Blogging

8 years already! How did that happen?

June 1, 2023 jacquelineobyikocha9 Comments

So WordPress sent me a congratulatory message for having spent 8 years in this space and I must say that the notification escaped me except that I just started going through the outstanding comments that I haven’t attended to in a while and found the gem tucked away in the thick pile of comments. How remiss of me!

I honestly can’t believe that 8 years have passed since I first made my post albeit in hesitation and yet, here we are – years down the line and the excitement for blogging hasn’t waned in the least. Although I did take a hiatus now and again to get myself together when life is a bit rough, my blog has never been far from my mind and has become that interwoven abstract tapestry of my life.

In this space I found a voice, I found a part of me that was missing, I found a community of likeminded souls, I found friends who though I have never meet them physically, I feel like I have known them for a good while. In this space I have found solace and encouragement, laughter and upliftment, inspiration and growth, camaraderie and so much.

Time does pass in a blink of an eye. I still vividly recall sitting on the high-stool of my kitchen’s island back in Houston, with the hot Summer sun peeping in through the blinds and tapping out my very first post not sure where I was heading…. and here we are… 8 years later. It has been a worthwhile experience and I have enjoyed it in entirety. To many more years of blogging, may this space continue to treat us well.

When the sun sets…

February 16, 2023 jacquelineobyikochaLeave a comment

When the sun sets, it naturally reminds me not only of the end of a day, but the promise of a new dawn and I love them. Back in my home country Nigeria, we used to have very gorgeous sunsets especially where we lived, which was nice sleepy town located around the hills of Enugu.

However, living in these parts, it gets too hot in this horizon of the UAE that most times, I find myself running away from the sun instead of running towards the sunset.

Occasionally, I have stumbled across a lovely sunset here, unfortunately, I don’t think that I have ever managed to capture a great photograph of it.

The best that I have seen so far was around Jumeirah beach, close to the Burj Al Arab and it was truly beautiful.

Who knows, hopefully I’ll get to see another truly remarkable one before I venture away from these parts.

p.s. I finally concluded the bloganuary. So slowly but surely and I have enjoyed it immensely. I has helped me reignite the need to write/blog more frequently. Hope to see you around.

@beyondexisting.j
8 Tools to apply for a more successful life #fyp #goviral #foryou #lawofattraction #howto #success #lifestyle #lifeadvice
♬ Einaudi: Experience – Ludovico Einaudi & Daniel Hope & I Virtuosi Italiani

Blogging · Writing · writing challenge · writing ideas

Days of my life…

February 13, 2023 jacquelineobyikocha2 Comments

I can bet my last dollar or should I say dirham that I am the only person still writing Bloganuary prompts. Anyways, it’s the way things are and I have been balancing many nuts per se. Do I wish I had stuck to the prompts judiciously during the last week? Yes, I do, but unfortunately, I didn’t and I won’t beat myself over the head for it knowing all that I have been handling lately.

The thought of writing an autobiography has never been too far from my mind, though I still had to process the prompt. The need to write my autobiography is borne out of a survivors need tell their story and though it is a project that I plan to tackle during the sunset days of my life, hopefully many many more years ahead (who knows) maybe, it is time to chalk it down on the drawing board.

When reflecting on how I would title the chapters of my autobiography, I think it will be broken down in 3 main chunks – not cast in stone of course, but my thoughts twirl around:

Chapter 1: The early years of ignorance

Chapter 2: Then comes turbulence

Chapter 3: Survival and peace

@beyondexisting.j
Prayer in time of difficulties #foryoupage #fyp #christian #DearGod #Problem #AMEN #Prayer #strength
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Blogging · Personal · writing challenge

Something new…

February 9, 2023 jacquelineobyikocha6 Comments

Photo by Tirachard Kumtanom on Pexels.com

I have been on a continuous learning journey and have learned a couple of new things recently. As a matter of fact, it has been a conscious choice to ensure that I keep learning and improving myself day by day.

Late last year, I started a TikTok account and had to learn how to use the app, how to create posts which are different from my usual blog posts and how to grow my account. I have also been taking an intensive Business Analyst course, and learning stuff like how to use Visio, Figma, Jira confluence, creating functional and non-functional requires, user case story, swim lane etc. It hasn’t been a cheap or easy venture, but I know that it will yield sufficient dividends in the long run.

In-between that, I have taken a life-coaching course, teaching myself how to create a book cover and do all the necessary works to publish my 3rd poetry book myself without outsourcing it – because I want to use it as a learning opportunity. It is painstakingly slow since I have to learn a whole lot of stuff by scratch, but I have come to realize that it is not always about rushing to reach the finishing line but to enjoy the process getting there.

