What NEXT? (Part 2)

I know as an African, you might be asking yourself, "What NEXT? What exactly do we need to start doing NOW?" 

Considering all the things we have to do, I know the task might be daunting and it might look impossible to accomplish – but you know what, it is not impossible!

I know one thing for sure – nothing is insurmountable and for every problem there is always a solution. Though we might not have all the resources we need, but we surely have what we need to start.

First of all is belief. It must start from our minds. It must start from the inside. We must believe that we can do it.

Someone said "You can’t receive until you believe."

It is belief that makes us do anything we want to do. The action doesn’t just happen without the mind taking part in it. It must first start in the mind. Just as we know nothing happens in real life without first happening in the mind.

All the things we see in our world today happen because someone first conceived them in their mind. It’s absolutely impossible to get anything done without accepting it in your mind – whether conscious or subconscious. So, solving the problem of our continent must first start from our mind – our belief.

Next is action. What exactly do we need to start doing to get result in the direction of what we want? 

It is what I can summarize as empowerment. 

We must go all out for this one thing – empowerment. What does this mean? It means– getting the resources needed to achieve our goals – getting the capacity to get the job done. 

Empowerment equips us with the competence needed to effect the change that we need to make on our continent. It instills in us the confidence, courage, and faith required to take decisive action. 

Empowerment manifests in various forms. We have mental empowerment, financial empowerment, social empowerment, spiritual empowerment, physical empowerment, emotional empowerment, marital empowerment, and so on. 

These forms of empowerment are not solely about obtaining the resources or capacity but also deploying them effectively for optimal results. 

It is imperative that we support one another. We must assist each other in acquiring knowledge, providing the right information and education, offering financial support, praying for one another, and providing encouragement. 

We must see ourselves as brothers and sisters, recognizing that our collective growth is essential for the development of the African continent. 

Whatever resources or abilities you possess, utilize them to support your fellow brothers and sisters. Do not withhold valuable resources when they are needed to assist someone in need. You never know the profound impact your generosity may have on someone's life. 

Seize the opportunity to be a blessing to others and contribute to the rising of a new Africa, where we all partake in its beauty and glory. 

In the subsequent articles, I will discuss more about these forms of empowerment and how we can deploy them for optimal results in our lives. 

Cheers to a new Africa! Cheers to a brighter future!

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Will you like to write a book – share your story, ideas or knowledge in a book, now it’s easier than ever. In 3 weeks, your book will be written and published. Send a message to: bookminds247@gmail.com. 

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For support and sponsorship, contact: sopiensofgod@gmail.com

You can also check out these posts: 

1. Why Most Black People Are Poor

2. Everything You Need Is In the Hands of People

3. 7 Surprising Ways to Lose Weight

4. What to Do When You Are Confused

Kindly drop your comments here: 

The Rising of A New Africa (Part 1)

I see a new Africa – not the one we’ve been told, but the one we will all create. 

I see a new Africa– the Africa that will lead the world and change the narrative of our generation. The Africa that will take back our lands from the hands of wolves. 

The new Africa I see is the Africa that will develop its people. It is the Africa that will love and embrace unity. 

The Africa I see is the Africa that will allow entrepreneurship and businesses to thrive. It is the Africa that will have value for human life. 

The Africa I see is the Africa where leaders will be committed to serving the nations, and the citizens will be committed to making their nations a better place. 

The Africa I see is the Africa where there will be no tribalism or discrimination of any sort, because we will see ourselves as one family and brothers and sisters with each person’s unique differences. 

The Africa I see is the Africa where our differences will be celebrated, and we will leverage those differences to make our continent a better place. 

The Africa I see is the Africa that will feed the world because we will have more than enough food to give – not the ones that have been borrowed but the ones we have cultivated on our own arable lands. 

The Africa I see is the Africa that will embrace the world with love and kindness. It is the Africa that will celebrate equity and justice. 

The Africa I see is the Africa that will develop talents of the youths and teach children the way they should go. 

The Africa I see is the Africa that will create strong institutions and judiciary systems that will uphold the law and order in the continent. 

The Africa I see is the Africa that will allow human rights to thrive and let people enjoy their freedom. 

The Africa I see is the Africa that will let people value and appreciate one another. 

The Africa I see is the Africa where people will be satisfied and content with what they have and there will be no greed or selfishness. 

The Africa I see is the Africa that will start from each and every one of us. It is the Africa that will start from you!

Happy new month, friends. Happy Workers’ Day.

If you enjoy this post, kindly share with someone. Thanks for your support! 

Read Next: 10 Powerful Areas of Our Strengths

Hi there! I’m S.O. PIENS, a passionate African with a deep love for knowledge and personal development. I've been part of the knowledge industry for the past seven years. While I’m a health specialist by profession, my interests extend far beyond that—I’m equally fascinated by food, science, research, and everything related to learning. I hope you’ll stick around and enjoy my posts and articles. Welcome!

Will you like to write a book – share your story, ideas or knowledge in a book, now it’s easier than ever. In 3 weeks, your book will be written and published. Send a message to: bookminds247@gmail.com. 

