Dare to be you.

 

Expressing yourself from the inside out….

When I was twelve years old, I lived the way my family and friends termed was supposed to be the right way and did things the way my surroundings expected me to, afraid of undertaking anything that will embarrass me. To some extend I knew that there was a part of me that rebelled against all these family and friends’ odds, a sense that wanted to seek the truth out of what I wanted or to speak out my mind, but my environment had an influence in my youth and tuned me to become another person that was not me altogether.

Socially, we are always under immense pressure in trying to conform and imitate what other people expect of us, and for whichever reason, our society feel challenged and rejects individuals who are different. A lot of people have found themselves working tirelessly so that they can look, dress, talk and even live like others do rather than simply and unselfconsciously be who they are. My question is and has always been why people work so hard to reshape themselves instead of being their authentic self?

In the religious realm, even Christians themselves are failing to define their purpose by being Christians rather they are conforming to individuals’ beliefs and ideologies. God is omni-portent and omni-present and want to see what is in one’s heart, not merely being affiliated to this or that church congregation.

Christians of today have become the Sadducees and Pharisees of the later age, materialistic, power hungry and always pursuing possessions and status within the Church forgetting what God really wants from them. God is not interested in mundane things but our pure hearts. God does not want us to live like or look like we are confused, but to be holy and separated from world and the way we are expected to live. Let’s not put on an outward show, but be transformed internally by the renewing of our minds. (ROMANS 12:2)

This also applies in our daily lives, becoming who we are meant to be one should have a set of guidelines and moral principles that are built not from the external surroundings but from within oneself and the need to transform what we feed our minds on our daily living. Success and failure lies from within and what we tell our minds.

Yesterday, I knew very well that it was the day that I was supposed to go to church, but I decided to visit one of my friends who is seriously ill. On my way back I got a phone call from a close friend guess what he asked me, “Ah Lucky my brother why where you not at the church…….? I explained to him I had visited a sick friend and I was shocked to hear him say that presenting my face at church was the first thing I should have done because people will think I am backsliding and maybe I should have visited my friend later. I asked myself is it about being visible at church that defines being a Christian or doing what you feel and believe is for a good cause.

It requires selfishness in a healthy and positive way by being who you really are, who you can be and most importantly doing what you know is best for you and having an inner compass to let you know what direction you are going regardless of the opinions and perceptions of close friends and family

One should embark on a journey to discover that we are unique in our own special ways. We were all given our special gifts, talents, a loving nature and our own line of thinking which we can turn to be our special gifts to the world out there are. We came on this universe to share our mind and soul, and to experience the souls of others. However, hiding who we really are behind the costume of ego, make us miss the mark of great potential that is within us.

Today I am challenging someone out there to be your true self, to become who you were created to be. I know one might say it takes time to nurture ourselves and become who we want to be but let me tell you that no one was born perfect or a failure but we strive to become perfect. We lead ourselves to success or failure through what we instil in our minds. Daring to be oneself only takes courage, belief and following one’s powerful intuition instilled in us, that powerful voice that speaks to you deep down in your heart.

All you need is to sow a positive seed in your mindset, water and nurture it with believing in yourself, positive affirmations and freeing up of your mind so that you cultivate a deep and trusting relationship with yourself. Never tell yourself that you cannot do something.

Humankind was not put on this universe simply to do certain tasks, accumulate wealth, have mundane things, and appear like everyone else. We were not born to make ourselves so occupied that we cannot give ourselves time to feed our souls with what we want in our lives.

We have to take time to know ourselves fully, meditate and listen to our soul’s gentle guidance and fruitfully express who we are. Revealing our true nature, our authentic self must not be determined by external opinions and perception of us. Conquering these external fears and facing your true self is of paramount importance and help us to become who we are destined to be before we become shaped into someone else’s expectations of us.

Don’t be apologetic for being who you are……..It’s never late to become your authentic self…………

By Lucky Katenhe

” Giving hope to the Blind, Giving a little love……”

” Giving hope to the Blind, Giving a little love……”.

” Giving hope to the Blind, Giving a little love……”

 Through my involvement in human right activism, I have discovered that most organisations are only dwelling on advocacy and issues that are common knowledge ignoring that there are some marginalised, vulnerable and often ignored if not taken for granted group of people.

 I am talking about the blind refugees, immigrants and asylum seekers especially in the Republic of South Africa; it should be common knowledge that these people are vulnerable and need humanitarian assistance yet they are ignored, despised, looked down upon and in most cases perceived as outcasts.

 I came to realise that these blind people are mostly immigrants through my extensive engagements with them as I travel around, either in trains and in the streets. I have made it a mandate to greet them and try to have an understanding of their plight and got to see that they are struggling to make ends meet.

 In trains I often hear comments like “why can’t these people rather stay at home, they board trains just to ask money from us, disturbing us in trains……they love money yet they are blind, they are ……” I get so disturbed with such kind of utterances from people who have been given eyes and are not grateful, people who cannot tell and sense that these people are fellow beings who are hoping and thriving to survive, rather they despise them merely because of their misfortunes.