I feel far more alive when I am learning new things and viewing things from a broader perspective. I sincerely believe that every day, it is imperative to push ourselves to learn something new and that for as long as one is alive, we should be life-long learners.

@beyondexisting.j
Unleash your potentials #foru #fyp #slay #unleashyourpower #motivation #succeed #potential
♬ Believer – Imagine Dragons

Philosophy of Life · WordPress · writing challenge

To do or not to do…

February 7, 2023 jacquelineobyikocha2 Comments

Procrastination. One word that carries a lot of weight and consequences whether positive and negative. I doubt if there’s anyone who hasn’t slept on certain things at some point in time and the truth is that procrastination does not always connote negativity. Indeed, there are some benefits to be derived from procrastinating and the assumption that we must be active every time – as society often deems action as progress – is not always valid.

Sometimes, we do need to take our time and delay taking action so that we can gather our thoughts, think things through to gain better clarity especially when it has to do with a critical decision. It also gives us the opportunity to run our thoughts by others and possibly see a different viewpoint. Now and again, procrastination reduces the sense of stress which is usually associated with multi-tasking, timebound deliverables and keeping to deadlines.

If not handled properly, procrastination can become a perennial problem and valuable time gets lost. Having a dream and simply sleeping on it will never get that dream to materialize. It is better to start small and stay consistent. Putting things off till the last minute creates unnecessary anxiety in itself.

Even one’s best intentions can derail when they don’t get acted on and this can have negative impact on the person’s progress. However, when one is selectively procrastinating and using delay as a tool to gain more clarity, more resources or perspective, it may make a world of positive difference, though the crux here is to always be in charge and to know when and how to procrastinate to your advantage.

@beyondexisting.j
Unleash your potentials #foru #fyp #slay #unleashyourpower #motivation #succeed #potential
♬ Believer – Imagine Dragons

Blogging · writing challenge

Sweet tooth…

February 2, 2023 jacquelineobyikocha4 Comments

Complimentary dessert – oh my waist line 😉

My Achilles heel in this life is my sweet tooth. I am that girl that will be seated near the dessert avenue at a buffet listening to the cakes and whisper sweet nothings to me. I love cakes especially moist chocolate cakes, cheese cakes, red velvet etc. To be honest, I love them all and I am yet to meet a cake that didn’t get along with me.

For my birthday, I would probably order up a cake that offers something in these three flavours mentioned above. My absolute love for sweet things and the need to balance it for my health and weight sake, I stopped baking at home as often as I used to, because I always ended up eating half of the cake and giving family members a little slice here and there to fulfill all righteousness.

@beyondexisting.j
That restlessness of your soul…#fyp #deepthoughts #JimmyCliff #reality #restless #life #criticalthinking #quotes #whatnext
♬ Sitting In Limbo – Jimmy Cliff

Blogging · Dubai · WordPress

The power of communication…

February 1, 2023 jacquelineobyikocha3 Comments

For the fact that I currently live in the UAE and the official language of communication here is Arabic lanaguage, I wish that I can speak this language fluently to ease communication and understanding in spaces where the language is being spoken.

Photo by Adam Sabljakoviu0107 on Pexels.com

Asides from my native language and the local parlance back in Nigeria, I am also bilingual (English/French), but a whole lot of people over here barely understand or speak English or French, so, at times it is a struggle for one to explain themselves properly due to the communication barrier. Of course, one must never lose sight of the fact that for them, English/French are borrowed languages and not their mother language. There are also many who communicate effectively as well in either language and somehow we manage to get by.

I truly wish that I had applied myself more in acquiring a good command of Arabic language as it would be an advantage in many ways. I admire people who can speak multiple languages and maybe, this is a gentle reminder for me to make the necessary attempt and stop finding irrelevant excuses.

@beyondexisting.j
Value and boundaries #fyp #deepthoughts #valueyourself #realtalk #selflove #boundaries #lifecoach #quotes #CapCut
♬ Me Myself And I (ft. Bebe Rexha) – G-Eazy

Parenting · Personal story · Writing

Not simply a tune…

February 1, 2023 jacquelineobyikocha2 Comments

I know that bloganuary is over, but I have every intention to finish the outstanding writing prompts that I missed out on. I fell into a mental funk which came unannounced and that caused some derailing on my part. However, I will not allow a depressive state to dictate my life. The need to rise above adversity keeps me going.

