am making progress, in terms of growing my blog organically, and in terms of growing financially too.
This feat would not have been achieved if not because of the benevolence of my sponsors and every other individual who have found my articles read worthy, educating and interesting enough.
I would therefore like to use this medium to express my heartfelt gratitude to my sponsors @Adobe101 , @BitcoinCash247 and @DawnMbangs for encouraging me to do better by tipping me.
I really appreciate all my readers as well who have taken time out to read my blogs and even showed their support by leaving a comment and in some cases, upvoting me.
All these gestures means a whole lot to me.❤
Gracias 😊
How to heal from a Break-up
Break-ups, are just like other emotion-related life issues such as the death of a loved one, a divorce and so on, could be really painful as well as depressing; and if it is not well handled, it might get out of hand and could lead to various health and/or psychological problems.
In this generation where love seems to be in the air and people and most especially youngsters are falling in-and out of love, I must say.
Most often than not, teenagers fall in love just for the fun of it or because of monetary benefits, or as a result of peer pressure from their friends, and most times they do so without actually knowing what they want from the relationship and that is why teenagers often make mistakes which could sometimes be life threatening, for example, having an abortion.
Also, because teenagers are young and often inexperienced, they are quick to fall in love and quick to also fall out of love too, I must say.
Maybe that would account for the so many young, broken hearts we are having now.
Whether one is a teenager or an adult, whether one is young or old, people are different and so therefore people have different ways of dealing issues that are emotion related as well as healing emotionally.
We have seen or heard cases where people slipped into depression or committed suicide because they couldn't properly deal with a **break up** experience.
So therefore, one rule cannot be applicable to all.
Below are some ways which help you to deal with and heal from a break-up .
***ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT HAS HAPPENED:***
There are five stages of grief which includes:
Denial stage
Anger stage
Bargaining stage
Depression stage
Acceptance stage
People tend to remain in the **denial stage** for a long time, not wanting to or not ready to accept the reality of things.
Coming out of the **Denial stage** and accepting the fact that the relationship has ended Is the first stage towards your healing.
***GIVE YOURSELF TIME TO HEAL PROPERLY:***
Don't rush yourself into healing fast.Take your time to heal.Heal at your own pace and do not let people rush you into healing too hurriedly and moving on.
Definitely you would move on and bounce back stronger, but just take the healing process easy on yourself.
***LET OUT YOUR EMOTIONS:***
Bottling up your emotions isn't at all good for your health. Cry if you need to, let that weight off your chest.
If you ever feel like everything's too much for you to handle, talk to someone about it. Express yourself.
***DON'T SHAME YOUR EX:***
After the relationship has ended, it's normal to feel embittered especially when you had invested a lot into the relationship, but really, burning bridges isn't really necessary.
Break up in a matured and amicable manner.
Don't rubbish your ex's image all other the social media. Do not talk bad about him/her too, most especially if your ex was good to you while you were in the relationship but had to break up because of whatever reason and leaving you feeling embittered.
Belittling your ex isn't really necessary and it is a petty thing to do.
***DELETE MEMORIES:***
If your relationship ended on a sour note and you don't want to be reminded of it, you could delete everything that reminds you of the relationship.
You could delete his/her pictures, chats on social media, dispose of gifts-everything that reminds you of such relationship and your ex.
***PROTECT YOURSELF:***
If your ex showed signs of psychosis while in the relationship; or if he/she is life threatening even after the relationship has been nullified,you might want to protect yourself and your loved ones.
Report any case of physical or verbal attack from your ex to yourself or your loved ones.
***TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF:***
Because you're hurting it's easy to want to indulge all your cravings, but is that good for you? Probably not.
Eat right, exercise, keep fit, stay healthy, practice yoga and meditation.
Be introspective and review your life so far. Pray. Whatever your religion is, talk to your Creator, ask him to lead and guide you into making the right decisions.
Get some spa and facials. It's just a break up, not a funeral.
***THERAPY AND COUNSELING:***
If you feel that the break up is taking it's toll on you emotionally and you feel you cannot bear it alone, that's fine.
We all have problems weighing us down one way or the other and sometimes we need help.
**Talking to a therapist** is one great way of getting that burden lifted off your chest, as they would help you heal and assist you in making good decisions.
Also, you could **listen to music**, they have a calming and soothing effect.
If you're a person who loves nature,you could do some gardening work; and if you're an Art person,you could do some art therapy on yourself.
***DON'T ZIP UP:***
After getting your heart broken, it's easier to want to just shut everyone out and zip yourself up, create a safe haven for yourself and wrap yourself in the cocoon of self indulgence and protection, but really, you need to be more open now.
Don't close up on people-the opposite gender, your family, friends and loved ones. Let them help you heal.
Make new friends and cherish the old ones you've got.
Go out more. Go to the movies, games, karaoke, fun hang-outs, just have fun-you deserve it.
Don't wallow in self pity.
***FOCUS ON YOUR WORK:***
Bury yourself in work, it would help you forget about your ex faster. Move on with your life. Your world doesn't have to end just because your relationship did.
***DON'T RESORT TO TAKING DRUGS:***
It is easy to feel vulnerable and want to escape from the situation which taking drugs would provide, albeit for a little while, but then ask yourself, is it worth it? You could become addicted to drugs afterwards, not to mention all the health and mental issues that could generate as a result of taking hard substances.
