Don't Ever Let Go

Have you had someone you had such a big impact in your life and you let the person go or the person is still in your life? Surrender is a good song that relates to that. It is one of the soundtracks of Hidden Figures.

Hidden Figures is a 2016 American biographical drama film directed by Theodore Melfi and written by Melfi and Allison Schroeder, based on the non-fiction book of the same name by Margot Lee Shetterly about African American female mathematicians who worked at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) during the Space Race. The film stars Taraji P. Henson as Katherine Johnson, a mathematician who calculated flight trajectories for Project Mercury and other missions. The film also features Octavia Spencer as Dorothy Vaughan and Janelle Monáe as Mary Jackson, with Kevin Costner, Kirsten Dunst, Jim Parsons, Glen Powell and Mahershala Ali in supporting roles.

See song lyrics and youtube link below.

Hey, oh, yeah, oh

When I first got here, had to find my way
But the end of the days were dark
When I was not clear, you showed me my mistakes
But told me keep the pace, don't get lost
So I shall not fear, yeah
That's how it feels when you love me
And you're my sightseer
'Cause before I'm in a rut
We multiply by the times they took from me
Used another branch from the longest tree
But now I'm in quicksand, but my mind is really onto me
Can't believe it, what I lived in
Hard to believe
(Surrender) but there's a difference
(Surrender) surrender
'Cause I understand, to me
(Surrender) there's no coincidence (surrender) just information
Lemme see them hands

Do you remember? Question how I feel
I asked you were you really all?
And when you entered, you found my biggest wall
Said, is that all? Made it fall
With your wonder, yeah
It blows my mind how you love me
So it's no wonder, I feel how I feel
I can't thank you enough for what you did for me
Eh, used another branch from the longest tree
But now I'm in quicksand, but my mind is really onto me
Can't believe it, what I lived in
Hard to believe
(Surrender) but there's a difference
(Surrender) surrender
'Cause I understand, to me
(Surrender) there's no coincidence (surrender) just information
Lemme see them hands

I was down on myself, and I called you
Your answer is what can I do?
So much you do for me
In the sound of my breath seen all the years
With surrender
Just the way I hear
Reporting for duty
When the feeling is good, don't ever let go, go
Don't ever let go, oh
Don't ever let go, oh
When the feeling is good, don't ever let go, go
Don't ever let go, oh
Don't ever let go, oh

Hard to believe
(Surrender) but there's a difference
(Surrender) surrender
'Cause I understand, to me
(Surrender) there's no coincidence (surrender) just information
Lemme see them hands

Just wave
Wave, wave
In this place (if you with me just)
Wave, wave
Wave your hands (wave)
Wave, wave (in this place) whoo!

Songwriters: Pharrell Williams

Surrender lyrics © EMI Music Publishing

YouTube link

12 Ways To Be More Creative

1. Write 10 minutes every day - It could be anything. It doesn't matter
2. A manifesto - View mine
3. A daily list of ideas - Write 10 ideas every day. They could be business ideas, ideas to help other businesses, book ideas, or even ideas to surprise your spouse.
4. Another trick is to take Monday’s ideas and combine them with Tuesday’s ideas. “Idea sex” is an awesome source of creativity.” - James Altucher
5. Love Letters - Handwritten
6. Thank you Letters - Handwritten
7. Something that makes you uncomfortable
8. A crazy plan
9. Make someone smile
10. Take a little step forward
11. Go out of your comfort zone
12. Start asking - View a video about asking
13. Start exercising

Culled from Medium

A Manifesto: What You Stand For

According to wikipedia, A manifesto is a published verbal declaration of the intentions, motives, or views of the issuer, be it an individual, group, political party or government. But we also can have a manifesto. It helps to ask ourselves questions and also to be creative.

According to Alexander Franzen:

Traditionally, a manifesto is a written statement where you publicly declare your…

– Intentions (what you intend to do)

– Opinions (what you believe; your stance on a particular topic)

– Vision (the type of world that you dream about and wish to create)

Traditional manifestos are cool. Non-traditional ones are cool, too. There really aren’t any firm rules. You can write whatever you want, however you want.

After reading your manifesto, ideally, your reader should feel like, “I understand this person better” or “I get what this project is all about and why it matters” or “Oh, I can see the type of world that this person is trying to create — me too! I want to join the revolution!”

Your primary goal is to make your reader “feel” something. Hope. Excitement. Amusement. Curiosity. Whatever “feeling” you want to convey.

