#openthoughts - Stay at the top

If you are like us, you would have noticed that the Olympics were on. During the Olympics, we saw many athletes win either Gold, Silver or Bronze.

There were two images that blew our minds. The race between De Grasse and Bolt. In that race, Bolt coasted down the field but De Grasse was focusing on Bolt as if to say, 'I want to be like you'. In this first image, i'd imagine that Bolt was saying 'I'm still number one, if you want to be the best, you have to beat the best'
Right now, Bolt is at the top of the world in the 100 metres and 200 metres, if people want to take that crown, they have to beat Bolt. It's as simple as that but as long as Bolt is at the top of his game, no one is reaching the top.

Now, let's look at it for ourselves. Some of us are fighting to get the top and there will come a time where you will reach the top. Question is - Are you able to stay at the top?
Once you're at the top, you will find that there will be people who will want to challenge you each and every day, people will be looking at everything that you do. In order for you to stay at the top, you are going to have to improve yourself. I remember Usain Bolt said that he was disappointed with his time in the 200 metres final because he could have gone faster.

If you are not improving yourself and updating yourself, you risk losing everything you worked so hard for. Those that watch football will know the kind of season Chelsea had last season, it was a case that they didn't update themselves, they didn't fight to stay at the top. As a result there is a new name at the top - Leicester City.

Stay Focused, keep improving yourself, fight to stay at the top. At all costs, Stay at the top

#openthoughts - Ready, Steady, Go

Earlier today, I was walking home when I saw a lady run across the middle of the road, no concern for the safety of herself and others. So as I approached the traffic lights, this thought came to mind, there are some things we have done without waiting and as a result of that, we enter problems. What if we could of just waited that little longer, listened to God more and were more patient?

There's no doubting that everyone needs to get somewhere but there are times we it is wise that we stop and wait for the signal to keep going. 

So, let's take this from two different perspectives. You're in a car travelling at a decent speed, everything is well but then you see a red light in the distance so you start to brake and stop until you are told to go. Now, there are some instances where your journey is delayed or you are told to divert to another path. Do you obey or do you go the way you always know? Not obeying could have some serious consequences, it might even prolong your journey. 

It may benefit you in the long run to go a different path. Remember, there are many routes to reach a destination, not everyone will go the way you are going.

 Let's take a train. Just like a car, it travels at some fast speeds. On occasions it is required to stop. Failure to stop could cause it to crash into another train which can have deadly consequences. It's better to stop than to pass and cause an accident which could have been avoided. 

Now, let's look at the person waiting at the traffic lights. We know that the 'red man' sign signals we should stop, and the 'green man' sign signals we can cross. Many of us might be at a red light where have to wait and many of us have the green light to go ahead and go on our journey. However, there are some people who don't like to wait, they will cross at any moment. Doing that could cost them their life as they risk getting hurt by the onrushing traffic. Think of that as the different problems in your life or the things that have not been designed for you, you are at a red light so you can let them pass without you becoming engulfed in a harmful situation. 

Where are you in your life right now? Do you feel some parts of your life is on hold right now? There probably is a reason for it, wait patiently. The time to go is on it's way. 

The next dimension to this is the following - When you have the green light, are you actually ready to go? Are you ready to move onto the next part of your journey? 

Think about it..........................................

Ready, Steady, Go........................................

#openthoughts - Change

Change is necessary, change is needed but what do you do when you lack the ability to change?

Let's look at what the word change means -

To give a completely different form or appearance to; transform
To undergo transformation or transition:

There are plenty more versions but we like these two specifically. Reason being is that when there is a change, you will notice it. It will be visible for all to see.
When we say that we are going to change, there should normally be a visible transformation but let's address why sometimes it may not happen.

One of the reasons is down to your mindset. Yes, everyone thinks you can just embark on a journey and expect your mind and body to adjust to it straight away. Unfortunately it doesn't work like that, you must first train your mind and let it adjust to the changes but sometimes you won't get a chance, you will have to adjust. How do you train your mind? You can speak to your mind, tell it good thoughts, repeat the changes that are set to come into effect and most importantly give yourself time.

There are instances where change takes place such as - Changing schools, moving houses, starting a new job, deciding to become more healthier.
In these instances it will be common that you won't like the change but once you become consistent and you become comfortable with it, the change won't actually affect you.
When you was at school and you moved into a new year, you were forced to change and adjust to the new year. Change is never meant to be easy but the process can be calm if we allow it to be.