If you're going through a break-up, give all these a try. Like I said earlier, *your world doesn't have to end just because your relationship did.*
I hope you found this article helpful.
Cheerios 😊
Animal Cruelty
**What is animal cruelty also known as animal abuse?**
Animal cruelty can simply be explained as the infliction of pain and/or neglect by humans on any animal.
According to the creation story told in the Christian religion, God created the plants and animals first before he even created the first man named **Adam**; so more or less animals can be said to have existed before mankind. If so,why then are we humans cruel to them?
As human beings, we are created and wired to live inter-dependably. As the popular saying goes "*No man is an island*". We are wired to live through interdependence on our fellow human beings, on animals and on nature itself.
If we are to live our lives and fully function well on Earth through that manner, then why do we do more harm than good to those very creatures that are essential to our survival and wellbeing on Earth? Why do we take advantage of their vulnerability, attack their livelihood and shorten their lifespan on Earth?
Animals are living as well and their importance to the human race cannot be over emphasized and so therefore they should not be treated lesser than humans. They have instincts just like we humans do, and they feel emotions like humans do too! Animals do get excited, happy, sad and scared in the same way we do.
Sometimes, they express their sadness by crying. Yes they cry. Let me relieve an experience about a crying animal.
*During the summer break last year, I traveled down to another state to spend summer with my cousins. They have a male dog, a German Shepherd named* ***Billy****, i could say that the dog was one of the cutest dogs I've seen. It has big black eyes and it's a happy dog who loves to play.*
*Then one evening, my cousins and I were all playing a game of chase with Billy, and we were all having a fun moment. Then we noticed changes in weather and it started to drizzle.*
*Playtime had to end; we had to get back into the house and Billy had to go to his kennel. He was sad and also reluctant to go to his kennel as be was really enjoying himself.*
*Next thing I saw was tears began clogged in his eyes and he started to whimper-he actually sounded like a baby crying. The sight of him crying pierced my heart and I know we couldn't just leave him like that. We had to coax him to go back to his kennel and give him a treat to make him feel better afterwards.*
*That experience taught me that animals that animals can express their sadness by crying just as we sometimes do.*
**What are the effects of animal cruelty on the affected animal?**
Cruelty on animals could cause emotional suffering, physical pain which is the most common side effect, illness, and in worst cases, death for affected animal.
As a result of continual human activities and unchecked cruelty of the human race over the years on animals, some animals like the Pelagornis sandersi, the Tasmanian Tiger, Dinosaurs, Elephant birds, Dodo birds , Argentavis( the names of these animals and birds sounds strange,right?) have been extinct; while other animals are considered endangered species and are on the way to becoming extinct, and rapidly so if measures are not put in place to prevent that from happening.
Here's another short story how I got to know about the **Elephant bird.**
I got to know this Elephant bird in my primary school; I was in my promotional year to be precise and was about to be promoted into Junior High School but before that could happen, I had to write an exam of course.
In my home, we usually have past questions ranging from all classes that aids one in studying and make little research.
So one day, I was solving one of the past questions on English Language and lo and behold! One of the comprehension passages was titled "Elephant Bird". That passage in particular snagged my attention and I read it. I got a little enlightened about the Elephant bird, but that little knowledge only fanned the flames of my curiosity. I didn't stop there as I was eager to learn more about the bird.
I carried out a little research on the bird and other extinct birds that got my attention too like the Dodo bird, the Moas and the Argentavis.
****Elephant birds**** are made up of enormous flightless birds that once lived on the Island of Madagascar. The bird was approximately 10 feet tall and weighed about 1,000 pounds. Even though this weight and size isn't as large as that of an actual elephant, it is undoubtedly large enough for it be one of the largest birds that ever lived. I guess that was where it name "Elephant Bird" was coined from.
You may ask, what made the elephant bird become extinct?
****Here's an answer:**** Humans that lived very long ago, about more than 10,000 years ago-Prehistoric humans are suspected of wiping out these birds, because fossilized bones have been discovered. According to scientists, it is evident that the Elephant birds were hunted down and killed for food.
**How about the Argentavis birds?**
The Argentavis was the largest winged bird known to exist.
This bird, also called the *Giant Teratorn*, is an extinct species known from three sites from the late Miocene (about 6 million years before present) of control and northwestern Argentina, where a good sample of fossils have been obtained.
**Moving on to the Dodo bird:**
These Birds were first discovered by Portuguese sailors at about 1507 and were exterminated by humans and their introduced animals. The Dodo birds lived off nuts, tasty fruits and roots native to Mauritius, so their meat was found savory to humans. They became extinct by 1681.
Having known all these things, let's now ask ourselves; why are people cruel to animals?
Some people who are cruel to animals see harming animals as a way of getting revenge against, or to threaten an offender or someone who cares about that animal.
Other people take out their cruel acts on animals as a way of retaliating what have been done to them.
Sometimes children are cruel to animals as a result of what they've seen other adults around them or children like them do to those animals.
Animals that have been abused usually give off signs like;
-Unexpected fractures or limping.
-Unprovoked aggression whining or whimpering.
-Flinches at human contact.
-Suddenly avoiding any physical contact.
-Overly submissive.
-Tucked tail
-Attempts to bite or scratch when petted.
****How do we stop animal abuse and help animals who have been abused?****
We can do so by reporting witnessed cases of abuse or cruelty to animals to the proper authorities so that investigations can be carried out and the necessary care and help the animal needs would be given to the affected animal.
