ROSES IN THE BAG
Every now and then I will have a conversation with one of my friends regarding gifts we have within us. These gifts are known as talent and we are all born with them. Some discover their gifts at an early age, and others they discover them later in life. Most of the time, these gifts are discovered through the things we do. It could be running like Usain Bolt, playing soccer like Beckham, talking to people like Oprah, cooking your heart out like Bobby Flay, singing like Sauti sol, dancing like the kwasa kwasa dancers, or Ciara. Then there are folks who are not so famous but they shared their gifts to us. The teacher who made you love English or Math which made you want to study journalism or Architecture. The sunday schoolteacher who discovered you had a serious pair of lungs and could belt out notes higher than Ariana Grande’s. Your high school coach who took you under their wing, taming your wild teenage hormones by teaching you discipline and being a team member. Or the Home science teacher who encouraged you to dream of your clothes on the runway. Shoot for the stars she said. These people did not have a gallery openings to showcase their artwork or ran like Usain Bolt or created a new app, but they shared with us the best of themselves. Some gifts can not be seen or touched, however, their impact can be felt. The saying on finding the thing you love and you will never work a day in your life rings true.
I believe we all have something in us, a gift or talent that you have had since birth. Just because you have not discovered it yet does it mean that you do not have it. Sometimes, it’s right there staring at you. You might want to paint like Picasso but your gift may be listening to people and resolving conflict. If you find it, work hard at it for the things you are passionate about are not random, they are your calling..
Every time I am wrought with doubt or think I could be able to do more or better if I had X amount of money. I remember one of my favorite quotes.
“You lack nothing. Use what I gave you.” - God
A few weeks ago when we took these pictures I wanted to incorporate the flowers. Arthur came up with the idea to put the roses in the backpack. Sweet! Later when the pictures came out, the story of sharing gifts formed in my head. Gifts are flowers, we are all carrying them with us. Share them with the world, inspire someone, challenge and motivate people. Do not let the flowers in your bag die without anyone smelling the roses. William Shakespeare once said that the meaning of life is to find your gift, the purpose of life is to give it away.
PRODUCTIVITY
I have always thought my ideal morning would go like this. Wake up, say a prayer of gratitude, enjoy breakfast, sit down and sketch or read…. have time for a physical activity of some kind, finish any chores or duties I had. Go to bed feeling accomplished, ready to tackle the next day. This ideal day sounds familiar. I lived this life. Back in 1997.
Today, I wake up and the first thing I look at is my phone. I catch up with whatsapp messages, mentions and messages from social media apps and an hour of blissful waking up has disappeared. An hour that I could have been more productive catching up with a new read, or posting a blog post that needed editing. An hour I could have spend communing with nature on that morning run.
I have been thinking on writing about productivity since the beginning of the year. With the internships, work and other little things that creep up my way, how do I create more time for productive work? I have a love/hate relationship with my phone. It’s my favorite personal assistant at best and at worst, the absolute roadblock to productivity. According to productivity guru’s the five things that will hinder your amazing capable self from being productive are five things. One is your smart phone, two the internet, three gossip, four social media and five the email. All these things could be summarized to your phone.
Christopher, a colleague of mine got me on Moment, an app that let’s you know how much time you spend on your phone in a 24hr span. He recommended it after we had a discussion on how much time we tend to consume on our phones. I mentioned to him that it was something I was fully conscious off, like an addict but I knew I needed to make some changes. I got the app and promised not to check my stats in a week and a half long period. I was dismayed when I discovered how much time I spent on it. There was a day I spent close to 8 hours. 8 freaking hours! Granted I checked the time here and there, replied to a text, checked my feed but still 8 hours is beyond!! I could have created a dress, read a book, gone to the gym, tried a new recipe, started a painting, the list is endless. We have all these gadgets that are supposed to make us work smarter, be better, do better but I think all they do is make us more attached to them. Somewhere in Silicon Valley, someone is working on an algorithm or a new app to get us even more addicted to our phones. For a brief second, I thought of getting a flip phone, like Adele on Hello. That way I could minimise my obsession with my smart phone and focus on the meaningful “Hello’s” Be more present. Enjoy more actual conversations with Human beings and not the ones on my phone screen.
I came up with five simple ways to help me get my priorities in check. It all starts when you wake up. How you handle that moment sets a precedence for the rest of your day.
Have a to do list every morning that does not include my phone. I am a creature of habit. If I do not write it it won't happen. So every night before my head hits the pillow, I jot down things to do the following day. In my note book!
Start a side project. I enjoy painting. I could sketch just about anything that comes to mind, a shoe, my breakfast, the tree outside my room. Art before breakfast sounds like a plan.
Read more. This involves an actual book, not a book in my kindle app. There's always something to learn, ways to discover new things. Or even improve my writing. Reading will do that.
Go for a run. - Endorphins will have me bouncing off the walls. Yup.
Delete all that shit! All social media apps though? Possible, but I have a blog that requires social media engagement. Perhaps I should zero down to two apps. I am still debating on this. Wish me well.
I am pretty much thinking this out as I go. Trying to squeeze in a little 97 essence into 2017. I do not have answers but I would like to do better. Be conscious of how I spend my time. I will give you an update say in two on how these few steps I have taken are helping me out. I do not know if you are struggling with anything at the moment but where there is a will, there is a way. You just have to start and stay focused. Get The Moment app on your phone. Let me know what you think. Also, please let me know how YOU stay productive.
