Living your purpose When we try to do something and fail, it can be quite perplexing, demotivating, unpleasant, and unfulfilling. That same issue is sometimes what someone else appears to excel at—going through it like a breeze. So you question yourself, "Why am I such a failure?" Why can't I be as successful as John or Jane Doe? 1.Your purpose When you are carrying out your mission, your journey here on earth is the most meaningful. What you are meant to perform is your purpose. It is what brings you peace in your soul, no matter how difficult it may appear. It's what makes your neighbors happy. It's also what brings out the best in you by treating your neighbors as you would want to be treated. 2.You are a steward We are all guardians of the environment. A steward is someone who looks after the belongings of others. Whatever we have on this planet does not belong to us. These things must be taken care of as best we can. We don't always take good care of ours...

  The best that you can do for yourself is withing your power.  It is very important to know who you are.   As I have mentioned in previous posts it is a very good thing for you to know yourself from the inside out.  Discover your talents, gifts, strengths and weaknesses. One thing that is also important is to notice how you speak to yourself.   NO! you are not insane! Your body speaks to you. Listen to it!   One way that it speaks is when we get sick or feel unwell.  Our body is simply saying that something needs to be fixed.  Many times we go out looking for medicine from a doctor while the solution we seek is right at our fingertips.   For example, my body has been out of wack for a while.  It has gotten better but off and on I still suffer from bouts of dis-ease.  More recently, I had this dry feeling in my mouth and my food tasted YAK! I forced myself to eat it because I HAD TO EAT.  But do you know I w...

  It was a great end of the work day. My colleague and I had just completed what seemed to be an everlasting day of correcting examination scripts.  Thereafter, we  welcomed the opportunity to go to the supermarket to purchase a few items. Going through the aisles was most therapeutic. We collected our items and headed to the counter to pay. There were no long lines to overcome. Who would not welcome icing on a cake? Icing that is well made makes the cake most pleasing to the eyes.  Well, we were in for our icing on the cake when we learned that we could obtain a free shopping bag while we were there. The news launched us into a fit of trying to meet the conditions to qualify for a bag. Anything legal for that bag. Buy more items? Combine our items? Ask the customer ahead for one of his bags? Negotiate with the cashier? We resorted to negotiating with the cashier. However, if we landed one bag how would we share it?  When the customer ahead had cashed his items...

 When the pencil is no more When the pencil is no more the effects of its inscriptions remain. Memories are created. A lover of art will appreciate the drawing for years to come. The student will continue his education as a result of the pencil he used to take his exam.  So for you. Leave good memories behind because this is what others will have left of you after you are gone. Your work will still be there for generations later and may even inspire someone to live their best life.  Memories live on.

 The pencil ends A pencil, no matter how pretty it is does not last forever. Being used it will be sharpened and used until the lead is no more. Some pencils may never be used but after a while they will rot. A used pencil may last a day. Another may last a week. Someone may own only one pencil and used it until its finished.  So for you. Do not think that you will live forever. At some point we will die. But we do not know when that end day will come. Just like a pencil a shorter one may last longer than a longer one.  As long as we have life live the one life that you have meaningfully.  Memories

 Your lead breaks The lead breaks or finishes while on the assignment. Pencil has to be sharpened again. This is a time of renewal. Renewal may come out of difficulties. Fulfillment

 Your lead has to show Pencil being sharpened before starting the assignment. Some pencils are sharpened pre packaged. Others have to be sharpened by the user. In any case part of the exterior has to be removed in order to show what is important. It may hurt while being sharpened. But whatever is preventing the pencils inside from being used has to be removed no matter how nice the outside looks. Likewise you, while you go out to complete an assignment you will need to put your best foot forward. That means you may need to endure a bit of discomfort in order to accomplish your task.  That may mean that you have to: Move to a new place Wear a uniform Wake up earlier Change your tone of speaking Leave some of your friends and family behind All it is at this point is that you drop whatever that does not help  and embrace whatever helps to fulfill your purpose in the specific assignment.  Accept and let go! Renewal  

 A pencil is selected. It should not make fun of other pencils that have not been selected.  In the human realm, when you have been selected for an assignment accept it gladly as long as it is well laid out clearly and fits within your skill set.  Go out and fulfill your assignment with pleasure. Do not look back and make fun of others. As a matter of fact if you know of an assignment that you cannot complete it doesn't hurt to recommend someone else who has the skill set to get it done.  Help another. Do not be selfish.  Do your job with love. Letting go

 All pencils will not be selected at the same time. Some will be left in the packet or in the pencil case. Those that are left are just being themselves and waiting to be selected. They may not have been selected because the assingment may have required something else such as fill in the form with blue or black ink. Just like you. You may not be selected for a task. At that point do not feel disappointed. You are still in your comfort zone. Make no attempt to compare yourself with others. Take the time to love yourself. Remember that your purpose is to love- love yourself and others.  Sometimes you are busy concentrating on others but you forget about yourself. So during that time you can: Go for a massage Learn a new skill Start exercising Learn how to care for your hair Remain hydrated Listen to uplifting music Declutter your space You may even do these suggested activities as 30 day challenges.  Take care of yourself.  Click for the next post in the series:On assi...