I hope you enjoyed this read?
Cheerios! 😊
Conseils pour avoir un visage sans acné
Un corps sain/en forme, un beau visage et une peau impeccable - je suis sûr que c'est l'un des désirs des adolescents et en fait de la plupart, sinon de tout le monde dans le monde.
Alors peut-être avez-vous déjà été confronté à la terreur d'avoir à porter un visage boutonné et rempli d'acné partout; ou peut-être vous êtes-vous déjà demandé comment vous pouviez obtenir une peau lisse et sans acné.
Aujourd'hui, je vais vous donner quelques conseils utiles pour avoir un visage lisse et sans acné et obtenir la peau parfaite de vos rêves.
Avant tout, prenez l'habitude de vous laver les mains régulièrement, afin de ne pas transférer de germes de vos mains à votre visage, car nos mains ont tendance à transporter beaucoup de germes.
Je me souviens avec émotion que pendant mes années d'enfance, mes grandes sœurs se faisaient un devoir de toujours insister sur l'importance du lavage régulier des mains et les moments où je suis censée me laver les mains - avant et après les repas, après avoir joué, après toucher des animaux domestiques, après être allé aux toilettes et après avoir vidé la corbeille à papier. J'ai donc fait du lavage régulier des mains une habitude qui m'est restée tout au long de mon enfance et même jusqu'à maintenant que je suis adolescent.
N'utilisez pas votre serviette de corps sur votre visage. Il est idéal que vous obteniez une serviette séparée, de préférence blanche pour votre visage.
Investissez dans un bon nettoyant liquide pour le visage (je recommanderais un nettoyant pour le visage à l'arbre à thé) au lieu d'un pain de savon solide pour votre visage.
Utilisez des gommages corporels pour exfolier. Les gommages corporels sont parfaits pour éliminer les impuretés ainsi que les cellules mortes de la peau, pour une peau éclatante. Pour de meilleurs résultats, utilisez-le 3 à 4 fois par semaine.
Une petite astuce pour avoir des lèvres roses et jolies : En plus de se brosser les lèvres avec une brosse à dents pendant le brossage, un gommage pour les lèvres fait maison vous aidera.
Mélangez une petite quantité de poudre de curcuma avec une petite quantité de sucre et une cuillerée à café de miel dans un récipient et utilisez-le pour bien frotter vos lèvres.
L'eau que vous utilisez sur votre visage est très importante. Assurez-vous qu'il s'agit d'eau propre, tiède et non chaude (l'eau chaude pourrait vous brûler le visage). En effet, se laver le visage à l'eau très froide aide à refermer les pores. Séchez ensuite avec une serviette propre.
Réduisez votre consommation de sucre. L'excès de sucre dans le corps est non seulement mauvais pour notre corps et nos dents, mais aussi pour notre visage car l'acné a tendance à se nourrir de sucre. Votre peau vous en serait reconnaissante.
(Lol j'ai vraiment besoin d'adhérer à celui-ci parce que je suis une dent sucrée!).
Essayez autant que possible d'éviter de toucher votre visage car vous pourriez transférer des germes sur votre visage et vous pourriez également réinfecter votre peau. La peau de notre visage est très délicate et doit donc être traitée avec soin.
Peu importe à quel point c'est tentant, ne permettez à personne de faire éclater ce bouton.
Votre alimentation est également un grand contributeur à avoir une peau impeccable. Prenez beaucoup d'eau (7 à 8 verres d'eau par jour sont recommandés) car l'eau est un excellent détoxifiant. Mangez beaucoup de fruits et de légumes et réduisez votre consommation de cochonneries.
Dans la mesure où vous voulez prendre soin de votre peau et que vous êtes enthousiaste à l'idée d'expérimenter et d'essayer de nouvelles choses, consultez votre dermatologue, car tous les bricolages ne fonctionnent pas pour votre peau.
Procurez-vous un toner sans alcool car votre visage est allergique à l'alcool qu'il contient et pourrait réagir négativement.
J'utilise du toner fait maison fabriqué par ma sœur. Une de mes grandes sœurs est vraiment énorme sur les produits de soin. Elle a la peau chocolat et honnêtement, sa peau ressemble à du chocolat fondu, je veux dire qu'elle brille !
Alors un jour, elle a fait du toner à la maison (dommage que je n'étais pas là pour la regarder le préparer, et elle n'a pas voulu me dire son petit secret; mais si vous voulez apprendre à faire du toner vous pouvez regarder des vidéos YouTube ) et elle m'en a donné. Depuis que j'utilise ce toner, j'ai remarqué des améliorations visibles sur ma peau, et j'aimerais vous encourager à ajouter du toner à votre routine de soins de la peau.
Le curcuma est un excellent antioxydant. La poudre de curcuma mélangée à un peu d'eau peut être transformée en masque facial.
Un blanc d'œuf utilisé comme masque facial ira très loin.
Une purée d'avocat pourrait également être excellente pour votre peau.
La vaseline de phoque bleue et le blanc d'œuf se sont également avérés excellents pour améliorer le teint de la peau (principalement pour les personnes à la peau claire).
Utilisez un écran solaire qui contient une bonne quantité de SPF (Sun Protection Formula).
Essayez tout cela et votre peau vous en sera reconnaissante. J'espère que vous avez aimé cet article.
