Journey to Jobland 1

For almost two years, I have not shared a post with you but I am on a new phase of life which I find interesting, inspiring and yet very heartbreaking at some points. I do not know how others going through this same phase feel but I hope after sharing these episodes, somebody will get to learn a thing or two as I have.
I call it the Journey to Jobland.

Journey to Jobland is about my adventures in the job market which transcends believe of oneself finding a job, mapping out organisations and drawing plans of dropping applications and being called for interviews hopefully. I wish to let a reader understand that whatever she faces in finding a job in a jobless market is real, frustrating and gets deeper with time but you're not to despair.

I will roll it out serially to inspire you my readers and to serve as both comic and stress relief.

In this new and first episode, we will look at understanding one self for a job position. This is to teach you to understand that your capabilities should be your drive to stepping out for a particular job or not. It should set you up for what you look out for in a job so you don't go in just any direction. And again, I write from a very personal point of view.

The self

I love to lead. I love to proffer solutions to problems or ideas and I love it more when I do it in the right capacity. Managing, organising and putting ideas on paper are things I greatly enjoy. I have great interest in people so I say I am people skilled. In working with others for at least 5years, both colleagues in school, partners and work mates, there has never been a problem with me achieving an objective because my fellow work mates are too difficult to deal with.
I have employed at least 3 people and worked with them so I say I am a great player working with and in teams.
As a Communicator, I pride myself with strong communication skills in writing, reading and speaking to influence. For this reason, I think a job in administration is my best cut.

I feel that I will thrive best in administrative positions hence in the job market, my interest is in finding a job that will match my skills and abilities. This is my first step to achieving an aim.

Have you identified yourself yet?

In the next episode, we will find answers to these few questions:

1. Where do you send your applications?
2. What do you look out for in an organisation?
3. How can you be cost effective in sending out your applications?

I can't wait to read your feedback on episode one!

Plus a Year Old - Review

Remembering last year,  I published a post I titled 'Plus a Year Old'.
It was exactly on the 15th of July. Exactly a year now and I feel soo much excitement and joy to revisit my blog and review that post. It was my birthday and today is another birthday of my life.

I stated that plus a year old is a year nearer your grave. I don't see how I will change that statement even though I know readers might share different sentiments but I feel it's the truth, absolutely.
Think of it this way; you have 70years biblically to spend on earth. Each year you reduce by one. Isn't that drawing you gradually to the end?

But well, the focus shouldn't be on the end. It should be on who you are.

A friend said to me and a couple of colleagues that, we need self discovery to be better people. We need to discover ourselves to be content and be happy.  Else we'd continue to feel an emptiness inside us.  I reflected on this and silently said to myself,  "God bless you Ian."

We try as humans to do soo many things at a time. We take decisions hardly caring about what lies at the end for us. We want to be 'someone' without knowing what will satisfy our spirits. We search after happiness when we mostly don't know what makes us happy.

Reviewing Plus a Year Old today,  I have learnt within 15th July 2014 to 15th July 2015 that, our lives are what we make them. There's a plan for every individual on earth, so says our Father in the Holy Book . Our destinies are laid out. But we always hear that our destinies our in our hands. Meaning that no matter what God has prepared for you,  your actions here on earth lead you to achieve them, you walk into your destiny and that means you need to watch every step you take. The more I think of it, the more I agree with Ian that you need to discover yourself, it is the ultimate for reaching your destiny.

A year older today,  I am certain of the lesson of selflessness.

We inhabit the world not just for our sake. We inhabit the world to make it home for others, a generation that comes after us. The smiles we put on another's face is worth more than the happiness we crave for ourselves.

A year older today and I feel I have grown out of a world I thought was more comforting than anything.
I don't search soo hard for happiness. I find it in the smiles of others.
I feel happier knowing that there are people who appreciate what I have to offer. I feel elated to know that a life out there needs my efforts and the world needs my contribution.

How effective will I be at making the world a happy place come next year?

Service to humanity is service to God...a year older today,  I resolve to serve mankind the best way I can.

Plus a year old and I know that my service is needed.
Plus a year old and I know I have to be selfless.
Plus a year old I know that self worth is attained from making lives and the world better.
Plus a year old and I am committed to loving the best way I can, surity to feeling the love of others.
Plus a year old and I bless God for my life and everything that has made it worth living.

Plus a year old, what does it mean to you?

Political Activism of Women

The time has come for women all over the world to stand up for leadership. Africa needs drastic change in leaders and women should place a call on themselves to bring the desired change to the continent.

Rwanda has set a world record of having 56% of women in national politics. This is commendable and there's the need for all other countries especially African countries to follow suit.

For decade now women are subjected to sexism, massive discrimination, stereotype amongst other things.
This has led to raised voices for the empowerment of women and the formation of several support groups for women yet, there has been little change in regards to what power women hold.
"The thing women are yet to learn  is nobody gives you power. You just take it," so says Roseanne Bar.
Indeed women possess power that can be a driving force for the betterment of our continent.

