a cooking pot and twisted tales
Thoughts and Tales…A Lifestyle Blog with a Zing.
Loving yourself is the best gift that you can give to yourself.
Finding happiness, fulfillment, success and the best version of you comes with the understanding that unconditional self-love is a critical determinant to achieving these things.
Take a listen to my video on ‘loving myself’ below and do subscribe.
It’s my birthday today, now I’m off to eat some cake 🙂
![1447768353272[1]](https://acookingpotandtwistedtales.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/14477683532721.jpg)
As the days go by, I have truly realized that contentment and peace are not items that can be borrowed, purchased or stolen.
No amount of prosperity or material gains can put something in a soul that is derelict or lacking and no other human is responsible for my happiness but myself.
One can aim to attain the satisfaction of living a complete life from within themselves and not from without.
Personally, I don’t tie the state of my well-being to anything that lacks intrinsic value outside myself and God.
It is a continuous pursuit for me and I strive to achieve this state of being by:
Keeping my life simple and trying not to worry as much about things that are not within my power to change but doing my absolute best to change those that are within my line of sight and control.
With all these things on a balanced scale, I feel excited and alive, knowing that each day, I give life my best shot because tomorrow is not guaranteed anyone.
I cannot afford to extend the promise of living and feeling as complete as I can in expectation of events which are merely temporal and may never arise.
Traveling to see new places, buying the little niceties that I can afford to buy are just toppings on a life to be savoured.
© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha
In response to NaBloPoMo prompt Tuesday, November 17
What is one place you need to see to feel like your life is complete?
Back in my parents home, we always had what we needed and the most important thing was that they were enough.
My dad was no Adnan Khashoggi and I am not going to paint a picture of any silver spoon.
Our home was a respectable middle class Nigerian Lecturer’s home where the basic things were provided and on special occasions, such as birthdays a communal party was organized for the celebrant with other children within the neighbourhood.
In my family back in those days, we had no idea that we could ask for presents or the likes. We just did not have the mentality of such entitlement or expectation that exists today.
So, as a result, the presents you received on your birthday tended to be something more practical that you had need for and during Christmas your presents were based on what was currently in vogue for children: a doll, books, football, a mouth organ, an accordion, a flute etc.
We were contented. Like my mother always said, ”you don’t miss what you never had.”
I missed nothing because I had everything that mattered.
© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha
In response to The Daily Post prompt Out of your reach
Was there a toy or thing you always wanted as a child, during the holidays or on your birthday, but never received? Tell us about it.
We thank you Lord for days and times such as these ones;
For your constant shield through life’s challenges.
You raise us, from deep places of despair, doubt and regret;
To higher grounds of Faith, Grace and Hope.
From places of discontentment;
To the overflow of fulfillment.
May our tedious tests become uplifting testimonies.
May the meditation of our hearts and mouths;
Be acceptable before you Lord.
May your blessings that come from the Deep and the Four winds;
Be ours today and always.
Amen.
Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha
a cooking pot and twisted tales 