Akosua Dardaine Edwards's Blog, page 110

Self Confidence Redefined

You must maintain unwavering faith that you can and will prevail in the end, regardless of the difficulties, AND at the same time, have the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be . James Collins

The Make Muse Magazine provided me the opportunity to share lessons on the Journey on Self Confidence. I defined or redefined it how I believed it to be

Self Confidence redefined as:Knowing that there is no one way to do anything – looking at alternative methods of achieving, doing and living. Failing forward – using failure as feedback rather than a reason to stop. Listening to their Intuition and being guided by it despite how it looks or sounds to others. Being nudged by the messages received through intuition even if it makes absolutely no sense!Using non-traditional financing methods – women entrepreneurs are masters of this. On many occasions, traditional financing institutions either flatly refuse to extend credit, or believe the risk is too high to invest and choose to not extend financing. Because of these and many other circumstances women are not able to access credit, venture capital funding and loans. Women find a way to fund their enterprises despite these challenges. Using non-traditional partners and allies – corporation over competition. Rather than compete in the traditional sense, there is more of a thrust to work with those already existing in the space.Believing that there is always a way through no matter how it looks.Sharing the vision openly – the ability to share the vision without fear and reservation. Everyone involved is given a clear picture of what the vision is, what the goal is. It is easily and simply communicated. Being open to sharing, being passionate and most importantly being authentic.Expressing all their feelings without fear or favor
Read the full article hereSelf Confidence Redefined

Peace

It's the Little Things

Be open to inspiration anytime, anywhere.  Cleo Wade

I was sitting in the porch, doing the usual morning ritual of eating breakfast and writing in the journal that I keep. As I sat there eating a mango, a bird flew in and looked like it was begging for a taste, I looked at the bird, it seemed deathy afraid of coming close to me or the plate. The bird advanced for a while then decided, no, she maybe too scary to approach frontal and all!
The bird flew away, I thought, oh dear, maybe I can leave a piece of mango on the porch and the bird will return. Just as I was about to the bird returned - with a new strategy. The bird flew directly on the table and picked the mango and flew away
I thought for a moment about how I approach my own "scary tasks" I fly away and sometimes hardly ever return! I was immediately inspired by what this bird did

Go away for a minute, regroup and fly back with an unstoppable courage!
How many times do we miss the opportunity to be inspired by little things because we are somewhere else mentaly, worrying about what we must do, have to do, cannot do, will not do, don't want to do- all in the future which none of us know for certain as the present moment is all that we have for sure!
I'd bet right now one of you is thinking about another time- past or present
Today, I am taking the opportunity to be present and look at the little things, who knows what I may discover or uncover

Peace

Have you read any of Akosua's work?What Did I Learn Today? Lessons on the Journey to Unconditional Self LoveNyabo (Madam) - Why Are You Here?Daily Lessons on the Journey - A Journal
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Almost everything starts small

Everything you eventually do in your life happens because of tiny moments. But for some reason, when it comes to creating your future, tiny is no longer acceptable. Maxie McCoy

Start small. 
Start small and build.
Start small and believe.
Start small and know
because planting seeds take time, it takes patience and it takes doing the work.

How many times have we started:

the dietthe bookthe businessthe relationshipthe projectthe programmethe friendshipand we want it to be grand immediately? We want immediate results!The diet is one week old, no weight is falling off- you stop!The business plan is just finished - the profits are low or non existent- you stop!
How many times we put a time limit on our growth?It must be done by a particular time,Yes, we have learnt about goals being clear and time bound. However, there are times when our timing is layered with doubt and anxiety, with people pleasing, with guilt. If that is the case then what happens is any progress can be looked at as not enough, as too small, as slow!
We don't want to be in that moment where there is growth, where there is discomfort because there is nothing to show for it. Nothing to show others. When we tell others we are doing something or declare it to the world and they ask how is it going - there is nothing concrete to show.It takes 9 months before the baby comesThe oak tree takes a whileshort crops takes a short whileTrust the processsMaybe hush a little bit and just do the workKeep doing the small tasks as they add upand believe
Peace

Have you read any of Akosua's work?What Did I Learn Today? Lessons on the Journey to Unconditional Self LoveNyabo (Madam) - Why Are You Here?Daily Lessons on the Journey - A Journal
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Branding..