Regardless the role played by feminist groups like African Women's Communication & Development Network (FEMNET), NETRIGHTS, Voices of Women Initiative among others, there are still factors that hinder women from the course of political leadership.

These challenges range from lack of family support, financial challenges, fear of corrupt systems and the failure of women in political positions to champion women's agenda.

At the family level, husbands have failed to provide the perfect shoulders for women when they need them the most while the rest of the family feel it's too dangerous a position for a woman.

Political positions come with needed finances which pose as threat to women. The thought of preparing and financing elections all alone without support from home can be discouraging.

Furthermore, our current systems raise issues of corruption in all sectors of government and this is a determent to the decisions of women who wish to serve and lead in our continent.

There are a few women who have made it to national politics but have failed to champion the course of women when they get there.

Women support groups although exist, do not share same ideologies and this is worrying.

There's the need for a combined effort to push women agenda.

Women should endeavour to climb high the educational ladder.

Women support groups should champion the course of liberating women from unfair treatment, sexism and all forms of discrimination in order to strengthen them for national leadership.

Young women who vy for positions in schools should be properly trained to contribute their quotas towards the development of Africa.

Plus A Year Old

When one is a year older, one becomes very elated and mostly forgets that age is catching up with one and for that matter, the need to carefully look into one's life and better one's weaknesses.

During a sermon back in SHS, an elder of the church of pentecost said to us "you are always happy when it's your birthday. Have you thought and realized that a year older is a year nearer your grave?"
There was uproar and so much giggling when he said that but come to think of it, isn't that  reality? If you are 17 and happy, what certainty have you that you will leave to experience similar happy day come next year?

Verily, there's reason to be excited but there's reason also to sit and think through your life when you are plus a year old.

At the launch of the 2014 Milead Fellows, an annual program organized by Moremi Initiative for Women's Leadership yesterday at the Institute of African Studies, Legon, profile of 28 participants were read out and a colleague from work asked me "with all these high profiles of these young fellows our age, what have we to say for ourselves?"
We both laughed.

Sincerely speaking, that question came back to me today that i am plus a year old. What have i got to celebrate? The gift of life or my achievements?
Hon Abla Dzifa Gomashie, deputy minister of tourism, culture and creative arts, giving her speech at the program challenged everyone present to do excellently whatever they are faced with such that in their absence, their names will always be mentioned.
So on this day of happiness, i dare ask myself; what have i accomplished, what have i live for. How will i be remembered if i happened not to have experienced this day?

I am happy when i think of the life i share with love ones. I am happy when i check up on old friends. I am happy when i think of my service to my colleagues and extra services i intend to render to students of my institution and beyond. I'm utterly happy when i think of Read for Change Ghana, a foundation i co-founded and dream of protecting and growing, to serve young children in deprived schools. I'm excited to know that i have a dream and a passion which is attainable because plus a year old is hope for the future and hope for life.

"Dreamers achieve." I say this to friends in a funny tone but with a dream, desire, passion and God one can achieve everything.
Plus a year old today and i dream of achieving many things beyond my own imagination.

Plus a year old and i ask for God to see me through a fruitful journey of life.
Plus a year old and i want to rededicate my life to God, to serve Him.

Plus a year, what do you dream of?

A Woman Has Power

Womanhood is strength, power, courage and beauty.
Today all over the world, women are celebrated for their greatness and i celebrate all women out there in one personality, my mum, Rose Wodopey.
My mum is just not a mum but an epitome of womanhood. I do not choose to celebrate the world's women through her because she is a lawyer, nurse or a professor. She is but a petty trader without the blessings of education yet her life speaks volume of every great woman out there. She stands tall among her peers. Without education, one would expect her to be timid or feel less of herself but no! She is what Eleanor Roosevelt says, "Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission" She gives no room for intimidation neither does she allow inferiority complex to suppress her thoughts, her ideals, or her strength.
To me, i think being a woman alone should give you that power to overcome inferiority complex and i urge all women this day, to rise above demeaning qualities.

Rose, mother of six, always strives to make life comfortable enough for her children. She is not hindered by any obstacle such as lack of employment or lack of support. All she seeks to achieve is make ends meet and for her children to be happy hence her bold steps to starting any business without fear of failing. She thinks like a queen and act alike. Oprah Winfrey's words "Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is a stepping stone to greatness" reigns in my mum's life. Haha! My mum is an entrepreneur of many businesses in her little world and that's because she doesn't fear the risk of failing. As soon as she identifies the opportunity, she acts, she sees to it that she achieves a good reward from it. 

"God gave women intuition and femininity.
Used properly, the combination easily jumbles the brain of any man I've ever met." Farrah Fawcett says this about women and my mum is a representative of these great words because of the peace that reigns in her home.

Women have inborn power just as Roseanne Barr clearly puts, "The thing women have yet to learn is nobody gives you power. You just take it." Every woman has the power to act on anything that she puts her mind to and certainly will succeed because of our inborn greatness. I love my mum for that. Thump up to all women who realize they have this gift in them and utilize it to their advantage.