 I find it difficult when one judges them over their misfortune but I guess the worst case scenario is to talk, talk and talk, laugh, laugh and laugh rather than giving a hand and make this universe a better place.

 As for me I have made an effort not to justify the blind having to beg in public places because of their blindness, if they are not getting any help from elsewhere then what would one expect them to do.

Deep down in my heart, I always think of these people and pray that if God would help me with ideas of how I can be of good cause and make a difference in their lives. I have noticed that most of the blind people who move in trains are old aged, I would rather call them “our parents” if I can put it that way. Our parents who I find so vulnerable and wanting help.

 They are desperate and cannot find any jobs because nobody understands that they can work. I once spoke to one of my blind brother I met in Cape Town and he told me in his words “you will be surprised of our capabilities to work and do other things, we can even operate machines and look we even own cell phones but the world out there do not believe in us… that’s why we have opted to move around trains to beg for help. ’’  They rely on those few coins that are dropped in their steel mugs fighting for their survival.

 It saddens my heart when I see them everyday in trains as I travel to work, some stand at intersections and robots trying to erk a living and I always wonder if what they get is ever enough to sustain them. Everyday when I walk up in the morning, they are in my heart and deepest thoughts. I think of them and ask myself if ever I can do anything to change their lives.

 I pray everyday that if some idea would be imparted and invested in me that I can use to help they have a better life. I always hope to get them out of the trains and the streets intersections so that they can live a normal life with peace and joy in their hearts.

 I have always given it a thought as to why there is no any form of humanitarian aid or assistance from both the government and civil society and saw that there is little or no help at all from both parties.

 So today here I am thinking of the blind and looking forward to find means and best possible ways that I can do to change the world and make it a better place for the blind, for humankind.

In the bible the blind man Bartimaeus, wanted to see and cried out to God that he can receive his sight. I believe that even today we have the Bartimaeus’ who want to see but if we cannot perform the same miracle that Jesus did the least we can do is give them a little hand when they are crying out.

 I am travelling a journey to discover my worth in the society and I guess God has sent me to bring hope to the poor, the disadvantaged, the voiceless, those without the will power and here in particular the blind.

 I believe you and me can change this world and still give the blind a little hand, hope and sight through helping them out and making them believe in those who have sight lest we may be too blind ourselves, to see the plight of those who really don’t see.

By Lucky Katenhe.

Leading With Empathy

Leading With Empathy

Empathy is a stifled phrase in the leadership literature, but it’s an indispensable leadership concept. It’s one of the yardsticks for measuring the Emotional Quotient (EQ) of a leader. It enables us to establish ties of trust with the people we lead; and gives us insights into what their feelings or thoughts may be. Empathy enhances our understanding of people and informs our decisions. In today’s organizational environment, it has become critical to not only understand the scope of your work, but also to be able to analyse and understand yourself and the people you manage, in terms of motivation, behaviour and performance potential.

by Samuel Duru

God is passionately interested in our positive growth as His children. At times He needs to confront us with unpleasant circumstances to catch our attention and reorient our lives to more consistently produce the “peaceable fruit of righteousness” (Heb. 12:11).

Often I have always pondered what life really is, how life shaped me and who I have become. I have always wondered how one can be able to transform into a masterpiece, that splendid character anyone wishes to be.

Throughout my life experiences I have come to terms with the fact that there is no better teacher than life itself, just when we think that we have got it all figured out, comes another revelation and we are coerced to do a rethink .

Many at times people fall into that trap of judging situations and people without looking deep or placing them into that same scenario, it is not about proving one another wrong but embracing the forth-comings of life and lifting each other to move just another step.

There have been many scenarios that appear to be small or in any case insignificant, but they do make an impact and we are forced to change our opinion towards people, forcing us to do some self analysis.

I have found life itself as the best institution that one get to learn and discover the making and reflection of who really are and gives us the chance to chose, mentor and master who we can be.

All those vicarious experiences we all encounter in our lives are substitutes and manifestations of our real life.  Life experiences comes in form of pictures, recordings, activities, exercises, words, and other symbols but it is up to us to take what we need to develop ourselves and appreciate that second chance life offers us to change the world and make it a better place for you and for me.

My name is Lucky Katenhe I have become to know life through the highs and lows in life and I still want to know a lot more and take Discipline, respect, and drive as my compass to this journey of life and perhaps you can hold my hand and run with me along this fascinating journey…………..

God is passionately interested in our positive growth as His children. At times He needs to confront us with unpleasant circumstances to catch our attention and reorient our lives to more consistently produce the “peaceable fruit of righteousness” (Heb. 12:11).

Respond to His reproofs with thankfulness that He adores you more than enough to care about what kind of a person you are becoming…………

One thing that I know.

One thing that I know.. nothing is impossible if you aim right and give it your all.

What really determines who we become ?

Sometimes its the life experiences that we encounter that shapes who we become……