Hi Friends,

Happy New Year once again…trust your year is off to a great start?

I believe “YES” for most people but if “NO”, you are not alone Sis & you do not have to beat yourself up about the uncertainties you are facing now.

You got time SIS…tell the confusion and uncertainties to God and watch him bring you CLARITY and PEACE to walk in your purpose.

Personally, I have a lot mapped out for the year but still working on means for execution but while at it and while I wait, “I AM SHOWING UP EVERYDAY LIKE I OWN THE SHOW”(that’s my mantra for the year),not like I have my year figured out but Hey I am done living & acting based on my reality…It’s God’s REALITY or nothing and you should too SIS.

With new year comes new resolutions, new habits and all that new stuff here and there…personally I am not big on New Year Resolutions (truthfully, I really don’t want to be so hard on myself when I don’t follow everything on my list of resolutions).

Alternatively, I just seek ways to develop myself better than I was the previous year, I rule out things that were less relevant in the past and opt for new ways of doing things productively & becoming a better person overall.

The past year was a bit too challenging for me especially in my business. For people that do not know me personally, I run a Clothing Brand by the name Oma Humphrey Signature (2years plus in my entrepreneurship journey). Would share some of the challenges I faced in business someday when I fully put in all the missing puzzles (smiles) but one of the challenges I faced was in the area of “PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT”. I spent time just working & working without giving room for a refill but that has got to change this year.

So this year, overriding all my business plans is the need to develop myself in my walk with God (Ministry) & my Career (I love business, I love my chosen career, I am a Fashion Designer & I do a lot of other things in between, some will call it “Jack of All Trades” but I simply believe that my hands are blessed and that God has deposited a lot of things for me to manifest in my time here on earth).

So, here are a few of the resources that are dear to me & that are also helping me achieve my goal of personal development: First on the list & before the list is GOD…HE IS THE LEAD IN EVERY OF MY DECISION IN 2020, WHEN HE SAYS PAUSE I OBEY & WHEN HE INSTRUCTS OTHERWISE, I FOLLOW SUIT.

1. You Version Bible App: This is a dearly loved App, asides the different bible translations which have really helped me in studying and understanding of the word, it also has thousands of devotional plans. So, if your goal is to study the word more & get better with you walk/ relationship with God in 2020, this app is for you. Good thing, you can read your chosen devotional on the “GO” the WORD & the World has gone digital guys.

• SCRIBD App (Digital Library): It has thousands of eBooks, Audiobooks, Magazines, Articles, Biographies etc. Been using the App since 2018 but most times I go off especially months I really do not have plans to read more or when I feel the investment on the app is much. Truthfully, I really don’t think it’s a high fee at such, the problem I had was that I was underutilizing the app then but now I know better.

I pay a subscription fee of USD9.44 monthly to gain access to lots of materials but I recently just opted for a lower package with a fee of about half the price above by the time my current plan expires because in 2020, we are spending smart & also getting value. You sign up newly, you get a free 30days trial and after that you pay for subsequent months. The plan is to read maximum of two books in a month. I am currently reading Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God by Francis Chan.

• TEDx TALKS: Been listening to TEDx talks for a while now mostly when I bother to open the notification on my mail but in 2020, I am deciding to listen to at least one daily. TED talks are great way to improve your general knowledge, they boost creativity and broaden your perspective. By watching professionals in different field share their story which would usually start from a personal experience (good or bad), you start to see possibilities in tackling your own problems & living to be the best version of YOU. I listened to one recently “The Beautiful Balance Between Courage & Fear” by Cara E.Yar Khan …It was such an inspiring and encouraging experience & it greatly spoke to me going by the fact that “COURAGE AND ABIDE” is my theme for 2020.

• AFFIRMATIONS: If you follow me on Instagram @ujuhumphreyeke, you will know how keen I am on affirmations. They are daily boosters for me, it helps me talk myself out of fear, negativity and feelings of not being enough.

