Chika Jonah Writes

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  • GUEST POST: Simplicity is underrated and complexity is overrated

    Our featured guest writer this week is CHINWE NWAGU

    Chinwe Nwagu is a Storyteller and Creative writer whose main goal is to light and give hope to people regardless of how little via storytelling. She is passionate about letting you know the power in your voice and the need to utilize it.
    She is the author of the book ROYALTY; a fictional faith based story available for free download.

    Connect with her on

    Instagram : @chinwe.writes
    Twitter: @chinwewrites

    Here is what Chinwe says;

    Ever been in a random conversation and people are trying to pass a message of who they are and what their brands represent and the next thing, boom; you realize that the person is so good because he or she has used a few grammar thereby sounds so complex and unbothered. Then the next minute when you sit to figure out who you are, why you are here and why you do what you do; you seem to sound so off and not good enough, not to anyone though, but to yourself.


    Why?


    Because you feel like you don’t sound good enough like the previous guy and not as complex as the girl before you, you realize that your story isn’t strong enough.


    The truth is if you want to sound as complex as others, then pick up a dictionary and throw at us a wild range of vocabulary.
    But let me ask you though; who ever said complexity is the perfect way to sound relevant?


    Simplicity is underrated and complexity is overrated. We live in a world where we are unconsciously legalizing “sound so complex and be regarded as a brainbox or sound so complex and be seen as a boss”


    Do you know what happens when the goal is to sound unnecessarily complex?
    You lose majority of your audience; nobody has the time to pick up Oxford because you are speaking.
    Instead of sounding relatable and connecting to your audience, you become the major contributor of their throbbing head ache


    If you’ve lost your audience and have become their major headache, your message doesn’t get delivered.


    Growing up, I hated the question; who are you? Not because I couldn’t answer but because everyone around me once they answered, they sounded so confident and complex to me. I wondered how they could answer such a small question in a very built and complex way and I wanted to sound so much like them even just a tiny bit.


    The untold truth you are unaware of is that the people you want to sound like do not even think they sound so complex, to them they are simple and they answered the question in the simplest way to their self and to others. What you are in-fact seeing, is the strut they exhibited in answering that question.


    Listen, no one will harm you for coming off simple. If you can best define it in simple terms then by all means go ahead and if you can do complexity then jump on it. No one ever said the most trusted and serious set of people are those who throw in a million and one vocabularies; it is certainly a myth.


    Listen the goal is not to sound and be like others. Ever read the scripture that Jesus Christ read in the synagogue that simplified his calling?
    You may want to read it again (Luke 4:18-21). A six year old will be able to understand that scripture because of how simplified Jesus was about His why and Purpose, and you know what’s more interesting; it’s the fact that even King James Version simplified it. And you are worried about sounding so simple. (Smiles)


    Hear me, if it’s much better in simple terms then don’t kill yourself, stick to your simplicity.

    Thank you for reading. Please drop your thoughts in the comment. Love xoxo

  • 2 THINGS LOSS DOES TO A PERSON AND HOW TO CHANGE THE RESULT

    The first effect of lost is the absence of something or someone that was originally in that space.

    When you withdraw the sum of ten thousand naira to solve some impending issues and then when you get home, you deep your hand into your picket or handbag only to find out that the money is no longer there.

    A gap is instantly created. Emotionally and physically. Physically that money is no longer there and you can’t wrap your head as to how it happened. Emotionally it becomes hard to accept, because this was your hard earned money, your brain takes you back to the sweat and griding it took to make that money. Then it reminds you that its gone and the impending issue you had can no longer be solved. It gets worse, because now everything becomes less pleasant.

    The money lost and gone.
    The problem still present and unsolved.

    This is the feeling of loss. A gap is instantly created that you never planned for. There is a pain in your chest that you can’t get rid off.

    The aftermath of this experience drives you to live in two uncertain ways. Which are;

    1. TOWARDS LIFE

    Once something as sudden as the going of a loved one happens, you begin to imagine why and how something like that can happen to someone so full of life. Then it hits you. The realization that the same thing can also happen to you. That tomorrow is unsure. That this moment can be everything you have. Once this sink in, you begin to see life in a different light. You question why you are even suffering all this? Who the money in your account is for.

    At this point you are beginning to see the value of truly living in the moment. But the excessiveness of your traumatic emotions can push you to live in that same light.

    You can wake up the next day withdraw all the money you have without thinking twice, because now that reason why you were saving that money doesn’t matter anymore.

    The next thing you are on a shopping spree, or on a road trip, or partying with your friends, flexing like your life depends on it You begin to do all the things you haven’t done before. After all, you cannot suffer and die and leave all that money for someone else laughs

    It can also be the mindset that connects you to estranged family members and friends. You reconnect with your loved ones and be committed to making your relationship from that day a good one, because now you understand that the future is uncertain.

