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  • 7 Things to Improve your Mental Health

    Things to improve your mental health are as easy to come by as things needed to improve your physical health.

    Once you notice any sign of weakness in your body, or any symptom of sickness, the first thing you do is, make a run for medications, prescriptions, exercise, anything to heal your body and make you healthy, but when it comes to your mental health, it becomes extremely difficult to take care of it.

    There are a lot of physically fit people with mental health issues on the streets.

    Why?

    Because, the same attention you’ve given to your body has not been given to your mind. Also, there are those who don’t even take care of both their body and mind as should.

    The fact remains that taking care of your mental health is not difficult. The things to improve your mental health are very easy to come by. All it takes is your determination and consistency, which becomes hard part.

    I’m not here to give a pep talk to a grown adult on the importance of mental health and why you should be consistently prioritizing it, because if you as an adult, (18+) do not know the importance of your mental health, then you are sleeping. (Tell that to some Nigerian Parents)

    It would baffle you to know that, some Nigerians still perceive a toll in mental health as madness. Shameful!

    If you’re reading this and you’re one of those Nigerians, then your thinking is far from the truth. Such perception is vague and misleading.

    Signs that Your Mental Health has Taken a Toll

    1. Anxiety

    2. Overthinking

    3. Toxicity

    4. Insomnia

    5. Lack of Gratitude

    6. No self worth and self love

    7. Depression

    8. Jumpiness and Anxiousness

    9. Bad eating habit

    10. Distancing yourself from others.

    Its easy to experience all of these things because life presents situations that make you anxious, pain that make you depressed, toxic people that try to rub their toxicity on you and fear that makes you jumpy. (Sarmlife shared something helpful on Anxiety you should see) The key is to listen to your body, and mind to know when these things get out of hand. And when they do, that’s when you know its time do things to improve your mental health.

    This is where the Mental health help guide come in. It’s important that you are aware of these 7 things to improve your mental health and apply it in your everyday life.

    7 Things to Improve Your Mental Health.

    Overcome Triggers

    Triggers are events, experiences or other stimulus that initiates a traumatic memory or action in a person. If you were abandoned as a child, any form of rejection can trigger that traumatic experience again. There by giving you reasons to respond to it. Avoiding triggers can do so little, but overcoming triggers lies the real gain. You can overcome triggers by;

    • Reminding yourself that its all in your head.
    • Reminding yourself that you can control it.
    • Not responding to its effect on you by not letting it overwhelm you.
    • Understanding that such traumatic event cannot affect your present. Affirming that Good things will come.

    Love Yourself

    We are all imperfect beings with flaws, weaknesses, and deficiencies, and you are one of those people. Perfect in imperfection. Love yourself. Be kind to yourself. Respect yourself enough to not look down on yourself. Spoil yourself. Tell yourself sweet things. A friend posted on his status yesterday saying, “I’m so happy because I first fell in love with myself.”

    Reading that alone brought tears to my eyes,  because there’s an undisputed amount of happiness that come with loving yourself and it is one of those things to improve your mental heath that I love so much. Self love is gold.

    Take care of your body

    Taking care of your physical body as one of the things to improve your mental health works like magic. Things like:

    •Exercising
    •Eating well
    •Avoiding alcohol and drugs
    •Drinking plenty of water
    •Sleeping and resting well
    •Engaging in hobbies
    •Having fun exercises

    Meditate

    Meditating connects your mind with your surrounding. It opens your mind to positive possibilities. It stretches your mind to see more than what has or is happenening around you. It calms your nerves and refreshes your soul. It organizes your thoughts. It takes away the feeling of fatigue and allows your mind to see more, to ponder upon situations in a collected way and to build positive growth reflections.

    Journal

    I call Journaling every ones best friend. Sometimes I hear people say “but how can I just be writing anything on a book.” That is the purpose journaling. To show you that there is something in your nothing. Journaling helps you make sense of the senseless. Putting them down on a journal, and writing all your feelings and thoughts helps you clear your head. Let me also add what I shared In my last post on Journaling, “Write on your journal regularly, your thoughts, actions, plans, ideas or just how you spend everyday. Go back and read it, you’d be amazed at the things that would begin to unravel.”

    Be around good people

    Good family and friends are one of the things to improve your mental health. Good people who share good values like you are such a rare blessing. If you know them, hold on to them. Surround yourself with them. They would be a source of encouragment, love, support, and care on those days when your mental health detoriates. Don’t push them away or deny them the right to love and comfort you.

    Seek Help

    This can be a difficult part for some people. Although, there are few others who would shamelessly ask for help. Please be among those few others. I get that you may not want to burden someone else with your issues, but dear, there are people who can handle it. A counselor, (Guardian angel offers free counselling ) a therapist, a specialist in the area, a mentor or someone you respect. Just seek help.

    I hope that you’d take these 7 things to improve your mental health guide seriously anytime you begin to feel down mentally. So, bookmark this post and share with your friends and loves ones.

