How to handle anxiety!

How do you handle anxiety!

At the point I decided to be serious with my social media presence, I

got confused about the type of content to share. Yes! I am building my

career in the marketing communications field, I knew I didn’t want

to restrict the content I shared to only my career journey.

Like a lot of people, Covid made me reconsider my priorities, and I

figured a successful career was not all I wanted but a holistic life.

The question was what consisted of a holistic life.

The end of 2020 made me uproot certain weeds that were preventing me

from growing. Although very painful I am grateful for the journey.

Sitting down here, facing yet another transitioning season of my

life’s journey and noting it is the most difficult I have

ever been. I am wondering why I am so calm.

I remember what I defined as living a truly successful life.

A life that ensured I was well spiritually, physically, mentally,

emotionally, and socially.

A life that ensured financial freedom with flexible time to invest in

genuine relationships.

Balancing all that with beauty, travel, adventure, learning, and

impact and being effective.

Having different pictures to represent these different aspects of my

definition of a holistic life,

I see now that vision boards and mantras

program you to take the baby steps in achieving your dreams even in

difficult times.

Even in this transiting season of my life, I can ensure I do not

allow anxiety to drive me.

I know my younger self would have almost been overwhelmed with the

anticipation of the transition.

I am grateful to God, my Mentors, family, and friends for the support

to manage anxiety during this season of my life.

This got me curious, how do you handle anxiety whiles pursuing the

next stage of your career or life?

Please drop your comment, I will love to learn from you

#lifestyle#careergrowth#holisticliving

the beauty of team work

Harry saw the dead insect first. He ignored Ernest and ran closer to

the big mass. "This will definitely be our colony's dinner tonight."

, he thought. "Harry what ..." Ernest was saying before he noticed

what distracted his friend from their conversation.

It was really massive, placed along the path of their home. Although

it was quite a distance from home, it was possible to move it for

supper.

Harry was already analysing the whole procedure." We can go to the

colony and get more ants to help us?" Ernest suggested.

Harry looked back at him with an expression of one who just remembered

he had a friend around. "We need more ants, yes. The problem is we

can't leave this place without any defense. If we leave some other

creature might have our meal. And leaving just one of us here is not

wise." Harry pointed out"

"True, but what do we do now."Ernest asked.

Harry thought for a while and said, we are not too far from the

Colony, let one of us run fast towards the colony. I am sure it's

possible to run into some other ants, Get them to come as fast as they

can to help."

Ernest thought for a while and responded" even if we were ten in

number, we still won't be able to carry this meat. And I don't see how

it's possible for you to get more than ten ants before you get to the

colony."

I understand your fears Ernest. But running to the colony to gather

the entire arm force to get here is the aim but getting the ants on

the way to come here is to defend the meal and protect one of us, the

one staying back to serve as the solo defender. We also need to select

who would be the Messenger. I suggest the ballot of sands will

suffice"

Ernest looked up at the meat and said" Go Harry, I will wait here, the

ballot of sand will waste time. Moreover, you are the faster runner

between the two of us"

"Sure?" Harry asked.

"Yes, we need to work more effectively as a team"

Harry ran faster than he had ever done before. He needed to do his

part as a team player.

Although, it's obvious in the story that Harry is the leader of the project.

We can also see He is democratic and willing to serve in whatever

capacity he is required to.

Whenever I think about team work, the nature of ants and how they work

together always amazes me.

I remember my first and only time I observed ant behaviour. I was

about eight years old then. I had always been a curious and

adventurous person. Back then my low vision was not pronounced, hence

I wasn't aware it even existed. I carried out the experiment with

observation.

I was playing in my compound back in Maryland, Lagos state. It was not

a School day so I was playing with one of my neighborhood friend.

Unfortunately he had to leave me to attend to his mum's call.

I was left alone to my mischievous mind and flies were disturbing

me where I was because my absconded neighbour and I had just

finished taking mangoes. As usual the mango attracted flies to that

environment. I was bored so killing some flies seemed to be a good

avenue to pass away the time. Hopefully my neighbour will come back

soon, so we can play hide and seek. I thought.

"Please if you never played hide and seek, you are definitely not my

generation".

But it's fine though.

I went into our apartment and got a broom.

I don't mean the brooms made this day where you don't need to bend

down almost completely to sweep oh. I mean the broom made out of thin

raffia sticks that are joined together with leather ropes.