Obsessing over "on brand" stunts your growth . Because if you stay the same, you're not expanding. Find a happy balance between staying true to yourself,and evolving into who you still can be. And that person may or may not feel "on brand" with the you of today. Maxie McCoy


There are a few people who tell me that " you are your brand" 
I get a little anxious about it, why? because brand to me denotes so much capitalism and inauthenticity. Yes, I know that perception is a choice that I have made and I can make another choice. A brand to me also signifies being static at any point in time.

So this offering of what brand is by Maxie made me smile and pointed me to making another choice.

I can decide what my brand is, I can decide what it is based on, the pillars, the representation, the growth. The brand can even be called something different. I get to chose.
Once I let this sink in I let go of the anxiety of "having and protecting the brand" becomes less and less.

This frees me up

Peace

Have you read any of Akosua's work?What Did I Learn Today? Lessons on the Journey to Unconditional Self LoveNyabo (Madam) - Why Are You Here?Daily Lessons on the Journey - A Journal
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Keeping it all in?

Creativity deferred or denied morphs into guilt, shame, rage, depression, anxiety, envy and jealousy, among other things. We are made to create. When we aren’t creating, we feel powerless; and, in our powerlessness, we become destructive — to ourselves and others. Hiro Boga


What have you been postponing? What are the things that are inside of you screaming to come out?
What are you stopping yourself from making, creating, coming out because:
I'm too old
I'm too big
I'm too small
I have no money
I have no support
My family will not understand
The bills will not be paid
The economy
yada yada yada

What are you denying yourself from doing because?
1. Travelling
2. Painting
3. Writing
4. Cooking
and the list goes on

Listen, start something, anything, start small because what is inside of you is waiting to come out, and when it gets trapped inside the consequences are enormous. It will kill you, literally!
Trust me!
Let it out
Create or
Die

Peace

Have you read any of Akosua's work?What Did I Learn Today? Lessons on the Journey to Unconditional Self LoveNyabo (Madam) - Why Are You Here?Daily Lessons on the Journey - A Journal
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What I have learnt about Purpose

Purpose, in this sense, is a pathway built into our DNA, one that is both revealed and traversed through our everyday choices and actions. It’s the pattern that our souls hold for the perfect unfolding of each of our lives.
Or, to reach for a different metaphor, purpose is the fulcrum to which we apply the lever of our genius, willingness and power to create the shapes of our lives, the shape of our world .Hiro Boga

There are many theories about on what is our purpose and how one ought to go about "finding" it.
The ones that resonates with me the most are the simple ones - y'all know I am a simple gal.
Your purpose ought to bring you joy - I'm digging that one!
Your purpose is what you were born to do, something, however large or small, that you do well - I'm digging this one as well

I have learnt that your purpose does not have to be this grand thing, if it serves with love, grace and joy just one person, that is enough!
I have also learnt that our purpose is not static and can change with time. It can grow, it can recalibrate, it ought not to hold you hostage.
I have learnt not to compare your purpose with anyone else's we all have a unique one to fulfill
I have learnt that living on purpose may not look or seem logical to others, it may not ever satisfy the status quo, it may be challenging but when it is realised it is the best thing ever!

Peace
Have you read any of Akosua's work?What Did I Learn Today? Lessons on the Journey to Unconditional Self LoveNyabo (Madam) - Why Are You Here?Daily Lessons on the Journey - A Journal
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Asking Involves More than Only Asking

 “The great secret of getting what you want from life is to know what you want and believe you can have it.” —Norman Vincent Peale
A friend of mine said to me that "You get what you ask for"  I believe that with all my heart. It was a reminder that asking involves more than saying it out loud to the person that you want that particular thing from.
Asking for what you want is:
1. Believing in the request
2. Having patience
3. Aligning thought, words and deeds
4. Being Flexible

It makes absolutely no sense to ask for something and your thoughts and actions are in direct contravention of it!
It also defeats the purpose when we ask for something and not believe we will be sucessful, sometimes the response does not look like what we had in mind, this is where the flexibility comes in and the faith.

