Stephanie Linus Daily

Category: Blog

  • FIVE VALUES OF FRIENDSHIP

    Friendship Goals! We say it, but do we mean it! How do you choose your friends? You may hang out with people and laugh together, even gossip, but are they really friends? What value do you place on friendship? Should we even place any value at all?

    Well, yes! You should. Friendship is one of the few relationships in your life that you get to choose by yourself, so it is best you apply wisdom in making your decisions.

    Here are FIVE VALUES of HEALTHY friendship:

    RESPECT: Respect each other. Respect what your friend brings to the relationship. If you decide to make friends, see the good in them.

    HONESTY: No lies. No pretenses. Do not make your friendship a home for hypocrisy. Be open, be sincere. Tell yourselves the truth.

    EMPATHY: If there’s no empathy, then there’s no friendship. You cannot be judgmental or mean-spirited. Show love and empathy by having an understanding of your friend’s challenges and predicaments. Show concern.

    INDEPENDENCE: No matter how much you promise to stand for each other, you also need a friend who can stand on her own. You can lend a hand sometimes, but a true friend must be independent in her finances and personal decisions. The idea is to come together and inspire each other, not leech from the other person. You should add value to the life of your friend, not suck all the good they have, and leave them empty.

    GRACE: Understand that everyone – including your friend – is a work-in-progress. Show grace. Forgive their mistakes (if they are not borderline destructive or harmful). Show kindness. They may not deserve it all the time, but the trick is to know when to stop and move away. It’s up to you to set boundaries. But the most important thing is not to throw the baby and the bath water – not every disagreement should end your friendship. Show grace and know when to forgive, and also when to move on.

    May we continue to build healthy friendships!

  • INSPIRATION: BREAK THE RECORD

    The entire country and even the Diaspora were tuned in to Hilda Baci’s cook-a-thon to beat the World Record?

    AND SHE DID!!!

    Congratulations, Hilda!!!

    The Nigerian chef and foodpreneur set up an entire event to break The World Guinness Record for the longest time an individual can cook, which is FOUR days at a stretch.

    What we find very inspiring is the amazing branding of the event, which became somewhat of a colourful and supportive carnival. Hilda created festivity, and marched forward to break a record with her talent. The turn out of Nigerians supporting her was a concert!

    This has been so inspiring to watch. The support has been amazing! Hilda herself was incredible all through! She kept on a smile and engaged the audience even after HOURS un-end of cooking! The marketing plan is top notch, and we dare say she had a great team, and her friends are indeed a Tribe.

    We hope the lessons are not lost: Your talent will speak for you. Present it honourably, and you will find honour.

    Well done for dreaming and doing!

  • THE DAY MCDONALD’S LAUNCHED

    Today in History (May 15th): McDonald’s launched its very first restaurant.

    Here’s a brief history of how it all started:

    The first McDonald’s restaurant was opened in 1940 by brothers Maurice (“Mac”) and Richard McDonald in San Bernardino, California. It originally was a drive-in that offered a wide selection of items.

    However, in 1948 the brothers decided to revamp the business, and after a three-month renovation, a newly envisioned McDonald’s opened. The small restaurant was designed to produce huge quantities of food at low prices.

    To achieve this, the brothers limited the menu—which only featured hamburgers, potato chips (later replaced by french fries), drinks, and pie—and developed a simple, efficient format that they named the Speedee Service System. This included a self-service counter that eliminated the need for waiters and waitresses, and customers received their food quickly because hamburgers were cooked ahead of time, wrapped, and warmed under heat lamps.

    These innovations allowed the brothers to charge just 15 cents for a basic hamburger, about half the price of competing restaurants. McDonald’s was a huge success, and the brothers began a franchise program.

    McDonald’s, is one of the most successful brands in marketing history. The Company headquarters are in Chicago.

    culled from: britannica.com

  • 5 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH

    You want to know a truth? If you don’t take care of your MENTAL HEALTH, everything else suffers – your family, your job, your dreams, your goals, your physical and spiritual health, and even your financial status. Everything ropes around your MIND – how you think, how you perceive life to be, how you respond or react to things that happen to you. It’s all in your MIND, and you need to protect the core of your mind – your mental health.

    Here are FIVE ways to protect and improve your mental state:

    BUILD GOOD RELATIONSHIPS: Connect with great people who support you, cheer you on, empathize with you, and share life with you with little or no judgments. Invest in positive friendships, encourage healthy relationships at home and in the office with family and colleagues. Your mental health will thank you for this.

    LEARN NEW SKILLS: When you are open to unravelling more of what you are capable of doing on this earth, you boost your self-esteem and also surprise yourself pleasantly, which in turn boosts the state of your mind and improves your mental health. So try a new skill today. It doesn’t have to be hectic or difficult. Just try something you believe you will enjoy learning. Go for it.

    PRACTICE GRATITUDE: Yes! We talk a lot about gratitude on this blog, because without gratitude you have no functioning soul. You are just existing, occupying space in a crowded world without meaning or purpose to why you are hear. Nihilism creeps in and begins to question your right to exist. All of these happen because you are not tapped into gratitude. Gratitude is like a pill that cures all diseases. Your life is full and meaningful with joy when you understand the importance of gratitude. Also, practice mindfulness.

    EXERCISE: Exercise takes care of your body and your self-esteem, and also your health. The benefits are endless. You are in top shape physically, health-wise and mentally when you exercise, so find what works for you and stay consistent. Don’t forget to take brisk walks.

    GIVE TO PEOPLE: When you help others, when you sow into people’s lives – without any hope of a pay-back, you release yourself to a kind of peace that surpasses understanding – the God kind. And this lifestyle has the potential to improve your state of mind. Givers are the happiest people in the world.

    xoxo

  • WHAT’S YOUR NEW WEEK INSPIRATION?

