I Finally Realized What Happiness Means To Me.

Happiness to me is Love.

— Happiness to me is being surrounded by love. Love from family, those with which blood ties are inconsequential as they just care, pray and look out for me, and make me eat. Love from friends, who do not care how long ago it is that we spoke, or how much different we are in our personalities now, or how much different the places we are in our lives are. Friends that just care and love me for how I am.

— Happiness to me is being in a romantic relationship with someone I absolutely adore, someone who makes me feel safe and comforted by just the mere thoughts of him, someone with whom I find talking to easy, whom I share my burdens, victories, confusion, clarity with, in its raw form, someone who makes me strive to be a better person

— Happiness to me is doing what I love. Happiness to me is teaching, impacting, seeing people learn new things that they can apply to their lives, businesses, and career from me. Happiness to me is speaking, having the opportunities to pour out the little I know. Happiness to me is running digital marketing campaigns and providing solutions/strategies that help businesses achieve their goals. Happiness to me is teaching!!!

Happiness is to me is Wealth.

— Happiness to me is having enough money to spoil my nuclear family, - so my parents have no reason to hustle and my brother has in excess - and extended family, those who have taken me as theirs.

—Happiness to me is having enough money to give and give and give — to my churches, campus fellowship, to charity organizations, to my friends and those less privileged

— Happiness to me is Time! Having/creating enough time to spend with loved ones and time to rest - to sleep.

and then also, Happiness is to me is Fun. Happiness to me is hanging out with close friends, talking, and looking for trouble. I am sha very indoorsy.

Happiness to me is knowing what happiness means to me and understanding that even when I do not have all those things that make me happy, I can still be happy by just deciding to be happy. Happiness is to me is deciding that still, while in this journey — before boo and wealth comes — I will be happy.

What is Happiness to You?

22 Lessons I Learned this Year and my Birthday Wishlist

Hey Guys,

Thanks for reading the last post - the one about my Lagos experience so far. It has got to be my most engaging post on this blog yet (not most read though), with over 50 cumulative comments so far - 17 on the blog, 16 comments on LinkedIn, a few on WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram and oh a couple of emails too. I especially appreciate Alfred's email - he sent me links to download all the SLC messages (I'm still jumping for joy) and then, I got one email inviting me to talk on security in Lagos. Well, I'm still figuring out that one (:D).

All this is to say; Thanks for reading. I appreciate. To think that subsequent to that post, I hadn't written for this blog since February. Again! Thanks for reading and engaging.

The past week was super too, in ways I can't begin to articulate (or in this case, write) but I'm grateful to God. Like for real.

So It's my birthday is in a few weeks, and as it is my tradition every year for the last couple of years, I write a birthday post. One time it was 65 things about me, the next year, it was a very long birthday wishlist, last year, it was all gratitude and this year, I'm doing a little mix.

In this post, I'd be writing the top 22 things I learned in my 21st year (some of the lessons would be about me), and to wrap it up, I'd drop the top 7 things I want as birthday gifts. I'm not exactly expecting it from anyone actually, it's more of a wishlist for myself (but eh, if body sweet you... Biko buy am for me :D, or send the money to my account and lemme buy it myself :D)

Let's dive in, shall we? Gracias!

What I learned/re-learned about life and me this year.

As you grow older, it's okay not to have everything figured out. As Long as you keep trusting God, You'd be fine.