Cheerios ! 😊
Tips for having an Acne-Free Face
A healthy/fit body, a beautiful face and a flawless skin - I'm sure that is one of the desires of adolescents and in fact most, if not everybody worldwide.
So maybe you have in the past been faced with the terrors of having to carry a pimpled, acne-filled face all about; or maybe you have wondered in the past how you could get a smooth, acne-free.
Well today, I'll be giving some useful tips for having a smooth, acne-free face and achieving that flawless skin of your dreams.
First and foremost, make regular hand washing a habit, so you don't transfer germs from your hands to your face as our hands tends to carry a lot of germs.
I remember fondly that during my childhood years, my big sisters made it a point of duty to always hammer home the importance of **regular hand washing** and the times when I'm supposed to wash my hands- before and after meals, after playing, after touching pets, after using the bathroom and after emptying the waste basket. So I made regular hand washing a habit which stuck all through my childhood years and even till now that I'm a teenager.
Do not use your body towel on your face. It is ideal that you get a separate towel, preferably white for your face.
Invest in good liquid face wash (I'd recommend tea tree facial wash) instead of a solid bar soap for your face.
Use body scrubs for exfoliating. Body scrubs are great for removing impurities as well as dead skin cells from the skin, for a glowing skin. For best results, use it **3-4** times weekly.
*A little tip for having pink and nice looking lips: Apart from brushing your lips with toothbrush during brushing, a DIY lip scrub will help.*
Mix a little amount of tumeric powder with a little amount of sugar and a teaspoonful of honey together in a container and use it to thoroughly scrub your lips.
The water you use on your face is very important. Ensure that it is clean water, lukewarm and not hot (hot water might scald your face). Matter of fact, washing your face with very cold water helps with closing your pores. Then pat-dry with a clean towel.
Cut down on your sugar intake. Excess of sugar in the body is not only bad for our body and teeth but it is also bad for our face as **acne** tends to feed on sugar. Your skin would appreciate you for it.
(Lol I really need to adhere to this one because I'm such a sweet tooth!).
Try as much as you can to avoid touching your face as you might be transferring germs to your face and you might also be re-infecting your skin. The skin on our face is very delicate and therefore should be treated with care.
No matter how tempting it is, do not or allow anyone to pop that pimple.
Your diet is also a great contributor to having a flawless skin. Take a lot of water (**7-8** glasses of water daily is recommended) as water is a great detoxifier. Eat a lot of fruits and vegetables and cut down on your intake of junk.
In as much as you want to care for your skin and you're enthusiastic about experimenting and trying out new things, consult your skin therapist as not all DIYs might work for your skin.
Get a non-alcohol based toner as your face be allergic to the alcohol in it and might react negatively.
I use home-made toner made by my sister. One of my big sisters is really huge on skincare products. She's chocolate skinned and honestly, her skin looks like melted chocolate, i mean **it glows!**
So one day, she made toner at home (it's a shame I wasn't there to watch her prepare it, and she wouldn't tell me her little secret; but if you want to learn how to make toner you can watch YouTube videos) and she gave me some. Since I've been using that toner, I have noticed visible improvements on my skin, and I'd like to encourage you to add toner to your skincare routine.
Tumeric is a great antioxidant. Tumeric powder mixed with a little water can be made into a facial mask.
An egg white used as a face mask will go a long way.
An avocado mash might also be great for your skin.
Blue seal Vaseline and egg white have also proven to be great for improving the skin complexion (mostly for fair skinned people).
Use a sunscreen that has a good amount of SPF (Sun Protection Formula).
Give all these a try and your skin would appreciate you for it. I hope you loved this article.
Cheerios! 😊
Dealing With Anger
Every human being that has blood flowing through his veins feels anger.
Anger, just like other strong emotions like sadness, love etc, is not inherently bad or even dangerous but it always needs consideration, and as with other emotions, understanding the root cause of the anger and why it is felt is the first step toward dealing with combating anger.
We all feel angry at different points in our lives and different situations or circumstances rather can make us feel angry. We could get angry at people, things, situations beyond our control such as a terminal sickness; we also get angry at life sometimes. Men,women and children express their anger differently.
Children most often feel and express their anger from the perspective of frustration where they can't have what they want when they want it, while adults get angry when they feel out of a situation.
Anger is an emotion with psychological effects. We all understand the feeling of a rapid heartbeat, sweaty palms and burning stomach as our muscles tighten and we feel anger. The "fight or flight" system engages as we decide how best to deal with our anger.
When anger feeds off itself, your release of anger causes you more damage. Be wary of the cycle that wreaks havoc on your nervous system. When you can't shake the anger off and it feeds off itself for too long,you will either find yourself making yourself physically sick or your anger outbursts can land you in serious trouble. Research shows a link between angry outbursts and increased risk for heart attack and stroke. Smoking, poor diet and lack of exercise can exacerbate the effects of anger, putting you at an increased risk for bad cardiovascular activities.
Furthermore, People are not always the triggers of anger. Our environment could be a trigger of anger. When our environment causes stress and frustration we experience anger, just as we experience anger with people who Cause us stress and/or frustration.
People are not always the trigger of anger, unless maybe for instance there are too many drivers on a clogged highway, contributing to road rage. Noise pollution such as what one living in a construction zone would hear triggers anger and sometimes we don't even realize it.
If you find yourself getting angry and you're not sure why, try listening to your environment and recognize whether or not you're getting enough peace and quiet. Running around after kids on the home front or hopping from meeting to meeting in the corporate world can leave you stressed , angry and even frustrated. In conditions like this, you're not angry at anyone in particular but your environment is making you angry.
