Keziah Elaine Ayikoru

Value & Its Importance (In the Marketplace)

When we think of doing business, we mostly think about the product or service we offer to the market. That product or service in and of itself though does not cover all the value perceived by the market. Your value proposition is way more than the product or service itself. I feel that this is especially pertinent in the creative industries because customers/clients buy the value they perceive based on their unique situations in life, as well as varied tastes and preferences.

It is therefore crucial that as creative entrepreneurs, we take the time to ask ourselves what our unique value proposition is and why it even matters to our clients. Why should your client/customer care about your product or service? If you stop serving or producing, who would be affected, and would they be affected greatly or not? What unique value are you adding to people’s lives in a way that matters? When you’ve answered these questions, you are one step closer to providing value that matters.

I’d like to add that you can differentiate yourself in the market by having an especially creative product or an especially creative delivery system. If you are a designer, you can be that designer that has exceptional never-seen-before pieces at a premium price or you could be a designer that follows the trends creatively, prices as the market prices, but delivers excellently and on time even more than any other designer. I recently read Good to Great by Jim Collins, an American researcher. One of the things he advises in the book is to figure out what you can be the best at in your market, and go for it tenaciously with laser focus. That will require that you carefully look at your strengths and perhaps even ask other people that know you or your business well, to help you define what you do exceptionally better at than other people.

Vusi Thembekwayo, an established entrepreneur and global speaker who hails from South Africa, says you can either be cheaper, better or faster to have a real edge in the market. That’s something for you to think about.

I’ll close this post by sharing a bonus treat. I did a YouTube series about creating value that matters and attached here is the very first episode. Enjoy and see you again, soon.

With love,

Keziah.

(The feature image is from my fashion brand The House of KEA during the CDEA bootcamp in 2017. The model is the beautiful Angela Kilusungu.)

LOCKDOWN AND HAIR

Lockdown found me battling hair insecurities and not knowing what to do next with my hair. For those that don’t know, going to the salon was no longer an option during lockdown though I heard later that people actually used to sneak into salons and lock the door to make it seem like there was no one in there. I wasn’t that adventurous. Previously, I had been attempting to transition to natural hair fully and so for about a year, I hadn’t put any relaxers in my hair. I simply kept plaiting and using wigs on very bad-hair days while cutting off the relaxed tips gradually.

When lockdown stepped in, I had to cope. Two things happened in lockdown that helped me greatly: first of all, my headwrap-tying game improved greatly as you can see in the images below and, my mum became my official hairdresser even though she was paid in love and hugs. I am forever grateful for her.

Lockdown also helped to show me that I wasn’t going to manage a fully natural look. I can almost hear the natural sisters protesting in my head even as I write this. Well, every time my hair was combed, I was in so much pain because of the entangled hair and my sensitive scalp. I always found myself resisting the urge to pick up a pair of scissors and end the pain for good – by cutting off the hair. Even if I left my natural hair exposed to air for only an hour, it would get entangled and would be painful to comb. So, what did I do? After tying all the headwraps I knew how to tie for lockdown seasons 1, 2 and 3, I accepted my fate. I trekked(because boda bodas were not yet operational) to a supermarket that had a wide range of relaxers and found a mild hair relaxer. I was done with natural hair for real. I even combed it out and took one last set of photos as mementoes. I attached one below.

After this memento-making ceremony, my sweet-mother-turned-hairdresser relaxed the hair for me. I was so happy. Guess what though? After washing the hair, I thought to myself how they really were not joking about the mildness because my hair still looked natural as you can see below. I have to admit that for a moment, I wondered whether this is what some naturalistas(ladies with natural hair) have been doing all along; and they just refused to share the secret. The positive side is that my hair is much easier to comb now and every combing moment is no longer a pain moment. This mild-mild relaxer arrangement works for me.

Well, if there is any lesson I have learnt, it is that hair is different and so are scalps. Sometimes you simply need to keep experimenting until you find something that truly works for you. Perhaps another lesson is to simply be creative. There is always a solution for you nearby. I am thankful to God for my mum who did my hair throughout lockdown and even suggested the mid-way hair solution that ended up working for me.

How did you ladies cope?

Until next time, I’m signing out with love.

PAUSE! Burnout is Real

Over a month ago, I walked into my mum’s kitchen where she was frying pork. Ladies and gentlemen, her pork is amazing I must say. Plus, the aroma filled the kitchen in such a heavenly manner. However, that’s not the point of this post. I stood at the door and looked at her. No words came out. She asked how I was. I looked back at her, confused, as if I couldn’t understand the words she was saying. My mind travelled to five different places in a space of about 30 to 60 seconds. All that came to my mind is the number of tasks I had not completed and yet the day was practically done. I had slept late the previous two or more nights because I was working late to make up for whatever I wasn’t able to finish during the previous days. This sleep deficiency was punctuated by the fact that I had been working day in, day out for over a month, even on Sundays.

She asked again, “How are you?”

No words came out. I just looked at her. I wasn’t doing this intentionally. Nothing like this had ever happened to me, at least not that I remember. I should have responded with a one-word answer, at the very least, but no sound came out. I felt that if I even dared speak, I would fall apart the next minute. I had reached a point I hadn’t planned to reach. My whole body felt weird. I didn’t want to talk to anyone. I was on the edge of tears. I didn’t understand myself at that moment. So, what did I do? I turned back and walked out of the kitchen, without a word! I apologized the next day or later that night, I can’t quite remember exactly when. She understood and reminded me ever so gently how she’d been advising me to rest.