1. A Perfect Family is possible (well, not perfect-perfect, but perfect). With God at the center, everything is possible. Even though more and more dysfunctional families are springing up each day. Even though some men are still not worthy fathers, they are a few who are exceptions. and even though, we can't do anything about the families we were born into, we can definitely do something about the families we create. 1b. I have a mild case of daddy issues.
2. 80/20 principle. Do the most important 20% first for all duties/responsibilities. This is especially for multitaskers. Sometimes, it's hard to effectively juggle multiple jobs and excel or make an impact at all of them, but you can succeed if you learn to stick with the 80/20 principle. There is always the 20% of work that is the most important and valuable, do those ones FIRST for all tasks, then do the other 80% next. Learn to prioritize - IMPORTANT over just Urgent. Delegate when you can, if you can.
3. New challenges and opportunities excite me but also I get bored very EASILY. Scary! and I get easily distracted too. Also, I'm most productive in the early hours of the day, from 3am to around 1pm. I used to think I was nocturnal, but I guess having a 9-5 changed that a bit.
4. Impact takes a great deal more than just doing your job. Making a difference requires HEART, not just sweat. This year, I also learned that when my heart isn't somewhere, I can't work. I'm not the kind of person who works out of obligation, I'm not duty bound, but if I love a task or a role, I'd kill it.
5. Relationships are KEY. It's important not to burn bridges. People are key to where you are going and who you would become. It's important not to become dependent but then, understand that no one is an island and your next opportunity might come as a result of the person you knew as a child. So give your time and sweat to relationships, invest in healthy relationships, be the good guy.
6. Your Journey is YOURS. Own it, love it!
7. Social Media is Great but if you are not careful, you could become cluttered, unnecessarily vain, under pressure to impress etc. My advice? do not become your social media instead let social media become you. Sounds like the same thing but they are different.
8. Grow your community. Your inner circle - harness them, love them, make them blossom but also, your outer circle: your mentors and role models - Follow them deliberately, and learn.
9. With God, even when your life is spinning. It wouldn't be out of control but in control. In his control. Even when you are in the dip, know that God has his hands on you and he'd lift you out when he is ready. Understand that sometimes, you have to hit rock bottom to rebuild. So enjoy every part of the process because hey! you can't cheat the process. It's never easy, it's never all fun but it is in the process that you become.
10. Work Culture and work environment matter a lot (to me). It is important that more than anything employers employ people not just because of skill or competence but also because they fit your culture. Creating the right environment for your workers to thrive, be themselves, have fun and be friends would give you results. 
11. Money is important to me, but so is love and much more, is God. This is probably one of my most profound discoveries this year. Disclaimer: When I say money is important to me, I'm not talking about it in relation to other people. I really don't care how much a person has, but I mean it, in relation to myself. Making Money for myself is very important to me, but so is love and much more is GOD.
12. I love ART. Oh God, I love ART. 
13. When my heart is not somewhere, it is just not there and when it is. It is! When my heart is for someone, it just is.
14. Everybody has a story. Everyone has their own issues. Everyone is dealing with something. No one is perfect. So never judge someone until you know their story, and even when you do know the story, shut up!
15. Love Conquers All. When God got you, he got you! He'd never let me be, he'd never let me go. His love? His Spirit? Damn!
16. Life is not always a bed of roses. There'd be almosts, there'd outright rejections but there'd also be victories. Enjoy each phase & each test, learn lessons, get stronger and Keep the faith! Know this! As long as the sun rises, you'd be fine!
17. Run, Fight and no matter how hard it is or how bleak it looks... Do not grow weary! DO NOT SETTLE. Oh, my! Don't settle. No matter what, do not settle for less than you deserve in any relationship, in your career, in life. Settling is worst than growing weary.
18. Do not FIT in. Even when it's just you. Even when you want to. Even in the seemingly little things. People would surely respect you more when you stay true to yourself and your principles. See, it doesn't have to make sense to anybody, it doesn't have to be a big deal, once it's not you, do not give in to pressure. Do not fit in.
19. Celebrate little victories. The ones that happen inside of you, the personal milestones. Celebrate them. Learn to Celebrate yourself and the people around you. Celebrate for and with your friends, partners. Just Celebrate. Learn to appreciate people, especially your loved ones.
20. Buying stuff for myself makes me incredibly happy. It's therapeutic. So I have decided to not become extravagant but to buy myself a little something every now and again. Just because, I work hard and I deserve it.
21. Somehow, I have learned to love. Okay! That's wrong, the correct thing is I have learned to say I love you. Telling people I love them and feel it too, used to be an issue for me, but quite recently, I realized that it has become easier. I am still incredibly sensitive and yet, not open about my feelings, but yea ...
22. "We cannot tap into that power and hang on to excuses at the same time. Your heart, mind, and hands must be free to lay hold of all that is ahead of you. Understanding the psychology of your excuses is pivotal in having permanent victory over them. So, my question to you is: When did you learn to give up on yourself? " - Sarah Jakes Roberts.

I still have more to write, but let's stick to this 22, at least for now.

.. and Now! What do I want for my birthday (which is October 8th, in case you are wondering :D)
This Year, I want just 7 things. Lol! I said just. Here they are, in order of priority.

• A Laptop because mine is currently acting up and I just can't afford to be learning patience with a PC. There are other things in life to teach me that. And preferably a Macbook. Why? because it is high time :D. This macbook
• Sneakers because I love Sneaks (crying) and right now, I want this particular three (:D) in this order: 1. Nike Air Huarache 2. Keexs Slip On 3. Sports shoes. (I wear Size 39/40 or UK size 6/6.5)
• A Backpack just because I want a new black small one. Maybe this?
• Books: Novels actually - Francine Rivers Novels (aside Redeeming Love, Bridge to Heaven and Lineage of Grace), or Marketing and Business Books :D or Sinners in the hands of a loving God by Brian Zahnd or any book by Max Lucado.
• A Leather black very fine Journal
• Cakes. Unfortunately, I don't like Red velvet or Chocolate cakes. Just get me plain ol' Vanilla - Soft, Fluffy, Sweet, Butter icing :D.
• A lot of Love

If you read to this point (that's over 1600 words), mehn! You are AWESOME and I appreciate you honestly. Honestly.

Leave a comment, would you? Share the lessons you have learned this year with me, or your favorite of my lessons or say an early birthday greeting or preferably, ask for my account number (I'd really send it to you. :D)

PS: Lets hook up on Twitter or Instagram @peaceitimi

How our Experiences and Information Influences our Perception and Understanding of life.

Have you ever had that eureka moment? You know that moment when suddenly things that were not clear to you once before, becomes really clear and then you realize that you fully understood the situation? I bet it has happened to most people here. I bet we all can, in some way relate to that ‘ah ah! this is it, yeah?’ feeling. I particularly remember one of my most formidable ‘ah ah, so this is it’ moment. It happened a few months ago. I was thinking about the period of my life in the university when my life was filled with so much drama because of my friends. They were a lot of happy times, lessons learnt and growth but also a lot of quarrels, disappointment, depression and hurts (You know how girls can be yea?). So anyway, a few months back, I began to play everything back,

right from the first day I met this particular friend to the day I decided I didn’t want to be friends anymore. I played back as many scenes as I could remember, I analysed each situation, my reaction, what could have been done differently and what really couldn’t be avoided. I spent weeks thinking and analyzing my feelings during that three years and in that period of reflection - unbiased reflection, I got to know myself a lot better and I realized one very shocking fact: that as smart as I and everyone thought I was, I was really naive and gullible at that time. You see that fact - that light, changed a lot of things but most importantly, it gave me a different view of my world as I began to see a couple of things very differently.

When I understood, things that looked complex and really weird, suddenly began to make sense.

You see, we mystify and call complex what we do not know or understand.

This is what I want to explain, the theory of complexity as it relates to how much we know and understand.

F.O.C.U.S; Achieving the Most - (Guest)

For many people, jumping into new projects without finishing the other one is the way to go. They keep having things in their head they want to accomplish. They want to improve on their job, start a fashion business on the side, start a family, link up with a cousin abroad to start importation...They want to do it all so they get into all these and lack the ability to see anyone to completion. At the end of the year, they are left with unfinished goals. But they felt excited at the start; they were motivated at the beginning only for the motivation to wane over time. They move on to other new projects and then the cycle repeats itself.

I Just want to rant and be vulnerable; Just this once!

I'm scared...
I'm constantly living with fear. Fear of what you may ask? Well, I can’t even explain it. All I know is everyday I leave my house, I'm scared... Every time I begin to work, I'm scared...

I constantly feel my heart beat racing... I'm constantly working to prove those thoughts wrong... I'm just trying not to let fear stop me.

What if I tell you I'm still trying to figure myself out... What if I say, I don't know what I want to do with myself yet. What if I say, I worry too much?

Lol!

No idea is too big.

I dont have much to write. I just want to tell you God loves you no matter what. You didnt do anyting to make God love you, you cant do anything to make him stop loving you. Just because you don't have that close consistent relationship with him doesn't stop you from being his child (Not all kids are close to their parents yet they are still their parents kids).

Don't be a stumbling block to the message you preach

"Sometimes we have to stop doing the things we love to do on a normal day. Sometimes, we have to change because we dont want our attitudes/character to be a stumbling block. Its not a pretence change though, its a transformation, a conviction, a sacrifice from deep within because we really want something to work out." - Peaceitimi

○1 Corinthians 9:19-23 MSG
Even though I am free of the demands and expectations of everyone, I have voluntarily become a servant to any and all in order to reach a wide range of people: religious, nonreligious, meticulous moralists, loose-living immoralists, the defeated, the demoralized—whoever. I didn’t take on their way of life. I kept my bearings in Christ—but I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view. I’ve become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I meet into a God-saved life. I did all this because of the Message. I didn’t just want to talk about it; I wanted to be in on it!○

So, I have commitment issues...

At the moment, I feel like a mess, I'm down with the flu and it ain't funny. It's like the Catarrh isnt just blocking my nose but also my head, mind, and whole body. Trust me, this ain't a cool feeling, I feel paralysed,  I cant even talk well... okay, enough with my whining... *takes a deep breathe; now feels more relaxed*

I'm in the mood to rant... yea, I know I usually dont do that here but guys just humor me okay? Thank you.

I want to talk about relationships, commitments and all the likes...

I feel like I have commitment issues, you know the phobia to settle down (yea! I know I'm young and all but it's never too early prepare and set plans for the future right?).

Loving God

○All things work °together° for good to them that LOVE God (Rom 8:28)
○Ears have not heard, eyes have not seen, no heart has conceived what God has in store for those that LOVE Him and °work according to His purpose°. (1cor 2:9)

I wager that you noticed the similarity between the two scriptures above is 'The love of God' (Both scriptures are promises that applies to only those that Love God).

I AM is with You

As I prepare to leave for my exam this morning, I'm led to take a break and tell you that I AM IS WITH YOU. Regardless of what you may be going through or struggling with or what assignment you have to perform and how unqualified and unprepared you might be, I AM - THE LORD GOD Strong and MIGHTY - is with you.
You don't have to worry about anything or anyone, don't trust on your efforts just rely on I AM.
God says " I AM able to take care of you, no force or power can withstand me. Whatever you need, I AM IT - either I have it or I can get it, If it doesn't exist, I will create it. I have everything covered - I AM covering and protecting you, I AM standing with and for you. Relax for all time, because as long as I love you, I will be with you and of cause you know I'd love you till the end of time as my love isn't dependent on you."

Word for the year.

The Year has began in earnest and amid the theme's of our various churches and the Word God has given each of us personally for the year, I'm led to write down for you two of my most recent favourite scriptures.

COL2:6  

(TLT-the Living Translation) 'And as you have trusted Christ to save you, so also trust him for your everyday problems. Live in vital union with him.'

I'm more into the first part of that verse that says (in my own words) that If you can trust Christ Jesus to save you then you can also trust Him for any of your other problems.
If Christ can save you, me, us all from eternal damnation and from the hands of the devil; If He could shed his Blood for us and Freely forgive you of all your sins and continually intercede for you as he is sitting at the right hand of God and showing him his nailed hands and feet in other to remind God that he has paid fully your debt; If God could rescue the Israelites from Egypt and Part the red sea; If God can feed the birds of the air and if he can clothe the lilies of the field and make them more beautiful than even Solomon in all his glory then what problem, what challenge, what obstacle, what bondage, what storm will God not take away from you, rescue you from or grant you faith and strength and grace to handle?

Thank you

First let me apologise for any typo you may find here,  I just spent 2hours+ writing this and I'm too spent to proofread this long post.

Deep Sigh. Today is the last day of the year 2013 and since the year began to draw to a close, I haven't thought of this year without the Words "FROM GRASS TO GRACE" popping up in my mind and spirit.

Truly, God has brought me from dirt to glory. He has removed me from the grass and en-graced me. He has washed me clean and clothed me with the robe of righteousness, one I am very unworthy to wear but for His Grace and His LOVE.

I started this year being in dirt, I was seriously filthy (i'm still really filthy though). My life was one with endless episodes of stupidity, drama and absurdity. Right now, I can laugh at how dumb I was but then it wasn't funny at all - it was my life, I was liking it, living it and I was draining.
Oh! I had given my life to Christ months before but I wasn't life the Christ-like life. I'd cagbash in tongues today in church and immediately I get home I forget whose presence I had come from.
A couple of times, I'd cry and beg God to help pudge me of the ish, I'd feel PEACE and empowered to overcome but five seconds later, I'm back where I left off.

PEACE of mind and heart

Being someone that easily gets depressed (a situation I get from being a melancholic - but you know I read somewhere that geniuses have the tendency to get overly depressed, hehehe! I'm just saying tho *wink*), I have learnt to appreciate the times where my heart is at rest and I have peace of mind.
Discovering the joy and warmness that is embedded in the having peace, I began to search for how I can attain a Lasting peace as I became tired of the mood swings - the joy today and  weight tomorrow; the peace today and the chaos tomorrow and as always, in the midst of my search Jehovah found me (as always. the guy is just super dope yea?) and taught me that peace of mind and heart is a necessity in the life of a believer as we cant function well or enjoy life or the Joy of our salvation if we are troubled and he said he's possible for one to have Peace 24/7, everyday of every week of every year, forever even in the midst of the worst of storms.

The lessons I have learnt on Peace is what I want to share with you on this post. So relax and enjoy the ride.

When a Son takes the place of a slave

I belong to the LA Family on twitter. It's a study group which L-Learns and A-Applies the Bible Teachings.
Today we were to study the book of Galatians, chapters 3 and 4.

One of the prominent lessons the Holy Spirit taught me today as I studied is what I want to share with you all.
Be Blessed.

Gal 4:1 " Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all" KJV

"...If a Father dies and leaves great wealth for his little son,that child is not much better off than a slave until he grows up, even though he actually owns everything his father had" TLT (the living translation)