Here’s a very simple manifesto template that you can play with…

Start by filling out the following three statements:

I love…

I believe…

I am committed to…

Or, if you’re using a collective voice:

We love…

We believe…

We are committed to…

So here is my manifesto:

1. I love to make people smile
2. I love to inspire and give hope to people
3. I love to serve
4. I believe in God
5. I believe God has a beautiful plan for everybody
6. I believe I will have an amazing family
7. I am committed to making life easier by developing innovative products and services
8. I am committed to assisting people achieve their goals and dreams
9. I am committed to teaching by writing about what I have read, learnt and experienced.

So what do you stand for? What is your manifesto?

The Power of I Am Sorry

THE POWER OF *I AM SORRY.*

*I am sorry,* a short but mighty sentence!

If you wish to live long, don't joke with this short sentence, *I am sorry.* Do you know how many people who had gone to early grave because they neglected the therapeutic power of *I am sorry.* 

Most of the troubles in most homes are heightened because wives are too big to say *I am sorry* to their husbands and you can trust the ego of  husbands in saying same to their wives. 

Quarrel lingers between friends because no party wants to say *I am sorry.* Each says or asks, why should I be the first to say *I am sorry?* He or she would beat his or her chest and utter the ego phrase, *a whole me!* 

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the part of the world where saying *I am sorry* is a hard nut to crack while curses are easily unleashed. 

Welcome to the part of the world where people refer to a person who says *I am sorry* in a midst of a rift as a *weaker sex*: one who is not man enough; one who is foolish. 

Welcome to Africa where saying *I am sorry* is tougher than forcing a donkey to pass  through a needle hole.  

All of us are victims of this discussion. We have lost valuable assets, money and even lives because of this cheap and affordable sentence *I am sorry.* It simply cost only a breath of speech. 

Have you ever wondered why domestic violence is less pronounced in the western world? It is simply because they understand the efficacy of *I am sorry.*

Husbands say it to their wives and even children whenever they err, wives and children do the same  and life goes on fine.

Friends, this is simply a piece to encourage us to cultivate  a habit of saying *I am sorry.* It is difficult but readily affordable. 

Learn how to say *I AM SORRY* even if you are right.

If this message offends you in one way or the other, *I am sorry*
My apologies.

The Art of Asking

Quotes by Ifeanyi Nnamdi-Okagbue

While I was off Social Media for a while, I had time to explore my writing. I came up with the following quotes. Make a comment on the ones you like.

The funny difference between a friend and an enemy is when both give a gift one will receive a hug and/or nice words while the other will receive an insult and/or a slap. - Ifeanyi Nnamdi-Okagbue

Things will happen, bad things will happen. It will naturally weigh you down, but make a choice, and choose joy. - Ifeanyi Nnamdi-Okagbue

People's destiny will change because they will hold on to the statement "It was not meant to be" forgetting that nothing good comes easy. - Ifeanyi Nnamdi-Okagbue

Although it may not look like anything good can come out of someone, never ever write off anyone, including yourself. - Ifeanyi Nnamdi-Okagbue

If you don't have enough patience to work hard and wait for that which you desire your life may become a lesson to others instead of an example. - Ifeanyi Nnamdi-Okagbue

When two people argue which is bound to happen because they are two different people, the argument itself is not the problem. The problem is that both of them want to win regardless. - Ifeanyi Nnamdi-Okagbue

In your quest to find love, you may be hurt. Don't let it stop you because love is a beautiful thing and the reason for our existence. - Ifeanyi Nnamdi-Okagbue

We were made in the image and likeness of God and God is Love. So when people say there is no such thing as true love. They probably don't know God. - Ifeanyi Nnamdi-Okagbue

The problem with humanity is that even after experience, we fail to appreciate good situations or conditions we find ourselves in until they leave us. - Ifeanyi Nnamdi-Okagbue

Life Is A Struggle

If only life was that easy... But nope it isn't. It's hard, messy, cold, wicked, unforgiving, unbearable. And when you find some form of happiness, life takes it from you. And if it doesn't, then it takes something else.

When you think you have it all, it's makes you realise that now you have so much to loose. You struggle to become wealthy, it takes away your love. If you struggle to hold onto that love, it takes away your friend or your family. And even if you have that, then it's your health. It's always something.

Life makes sure you just never have all you need and want. It's always a struggle. Despite all the heartache and misery life throws at you, you still hold on tight. Why? Because the first and strongest primal need in every human and even animals, is the preservation of one's own life.

So keep on keeping on. Because it's not about getting there. Or whether you get there or not. You don't have a choice in the matter. You must stay alive until the time God calls you.

Don't let anyone dictate your life for you. Because, at the end of the day, even if you lived it your way, it may not bring you all the happiness you need. But it would be worse for you, if you let someone make your choices for you, which can bring about so much resentment.

By Afam Nnamdi-Okagbue

#EnjoyLife #LiveToTheFullest #SayNoToSuicide #LiveAndLetLive#SuicideWatch #LifeIsAStruggle #LiveYourLife