Deeda's Place

The graveyard is commonly referred to as the resting place of unfulfilled dreams. In today's competitive world, we do not have to join the rat race that leads nowhere in order fulfill our dreams.

Who says you cannot enjoy life to the fullest, fulfill your dreams, and be the best you can ever be? It may sound self-centered and selfish, but life as we know it is not a rehearsal but the final take. What that means is that you have to make plans to live your best life now. Below are a few steps you can take to help you becoming the best you ever.

• ACKNOWLEDGE THE GIVER OF ALL GIFTS: All good and perfect gifts come from God. Whatever you have now or hope to receive in order to live a successful life can only come from one source - God. Most people want to receive all things but reject the giver. No one can receive a handshake of fellowship with a clenched fist. So also, will an attitude of ingratitude not benefit anyone who receives his gifts and talents without acknowledgment.

• EXERCISE YOUR WILL: Human beings are the only species of God's creation who were created with the ability to exercise our will. God never forces His will on us; He leaves us to exercise our will freely in accordance with His divine purpose. When we surrender our will to God, it means that we acknowledge that His will and purpose are far more beneficial and desirable for us. Surrender, obedience, and waiting on God (S.O.W.) are three challenging areas of our relationship with God and with one another. Sometimes, exercising our will may simply mean taking a stand in what we strongly believe in - the things that constitute our values. In order to be successful in life, we must believe in something strong enough, so as to firmly stand by it.

• STRETCH YOUR IMAGINATION: Your imagination is a strong asset. It is that part of your being that gives you access and partnership with the creative abilities of God. Imagination is your inner vision, which stretches you beyond the scope of the physical realm. When you develop your creative imagination through discipline, you can cut off vain and lustful imaginations that lead to destructive habits.

• MAKE GOOD CHOICES: Life is all about choices. Making the right choices does not in any way rule out the possibility of making mistakes. All it means is that when your choices turn out to be mistakes, you take responsibility and try again. Some good choices are intuitive and are made by "gut feeling". Life is about risk-taking sometimes; it puts the fun and excitement in life when we sometimes act impulsively by jumping with eyes closed into the deep ocean.

• TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR EMOTIONS: Emotions - we all have them and we can hardly be human without them. When our emotions begin to control us instead of us being in charge, we are in trouble. He who can control his emotions has conquered self and the road to victory is self-discipline.

• MANAGE YOUR TIME EFFECTIVELY: One of the major differences between successful and unsuccessful people is the way they manage their time. Time, they say is money, but much more than that it, is the fact that time is a valuable asset. Setting goals, prioritizing our goals, and following them up with equal commitment and zeal, is what distinguishes the professionals from the amateurs.

• WALK IN HUMILITY: We have all heard the saying – “pride goes before a fall.” When we see and acknowledge God for who He is, it is easy to see how much we are less than a speck of dust in comparison to His greatness. Being humble constrains us to walk in love with all men, for love conquers all.