    Happy Mental Health Week.

  • 10 Interesting Facts About Abuja

    There are interesting facts about Abuja that may or may not be interesting to you but are important we discuss about.

    Eagle square

    Having visited 21 states in the country and 15 more states left to achieve my travel goals of visiting the complete 36 states of the federation, I was excited about coming to Abuja, the federal capital territory of Nigeria for the first time.

    It has been one of my travel goals for 2021 and it’s beautiful how surprisingly, everything went smoothly. I packed my bags with my travel necessities ( if you know me, I don’t miss packing my travel must have’s for any trip) and began this journey.

    My exact thought was “its time to find out what is so special about this city that everyone has been making noise about.” And well, I didnt know I was in for a big surprise. laughs

    The interesting facts about Abuja I thought I knew from hearsays was not a fact at all. (E shock me)

    I was welcomed with clean air. Ah! Coming from portharcourt, clean air is a blessing since all we breathe in is polluted air. God help us! I mean my nostrils obeyed the calling of nature and opened its wide door to receive this breath of fresh air. It was absolutely soothing.

    I still dream about the Kunu aya (permit the spelling) I drank on my first day there. Fresh, rich, well packaged, completely natural and very affordable. A treat indeed! Also their street food which is; jellof beans and roasted yam with bole stew is a delight to enjoy. If you’re a lover of street food like me, just eat this food and you’d feel like staying in Abuja.

    I visited a lot of places like Wuse, Apo, Nyanya, Gwarimpa, Utako, Jahi, Katampe, Jabi, Jabi lake, and so on. I understand that my one week stay is not enough to judge a city that has existed for decades and their lifestyle. Yet, these interesting facts about Abuja, however good or bad is from a tourist point of view with a passion for traveling and a keen eye for details, so I do believe that you’d trust my judgment.

    These interesting facts about Abuja to be shared would stand as a guide, a watch word, if Abuja is a place you’d want to visit or live in the near future.

    Let’s get on to it.

    The Atrium Restaurant Utako

    10 Interesting Facts About Abuja

    1. Abuja is a well planned City. Abuja is not like Okirika where they just started any building that came to mind and called it a house. haha The city of Abuja began with a plan. An infastructural blueprint. No house was there by mistake. Not sure about the suburbs but Abuja Central was built with a plan hence the beauty, the gardens, the roadmap, the art.
    2. I love how the transporters, even the uneducated ones would speak English or pidgin first before they transition to Hausa in order to make communication easy for anyone. Throughout my stay I did nor have to shout at any driver or bike man that I wasn’t fluent with Hausa. This is a very good point for tourists. Not like Akwaibom that even when you tell them you don’t hear the language they would still rub it on your face.
    3. Transporters are probably the richest in Abuja. Ha! These guys are making money. One small place 200 naira. They would use their tongue to say “Its very far.” to lure you. But once you hop in, you’d realize it wasn’t far at all. Just get ready to spend all your money on transportation in this city.
    4. One of the many interesting facts about Abuja is that, this place is not for mad people. Even the drivers and keke pilots are civilized. Keep your craziness in Lagos, Warri and Portharcourt. Don’t bring it here or you’d be put to shame. Don’t shout. Don’t make noise. Don’t argue or fight oh. Don’t say I did not warn you.
    5. This city is boring. Everyone is minding their business. Sometimes a simple act at socializing can be misunderstood for something else. Although the city has a bubbling night life especially around Wuse area but If you don’t have cool friends and do not know your way around, then its going to be a dull & boring ride for you.
    6. Abuja is surprisingly Safe. hahahaha let me give you gist. When I was at “The Atrium Restaurant” at Utako for lunch and I needed to go get my friend, the waiter said “oh leave your bag.” I was like What? “Nooo.” He laughed out loud. “I understand but you can really leave your bag. Nothing would happen to it.” I was just shaking my head, it’s like this guy is high? (Make them move my phone and money.) How would I come back home if they stole my things? laughs Anyways, I did as he said and damn, my things were intact. I ended up leaving my stuffs behind every time I wanted to step out. Such freedom and security was beautiful to experience. Even when I was out late at night in Jabi, there was no street criminal out to threaten or rob you. Nobody got time for such rubbish in Abuja.
    1. Northerners have no knowledge about business at all. pouts An Igbo man with a small shop in Abuja would make more money from 7am to 10am in the morning while the average Northern man is still snoring. Kai! See me strolling to the market by few minutes to eight o’clock, only to find out that most shops were locked. (My friend warned me but I didn’t listen) But the Igbo man in the street I stay in, was open since 7am and had made over five thousand naira sales on provision that early morning. No wonder they strive everywhere. Well, I wish the northerners were a little business smart.
    2. Abuja is beautiful and homely. Abuja fine. Ah! Forget it. If you are a lover of nature then Abuja is blessed with it. If you’re a creative person then just carry your foam and live there. A lot of inspiration. A wide vast of creativity. A cool source of spirituality. And a flare of peace and tranquility. As long as you don’t get pressured by the wealthy.
    3. Abuja has a lot of enchanting places to visit. This is one of the many interesting facts about Abuja that is for tourists. From the many eye watering restaurants to the bristos, gallery, museums, garden, hotels, lounge, lake and more. TripAdvisor curated best places to visit in Abuja that may interest you. I also believe that, there are more places that you’d have to discover on your own as it is a large State.
    4. Abuja is an expensive place to live. This city’s lifestyle is not for a manager. laughs Till now I’m still calculating how my money finished. shocked To enjoy the goodness and graciousness of this city, you’d have to live comfortably and you can’t achieve that without a sustainable cash flow. In fact, no young person should think of living alone without a steady reasonable source of income monthly. Particularly I enjoyed staying in Jahi as it is easily accessible to anywhere in Abuja. The reason I could visit so many places in a short time was because I was staying at Jahi. And fortunately, Jahi is one of the less expensive part of Abuja Central for housing and accommodation. A self contain apartment goes for three hundred to five hundred thousand a year. An average price for accommodation at Maitama, Wuse, Garki, etc. (Check this article to read more on places to live in Abuja) If you’re visiting, cool. If you’re thinking of relocating like me, please fill your pockets. (Please ask for my account details) haha
    Jabi Lake

