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Random musings : Freedom
Yesterday afternoon , I returned from work grabbed a pair of scissors and headed straight for the bathroom . Snip , snip snip snip , I had no idea what I was doing but I smiled as I looked in the mirror and watched the hair fall down to the floor . As I watched each chunk of hair make its way to the cold laminate floor , I felt relived. It was reminiscent of cutting off all the dead weight and trouble in my life . Bidding the dead ends goodbye. I felt free , I felt liberated , I felt like I could take on the world .
I am now sporting an uneven short curly Bob and to be honest I couldn’t care less .
It’s funny how it’s the smallest and most random acts that can bring us clarity . My random haircut , highlighted just how much I had to let some things go . Things that were clearly irritating me like the hair I had installed on my head .
I had a lightbulb moment and realised what was going on with me .
I once watched a Sermon titled ” What The Cocoon doesn’t tell you ” by Pastor Touré Roberts ( I’ll place a link to the sermon below ) . We all know about the transformation process of a caterpillar to a Butterfly . The cocoon is a critical stage in this process . It protects the caterpillar , while the internal work is being carried out . The thing about the cocoon is that it’s a very dark , scary and awkward place . A place that brings so much uncertainty . I am currently in my cocoon phase , I have been for awhile . I have been fighting my best friends for like a year and I couldn’t understand why . All my relationships were strained . No one was understanding me and I was frustrated . Life was stagnant and I had no motivation to do anything. I was in a dark place and saw no way out. I didn’t even try to leave or understand it .I just accepted it even though I wasn’t happy .
I know it’s time for me to go to the next level . I know God is wrestling with me to mould me in to a better person , but I keep fighting it . I have no idea how to get there. I don’t know how long it will take and I fear I may not make it .
I’m listening now , equip me and mould me with what I need to elevate to the next level . I have peace in knowing that everything is for a greater good . I’m ready for that day i break free and become a butterfly , renewed and free to soar the sky . Till then I’m hanging up my ” Do Not Disturb Sign ” and embracing the cocoon phase.
” The Wings of transformation are born of patience and struggle ” – Janet S Dickens
Stay blessed ,
Ninz 💜
Happy New Year !! 2014 Lessons courtesy of Ms Boats
Hey guys !! Here we are approaching another new year !! To say 2014 has been tough would be a complete understatement.. however despite it all i am thankful for everything that has happened. I have learnt some serious lessons and have grown a lot ! Growth that may have been delayed , if things had not been shaken up in my life . I am thankful for all my friendships , new and old .. you all kept me going and encouraged me , when i couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel.. I am also thankful for all the people that have viewed, shared and commented on NaijaToLa .. thank you for following the dream
I learnt a lot about myself and life in general and wanted to do a wrap up of some of the key lessons . Luckily a very inspiring young lady i know summed up some of my key lessons perfectly and i have decided to share it with you guys !! ( That and i’m running late to Church , so copy and paste works for me ^_^)
2014 Lessons from Ms Boats
Hey y’all (Think y’all is here to stay…y’all. Lol). I present to you some random lessons I learnt this year, professionally, spiritually, emotionally etc. Some are old lessons but situations this year really contextualised it and made it real for me.
In no particular order of importance…
1. Love others. Always choose to act in love. Don’t impose on others. Love them for who they are, flaws and all and be active in that love. Love them hard in prayer when all human means fail. Even before human efforts fail hold people up in prayer. Always.
2. Be patient. Slow to anger. You can rarely take back words and actions spoken in anger. Look at things from the other person’s perspective before reacting. Talk to God before speaking. You won’t regret it.
3. Listen more, talk less. Be measured in what you say. Make sure it holds weight. In the professional arena, church, personal circles…
4. Be diligent. Study and invest on your craft. Whatever it is. Don’t despise the little daily actions that will pay off in the end!
5. Cultivate a frugal trait and making savings and investing a priority. Choose a set amount that works for you. I use 10% of my salary as a benchmark but add more when it’s a light month for example. Nothing is too small and be consistent with it. Unexpected things happen and rainy day funds are always necessary. Also think long term, beyond 5 years. Build wealth. Don’t be penny wise but pound foolish.