So many songs and the poems that I wrote speak to me, but a song that speaks to me so deeply is ‘we thank thee by Jim Reeves. It is not just a song but a wake up call and a prayer that my dad played on our Grundig every morning in our house throughout my growing up years. For me, this songs brings back countless strong emotions and takes me back home to when my dad was still alive, the smell of my mothers cooking, the morning routines and bustle getting ready to go to school, to go to church etc.

It embodies the wholesomeness of my family, of laughter and joy, of tears, of meals shared and plans for the future. It takes me back to my dad before Cancer, of the gentle rays of the early morning sun peeping in through the living room windows, of neighbours voices floating in through the windows, of Sunday Jollof rice and meat.

In this song, there’s so much stored for me. It became etched into the blueprint of my life from a tender age and I will love it till the day that I die.

@beyondexisting.j
Grateful #foryoupage #jimreeves #thankgod #gratitude #godsplan
♬ We Thank Thee – Jim Reeves

Family · Love · writing challenge

A little bit of love…

January 28, 2023 jacquelineobyikocha2 Comments

“I love you.” This sweet sentiment is often flippantly said to our loved ones: our spouses/partners, children, siblings, cousins, parents, aunts, and uncles. Although we may love our loved ones, but do we ask ourselves this pertinent question “Do they know that I love them and do I show them how much how I love them?” We toss around this heartwarming saying all the time because it is so easy to say, but oftentimes, we forget that words do not mean anything without backing it with action.

So how do I show love? Well it depends on what kind of love we are talking about and who is at the receiving end of this love. If it is agape or familial love, I strive to express such love to those in my life and the people that I encounter daily. This could be by paying them a compliment, listening actively to what they have to say, giving a hug when necessary, sending or having a meal together, sharing/buying a gift, sending an uplifting message, praying for them or with them, spending quality time with them, having a good time together, appreciating them etc.

The love that I feel for my children covers a large scope and encompasses things such as teaching them life skills, supporting their interests and aspirations, putting food on the table, providing a welcoming home and for their needs, giving them the enabling environment to grow and be themselves, protecting them from external dangers, counselling and handholding, making endless sacrifices, being interested in what they are doing, apologizing to them when I am wrong and being willing to change, being available 24/7 for them and much more..

For my husband and life partner, it is an all encompassing love and I endeavour to demonstrate the 5 languages of love to him on a regular basis- using words of affirmation, spending quality time together, serving each other, buying him gifts, physical touch and showing of affection (I am touchy-feely kind of person) and he reciprocates. Our union of 23 years has passed through several tests of time and like any other couple we do have our ups and downs. It is most certainly not always sunshine, kisses and rainbows, but those down moments have served in strengthening our understanding and love for each other.

On a final note, displaying your love for your family can provide an active meaning to those three words ‘ I love you.’ It is best to show your love to your family so they will not have to question if you love them or not.

@beyondexisting.j
Never Settle #fyp #motivate #inspire #success #quote #starwars #goviral #capcut
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Philosophy of Life · WordPress · writing challenge

About Time…

January 25, 2023 jacquelineobyikochaLeave a comment

One lie that I have always told myself and even started to believe to a large extent is that age is just a number and in the mind and that it’s never too late to become what we want to become. The lie that there’s time to pursue our dreams sometime in the future. Yes, indeed we can still pursue certain aspirations during the sunsetting days of our lives, but we should never forget the mere fact that not only are we are not in charge of time, but also, certain dreams require better state of physical health which sadly deteriorates as one ages.

I guess this lie is to serve as comfort in the face of the fact that I am yet to accomplish a lot of things that I desire to. It serves as a motivator so that I don’t feel disappointed in myself for not living the life of my dreams. The thought that tomorrow will bring better fortune and opportunity to pursue those things that I am truly passionate about holds hope in it and serves as a soothing balm.

The truth is that I have spent the better part of my life so far trying to survive and stay alive by doing what is necessary to provide the basic needs of life. Now that I know better, I have been working at ensuring that each day, a piece of my time is spent doing something about the things that make me feel more alive.

Putting everything away for tomorrow is futile because in reality, the future is today and that illusive future that we await for will never come if we do nothing with the present time. All we are truly given is the present moment that we are experiencing and how we use it matters most. This is one of the driving reasons behind the name that I chose for my TikTok and YouTube pages ‘Beyond Existing‘ to remind myself that each day must be spent fully living in the present, savouring the moments that life brings, pushing past the edge of survival and mere existence.