    1. TOWARDS DEATH

    Yes you heard right. It starts with dying slowly mentally, then your body taking its toll, then destroying your life before finally giving up and dying physically.
    For the first five months of my grief. I was in this category. I was inviting death. My thought was “is it not death again, oya come na. I’m waiting” But death did not come.

    But I was dying slowly every time I became a bitch, every time I pushed everyone away from me. From the time I stopped praying and didn’t consider God worthy of stepping in.

    This time, you can’t see anything good or hopeful anymore. All you see is a pool of darkness and gradually you pull themselves into that darkness. Either you befriend alcohol, drugs, crime or the wrong company. You become self destructive. Determined to destroy yourself. You feel that faith and hope are just some empty words from a senseless person.

    In this category you live to destroy yourself, you just want to join that person or drown with that failed business or lost container or that millions that was scammed from you. You would prefer to die than handle the mess. Than face your emotions. Than feel the mountain of pain in your heart.

    ***

    The downside of this two side is the knowing when to stop. The bad part of the first one is that you can make some very costly mistakes that would cost a lot to recover from in the name of living life. And the bad part of the second one is that you are conciously putting your family through the ordeal of seeing you that way, and you would always see yourself as a weak man.

    HERE IS WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

    It is alright to feel all this way. We all grief differently. Sometimes it pushes you to live. Other times it pushes you to die.

    You should know that, this is how your brain respond to pain

    In CHEMICAL HEARTS movie, it says

    “Love is a chemical reaction that comes and goes, so is lost and heartbreak”. (You should watch the movie if you haven’t. Check the review here)

    The same way it came it can go too. It only takes time.

    When shit happens to you, it triggers your brain and tightens your chest because now something has changed. You body now desperately searches for feel-good chemicals to return it back to normal.

    Those feel good chemicals come from love, good people around you, hope and motivation to live. You should embrace them

    Just know that whichever way that pain, grief, loss drives you to; Regret is waiting for you in the end.

    Don’t do anything that would make you regret your choice. Embrace the light in Gods word to help you overcome it all.

    Ever lost someone or something? How did you handle it? Share in the comment

  • HAVE YOU TRIED USING CONFIDENCE?

    “Use confidence to get the end result of your game.” A voice whispered to me

    “Use confidence to get the end result of your game.”I heard again

    “Use confidence….” I woke up startled and looked around. No one was there. I listened if I would hear mummy’s voice but after waiting for a few seconds I heard nothing.

    “Use confidence…” I was repeating the words i heard in soft mumbles, when it sank in. “Oh my God.” I muttered. It was not a man’s voice. It was Gods.

    I became instantly alert. I kept repeating those words because I didn’t want to forget them. I was happy and perplexed. I was happy because I had been too distracted lately that it was hard to hear his gentle whispers and I was perplexed because for the first time in a long time, I woke up to the voice of God. It was not just his revelations in my dreams, or his scripture in my mouth. It was his voice pushing me up and leaving we with words on my mouth and head, never to be forgotten.

    I didn’t know what else to do. I stood up and kept wondering what he was trying to say. To use confidence.

    He was telling me to use confidence. Confidence was an answer to the result I was seeking.

    I turned to look at the time and realized I had less time on my hands. I needed to go to work this morning. And cook before that.

    So by seven fifteen I was in the kitchen preparing pasta for work. And my head wasn’t in one place.
    My hands may have been chopping the onion but my head was thinking on how much of what God said was true.

    I was lacking confidence. I wasn’t confident enough to talk to some clients I hoped to have. I wasn’t confident enough to open up about my feelings. I wasn’t confident enough to share something I have been keeping to myself for a long time. I recognized there was a shit load of things I wasn’t confident about even when I pretend I was. I bet everyone in the world thinks Chika is the most confident and bold person they’ve ever met. Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you. Now you know I’m not.

    These words may also be for you.
    If I’m battling with the same thing and God decided to jolt me up with his voice like a bolt of lightening, then I’m sure one person here, also needs to hear this if not more. Which is why I decided to share it with you, my babies.

    You may have everything but be lacking in confidence. Which may be the only reason why you haven’t gotten the result you desire.

    Confidence pushes you to tread on the path of the unknown and gives you victory.
    Confidence sees only strengths not weakness.
    Confidence walks you into the road of uncertainties and yields results for you.
    Confidence drives you into rough ridges and bumps and still takes you to your destination.

    If confidence is what is lacking then start using it. Ask God for the grace. Believe that you can and act on it. Trust your efforts and don’t let anyone look down on it. Remind yourself that you are the best.

    You’ve grinded, you’ve hustled, you’ve prayed, you’ve put everything in place, now its time you use confidence to end the game and get your result.

    If the voice of God isn’t enough motivation and direction for you, then I don’t know what else would.

    Were you inspired?
    Share your thoughts in the comment