    Debunking some Myths About Abuja

    Having seen the interesting facts about Abuja, you’ve probably also heard of some things about Abuja that you believed were true but really isn’t in reality. Now is the time to debunk those myths.

    1. There are bikes in Abuja. In fact, a lot of bikes.
    2. Keke is a boss in Abuja. Don’t be deceived. Keke runs in the main towns in Abuja as well. Except for a few specific highways.
    3. There is also traffic in Abuja. Not as intense as other states like Lagos. But if you think there is no traffic in Abuja then you better repeat the first sentence till it sinks in.
    4. The road is smooth.
    5. Even the suburbs is clean
    6. Only perishable foodstuffs are cheap. Other food items and basic items are very expensive.
    7. There are poor people in Abuja as well. Poor people are everywhere sadly.
    8. Everyone is not fake in Abuja. There are no fake people. When did people who live comfortable and luxurious life become fake people?

    My question is why aren’t you traveling? Money? I have a guide on “traveling on a budget in Nigeria” you should see. Time? – you can always create time with proper planning. Stress? Traveling has been made easy with some mode of transport.

    Traveling is therapeutic. It refreshes your mind and eases your soul. It reminds you of the beauty of life and makes you see the life of others through gratitude. It exposes you to different culture and lifestyle. Brings you closer to nature and people.

    If Abuja is one of those places you plan on visiting or residing in, I hope this article has helped you establish some ground truths beneficial for your travel.

    All the best.

    Please leave me a comment.
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  • 10 Bad Days Scriptures to Get You Through Bad Days

    Are you having bad days? I bet you are or once were. Truth is, I also have bad days. Who doesn’t?

    Sometimes we worry, sometimes the office gets toxic, sometimes parenting becomes stressful, sometimes working becomes draining, sometimes rest seems far fetched, sometimes we are faced with stumbling blocks, sometimes memories of that trauma haunts you again, sometimes something triggers the pain of losing that person, and sometimes even adulthood alone stresses the hell out of you.

    And the crazy part is that, on those bad days we lash out, transfer aggression, become quiet, overthink, talk about it, call a therapist, get treated but we seldom seek Gods words.

    His scriptures have been designed to be there for us on those bad days when all we can see is the evil and ugly. On those dark days his words have been written to lighten our lives. On those bad days his words are there to reassure us that everything is not over.

    That there is more. That its okay to have bad days but its not the end. That bad days and challenges are part of the ball game but good days and winning is guaranted.

    His words have brought comfort and peace to me and so many other people round the globe.

    For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
    Hebrews 4:12

    So when you do go through those unexpected bad days, remember his word, lean on these scriptures, meditate on them and let the life in these words bring you solace. They’ve been my guide & source of peace on those troubling days and I believe that its going to be the same for you.

    10 Scriptures to Help You Through Bad Days

    2 Corinthians 4:8-9

    We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
    Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

    Ecclesiastes 7:14

    In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.

    2 Corinthians 12:9

    And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.

    Psalms 121:1-2

    I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
    My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.

    Romans 8:28

    And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose.

    Exodus 14:14

    The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

    Romans 5:3-4

    And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
    And patience, experience; and experience, hope.

    John 14:27

    Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

    1 Peter 5:7

    Casting all your care upon him; for he cares for you.

    Isaiah 41:10

    Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

    Know these scriptures. Meditate on them.
    I truly pray that these scriptures would come alive in your situation and give you more good days than bad days.

    Did you find this helpful? What are some of your favorite scriptures that encourage you on bad days? Share in the comment.

    Read here to learn how to wish for things from God