Change doesn't change overnight, it takes place over a period of time. Don't get upset if you don't see a change straight away, keep doing what you are doing and you will soon start to see changes.
Once you have planted the seed or the idea, it takes a process or you can call it the watering stage or even the hibernation period. During that time, is when the change starts to take place and only when it's finished is when you will see a visible change.

Some destinies are short, some dreams are dismissed because of the inability to wait for change. To see change, you need patience, you need to give it time. Because you can't see a visible change, this doesn't mean that change is taking place.
Change will always start from within before it effects the outer appearance.

Do you have the ability to change? Are you prepared to allow the change to take place?

I pray you are blessed by this and may you see the change that you desire in your life

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

Over the past few weeks, I have begun to love myself again. It's not easy when you have people constantly telling you how short/tall you are, how big/tall you are, what you wear isn't acceptable. During that time, it can be possible to fall out of love with yourself.

In that time, I have decided to bring myself back to the place where I can love myself again, I have been meditating on these particular scriptures - Psalm 139:13-14 ' For you did form my inward parts; you did knit me together in my mother's womb. I will confess and praise you for you are fearful and wonderful and for the awful wonder of my birth! Wonderful are your works, and that my inner self knows right well'

Looking at this scripture gives me so much life, I am reminded that even before I was born God had knitted me together, he was the one who formed me in mother's womb.
It's almost been a year since I decided to change my life, not because of what people was telling me about my weight but because I wanted to make a change, I started the journey of self love because to be honest, I couldn't see how beautiful I was but now I know that God loves me and that I should learn how to love myself. I won't pretend and tell you that this journey has been easy because it hasn't, there are still days that I question whether all this is really worth it and there are days I feel on top of the world.

When you compare yourself to others, it's known that you will be depressed with the way you look and will do anything to look like them. I have been in that place thinking to myself why don't I look like someone else. It was then that I realised that I am not like them, I can never be like them. It was at that point I gave up trying to look like other people and decided to focus on myself for a change. I started to buy myself clothes, treat myself to fresh haircuts and everything else that comes with it. I even booked nights away where I could reconnect with myself.

If you are struggling with confidence, with issues relating to image, just know that you are not alone. There are many people out there who go through the same issues and there are many people who have overcome that fear.
Love yourself well. Love your perfections and imperfections, love everything about you.

You are fearfully and wonderfully made, You are beautiful, You are unique, You are original.
There can only ever be one of you.

Stop Worrying, Rest your mind

What will I eat, what will I drink, what will I wear. When will this happen, when will it arrive………. 
When will I get married, when will I get a house, a car…………….. Your mind will be racing with thoughts and worry when really these are questions that can not be answered. 

These are questions that we all ask and generally we get upset when we don’t know. I’ve often caught myself asking these questions and when people can’t answer me, I get upset and feel lumbered with the decision of making it myself. 

Let’s look a few scriptures which tell us about worry 

““Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:34‬ ‭MSG‬‬

“Therefore I tell you, stop being perpetually uneasy (anxious and worried) about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink; or about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life greater [in quality] than food, and the body [far above and more excellent] than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father keeps feeding them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by worrying and being anxious can add one unit of measure (cubit) to his stature or to the span of his life? [Ps. 39:5-7.] And why should you be anxious about clothes? Consider the lilies of the field and learn thoroughly how they grow; they neither toil nor spin. Yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his magnificence (excellence, dignity, and grace) was not arrayed like one of these. [I Kings 10:4-7.] But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and green and tomorrow is tossed into the furnace, will He not much more surely clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not worry and be anxious, saying, What are we going to have to eat? or, What are we going to have to drink? or, What are we going to have to wear? For the Gentiles (heathen) wish for and crave and diligently seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows well that you need them all.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:25-32‬ ‭AMP‬‬

In both passages, we are seeing that Jesus is telling us to stop worrying about the finer things in life. Lets provide ourselves with a eye opener – Babies are the most relaxed people I know, they don’t have a care in the world because they know that their mother and father will always provide for them. If babies can be peaceful, why can’t we be peaceful? 

God knows what you need, worrying about it won’t help you get it any quicker. Be calm, be relaxed, just focus on God and the rest will follow. 

“But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:33‬ ‭AMP‬‬

All things will be given to you when you seek Gods face. Don’t worry about it, God has it under control. When you pile up your mind up with worry, you will never be able to enjoy rest and peace, instead you will be anxious, fearful and always cautious. 

Don’t allow worry to take over your life, instead be safe in the knowledge that God has everything under control.