One thing I've realized is, humor can diffuse anger. Realizing that life is stressful in itself is only the first step. Actually, the realization is more like lacing up your shoes even before taking your first footstep.
The first step comes from the understanding that anger is an emotion that men and women feel differently, and anger does not have to control us.
The simple but somewhat weird act of laughing at anger can diffuse it.
In a heated argument, one person can defeat the mounting anger with a joke. Though I would not recommend a stand-up comedy act to diffuse a dangerous situation (you could get decked), but when your co-workers can't agree on a project, trying to diffuse the tensed situation with office antics can help everyone get lightened up and focused.
**In conclusion**, a plan for relaxation can combat anger. In an attempt to benefit from anger, you should plan to relax on a regular basis. Along with eating well and exercising, planning time to relax by taking the kids to the park to have a fun time or enjoying a show with a friend can combat anger.
We plan as much as we can for work, for our families and for our futures, but when we forget to plan to relax we give rise to anger.
I hope you found this article helpful.
Cheerios.😊
How Should Responsibilities Be Shared in a Relationship
Life is filled with responsibilities of different types and taking up of responsibilities are part of what makes life worthwhile. Right from being children, our parents would most often than not share different house chores amongst us and our siblings, and they were rewards for doing them properly or consequences for not doing them. I believe this was done to us to help them around the house and lighten the housekeeping burden. Most importantly, it was done to teach us to not be lazy and for us to be able to take Care of ourselves in their absence.
Like I said earlier, life is filled with responsibilities and relationships are not exempted from it. When people get into relationships, a lot of things are involved and sharing of responsibilities is an essential part.
Responsibilities in relationships could range from *financial responsibilities to house chores* (especially if the two people involved are live-in partners).
For a relationship -any relationship at all- to work, **understanding** is key. The two people involved should properly understand each other. When understanding is established, then it would be easier for things to work out between them both. First of all, in the case of a live-in type of relationship, i think couples who practice this system should do so with marriage in mind (I mean why would you both be doing that if the whole purpose is to just waste each other's time?).
Talking about financial responsibilities. If the guy is financially buoyant enough to shoulder the financial responsibility in the relationship (for example paying of annual rent) without much assistance from his partner, then it's all fine and good. But if not, then they should both discuss the issue honestly and find out what will work best for them.
Then in the case of live-in partners sharing house chores. The issue have always been a bone of contention in most relationships and marriages. In an instance where they both go out to work and probably get back late, who should do the basic house chores like cleaning, cooking and laundry? Should it be the male? Or should it be the female? While some men are 'African men to the core' who believe that house chores should be left for women while they hustle and make money, the women might argue that they also work and they earn too. They get back late and they are tired.
**How should the responsibility be shared?**
I rallied around and got some opinions from friends. Amongst their opinions, I deduced a few things.
Firstly, like I said earlier, understanding really matters. They should both sit down and talk about what works best for them both. For instance if they both have to go out and work, whoever gets in earlier can start with maybe cooking Or already cooked food can be ordered in large quantities and stored up in the freezer for easy microwaving or heating up. And in the case of cleaning, they can do it together. While one sweeps, the other mops the house and so on. That way, it will be much more fun and they can explore more funs ways with each other.
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Cheerios 😊❤️
The Effects of Single Parenting
**Single parenting**; This is one trend that is gradually becoming a common thing in this our generation and therefore now seen as normal. But really, should single parenting continue? Is it ideal for the adults and kids involved ?
Humans are regarded as higher animals because we are created differently from other lesser animals. We are blessed with amazing problem-solving skills far better than that of other animals. We have different ways to understand, evaluate, tackle and solve a problem. It applies in our everyday lifestyle, and it is yet one of the things that makes humans unique.
Now in the aspect of parenting, especially here in our African continent, children are brought up by so many people in their lives. From the likes of grandparents to relatives, to teachers, and to their actual parents also resulting to other random people they meet in their life time. And in Africa, it is often said that a child has many other parents apart from its original parents as the community jointly partner to raise a child.
But when a child is raised by only his/her parents, there would be a lot of restrictions on such child.
A single parent might either be too strict or too loose with the upbringing of the child and either ways, it's not very ideal for the development of the child.
Exposure is one key thing in life that we humans, especially children who are growing up needs to survive the outside world when the child would no longer be under the full watch of of its parents. But that child might not have it or better still understand it and its benefits and dangers (over exposure, perhaps); having the knowledge of the outside life but not knowing how to properly use it.
Misuse of that knowledge might make them turn out to live an unpleasant or indecent lifestyle like being wayward, being drug addicts, gangsters and the likes.
But a child that is brought up by several people in his/her life will tend to see things in different lights because there would be so many perceptions concerning things and such child's thinking would be broadened. They perceive the world in several ways and they tend to understand love better because they have experienced it in several ways.
Though it comes with its own disadvantages especially in the aspect of freedom of expression.
Eventually the child's freedom of expression is limited because the child would not want to do or say anything that would placed him/her in trouble with his/her parents.
Everyone is literally watching.
The child also has so many people to make proud and impress, and in so doing such child might get lost in the world of others because he/she is trying to live up to the expectations of others.
Personally though, I feel that it is better to be child to be jointly parented by both parents involved for the wholesome development of such child; than for a child to be single parented.
Pourquoi le réchauffement climatique
L'augmentation extraordinaire de la température due au réchauffement climatique rend désormais les gens nerveux. Juste avant midi tous les jours, le soleil est déjà levé, chaud et brûlant, frappant sauvagement sans pitié l'homme et la bête et faisant grimper la température quotidienne de certains endroits à 40°C et plus (imaginez ça !).
Cette situation rend beaucoup de gens fous, laissant les gens transpirer abondamment, que l'on soit au soleil ou à l'écart, aggravée par l'alimentation électrique très instable et peu fiable à laquelle nous devons faire face ici au Nigeria.
La nuit, les choses ne s'améliorent pas car beaucoup sans alimentation électrique, groupe électrogène ou climatiseurs peuvent à peine dormir, certains sont obligés de rester à l'extérieur jusqu'à très tard dans la nuit juste pour se rafraîchir, s'exposant à certains dangers. Tout le monde se demande ce qui se passe. Ça n'a jamais été aussi mauvais.
Eh bien, la raison de ce niveau de chaleur fou est simple : le réchauffement climatique.
Il y a des variations dans le temps/climat de chaque pays du monde. Le problème est que les activités humaines mettent en danger l'existence même des humains et des animaux à la fois dans les zones urbaines et rurales, mais surtout dans les zones urbaines.
Premièrement, nous avons le problème de la croissance démographique. Si vous mesurez l'inter-distance entre les maisons, vous remarquerez qu'elle diminue rapidement. L'implication de ceci est que soit les humains activent des produits chimiques qui sont nocifs, soit ils utilisent des produits chimiques qui sont nocifs et nocifs, ce qui les libère dans l'atmosphère.
C'est pourquoi les gaz à effet de serre, le méthane, le dioxyde de carbone, voire ce qui était autrefois de la vapeur d'eau normale, sont en augmentation et mettent en danger les activités humaines.
D'autres activités telles que l'activité industrielle, la construction de maisons/bâtiments, etc. ont toutes contribué à la déforestation. Personne n'encourage même l'environnement vert. Nous avons une très forte accumulation de gaz carbonique et de méthane dans l'atmosphère. Tous ces gaz ainsi que d'autres petits ne permettent pas l'entrée du rayonnement solaire. En touchant la surface de la Terre, il est empêché de s'échapper dans l'espace.
On s'attend à ce que la chaleur ainsi dégagée par les rayons solaires s'échappe dans l'atmosphère. Mais tous ces gaz vont sceller le niveau supérieur de la troposphère au-dessus, empêchant la sortie de cette "chaleur" dans l'atmosphère. La chaleur revient maintenant sur la Terre provoquant cette vague de chaleur presque insupportable qui s'est avérée très néfaste pour la survie humaine.
Et la mauvaise nouvelle, c'est que la canicule risque de s'intensifier, plus le rayonnement thermique ne peut s'échapper dans l'espace.
On dirait que nous sommes piégés ici, n'est-ce pas ? Quelle est la voie à suivre ? Qu'est-ce qu'on fait maintenant? Comment nous sauver et protéger notre existence ?
Si vous me demandez, je dirais que la plantation d'arbres est la meilleure solution. Les arbres et les feuilles ne fournissent pas seulement de l'ombre du soleil brûlant, ils absorbent également le dioxyde de carbone et libèrent de l'oxygène qui est très essentiel à la survie humaine.
Prendre soin de notre environnement est une autre façon de faire face à cette crise. La propreté, disent-ils, est proche de la piété.
Personne ne connaît et ne prend mieux soin d'un endroit que les habitants de cet endroit.
J'espère que vous avez aimé cet article, laissez simplement vos commentaires et aimez montrer votre soutien.
How I Got to Know About read.Cash
I got to know about read.cash through a friend.
Prior to that, two years ago I had worked for a friend of mine as one of the group editors on her Facebook page where she writes articles and stories, but then I had to stop working for her due to personal reasons which I would not like to discuss.
Again last year, I tried applying for a job in one of my friend's Facebook page where she writes novels as a writer or even a ghost writer, but though I could not get the job she taught me the ropes with these words "I won't give you fish but I'd rather teach you to how to fish for yourself".
All these are to show that I have a real flair for writing and works of literature.
Over the years, I have been writing articles and uploading them on my Facebook timeline and getting praises or critiquing on them as the case may be.
So late last month, I was just scrolling leisurely through the Facebook timeline of the friend (Dawn Mbang) who I eventually got to know about read.cash from. On that particular post that snagged my attention, he was talking about a platform where one could earn money from just writing and uploading articles. Then I said to myself "I have a talent for writing, why don't I go for this?"
Then I sent him a message in his DM concerning his post and we got talking. I told him what I wanted and he introduced me to read.cash
Little did I know that it was a blog platform.I thought it was like, one random website upload an article, get paid and you're out (because like I mentioned earlier in one of my posts, one of my ambitions in life is to become a successful blogger) but that's not what read.cash is about.
So my friend Dawn Mbang gave me the contact number of one of his friends, Percy, who is now my friend too and one of the amazing people I'm glad to have in my life, I must say.
He told me that Percy knows how to go about the registrations and signing up for read.cash. He (Percy) helped me with the registrations, I made my first post and voila! Here we are now.
**read.cash** is one amazing blog platforms that not only welcomes new bloggers and readers alike, it gives the blogger an avenue to interact with readers, as well as providing bloggers opportunities to explore their intellectual creativity by giving them different niches they can blog about.
In all, I really enjoy blogging on read.cash because its such an amazing, zero-stress blog platform and I'd like to encourage aspiring bloggers to give read.cash a try, I can assure them that they won't regret it.
Cheerios! 😊
Humiliation corporelle
Si je devais simplement définir la honte corporelle, je dirais que c'est l'acte de quelqu'un qui critique continuellement le corps d'une personne et la met mal à l'aise dans sa peau.
C'est aussi l'acte (continu) de rechercher l'imperfection ou les imperfections dans le corps d'une personne et de lui faire sentir qu'il est moins un être humain à cause de ces imperfections.
Les imperfections font partie de la vie car il n'y a pas d'être humain parfait et n'importe qui de n'importe quel âge, couleur ou race, taille et corpulence, et de n'importe quel pays peut avoir honte de son corps.
Bien que cela puisse arriver à n'importe qui, j'ai l'impression que les adolescents et les adolescentes en font davantage l'expérience. L'âge de l'adolescence est l'étape de transition de l'enfance à l'âge adulte, comme nous le savons tous bien. C'est aussi l'étape où le corps subit la majorité de ses changements et processus de croissance.
À ce stade, les adolescents ont tendance à ne pas se sentir en sécurité avec leur corps et feraient tout ce qu'ils peuvent pour cacher leurs imperfections afin de ne pas être victimes de body shaming.
Ils peuvent parfois avoir l'impression que le monde les regarde, les regarde grandir et les critique parce qu'ils sont trop grands ou trop petits, qu'ils ont une taille plus ou qu'ils sont maigres, selon le cas.
Je me souviens qu'il fut un temps où l'artiste sud-africaine Lizzo avait honte de son corps. Je peux dire que l'expérience n'a pas été agréable pour elle.
Moi, par exemple, je suis victime de body shaming. Une fois victime, toujours victime. Parce que j'ai une petite taille et que j'ai l'air plus jeune que mon âge, on me pose constamment des questions comme "combien pesez-vous même?"
« Tu fais un régime ? »
"Manges-tu du tout? Regarde comme tu es petit."
"Shortie. Tu as l'air d'avoir besoin d'un saut en hauteur" et autres. Mais ensuite, je me suis habitué à tout cela et je souris et laisse tomber. J'ai développé une peau épaisse.
Mais vraiment, pourquoi les gens ont-ils honte de leur corps ?
Voici quelques-unes des raisons pour lesquelles je ressens la honte corporelle de certaines personnes.
Syndrome du mal au dos : les personnes qui ont été victimes de body shaming peuvent finir par en faire d'autres pour se sentir bien ou se venger.
Les gens peuvent le faire (la plupart du temps délibérément) pour blesser une personne. Certaines personnes peuvent aussi le faire par jalousie et par envie (et cela se produit surtout chez les femmes) pour qu'une personne se sente mal. Ils pourraient dire des choses terribles sur le corps d'une personne juste pour que cette personne déteste son corps.
D'autres pourraient se livrer à la honte corporelle sans même s'en rendre compte. Pour eux, ils pourraient simplement se moquer de vous, mais ces mots pourraient causer des dommages émotionnels à la victime.
Maintenant, la grande question est de savoir comment la société aide-t-elle ceux qui ont subi une honte corporelle?
Tout d'abord, nous devons apprendre à faire attention à ce que nous disons ou à la façon dont nous le disons. Nous pourrions simplement dire quelque chose sans même réaliser le niveau de dommage que nos mots pourraient causer à la personne à qui ils sont adressés. Tout le monde n'a pas la peau épaisse concernant des problèmes comme leur corps.
Maintenant, alors que la société peut les aider à gagner leur confiance en se sentant bien dans leur peau, l'acceptation de soi est la première étape.
Il faut apprendre à s'aimer et à s'accepter tel que l'on est. Si vous ne vous sentez pas à l'aise avec vous-même et que vous ne vous aimez pas ou ne vous acceptez pas comme vous êtes, alors vous ne devriez pas vous attendre à ce que les gens vous aiment comme vous êtes.
Cela commence par vous la victime.
Cheerios 😊
Body Shaming
If am to simply define body shaming, I would say it is the act of someone continuously criticizing a person's body and making them feel uncomfortable in their own skin.
It is also the (continuous) act of looking for imperfection or imperfections in a person's body and making them feel like they are less of a human being because of those imperfections.
Imperfections are part of life as there's no such thing as a perfect human and anybody of any age, color or race, height and build, and from any country can be body shamed.
While it can happen to anybody, I feel teenagers and adolescents experience more of it. The teen age is the stage of transition from childhood into adulthood as we all tightly know. It is also the stage where the body undergoes majority of its changes and growth processes.
At this point, teenagers tend to feel quite insecure about their bodies and would do all that they can to hide their imperfections so as not to be a victim of body shaming.
They might sometimes feel that the world is glaring at them, watching them grow and criticizing them for being too tall or short or being a plus size or being skinny as the case may be.
I remember there was a time where the South African artiste Lizzo was body shamed. I can say that the experience wasn't a pleasant one for her.
I for example, am a victim of body shaming. Once a victim, still a victim. Because I have a small stature and I look younger than my age, I am constantly asked questions like "how much do you even weigh?"
"Do you diet?"
"Do you eat at all? See how small you are."