I had the broom at hand. My eyes trained on the flies as they were

perching on the spot I had sat not so long ago.

With speed and determination I struck the spot.

I raised the broom hoping to God I got at least one of the bloody

insects. And yeah I did I was super excited and about to rush in to

get a dirt parker to pack the one insect I had already killed and

with a stronger resolve to kill more.

I was about to turn around when my eye landed on a scene that

changed my mission and well generated the foundation for this

write up you are reading right now.

It was a scene of ants and their attempt to carry a dead cockroach into, where?

I had no idea but that scene made me stop still on my track and the

idea to kill and pack dead insects ran away from my mind immediately.

I began my observation. They were ants, the only thing I knew ants ate

then was sugar. Why carry a dead cockroach. Where were they carrying

it to, and for what purpose?

I watched in amazement as they lifted. They were about fifteen to twenty ants.

I was impressed with their team work. There were times I interrupted

them and they all fled. They then came back and headed in the same

direction as before.

My young brain figured.

These individuals that have come together to work as a team have a destination.

So I watched them patiently as they kept moving. At intervals, one or

two other passer by ants joined them along the way.

It was a beautiful sight of team work in its highest momentum.

I saw them carry their load to the finish line which was a crack in

the wall of the building of our neighbor.

Our compound was a big one with four different buildings housing two

to four flats.

I knew their destination now. That crack in the wall. Tomorrow I will

play God, I thought to myself as my neighborhood friend came back to

play.

AMINA'S MONSTER

EPISODE 1-STAGE FRIGHT

Its red blood eyes were staring into mine. It felt like he was looking

into my soul. I shivered with fright. "You have to speak Amina" Khalid

said encouragingly. I looked at him and he smiled saying, "you can do

it Amina". I summoned all the energy I had and turned back to look at

the blood red fiery eyes monster staring at me. It had a snake like

black face with seven blood red eyes. Three on either side of its face

with a tongue like nose separating its face into two halves. One eye

located about one inch above its tongue like nose seemed to be the

leader of its eyes. Its body was greenish and it had the body

frame of a monkey with snake like arms and fingers. One look at it

standing in the middle of the green coloured pond that separated

me from the island’s tropical trees and I was rendered powerless

again. It was worse than before "Speak the words I taught you" Khalid

said. I tried opening my mouth but the fiery eye monster spoke with a

snicker terrify tone" Amina you know you can’t do it, you are not good

enough"

It moved closer to me. With every movement nearer, I could smell its

offal smell. It felt like rotten garbage with another stench I

couldn’t place. "Amina the words" Khalid prompted.

In reality I could see the audience all waiting for me to recite my

poem. I had worked on it all night and expressed my fears to Khalid.

But right now the monster of stage fright was getting closer to me.

In my Island’s mind I was paralyzed. I could not move as its thin

skeleton snake hands tried to touch me.

"Remember the last time you tried to speak, you froze on stage. What

makes you think you can do any better right now?" the monster taunted

me. Its fingers which looked like thin snakes tails was almost at my arm.

"Come with me Amina, I understand" it said. "I understand you are

not good enough come with me I won’t judge"

I was tongue tied.

"You have me now Amina, you know me now and you listen to me now

Amina" Khalid reminded me

That jolted me and the words like a consuming fire came forth,

starting from my heart rising up and forced its way through my throat

and out of my mouth breaking the tongue tied effect the monster had

on me.

It came out with such force that it took the monster by surprise whose

snake like finger had been only a quarter inch from my arms. It

knocked him far away from me into one of the trees across the green

coloured pond. The words echoed all around the island. I could hear

it" For God has not given me a spirit of fear and timidity but of

power, love and self discipline"

"Good Amina" Khalid said with a broad grin.

"I feel I feel really strong Khalid" I said

"You are in Christ, now be courageous and present that poem. Always

remember courage is not the absence of fear for you can see that

creature is still there "Khalid pointed to the whaling monster which

was crumbled under a coconut tree.

I looked at Khalid and said" yes courage is not the absence of fear

but knowing the truth in God’s word and taking that bold step in

faith. "He smiled and with that I looked at my audience. I saw them

really for the first time after being on stage for close to one and a

half minute and with a smile I recited my poem. Having the knowledge I

had defeated stage fright over two thousand years ago in Christ. I

courageously delivered the words of my poem to the much anticipating

audience.

Writers Note

Just like Amina, sometimes I have to wrestle against the principality

that makes me feel I am not good enough. It can also be called self

doubt that makes me feel not good enough to present my works to the

world. Although after my encounter with God, I began to consciously

know and understand these things that try to keep us from being

everything God has created us to be. My knowledge of the victory

being won in Christ over two thousand years ago makes me courageously

move regardless of my fears. Khalid in this series is a representation

of who the Holy Spirit is to me and the island is the spiritual world.

I hope you can find yourself in Amina’s character as the series

progresses because I intend to explore all possible angles of the

human struggles in this modern day times. Let me know if you have ever

battled with stage fright and how you over came it. If you haven’t its

fine still drop your comment on a particular fear you battled with. I

am super curious for your story of the monster of stage fright or any

fear so kindly drop your comment in the comment box.

REFERENCE

- Bible verse (2 Timothy 1:7: NLT bible

AMINA'S MONSTERS

EPISODE 2: CAPTIVE



I couldn't control my tears as I lay on my untidy bed. I kept on

asking no one in particular "Why? Why?”

I was so exhausted from my query, I slept off.

I awoke to the cries of a new victim. My brain was foggy, my vision

unclear. It seemed I was staring at the remnant of once a beautiful

vegetation as I was face down. I began to recognize the misfortune

that had befallen me.

"You monster" the woman's voice shook me out of my miseries. I looked

up willing my eyes to find where her screams were coming from.

My eyes locked on the scene of a giant bug-like monster dragging the

crying victim to a cage prison like the one I was in.

As I saw it smash her into the back of the narrow cage and its

companion tied her hands to both sides of the pole of her

prison. I looked at my own position. I was in a cage not high enough to contain my 5 foot 4 inches body if I was to stand to my full height. My hands were lifted up and tied to either side of the poles that made the frame of the cage. I was in a kneeling position and my brain gradually understood the signals my body was giving. It was pain, immense pain.

"You monster let me out of here" the new inmate shouted. Looking at

her closely I could see she was an elderly lady probably in her

forties. She kept on wailing "No, no you monsters you don't, understand my child could not be dead. You horrifying creature could

not have killed my only child" and her waling increased. The monster

had already bound her hands and looked at its fellow mates and

they all broke into terrifying laughs.

"As our master deals with your world in physical, we can finally feed

on your fears and despair and capture you. So don't worry, your

child's death is the best thing that will happen to you from now on"

It stroke the old lady on her face quieting her down and walked away from her.

I looked at my surroundings for the first time and I couldn't

recognize the island I once thought beautiful. The rainbow coloured

birds that flew around the mountains tops were nowhere in sight.

The trees around looked sick and their leaves were falling off. The

leaves on most of them were brownish in colour.

"God this is not what you promised me. This is not what you promised

mankind," I said "I never said it would be easy" Khalid said.

I turned my head to my right to see Khalid with a sad expression.

"I don't want to talk to you Khalid" I said with an angry tone.

Khalid looked hurt but I did not care. I was broken, tired and wasn't

ready to listen to him.

Khalid looked at me with a knowing look," Let me help you Amina" he said.

I knew he could read my thoughts but I was too hurt to want him to help.

With a heavy heart I looked away. I couldn't let him see me cry.

"I am a gentleman Amina so I will respect your wishes but remember the

word of truth"

He appeared in front of me, "God causes everything to work together for

the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose

for them. "He said and disappeared.

I broke down in tears, "what good could come out of this God" I said.

"For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, they are plans of

good and not for disaster to give you a future and a hope." The words

echoed in my head and in my heart and a peace that surpassed all understanding fell on me as I woke up still in my untidy bed.

Writer's note: Amina represents all those who lost someone or

something important to them this year. I had written this piece since

August but honestly I was too caught up trying to be busy that I

ended up hurting myself more. It's the end of the year and I know we

all didn't achieve all we set out to do. To those that did,

congratulations to people Like myself that we were almost depressed at the end of 2019 and didn't have the mind set to set any goals, guess what? We achieved alot, we didn't get depressed, we grew stronger.

Khalid represents the Holy Spirit and I pray that He (Holy Spirit)

will always help you align with God's will for your life and you have

an amazing 2021 with the knowledge that God’s got you covered.

REFERENCES

Romans 8:9(NLT bible))

Jeremiah 29:11(NLT bible)