Day 1: 10 Things that really make me happy
Happiness is a choice! You choose to choose it or not.
I’ve always wanted to practise more writing, but I never always seem to find the time. Yesterday, however, I came across a 30 day writing challenge and I decided to get in on it. I intend to complete it. I hope I can.
The first day talks about ten things that make me really happy. Well, after careful consideration, I came up with these ones, in no particular order actually. So here goes…
- READING

I love reading. I can say one of the things I’ve spent most of my time on earth till now doing, is reading. And I read widely on everything that interests me. Reading for me is a way to explore the world as it is and as it should be. It’s an opportunity to learn from the experiences of people who I might never meet in person (most likely because they’re gone) and I’ve been doing that before I clocked 5. I might have slowed down a bit now — I read mostly articles online (I can’t have a browsing session with opening at least 5 new tabs of articles because I love to read) but the novelty is still fresh. I believe reading is a great way to acquire knowledge and exercise the mind. So, pick up the books peeps.
2. CODING

Ever since I started learning how to code shortly after secondary school, I’ve been hooked. It’s amazing, the ability to to solve challenges, design and create things from a bunch of lines. It’s been a frustratingly exciting journey for me so far, especially when you see the scary error messages you weren’t expecting. But, debugging has taught me to slow down and really think. As Steve Jobs said, “Every one should learn how to program a computer, it teaches you to think.” It sure does. And I still get that rushing feeling when code I’ve written works.
3. BEING IN RIGHT STANDING WITH GOD

So yeah, I consider myself a spiritual person. Ever since I started getting to know God on a personal level, life had taken on a new meaning. There’s this feeling you get when God is on your side (or more appropriately, when you’re on God’s side). It gives you the confidence to face the challenges of life, knowing that las las, you’ll overcome. Whenever I’m on the wrong side, I’m so down I can’t wait to get back on track. It’s the most freeing feeling in the world.
4. GOOD FOOD

I love to eat… good food. And — wait for it — I can’t cook… good food. I can cook o, but my culinary skills are just there — average. So, I appreciate every opportunity to savor a good meal and I grab it with two hands, literally. Good food has the ability to reset your mind and clear your head, from the aroma and sight, to the taste and the feel in the stomach. Please, my future wife, try to complement me in this area.
5. MOVIES

Good movies. I don’t get to see a lot these days, but movies are another source of learning for me. I don’t just watch for entertainment, I watch to learn every thing I can, from dressing styles, to speech styles, word pronunciation, body language, etc. And I can hardly watch a movie without subtitles. I don’t just have to hear what you’re saying, I have to see it too (I love to read). And I can go over a scene multiple times to take it all in. Hence, I never watch a movie with others. The last one I saw was— you guessed it — Acrimony.
6. THINKING

More like imagining/daydreaming. I like to call it planning. I’m a natural planner and I hate to move forward with having some kinda plan in mind. I might not always follow the script but at least, it gives me a headstart. I can sit by myself (mostly lie down) for a long time thinking of my next move over and again before putting it into action. I guess it helps me stay on track in my life, although I might tend to overdo it.
7. BEAUTY

Natural beauty. I admire people who are fine (sometimes I catch myself, or they catch me, staring at them). I believe beauty, not just of people but places too, is one of God’s gift to us. For me, it mesmerizes and freezes. And I’m not talking about the glamed-up faces we have in abundance today. Too much make-up is actually ugly and signals low self-esteem. Beauty is skin deep and should be cultivated. Research has shown that men prefer light make-up to heavy ones, and I definitely agree with this.
8. TALKING WITH INTELLIGENT PEOPLE

Actually, listening. I do more of listening when in conversations and I listen more when I perceive intelligence in people. I just keep asking questions to get them to talk more so I can listen… lol. I actually learn a lot from these conversations (and it’s awesome when they’re spiced with good-natured humor as I can laugh for Africa). As is said, “You can learn a lot from talking with wise people in an hour than you can learn from other sources in months or years.”
9. HIGH SPEED INTERNET

Well, really, it goes without saying. I hate slow internet. It just frustrates me as I hate waiting or worse refreshing pages (I’m a bit impatient). In this age of ultra-connectedness and information overload, high speed internet should be a fundamental right, believe me. It allows you to access what you need at the click of your fingers, literally, without having to waste time (something that’s never enough). You can get more done in less time. Using great network is exhilarating for me. I can still remember the first time I was opportuned to use one with an average of 10MB per sec, and for free. I almost didn’t leave the PC for hours on end… the amount of things I had to do. I hope to be at the front-end of bringing high-speed internet to Africa, Nigeria in particular.
10. FOOTBALL

Football! Yes, my only sport. It’s exciting — the thrill of goals and victory, the agony of defeat. I understand why billions are hooked on this sport. As Pope John Paul once said, “Among all unimportant things, football is by far, the most important.” For me though, football represents something deeper — the importance of teamwork, determination, talent, hardwork and a drive for excellence, plus a little bit of luck. It’s actually a microcosm of life. I learn these lessons anytime I watch football matches (I hardly do so now, I just stick with highlights). And my favorite player — Messi!
So those are my 10! Would love to know yours. Write a response. And remember to clap o — check to see how many times you can tap that button in 5 seconds.
See you tomorrow, with the next article.