6. Love learning. Always be inquisitive. Ask questions. Learn! From experiences, circumstances, people, books…the sources are endless. Learning never stops. Always ask yourself: “What can I learn from this?”
7. Don’t be afraid to dream big! Nothing is impossible. Don’t minimise your dream because you don’t see how it could ever happen. Pray. Seek His will. Commit to Him and do as you are led. Don’t go ahead and then say ‘Oh yeah God, could you ordain that for me please? Thanks!’ Just no.
8. Always try to look on the bright side. Try being the operative word. Life will knock you down. Life isn’t always fair. Don’t sulk about it or become defeated. Focus on the positives, lessons learnt and keep it moving. We have a purpose to fulfil guys!
9. Invest in your health. Don’t take it for granted. People always realise this when it’s too late. Exercise. Eat well. Be healthy.
10. Always make time for people. Relationships are so important. Don’t get so busy that you don’t reach out to people and remind them that you care.
11. Be confident. Know and understand what you bring to the table. There’s a gift placed inside of you, a special space on this earth reserved for you. Some of you know what that is already, some are still finding out. Keep searching and once you find it, own it.
12. I lied. This is the most important point. God was, is and will forever be the Alpha and Omega. That is all.
Ms Boats is currently working in Ghana on an amazing education project called MGCubed ( Making Ghana Girls Great .. Please check out her project and read up on all her Ghana adventures on her blog : www.pboats.wordpress.com
Happppppppy New Year to you all !!! May you continue to grow and get closer to your dreams in 2015 ..
Peace & Love
Ms Ninz
❤️
Update / Thank You
Long time , no blog .. I know right … Apologies for my mini blogging hiatus. I needed a break every corner of my life seemed to be going in the wrong direction , including this blog . I started this blog , in order to make a difference in the Nigerian Entertainment industry , however post after post i found myself slowly turning in to just another regular music blog . I guess with all the mishaps going on around me , i found myself to scared to be different and it was easier to just keep up with the regular ” new song / music video posts ”
They say ” If your dreams don’t scare you, then they are not big enough ” .. My dreams scare me alot and what do i do when i am scared .. i run , i run for away . Which is what i have been doing during my absence . However , today i stopped and decided i don’t want to run anymore. I am going to stand and fight , fight for what i believe , fight for what is mine , fight for MY DREAMS !
From now on , i will be focusing more on the things that align with my dream . Yes , i will continue to update you guys on the latest songs/ videos and events lol don’t worry 😛
A few weeks a go From Naija To LA turned 1 😀 , the blog has come along way lol like i actually have followers and people that check the site daily ( i am still getting used to this) . I just wanted to say thank you to all the readers and most importantly to those who support and motivate me . Pearl, Ms Dove, Juliet ,Doyin, Ade, Sanmi, Adedeji, Lauretta .. you are highly appreciated . Thanks for believing in me , especially in the times when i found it hard to believe in myself.
Here’s a toast to the future.
MI ft Praiz – Epic ( My new daily motivation ) “I GUESS IT’S TIME TO BE ME , EPIC .. I AM EPIC YO “
Love,
Ms Ninz
Let’s get personal : Imperfect Me, Imperfect You , Imperfect US ….
‘ How i know God loves me (I’m working on me) , Loves the Good ,The Bad & Ugly …. Imperfect Me’
Have you ever listened to a song and it just speaks to your current situation . You may have listened to the song a 100 times before, but there comes that one specific occasion it becomes so relevant to you. Today on my shuffle M.I’s ‘ Imperfect me ‘ came on . Suddenly something in my mind clicked , i had suddenly found an answer for my ever changing moods and current lack of zeal. I had allowed my current situations to overcome me and take me to a place i am not really proud of . I had allowed a few set backs to make me give up hope and fall to a place of darkness.