Get my books on Amazon: My Amazon Books

If you want customized songs for you or your loved ones' birthday, wedding, or any ceremony, Iseay music got you. Contact @ +31685154335 (WhatsApp message only)

For support and sponsorship, contact: sopiensofgod@gmail.com

You can also check out these posts: 

1. Why Most Black People Are Poor

2. Everything You Need Is In the Hands of People

3. 7 Surprising Ways to Lose Weight

4. What to Do When You Are Confused

Kindly drop your comments here: 

7 Surprising Ways to Lose Weight

There are 7 simple, surprising ways to lose weight. We will discuss them in this article. You will find common but practical strategies to get rid of those body fats that are giving you a tough time. Here are they:

1. Get More Quality Sleep

It's good to start with sleep. Quality sleep plays a crucial role in weight management. I know this might sound counterproductive for those who think sleep increases the accumulation of body fat. But the opposite is true. 

When you sleep, you burn calories. Your body's muscles and organs are still working when you are asleep. In fact, the body burns more calories during Rapid-Eye Movement Sleep than when you are at rest awake. So, sleep is very important for maintaining body weight. 

Lack of sleep can actually disrupt hormones that regulate hunger and appetite, leading to increased cravings for unhealthy foods. 

So, on average, you should sleep for at least 6 hours per night to support your weight loss efforts. 

Another important thing—sleep helps you manage stress. Chronic stress can lead to weight gain by increasing levels of cortisol, a hormone that promotes fat storage, and trigger emotional eating. So, lowering stress will help you lower your body weight. 

2. Plan Your Meals

I discovered that as simple as this sounds, many of us are guilty of it. Most times, it’s when we are hungry that we think of what to eat. And if we are somewhere that we can’t find what we want, we will eat whatever is available. 

Planning our meals ahead could be a good way to regulate our body weight because we will eat exactly what we want, and not too much. We will not be rushing or feeling uncomfortable. We will also be able to put the right nutrients into our diet, while we watch what we eat. 

All these are necessary for maintaining a healthy weight and ultimately cutting those excess fats from our diet.

3. Stay Hydrated

Water is vital to our body. It helps every system in our body function well and aids metabolic processes. For weight management, drinking water before meals can help reduce calorie intake by promoting feelings of fullness. 

Moreover, water supports proper digestion and absorption of nutrients. Make sure you drink water before you eat or 20-30 minutes after you eat. This is because drinking water during eating could speed up the digestion process and make you hungry faster. We don’t want that. What we want is to delay the digestion a bit. 

So, drink water much later. That would delay the digestion process and make you feel full while the digestion will still take place properly at the right time.

4. Increase Protein Intake

Including protein-rich foods in your diet can help boost metabolism and reduce your appetite. This will lead to greater calorie burn and weight loss. 

Aim to include protein-rich foods in your diet. Foods such as chicken, fish, tofu, and legumes are good protein sources. Excess proteins are not stored in the body no matter the quantity you eat. So, you don't get excess calories in your body from protein diet. 

However, the quantity of protein you eat can affect your appetite, which will ultimately affect your body weight. So, when you increase your protein intake, you will reduce your body's appetite, which will lower your calorie intake and subsequently your body weight. So, a good quantity of protein is good for your body weight management.

5. Practice Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting involves cycling between periods of eating and fasting, which can promote weight loss by reducing calorie intake and improving metabolic health. 

Popular fasting methods include the 16/8 method, where you fast for 16 hours and eat during an 8-hour window, and the 5:2 method, where you eat normally for five days and restrict calories on two non-consecutive days. 

Also, you can eat in bits. Eating in bits helps you feel satisfied easily without loading your intestines with too much food. Heavy eating per meal is a sure way to increase body weight. Because the body will still feel hungry anyway, so it’s better to eat in bits. 

And when you eat a lot, you keep expanding your stomach, which eventually increases the quantity of food that you eat per meal. You don’t feel satisfied easily. So, eating in bits is a good way to keep the stomach size moderate while you feel full early, and digestion also takes place easily. 

6. Increase Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT)

NEAT refers to the calories (heat) burned through activities other than exercise. This includes walking, standing, jumping, dancing, and so on. Increasing these activities throughout the day can significantly impact calorie expenditure and aid in weight loss. 

Look for opportunities to incorporate more movement into your daily routine, such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator or pacing while on the phone. It could also be standing while cooking or doing some house chores such as cleaning, washing, ironing, or mopping the floor. 

7. Limit the amount of processed and junk foods

We all know that eating processed and junk foods is not healthy for our diet. But we still eat them. This is because the contents of these foods are designed to make us feel addicted and trigger our brains for more. 

So, when we keep eating them, we binge-eat and become increased in size. To lose weight, we’ve got to cut down on these foods. 

Instead of processed foods, we should eat fresh foods. And instead of junk foods, we should eat natural, organic foods. 

Also, limit liquid calories. Foods such as sugary beverages like soda, fruit juice, and energy drinks are high in calories and can contribute to weight gain. So, it’s better to opt for water, herbal tea, or sparkling water instead to reduce calorie intake and support weight loss.

I hope these ways will help you manage your weight and still enjoy good food. I wish you more happiness and joy in your everyday life. Have a good one. Cheers!

Will you like to write a book – share your story, ideas or knowledge in a book, now it’s easier than ever. In 3 weeks, your book will be written and published. Send a message to: bookminds247@gmail.com. 

Get my books on Amazon: My Amazon Books

For support and sponsorship, you can contact me: sopiensofgod@gmail.com

You can also check out these posts: 

1. 7 Ways to Natural Healing and Herbal Therapy

2. 7 Foods that Are Good For Your Heart

3. How to Enjoy Fasting For Weight Loss

4. What to Do When You Are Confused

Kindly drop your comments here: