20 Habits That Turn Boys into Men.

1. Taking responsibility for your actions and outcomes rather than blaming others.

2. Admitting mistakes with honesty and willingness to fix them.

3. Listening to understand rather than just to reply.

4. Standing up for your good principles even when you are challenged.

5. Respecting differences and finding common ground.

6. Keeping promises and standing by your word.

7. Controlling emotions and avoiding impulsive acts in anger.

8. Working hard without seeking shortcuts or overnight success.

9. Handling finances wisely.

10. Persevering through setbacks and failures while learning from them.

11. Putting in consistent effort to reach your goals.

12. Balancing humility and quiet confidence.

13. Nurturing physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health.

14. Reading, and learning continuously to expand knowledge and wisdom.

15. Spending time mentoring youths and inspiring others through leadership.

16. Create a balance in wealth, career, study, health, personal care, and relationships.

17. Developing mastery of useful versatile skills.

18. Thinking about how actions impact others, not just yourself.

19. Planning and making smart choices for the future instead of the present.

20. Finding purpose beyond just pleasure and materialism.

10 BRUTAL TRUTHS THAT EVERYONE NEEDS TO KNOW.

 10 BRUTAL TRUTHS THAT EVERYONE NEEDS TO KNOW.

1. You're going to die and you have no idea when.

Stop pretending that you're invincible. Acknowledge the fact of your own mortality, and then start structuring your life in a more meaningful way.

2. Your material wealth won't make you a better or happier person.

Even if you're one of the lucky ones who achieves his or her materialistic dreams, money only amplifies that which was already present.

3. Your obsession with finding happiness is what prevents its attainment.

Happiness is always present in your life--it's just a matter of connecting to it and allowing it to flow through you that's challenging.

4. Donating money does less than donating time.

Giving your time is a way to change your perception and create a memory for yourself and others that will last forever.

5. You can't make everyone happy, and if you try, you'll lose yourself.

Stop trying to please, and start respecting your values, principles, and autonomy.

6. Your achievements and successes won't matter on your deathbed.

When your time has come to transition from this reality, you won't be thinking about that raise; you'll be thinking about the relationships you've made--so start acting accordingly.

7. Your talent means nothing without consistent effort and practice.

Some of the most talented people in the world never move out from their parent's basement.

8. Nobody cares how difficult your life is, and you are the author of your life's story.

Stop looking for people to give you sympathy and start creating the life story you want to read.

9. Investing in yourself isn't selfish. It's the most worthwhile thing you can do.

You have to put on your own gas mask to save the person sitting right next to you.

10. Time is your most valuable asset--you need to prioritize how you spend it.

You have the power and responsibility to decide what you do with the time you have, so choose wisely...

Thank you for reading 📚 ❤️ 🙏

2023 Young Heroes Award

 The phone lines had been ringing off the hook since NTV broadcasted the news.

About winning the 2023 Young Heroes Award.

And the prize attached to it.

They made it a feature story.

Everyone was calling at the same time.

I was anxious for the first time. What do I say to these people?

"Pim pim pim." My phone seemed to chime every other second. A text message. It had to be the 100th text I've received this morning.

My neighbor, Ola, knocked once and eased himself into the room.

"Guy!!!" He looked incredulous as if he would swallow me up. A worship-like look. "Guy. You don blow. Laidis laidis you don make am."

I couldn't match his enthusiasm no matter how I tried. "Ol boy leave matter."

"So, where is it happening?"

I kept mute. If only he knew what was at stake. My phones were still ringing nonstop. I looked. Mom calling.

I didn't pick up the phone. What will I say to her? That it wasn't me? That I wasn't the one being celebrated despite the work I've put into Helping Hands Foundation?

That it was someone else.

That it was Chukwuemeka C. Okeke and not Chukwuemeka O. Okeke that the world was celebrating.

I tried to explain the situation to Ola but he wasn't having it.

"But it's your picture there naa."

"Yes. But it's not my name."

"It could be a mistake."

"Maybe, the award organizers did not call me..."

"Wetin dey occur gan gan? Everyone know say na you dey carry that foundation for head nau."

I signed, "My reward is in heaven."

"Everybody's reward dey for heaven nau. But your own gats start here naa. Wetin be this."

Ola has turned sober. He looked deep in thought with his brows furrowed. "Explanation go dey for this matter nau."

I got up from the sofa that had sunken so low with my weight and the weight of my problems.

My phone chimed again — another message.

"Guy, this una story no bam sha but try dey pick your call."

I asked him what I would tell the hordes of people calling to congratulate me. It wasn't me. I could swear it wasn't.

I had resigned from the foundation two weeks ago. There was no way they would nominate me for that award.

And yes, there is another Chukwuemeka Okeke at the Edo state branch. So... no, it couldn't be me.

Accepting that it wasn't me was easy enough but how do I explain to these hundreds of people calling?

I got up to go to the bathroom. I needed to take a shower. Life must go on, innit?

Even though someone was knocking at the front door, I made to ignore them. I didn't want to see anyone. I was in a foul mood. I would tell the person off if I open the door.

Ola beat me to it. He was signing something and beaming. The man was leaving. And he extended an envelope to me.

"The award.”

“Yes?”

“It's yours... Na you get am!" He screamed like a madman hallucinating.

"How?" It was hard to fathom the depth of questions running through my mind.

I was elated. But I was sad too. What about the other Chukwuemeka? How was he going to return the congratulations he has received so far?

I wondered if I could share the prize with him as I scrubbed my body in the bathroom

https://web.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=869913311357756&set=a.121710886178006&__cft__[0]=AZXwTAsDvLY5D_vSMSPwnwxje0Ih4Hxy4WE0zD1WodEHdv8HG4Isb0InHnmnyrYXJuu-Qe0a5OxT_LJl6EljaFYtF5OHvJM-6zoEOJwLiZg1HEWByUr-KEHEFJW9x_sLt_aufDM1P8jUr-6i-kebLrLpekCm4JeWPnnWf4Gl67iGMw&__tn__=EH-R

WHO IS A WOMAN?

Having all the Female Reproductive organs doesn't make you a woman.

A woman is the one who feeds a man with encouragement and ideas 

A woman is the one who helps a man to save and invest wisely .

A woman does not run her mouth with sarcasm and insult just to prove a point, rather her words are gracious and can heal a broken heart .

A woman is the one that knows when to talk and to keep Quiet.

A woman is the one that doesn't leak secret. 

A woman is the one that is content with what she has, and not the one that sells her self for material things.

A woman is a manager, a caretaker,a womb that can nature and birth destinies .

A woman doesn't do trending things, but she is reserved and has a taste of a Queen.

A woman doesn't look down on any man because of his present state of life and financial status, rather she encourages any man to get better.

A woman is the one that does not just bears babies, but bear ideas and inspiration anytime, anywhere.

A woman  is the one a man can cry on her shoulders and not feel humiliated for doing so nor lose his value . 

A woman is not the one that deceive a man just to eat his money, but the one who is honest and sincere in any relationship.

.A woman. Is not the one that makes men feel terrible, but the one a man can run to for comfort.

A woman is the one that will spoil a man with honour  and respect because there lies her strength and integrity .

A woman is an influence, a nation and a helper. 

Many are females but only few can be called a woman.

Now ask yourself today, 

am I a woman?

BE A WOMAN TODAY🙏

I WISH YOU A HAPPY HOME❤️

Thank You So Much For Reading Through 😊.

Please Follow Mrblaq De Painter For More.

THE SAD PAWPAW TREE

A Short Moral Story.

A farmer had a huge pawpaw plantation from which he made a lot of money. He often sold the fruits to processing factories to be made into pawpaw juices. The trees were strong, healthy and produced extremely juicy and flavourful fruits. All the trees were overjoyed that they were of great service to their owner, the farmer.

However, there was one particular tree among them that was sad and depressed. She had lived for some years and bore many mature fruits, but her fruits never ripened, and were scarcely worth harvesting. It hurt her so much. Unlike other trees which fruits developed into yellow, soft and delicious pawpaws, her own fruits remained green, strong and unripe.

Each time the factory workers came to pick the ripe fruits, the sad tree would beg and plead.

"Please pick my fruits. I beg of you! No matter how few you pick, I would be satisfied. If you don't pick my fruits, my master would be left with no other option but to cut me down. Please choose my fruits!" she would cry bitterly.

But the factory workers never took her pleas into consideration, and would reply harshly.

"Your fruits are worthless and are of no use to us. Don't you know we use them to make delicious juices? Yours are not ripe and sweet, and therefore can't be processed into juices. We can't pick yours!"

Everyday, the sad tree grew more and more depressed. But at some point, she decided to accept her fate and stop begging for her fruits to be picked.

One day, an old lady came to the plantation to pick fruits she would buy. But surprisingly, she instructed her workers to pluck all the fruits from the sad pawpaw tree as they were her preferred choice. The sad tree was utterly astounded and very excited as she watched all her fruits being plucked off her. She could not believe it. Then she said to the old lady.

"But my fruits aren't ripe and sweet like the others. Why did you choose them?" 

The old lady smiled and said.

"Well, I don't make juice, so I don't need them to be ripe and sweet. I'm a medical herbalist who uses plants to treat diseases and enhance general health and well-being. There are no doubts that an unripe green pawpaw is loaded with a lot of health benefits. It prevents heart problem, helps treat infections, helps digestion, lowers risk of cancer, helps in the treatment of ulcer, just to mention a few... Your fruits are wonderful, and are the best for me"

We often times force ourselves on people who don't value us. We force ourselves to have space in people's lives that don't recognize our worth. We force to be loved and to be accepted, we force conversations, friendship and interactions... We must learn to stop forcing things as it is never the right thing to do. We were not built to force ourselves on people. If another person doesn't feel like being part of your life, you should let them go. You are precious, you are unique, you are special and full of potentials, and the right people will know your worth. They will love and value you for who you are without having to beg them to choose you.

Author: Chima_Dickson Official 

I let my stories teach the life lessons.

She’s wasted too much time hoping someone else

 She’s wasted too much time hoping someone else would show up and save her…

Only to be disappointed every time.

She wanted to believe in the good of people, but when she needed help the most, none would ever arrive..

So she did what she had to do to survive-

She picked up a sword, dusted herself off and began to fight her own battles.

She was overwhelmed more often than not, knocked down and beaten up on the worst of days, but that’s how she began to forge her strength in the fires of failure.

With each defeat, her armor grew stronger.

With every setback, she turned it into a comeback.

She started believing in the woman staring back at her in the mirror and stopped listening to those voices that told her she couldn’t.

At her lowest point and darkest hour, she burst forth from the ashes and fought back harder than she thought possible…

That’s when she began to find her wings.

She wasn’t holding out for a hero anymore.

No, she was telling her story a different way, and in her tale, she became the hero and fought her own battles.

It was gritty, real and dirty, but she always emerged on the other side, finding her way to the light.

She stopped doing just what she had to do to survive and started becoming the person she was meant to become and lifting herself up.

Maybe it wasn’t always a straight line and often full of falls, stumbles and detours,

But she always ended up where she was meant to be.

And as she stood strong and felt proud at the end of a hard day, she had a strength and courage that no one could ever take away from her.

Now, when she looked in the mirror every morning, she stopped asking how she would make it through the day and said simply one thing:

“I got this.”