    Always approach a NEW WEEK with the mindset of new beginnings.
    Be open to opportunities, miracles and magic.
    Be willing to meet a new YOU, by giving yourself the grace to know your purpose and worth every day.
    A new week can be anything you want to to be. Make it magical.


    Have a wonderful one 

    ⭐

    ️ 

  • What’s Your Next Chapter?

    Every month is like flipping to the next chapter of a book where you play the protagonist.

    MAY is here! It’s time to flip to the next chapter. Care to read out loud the pages of the next chapter of your life? We ask three women:

    Closeup image of open book, isolated on white background

    “My next chapter is finally resigning from a job I have held for eight years. I am ready for my transition. No, I am not starting a business or getting another job. I am working towards becoming a fulltime traveler and a content creator. You may wonder why I would reached such a bold decision. Well, I was sick for all of 2021, right out of 2020 lockdown – then bedridden for eight months! Something about working eight years, and bedridden for eight months did something to me. Life is beyond our grasps. I realize I would rather see the world and die, than be at work and still die. I am not dying anytime soon. I am fully recovered, but the entire experience changed me. Work hasn’t been the same since then. I tried to gather my confidence to resign in 2022, but I couldn’t. This year – this month – I am doing it! I am taking the leap and doing it afraid. Pray for me.” – Amarachi

    “My next chapter is: starting a project I have always wanted to do. I don’t think I am ever going to be fully ready, but I am tired of waiting – waiting for funds, waiting for people to believe in me. I am going to jump in and make it work.” – Bawa

    “My next chapter is: having a conversation with my mother about our poor relationship. We are so different, we argue a lot, we don’t see eye-to-eye. It has been strenuous and stressful. We are both getting older, and I desire to have a very kind and loving relationship with my mother, and I fear if we don’t have that conversation now, we will never be able to fix us, and we will continue to drift away. We are all we have – both of us. We need to humble ourselves and heal together.” – Faith

    Dear reader, what’s your next chapter?

  • SPITIRUAL MEANING OF MAY

    We are in the fifth month of 2023! Whoop!

    The number five symbolizes GRACE. Grace helps us to achieve great things. God steps in to make a way for you where you would have otherwise encountered roadblocks.

    The spiritual meaning of the month of May revolves around Growth, Rebirth and Transformation. It is a month of Fertility and Abundance; a month of Balance and Harmony; a month to embrace Change.

    May hosts two zodiac signs – Taurus and Gemini, which represent Mental Strength and Security. May is the beginning of Happiness.

    The month of May is traditionally linked to Love and Compassion, making it an ideal time for Nurturing Relationships and practicing Empathy and understanding towards others. May stimulates Creativity and Inspiration. It is a month that calls out for Celebration.

    Indeed, a special month.

    Happy May, everyone.

    xoxo

    culled: spiritualdesk.com, almanac.com, jointheirpublications,

  • HOW TO REACH YOUR HEALTH GOALS

    A healthy life makes everything beautiful. We want to be healthy and live a long and happy life. To achieve this, we have to set goals and meet our health targets.

    What are your health goals for 2023?

    Let’s help with a few suggestions:

    Be Specific: Understand exactly what you want to achieve. Are you watching your cholesterol? Do you want to lose tummy fat? Are you looking to lose weight? Schedule the right meal plan to achieve what you want. Speak to a dietician.

    Understand how calories work: It is not a myth. Nutrition plays a big role in your health journey, and so does calories. Understand food and the nutritional value of what you are eating. Count your calories.

    Get an accountability partner: You need someone to remind you why you are doing what you are doing. You are going to lose steam at some point, and you would be grateful for the support and motivation of your partner.

    Think of the benefits: Good health is everything. Remind yourself constantly that you are doing this to look and feel good. It is worth it. You can also put stickers around your house to lift your spirits and keep you focused.

    Have a routine: It can be a Morning or Evening routine, but have a routine your body can get used to. When you develop healthy habits, it is easier for your body to follow through.

    xoxo

  • HOBBIES THAT CAN BOOST YOUR IQ LEVEL

    What are your favourite hobbies? You would be surprised to know that some hobbies can enhance your IQ.

    Here are some:

    Dancing: Dancing is great work-out that raises mental sharpness. By raising the levels of happy hormones in your body, dancing helps you fight depression, increase relaxation, and improve cognitive sharpness.

    Knitting. Painting. Cooking: Anything you do with your hands involves your mental attention, which helps you to be more confident, analytical and focused.

    Learning a new language or learning to play an instrument are also great for your IQ.

    Reading: Of course! Reading improves focus and comprehension. It encourages curiosity and learning, and improves your vocabulary

    Exercise: Make your daily exercise a hobby. Studies show aerobic exercise is extremely good for your brain, and  working out raises your IQ far more than playing an online brain game. A Swedish study also proved that cardiovascular fitness can actually raise your verbal intelligence by 50%.

    excerpts: heretotherewellness, countryliving, Incafrica

  • BEST PARENTING ADVICE

    Parenting can be stressful, yet lovable. We all need agood advice when it comes to parenting. What’s the best advice you have received as a parent?

    We listed ten:

    Be KIND to your kids.

    Teach your children social SKILLS.

    READ books together with your kids.

    Make beautiful MEMORIES with your children. Encourage selfies, pictures and videos you can look back on and smile.

    Be a ROLE MODEL to your children.

    Acknowledge your children’s EMOTIONS, and teach them how best to handle these emotions.

    Teach your children about GRATITUDE. Encourage thankfulness in your family.

    Teach kids the rewards of food DISCIPLINE.

    LOVE your children equally. Do not openly have favourites.

    Teach your child what it means to be a GOOD person.