My agenda for tomorrow is lined up. Wish me well .. :)
This post has happened courtesy of my other office, my bed, with the computer on an inverted drawer turned Laptop table. I do a lot of writing on my bed so I wanted to capture them in my natural state, sans pants. Shout out to the Home Science classes I took in high school. Who knew all that prop work would come in handy years later.
GOOD MORNING
I love a good story. Curiosity got the best of me last night and made me look up the story behind one of the most popular days of the year. It is hailed the superbowl of romance. A day named after a priest who was executed because he performed marriage vows to young lovers. This was a big deal since at the time, the Emperor was building an army of men. Unattached men. The dudes never signed up because they were attached to their lady loves and others refused to join this army of men since they were married and were afraid to leave their families without a papa. The Emperor decreed that marriages were illegal so he could focus on his Bachelor army. Despite the decree, the priest would perform the marriage vows in secret. Unfortunately, dude was caught, tortured and jailed. His execution date was just another ordinary day on the calendar. That day was February 14th. He wrote a letter to his lady friend before they hacked off his head. He signed off simply, “your Valentine.”
Tomorrow is not an ordinary day. Flowers will be purchased, dinners will be consumed in fancy restaurants under dimly lit lights. Chocolates and roses bought to reflect love and passion and little notes will be penned “your valentine.” No one will be beheaded. Thank God! But if amnesia gets the best off you after the numerous commercials and extensive marketing ploys to lure your hard earned money, you my friend, might find yourself on the chopping block. You are on your own.
If you are single, you might be dreading this day because everything around you will remind you of how single you are. Red roses everywhere by the counter from your neighbourhood Duane reade to the dollar store. The dollar store may have plastic flowers but it’s the thought that counts. You can’t walk a few block without seeing relatives of TED staring at you. Small Ted, Big Ted, Gigantic Ted, Siamese Ted, Pink Ted, Red Ted, Ted with a rose, even Ted who talks. Their eyes wide, dark, with a eerie expression. Ted will have a made in China tag. If you happen to lock yourself indoors to avoid seeing red costumes on the streets, your phone, that gadget on your hand will not spare you. Countless images from your instagram and facebook timeline will constantly pop up, blurry pictures of filet mignon or some homemade pasta will adorn your screen accompanied with mushy sappy messages streaming like final movie credits.
But there is one story that is never told. It’s not in a book because it is still being written. This is your story. Your love story to be exact. Your story is filled with numerous characters that you come across in life but the fascinating story is the one you have with yourself. How you love yourself sets the tone for all the other relationships in your life. Being single at one time meant that no one wanted you. Today, we scoff at that assumption and proceed to live our best lives. Instead of taking a peek on your phone to read or check other people's stories. Take yourself to the movies. Get an amazing massage. Buy yourself flowers. Often. Enjoy dinner, solo. Table for one, yes please. Go the museum, stare at canvases. Eat that cupcake. You deserve it. Fall in love with taking care of yourself. Embrace the glorious mess that you are. The best commitment you will ever make, is making yourself better. That should be a bestseller anyone would want to read!
So whether you have someone buying you roses or buying them for damn yourself. Here's to celebrating you. Attached or single everyday is your day. Make it extraordinary.
THE DANCER
Sunday evening, I walked into the train and sat right by the door. The train stopped on the next stop and a couple of people walked in. The last person to walk in was a young man with a mini stereo system. He must have been from Detroit or Chicago - we are all from somewhere in this city. He was about 6 foot tall, skinny with long arms. He was wearing a grey t shirt with navy sleeves probably from old navy, black pants and black Air jordans which we scuffed on the sides and on the top. He wore a smile on his face, with a cap perched slightly on the left on his head.
As the train doors shut, he excused himself and he said he wanted to bless the train people with a dance. The guy sitted next to me glanced at his phone and pressed the buttons on his phone a couple of times then adjusted his head phones. The lady in a burgundy shawl sitting across for me scooted her back on her sit and folded her arms eyes on Mr.Detroit.
The young man fussed with his stereo and a minute later, Justin Timberlake was crooning “Gone” and he was off. He pirouetted on the train like usher, moonwalked like Michael Jackson while waving his arms left to right. The arm wave reminded me of the car wash balloons with flailing arms. His feet retreated back and forth in different motions, sliding and twisting adding more scuffs to his Air Jordans. His legs at someone point looked like they had been dislocated from the body. I was mesmerized by this performance. When the train pulled up at the next stop, the young man danced his way out. I wondered if he had decided to leave us mid performance but right before the doors closed he flew back in as if he had forgotten something. He grabbed one of the poles and hang on to it for dear life, unwound himself and continued pirouetting to the front of the car and back. His arms waving like ribbons in the wind. He made it look effortless. As Justin Timberlake crooned his last note, he slowed down to robot like motions then came to a halt.
He started clapping for his damn self then some of us joined in. A drop of sweat was trickling down from under his hat as he picked up his stereo and stood still.
“Thank you guys for giving me your attention, stay positive and be blessed.” he said. “ And remember that as long as you have have a breath, life’s always a test. Follow your dreams.”
He walked out at the next stop.
I thought about him as the train slowly careened off from the platform. The confidence, his aura, him smiling while scuffing his shoes as he danced. The dancer made me think of the many people in this city, who come here to pursue their dreams. They sing on subways, dance on platforms, drum and pipe tunes without a care in the world.
We learn something everyday, what I learnt that sunday evening would be summarised by this philosopher, historian and author who at one time lived in the woods, for two years.
“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you've imagined.” Henry David Thoreau