Being a perfectionist can be a positive and a negative trait . It becomes a negative when you are so focused on perfectionism that you become stagnant and end up not getting anything done at all . In turn you end up beating yourself more and wondering why you cant be like lagbaja ( so and so) as they can obviously get it done and get it done easily. You also start to blame yourself for things that have occurred ( despite the fact you have no control over it at all)
The truth is we all have our own struggles, we all have our own fears and insecurities . Our past has shaped us in someway and form but instead of putting them down we should acknowledge and accept them. Truth be told that thing you hate about yourself ,someone is out there praying for it . We also all go through ups and downs.. it is not just you ! And nothing is for ever .. There will be better days !!
Don’t beat yourself up over past mistakes, don’t think this is the end . Don’t think things can not or wont get better . Don’t think your dreams can not come true . Don’t think you can’t have what you want.
I was sent a poem that contained the following quote :
Embrace your insecurities and feed off the fears that drive you .. A.A
That is exactly what we all need to do . Stop worrying and just do … go for it !! What’s the worst that can happen ?
I am not perfect , but who is..
Signed,
Imperfect Ninz
x
Happy Mothers Day / Brymo -1986
Happppy Mothers Day to all the mothers and future mothers around the world your job isn’t an easy one at all , despite all the grief and hard work your kids may give you . You continue to strive to ensure your kids have the best in life . Your work never goes unnoticed . Thank you for everything and thank you for never giving up .
The below song is dedicated to my Mama (Breeezzy ) and all mothers .
Brymo – 1986
Brymo gives thanks and praise to his mother for all the things she did for him over the years . He then , goes on to pray for blessings to reward her . Beautiful song , let me know if you need me to translate the Yoruba .
Enjoy ,
Ninz
^_^
Happy New Year : 2014 Goals
Happppy new year beautiful people :* , I hope it has been a good start to the year thus far . May you all have joy and greatness this year !
I firstly want to thank you all for taking the time out to read, comment, share and RT my blog. I hope the blog is helping you love all things Naija and you guys continue to check out From Naija To LA throughout 2014 and beyond.
To my family and friends who have helped nurse my little dream, I love you all and I am going to make you guys very proud. Thank you for giving me the push that I need , whenever I am feeling deflated .
All the love and support I have received from everyone is truly appreciated and I am extremely thankful.
In my Dream Chasers post I spoke briefly on setting goals. I am a firm believer in giving yourself clear goals and writing them down. It is a great way to have a constant reminder of the things you want to achieve. I also love that feeling of accomplishment when you can cross the goal off your list.
Here are the goals I have set for the blog in 2014 :
- Register the domain name
- Set up an email address
- Set up a Naija To La twitter page
- Post at least twice a week
- Get added to media lists
- Attend at least six events
- Update the site layout
I have some goals that I have decided to keep personal, as I believe real G’s move in silence like Gbenga ☺ ( loool, i know you chuckled a bit ) . Also I am a big believer in letting my work speak for itself and by God’s grace it shall speak volumes.
Here is to a great 2014 !! May it be a great year for us all.
Ninz
^_^
Lets get personal : The Dream Chaser
As the year draws to an end, we all start to reflect on the past year. The good moments, the bad and those moments we wish we could erase from our memories completely.
We also begin to reflect on our accomplishments. How many of our goals did we complete? How much closer we are to our actual dream? Are we were we thought would be?
Some of you are already living your dreams or are very close to . Some of you get so caught up on the day-to-day hustle of life that you often forget you have placed your dreams on the back burner. *slowly raises hand * Yes, I am guilty of this.
Balancing being a daughter, sister, aunty and friend can be tough and time consuming. Let’s not even get started on trying to be a great partner. ‘ Quality time’ and ‘ Acts of service ‘ are my mine love languages. If these are also your love language, you can get so caught up in providing support and encouragement for all your loved ones you easily forget that you have your own dreams and aspirations. Dreams that you may feel are unachievable or that you don’t deserve. Do we not all deserve happiness? Do we not all deserve to wake up everyday and know that we have made an impact in some shape or form?