I asked the Universe to work with women and young women. I had something totally different in mind, but when I got over myself I realised that I am working with women and girls, not in the way I envisioned it in my mind, but who is to say this is not a stepping stone to that
To dismiss what I am doing right now to say "nah sah, this is not exactly the way I planned it" would be ungrateful, to put it quite bluntly!

I learnt that keeping an open mind and believing are essential ingredients in this art of asking for what we want!
Peace


Have you read any of Akosua's work?What Did I Learn Today? Lessons on the Journey to Unconditional Self LoveNyabo (Madam) - Why Are You Here?Daily Lessons on the Journey - A Journal
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Speak it Kindly

Choose to speak the truth. Speak it kindly, fiercely, clearly. Without equivocation. Unattached to outcome. Speak it because the body of truth is sacred. It needs no veiling or adornment. It simply is. Hiro Boga

There is a school of thought that says once the truth is being spoken it can be delivered in any way, be it harsh or cruel, or sharp. So those who follow that school speak the thruth, or their truth in a manner in which they take no consequences.

How do you speak your truth?
Do you speak it harshly?
Do you speak it kindly?
Do you speak it confidently?
Do you speak it in fear?

How you speak your truth can determine how it is received.
If it is spoken in fear it can be received in fear- not that you have responsibility for anyone's feelings on how it is received.

Speak your truth and speak it kindly and watch what happens
Peace

Have you read any of Akosua's work?What Did I Learn Today? Lessons on the Journey to Unconditional Self LoveNyabo (Madam) - Why Are You Here?Daily Lessons on the Journey - A Journal
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Are you Doing it out of Fear?

Too many people are thinking of security instead of opportunity. They seem to be more afraid of life than death.”
— James F. Byrnes

What do you do when you are overwhelmed?Do you ever get overwhelmed?Confessions on the Journey- the past few days have been overwhelming. There seems to be no time in the day to do anything because I am doing something else, and what I have learnt is that I get overwhelmed when I am doing things that I don't want to do. When I am doing things because I believe that I will not be able to pay my bills when they are due, when I am doing it for the cash, out of fear, rather than for the love and serviceI took some time to pay attention to the feeling and asked it to reveal to me what and why they were showing up.Since Monday I have been going and going and going and going. There was just enough time for me to get a short run in on Wednesday morning, apart from that- call me the energizer bunny, going and on the go.This morning someone asked me about something I promised them to do and I felt bad because I havent been able to do it up to now, that triggered me asking the question - why am I so overwhelemed? And the answer was clear- you are doing these tasks out of fear.Which prompted the question- what else am I doing out of fear?
Are you doing anything out of fear?Share what you have learntCurious minds want to knowPeace
Have you read any of Akosua's work?What Did I Learn Today? Lessons on the Journey to Unconditional Self LoveNyabo (Madam) - Why Are You Here?Daily Lessons on the Journey - A Journal
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Make a Decision. Take a Risk

When resistance comes up in your body, you want to shut down or run away. It may feel like you just don't want to be bothered. Unfortunately when you shut down, you, you will miss a valuable growth experience and an opportunity to get in touch with yourself.Listening what is said does not mean you have to act. Allow yourself to feel it and decide what to do about it later. Make a decision.Tak a risk - Iyanla Vanzant


One of my favourite lessons - I got this one out on the Continent, is to live intentionally.
To live with a purpose, whatever it is!
To come off auto pilot
Because not making a decision is a decision
I decided that I would live with intention, a very simple one that would guide all of my decisions
I would live a life of love and service
Love
Love of self
Love of people
Love of situations - however challenging
Love does not mean I like the situation all the time it just means that I accept the now and make a decision to do something about it other than moaning about it
Service to self
Service to others
Service to my community
It ain't gotta be nothin big, it can be small but it will be intentional
This is a life where decisions are sometimes are unpopular or illogical, I have to be mindful of the noise
but what I have learnt is - when I make a firm decision to live this way, I make the sacrifice

Peace

Have you read any of Akosua's work?What Did I Learn Today? Lessons on the Journey to Unconditional Self LoveNyabo (Madam) - Why Are You Here?Daily Lessons on the Journey - A Journal
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