 A pencil will not fulfill it's purpose unless someone decides to use it. Though all pencils have a carbon interior there are still specifics to that interior.  After a pencil user has clearly outlined his or her assignment then he or she will select the pencil most suitable for the job. At this point, the exterior of the pencil really does not matter. However, one bit of information whether it is written on the pencil or the packet will determine the pencil's selection. That information is in regard to the softness and darkness of the pencil. This is usually indicated by hb, 2b etc.  When it concerns you how will you be chosen for the assignment? What level of suitability (softness or darkness )do you possess? How does your prospective user get to know about you? Through you, someone else?  The way you carry yourself is important. You may be selected for an assignment simply by the way you present yourself at an encounter, by the information you put on your resume o...

A pencil is a pencil and will always be a pencil. In a packet or on its own. Pink, purple, yellow, green? With glitter? Eraser? No eraser? Mechanical?  Plastic? Wooden?  The pencil will always be a pencil. So to you.  You will always be you. Tall, short, slim, plump brown skinned, fair skinned, dark skinned? Kind, arrogant, talented, hard working,  Even lazy? Long hair, short hair, kinky or kurly? You! Yes you! Embrace who you are.  Inside and out. You will always be you. Taking careful inventory of you will help in knowing and pinning what makes you you. Your flaws, your strengths and weaknesses are all aspects of you.  On the path to living a meaningful life you will have to drop some things. However, you will cross that bridge when you reach it. In the meantime continue observing yourself closely and take note of your features, talents and virtues. GROW! ELEVATE!   💪 Click for the next post in the series: Being selected

 Identify your talents and use them all for the Lord.

Welcome to the Pencil Purpose Series. In this post you will learn of the first step towards living a meaningful life.  Image by Monoar Rahman Rony from Pixabay.com It is not strange to assume that you have used a pencil before.  We all have.  Have you ever thought of the lifelong lessons that a pencil can teach you? First of all, the general view of a pencil is a line of carbon (graphite)  that is enclosed in a wooden body.  Some have erasers while others do not. Over the years though the outside has evolved and the body can be of plastic, or metal.  But the inside remains the same-the carbon inside which is what makes the pencil a pencil. That graphite, no matter what body it is placed in will still perform its duty of making carbon inscriptions. So for you, have you taken some time to reflect on what you are made of? An inventory of your physical and internal characteristics will be helpful. Have you looked into a mirror lately to see what you look like o...

    Meaningful Life Some say that life is great yet others cannot see why. In life we must grow. One way to grow is by changing - changing our perspective on life. View life with a different lens. Thus, the next set of posts will take you through a series called the  PENCIL PURPOSE SERIES.  There, you will find great ways to  ELEVATE  and live a  MEANINGFUL LIFE. ELEVATE ! Your life will never be the same. Click here for the next post: Pencil purpose Series

  Why am I here? I am tired. I am bored. Nothing makes sense. It's not worth it. The above phrases are very common because, for many, life is lack lustre. Therefore, why live it? Though life may seem dark and dreary, all is not lost. A life of anxiety, depression, fear, failure and disappointment can be turned into a life of serenity, confidence, success, satisfaction, hope and love . All this can be achieved through a change in perspective. It is said that everything happens for a reason and behind every dark cloud is a silver lining. To receive and appreciate the reason or silver lining we ought to make a choice to change the way we look at the situation. We need to ask ourselves what is the lesson that we have to learn? What is the bigger picture? What is the greater good? How can this help us get a better definition of ourselves? We encounter pleasant or unpleasant situations daily. After all, those are what life is made up of. Therefore, let us choose each one and make it a mo...

  Come LIVE life's essence. It does not hurt to yearn for good things. As a matter of fact we desire the best which may include the tangible items such as the latest gadget, the fanciest car, the most fashionable outfit or the best looking selfie. Unfortunately, in the quest to acquire the best, we, more often than not, forget about about the man, woman, boy or girl who carries or owns these things. Do we even aspire to be the best version of ourselves without them? Furthermore, under the latest fashion may be someone who is hurting. It could be someone who has gone through years of pain and is searching for an escape. It may even be someone who is carrying the burden of unforgiveness. What about someone who does not like his or her looks? Or someone who is envious of the neighbour. The list goes on and on. The good things that we acquire during our searches may eventually become escapes for us. Thankfully, our lives do not have to remain in that delusional state. Instead of search...