Often we give up on our dreams due to factors we believe to be out of our control. Personal finances, Family, relationships, education, lack of work experience… These are just a few of the reasons we are all guilty of using. The truth is they are all excuses; the only thing that can really stop you from achieving anything is ‘YOU’. Yes ‘ YOU’ !!! We can be our own roadblock on the road to success. Our thoughts and negativity can create unnecessary obstacles. I am guilty of using all of these excuses on multiple occasions. So much so I have allowed great opportunities to slip through my fingers. I have allowed time that I can never get back to pass.
After a heart to heart, my bestie said to me :” Ninz you are always everyone’s number 1 supporter , why won’t you allow us to cheer and support you . When will we cheer you on? ” These words had me thinking and I finally admitted to myself, I have been afraid. Afraid that I will not make it, afraid that if I get there I won’t succeed, afraid that I will be overlooked. I Lacked confidence in my strengths and capabilities. I am a big over thinker and a perfectionist. My over thinking causes me to create Nollywood super stories over the smallest things. My perfectionism means I take ages to do everything as it has to be exactly how I want it . I mean what if no one read my blog , what would I say ? Would I have enough content? The layout? I literally had to shut all these thoughts down and tell me self I can do it!! That , ladies and gentleman is how ” From Naija to LA was born “. I had wanted to start this blog from about 2/3 years ago but didn’t due to my over thinking and negative thoughts.
I have no idea where this blog will take me but it is a small step. A step closer to my dreams than I was a few months ago.
My blog is called ” From Naija to LA” for 2 reasons 1) the dream I have for Nigerian entertainment in LA and 2) my personal career plans I want to achieve in LA. By God’s grace these two things will come to pass and this blog will document all the steps to that success.
Individuals will laugh and doubt your dreams and capabilities but you have to believe you can do it. The only person that can say no is God and if he does it’s because he has something bigger and better planned for you.
My fav scriptures whenever I am feeling low on confidence are:
2 Timothy 1:7: ‘ For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind’
Luke 17:6: ‘ He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.’
Do you guys know how small a mustard seed is? Let me show you
Yes, I have been afraid but not anymore, I am going after what’s mine. I am chasing happiness and how many of you are going to join me?
Don’t know where to start? Why don’t you list your major goal and then from there make a spider diagram of all the things you will need to do to get there. Before you know it you will have a list of tasks that you will need to complete to get to your ultimate goal. You can then break these down in to 1 month, 1 year, and 3 years goals. Or you can just close your eyes and just take that leap of faith !!
Before the end of the year I am going to post my goals for 2014. This will be my way of always being reminded of where I am headed and the post will allow me to have accountability
What are you dreams? What do you want to achieve in 2014?
My sister and my best friends constantly remind me of my strengths and remind me that anything is possible. This is my reminder to you !! Faith, prayer and action are all you need.
Ninz the dream chaser
X
P.s I can’t have a post without my Naija music now lol. I am going to list a few of my motivational tracks below. Enjoy
Show Dem Camp ft M.I – The Dreamer ‘ ” Come dream me with , pillow to my head i’m a dreamer … Going to make you believe’
Olamide ft Ice Prince & Endia ‘Motivation for awon fans mi ni igboro ‘
M.I ft Timaya & Loose Kaynon – Anybody ‘ No man can curse , those that Jehovah has blessed’
Jesse Jagz – Greatest ‘I can’t go against nature , i was made for this . I am not going to stop until i get there and i am going to get there . I am the greatest’
M.I ft 2face – Nobody ‘ If nobody talks about you , then you are nobody’
Olamide – Eleda mi . I can’t find the YT vid 😦 but the lyrics are :’ Eleda mi o….mi o, mi o
Ori iya mi o….mi o, mi o
Won fe ko bo la mi o….mi o, mi o
Ma ma je kan ki won ja mi o….mi o, mi o
Ma ko le, ma ra le
Ma lo wo se, ma ni motor…yeeey ‘