• SERMONS ON YouTube:  For ministry & spiritual growth, I am deciding to listen to at least one sermon daily from my favorite ministers on YouTube. This has always been a tradition for me but this year because I am trying to get value off my WEB usage and presence, I am putting more time into resources that would make me better as against just scrolling through Instagram & Facebook and exhausting almost same volume & amount of data.

• MENTORS: While I do not have a physical mentor yet, I am relying on digital mentors by keeping close tab to individuals who have achieved the goals in my life development plan (Ministry & Career). I am seeking them out on social media, seeking out their books, following their story & allowing it to inspire me to be my own person that God has called & designed me to be (I am not wishing to be like any other person but I am open to learning from peoples story).
• PAID COURSES & TRAININGS:  I am yearning for more & more of knowledge, if I have my way I would be heading back to the classroom before you finish reading this post (laughs), while that plan is not on the forefront of things I can take up now, I would definitely be taking up some trainings to better equip and position myself. Would share more in my next post on why learning is essential and why we should never take that for granted no matter how much we think we already know.

• JOURNALING: This is not a new thing for me but it continues in 2020…literally I have been journaling for as long as I can remember & I have a journal for almost everything but always have a general journal usually small in size that I carry around easily. I write a lot (I express myself more through writing, talking can be stressful you know #smiles).

• MENTAL DIET: I am committing to taking full control of my mental & emotional faculties by not entertaining thoughts or people that will not add value to my life or simply put unresourceful thoughts & humans. Taking charge of my mental & emotional space and what I let into it. Also, on this, I am committing to waking up two hours before my usual wakeup time to invest that time into any of the useful resource I have mentioned above.
• LIVING HEALTH, BEING HAPPY & CONTENT: For a long time now, I have neglected the need to take very good of myself. For the past two and half years of running my business, I would always opt to take care of business needs first before me which is not entirely bad, but I went overboard with it. I was almost losing myself chasing after business, no breaks, no unwinding, no self-care just work. I realized how bad it was when I went home January, 2018…first my parents were not pleased with my look, I was all shades of stress and they greatly complained about that. Then around April 2018 one of my uncles that saw me in January called me one morning to express how displeased he was with my look in January and advised that I need to make time to care for myself & these are just a few of the complaints. I am still working & I am still very much in business but creating balance to live healthy, happy & content and to give myself time.

Over to you friends, how are you working on being a better version of yourself in 2020 & what are the limitations you think you might face while on this journey?

My list is still open for more helpful tips/additions, so I would appreciate you dropping more points so we all can learn and decide what best suits our purpose, dreams & aspirations.

Because this is a faith based blog, there would be a short prayer at the end of every post…so join me to say this short prayer.

Dear Lord, thank you for ushering me into this New Decade/Year.It is a proof that you still have a need of me here on earth. Lord, though I might have failed you many times, but your endless love still shields me from damnation. Father chart my path in this new season of my life, help me to trust your leadings over my life even when it looks nothing close like I had envisioned. Help me Lord not to hold onto anything more than I hold onto you. Father for every point that I would miss my path, please Lord do not hesitate to put a pause on that wrong path and realign me to your will, help me Lord to consistently ABIDE in you and in your word even when the circumstance of compromise presents itself. You said those that trust in you will never be put to shame, father I am holding onto your world & I am fully trusting you. Dear Lord, take away anything (sin, habits, friendships, decisions) that would hinder me from fully manifesting and walking in my purpose in 2020 & beyond. Your blessings makes rich and adds no sorrow, any pursuit or blessing that would bring me damnation or cause me sorrow, please take it away ahead of time dear Lord. Give the courage to live fearlessly & walk in my purpose all the days of my in Jesus Name, AMEN.

STAY WINNING!!! STAY BLESSED!!! STAY ENCOURAGED!!! AND ABOVE ALL ARISE AND SHINE!!!