"Shortie. You look like you need a jump in height" and the likes. But then I have grown accustomed to it all and I just smile and let it slide. I developed a thick skin.
But really,why do people body shame?
Below are some of the reasons why I feel some people body shame.
**Hurt--** back syndrome**:** People who have been victims of body shaming might end up body shaming others to make themselves feel good or get even.
People might do it (most times deliberately) to hurt a person. Some people might also do it out of jealousy and envy (and this happens mostly among the females) to make a person feel bad. They might say terrible things about a person's body just to make such person hate their body.
Others might be engaging in body shaming without even realizing it. To them, they might just be poking harmless fun but those words could do some emotional damage to the victim.
Now, the big question is, how do we the society help those who have been body shamed?
First of all, we should learn to mind what we say or how we say it. We might just say something without even realizing the level of damage our words could do to the person it is being directed to. Not every one has a thick skin concerning issues like their body.
Now, while society can help them gain their confidence by making then feel comfortable in their own skin, meanwhile self acceptance is the first step.
You have to learn to love and accept yourself the way you are. If you don't feel comfortable about yourself and you don't love or accept yourself the way you are, then you shouldn't be expecting people to love love you the way you are.
It starts with you the victim.
Cheerios 😊
Violence domestique/Abus dans les relations
La violence domestique est un phénomène qui est non seulement assez inquiétant mais aussi très attristant. Il est connu non seulement pour détruire des familles et des relations, mais aussi pour causer des dommages et des cicatrices indélébiles aux victimes impliquées.
La fréquentation avant le mariage est normalement pratiquée afin que l'on puisse savoir correctement avec qui on va passer le reste de sa vie, et dans une relation toxique où la violence domestique s'est produite plus d'une fois, il est fortement conseillé qu'une telle relation soit être dissous pour éviter de commettre une grave erreur dans la vie. Nous avons entendu/vu des cas où des victimes de violence domestique (qui s'avèrent le plus souvent être des femmes) ont subi des dommages physiques et émotionnels ou, dans le pire des cas, sont décédées.
Permettez-moi de raconter une courte histoire. Une dame avait un petit ami avec qui elle sortait depuis des mois. Au début, tout était rose entre eux et ils étaient fous amoureux l'un de l'autre.
Puis plus tard, la dame a commencé à remarquer des changements amusants chez son homme. Il lui criait souvent dessus et lui disait beaucoup de choses méchantes.
Elle a commencé à devenir malheureuse dans la relation mais elle est restée, espérant qu'un jour il reviendrait. Pour aggraver les choses, il a commencé à la battre chaque fois qu'ils se disputaient. Ses amis lui ont conseillé de sortir de la relation la première fois qu'il a posé ses mains sur elle, mais devinez quoi ? Elle est toujours restée, pensant qu'elle pouvait le changer, pensant que ce n'était qu'une phase préliminaire qui passerait.
Puis un jour, ils ont eu une vive dispute et c'est là que le pire s'est produit. Il l'a tuée. Il lui a donné des coups de pied dans les escaliers après l'avoir réduite en bouillie. Ses amis ont fait arrêter l'homme quand ils l'ont découvert.
Ce type de mort est triste, mais a-t-elle eu l'occasion de se sauver quand elle le pouvait ? Oui elle l'a fait.
S'est-elle sauvée ? Non, elle ne l'a pas fait.
C'est un malentendu avec certaines personnes. Personne n'a le pouvoir de changer qui que ce soit ; si quelqu'un veut vraiment changer, il fera des efforts conscients dans ce sens. Le changement ne peut pas être forcé. Si vous sentez que votre relation devient trop toxique et que vous ne pouvez pas vous en sortir, faites le nécessaire.
Votre santé et votre santé mentale passent avant tout. Protege le.
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Domestic Violence/Abuse in Relationships
Domestic violence is one phenomenon that is not only pretty disturbing but also very saddening. It has been known to not only destroy families and relationships but also cause indelible damages and scars to the victims involved.
Courting before marriage is normally practiced so that one can get to properly know who one is going to be spending the rest of one's life with, and in a toxic relationship where domestic violence has occured more than once, it is strongly adviced that such relationship should be dissolved to avoid making a grave mistake in life. We have heard/seen cases where victims of domestic violence (who most often that turn out to be women) have either suffered physical and emotional damages or in worst cases died.
Let me tell a short story. *A lady had a boyfriend whom she had been dating for months. At first, things were all rosy between them and they were madly in love with each other.*
*Then later on,the lady started noticing some funny changes in her man. He shouted at her often and said a lot of unkind things to her.*
*She started becoming unhappy in the relationship but she stayed, hoping that one day he'll come around. To make matters worse, he started beating her whenever they had a fight. Her friends adviced her to walk out of the relationship the first time he laid his hands on her, but guess what? She still stayed, thinking she can change him, thinking it was just a preliminary phase that will pass.*
*Then one day, they had a heated argument and that was when the worst happened. He killed her. He kicked her down the stairs after beating her to a pulp. Her friends got the man arrested when they found out.*
That type of death is a sad one, but did she have an opportunity to save herself when she could? Yes she did.
Did she save herself? No she didn't.
That's one misunderstanding with some persons. Nobody has the power to change anybody; if someone really wants to change, they would make conscious efforts towards it. Change can't be forced. If you feel your relationship is becomming too toxic and you can't cope, do the needful.
Your health and sanity comes first. Protect it.
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@Coco01