In this present day when women empowerment is the talk of all, some section of society specifically men with power feel that they can easily bend a woman by making her do a simple thing of laying her back to the ground. This has made women vulnerable even when they have power but i encourage you all women with the words of Christable Harriette Pankhurst "Remember the dignity of your womanhood. Do not appeal, do not beg, do not grovel..." Even when the road becomes too bumpy, remember the dignity of your womanhood and don't grovel to the demand of any man just to get favour.
Rose will always say "Bea, you are a woman and you will only enjoy your life if you stay true to yourself and don't let any man manipulate you."
You see why i want to celebrate women all over the world through her? She is a great woman of honour.

Charles Malik's words are, "The fastest way to change society is to mobilize the women of the world" therefore on this day of acknowledging women i present to you through this write up, great encouragement through the personality of my mum, Rose Wodopey, whom i see as an inspiration and mirror to challenge all women to greatness. I call on women all over the world to view women empowerment not as a physical strength to fight men but as changing tool to transforming society because women see things done and not only talk.

For us women reading this, we have something extra powerful that Rose doesn't have, education, the key to success. So lets make use of it and ensure that society is a safe place for us, our children and our nations. God bless women all over the world, God bless men to show kindness to women!!

Broken Bonds

Relationships, friendships, marriages do go bad. Love fades and bonds get broken. When that happens, one would expect any kind of reaction from these people who make up our past.
Except for murder and betrayal, i personally wouldn't expect total wipe out and permanent blockage from any of such people from my past. After all, love is said to be the basis of everything and like the general overseer of the synangogue church of all nations, Pastor TB Joshua says, "without love, we are nothing".
As well, the past is a reflection of the present.
Hence, anyone's reaction, behavior or attitude towards you in the present after a broken bond, should in one way or the other, reflect what you shared in the past.
Hatred awakens lots of negative and ill-feelings in people.
If your bond with a love one gets broken, and you on the other hand create an "eewww feeling" in your partner, then you should look forward to awaken his hate.
Yet again,
like i stated early on, the past is a reflection of the present and so if your partner cannot in anyway forgive, overlook or stand the sight of you, then the initial bond you had is questionable! Did it exist? Could it be that you were blind not to have noticed it never did?
In my personal experience with a relative who is an aunt, our relationship went bad. Initially, we were like two teenagers living together and having fun when she was really the older one, had control and could use it; until someone came in and destroyed that bond.
We became total strangers living together and the best i could do was leave and never go back.
But amazingly on new year celebration, she went over to visit me, not my dad, her cousin nor my mum, her in-law.
She went over to fix a broken bridge with warm greetings, a hug, good wishes and a bottle of Champaign to celebrate.
To this effect, you would realize that with love, there is no room for total wipe out.
That is what love is.
Truth be told, the people we love hurt us the most yet they are the only ones who can ever give us joy. The amount of love we have and share with someone, equals the amount of hurt and pain they cause us with their every action and inaction.
No matter the "eeeww feeling" you create after a broken bond, that bond becomes a hold on your aftermath actions against that partner unless of course, it never ever existed.
Let Love Lead

The year 2013

In the year 2013, i allowed my life take a new turn and a whole new dimension. God made things happen and i embraced them.
My life experienced new happiness with friends, loved ones and people i placed total trust in. I could not ask for more.
In the year 2013, i learnt not to give up and that inspired my actions as a more responsibile person, who will take up duties and have them done in time.
The beauty about this year that am certain may not be able to easily clear from my heart and mind, is my love life that went sour.
How do i refer to it, the oxymoron bitter-sweet,? I am not certain on that but it was all beautiful at the beginning, very beautiful. I enjoyed it growth but like a plant will die without the necessary nutrients, it died down.
Did i not nurture it well to have it grow or it was not meant to be?
But lets look at this, when one is filled with the happiness that blinds, is one capable of noticing all the wrongs around one?
Maybe, maybe not. But you know the feeling of having to realize all the wrongs around you at a very late hour? Haha! How stupid you feel then! But hey! It's all worth it right? Because you get to accept,learn and gather the best experiences you can so as to move on either the hard way or the easy way.
Look at success. The year 2013 didn't give me a mansion, car or money that i have to bless others with but,it was a successful year for me.
My success was in my academic improvement. Oh my! Anytime i think of success, i see my face bloom with a radiance and my  heart gets lighter. That's because although almost everyone will associate success with riches, i know God gives you exactly what you need at every stage of your life and as at now, the focus of my life is education and i can't be thankful enough.
Aww friends. How i love the few i have but my mind will not stop at prompting me about the second law of power. Friends are so cunning sometimes that in this year, no matter the love i have for mine, i had to grow cautious n wary of some.
My wrongs. I know i am not perfect and as all human, i have a defect and i have surely done a couple of negative and ill stuffs but i can't be the best judge of my life hence to all dear ones, don't hesitate to point out what you possibly see wrong in my actions.
In all these, i lived a happy life with the goodness, love, grace and glory of my Lord and saviour Jesus in it. The least i can say is merci mon Dieu fidèle. Amen