Friends, I am not like that. I wasn’t trying to show mum any attitude. That kitchen-mute scenario though, was my cue to pause. I switched off my phone for two hours that night and did nothing work-related. I remember taking a warm bath and unplaiting my hair. I just paused. I did nothing that involved my brain or body in a very active manner. I didn’t even watch a movie or do anything special. I just paused. I didn’t talk to anyone in those two hours. After those two hours, I felt like a new person. I had a meal and slept earlier than I was used to in that period.

I think the point is made. Burn out is real. To my fellow recovering workaholics out there, pause every day. It’s not a crime. This is a lesson I am still learning. In all this, I thank God for good health and the fact that nothing extreme happened despite my bad habits. He’s such a God of grace. Until next time, which will be soon, PAUSE, because burn out is real.

With love,

Keziah

P.s.

Feature photo by photosforyou–124319 (canva)

And I chose the cat because why not?

Celebrating My YouTube Journey So Far

About two months ago I started a YouTube channel. First off, I am glad I simply started. Sometimes we wait to be perfect for too long and realise later that perfection never comes. I am happy that I am growing. I am on a journey to being more regular by doing series and posting a video per week. Some of the lessons I have learnt so far are:

Simply start and grow along the way.
In the beginning, you’d rather do short videos of not more than six minutes because you are gaining an audience and growing into your voice. For my first video that was about nine minutes long, the average watch time was about two minutes. I noticed that from the analytics, and also got advice from a mentor that shorter is better as I learn to create better and more engaging content.
Celebrate every milestone. I can confidently report that I have 37 subscribers after posting two videos. Also, My next video goes up in a few hours so don’t miss it this Saturday. I will provide a link right after the first video of my current series(coming up) which I know you will enjoy.
You grow in practice. I know that I had the latent potential to be a good speaker in front of camera but I would’ve never known that if I didn’t simply jump and start practising. I am becoming more confident in front of the camera. I still have to do lots of takes but that’s okay because the growth is evident. TED, here we come!
Create a channel about something you are passionate about. I love, love, love my channel because I love, love, love the reasons behind the channel, which are all purpose-driven in my mission to nurture and grow creatives as I grow too.
IT’S ABOUT THE PEOPLE. Every single like, comment, share, retweet, subscriber represents a human being who truly believes in me and wants to hear what I have to say or contribute in some way to my content. I HOPE TO NEVER EVER GET LOST IN THE STATISTICS. IT IS ABOUT PEOPLE, ALWAYS! I do not take the people for granted.

On that note, how about we watch a video?

For a link to my channel, click here. While I wait for you there, this video is a gift for reading to the end. See you soon on these streets. I’m signing out with love as always. Until next time.

Factors That Affect Architectural Space (2)

Warm greetings to you, friends. This is the second serving of factors that affect architectural space and I am happy to finally bring it to you. Please pardon my inconsistent patterns. I do acknowledge that regular rhythms are important. This is a thing I am working on and my goal is to post an article each week. I do have a lot to share and I’d love to interact more with y’all in/on these streets. Without further ado, here they are:

Climate

Yes, this affects architectural space. According to Oxford Languages, climate is the weather conditions prevailing in an area in general or over a long period. Climate will have an effect on the size of spaces as well as different building features such as windows. In areas with a tropical climate, for example, one could use shading devices right above the windows to avoid the direct sun heat and glare, while still getting as much light into the space as possible. This is because tropical areas are typically characterised by intense sunlight and high temperatures. One other way that the designer and building owner can deal with this is using anti-glare glass, building deep verandahs and balconies, among other solutions. The topic of climate affecting architecture is quite vast. Since this is only meant to tickle your curiosity and give you a bit of information, I’ll move right along to the next factor.

Physical Context & Topography

IMAGE FROM ESSENTIALHOMES.EU: “Located on the highest point of Costa San Giorgio, this luxurious villa offers extraordinary views of Florence.”

This refers to the geographical location in which the building project will be and the areas surrounding it. It is important to note that one needs to be in an area where they feel safe. It’s also desirable to be in an area with amenities such as water and electricity with proper access roads. Any other factor that contributes positively to the building’s environs is welcome. Such factors could include a nearby picturesque nature feature which facilitates the building with great views which brings us to topography.

Topography

The topography here refers to the the natural or artificial physical condition of the land. Topographical features include things such as mountains, hills, valleys, lakes, oceans, rivers, cities, dams, and roads.

Cultural Context

IMAGE FROM PIKIST.COM: Republic of Korea traditional building with korean pattern and roof design.

How and why would culture even start to affect architectural spaces, you might ask? Well, in certain cultures, certain building traditions are kept. It may be related to the materials used for a certain culturally symbolic reason or it could be the positions of certain rooms in the house. All around the world, culture influences the living habits of people, hence affecting the architectural spaces they live in too. In Uganda, because living rooms are generally known to be hosting/communal spaces, it is common to find that the living room is the largest room in a house.

There are many other factors that affect architectural space such as building policies in an area which will affect the zoning of buildings, use, height, etcetera. I hope this article series has been enough to inform and urge you to think about these different factors in your next building project whether you are the designer or the owner, or simply the end-user. All stakeholders are equally important in a building project.

Until next time, leave a comment and like, plus check out my social media pages @spacesbykea (Instagram) or @spacesbykea (Facebook) for more architectural design goodies. Thank you for passing by.

With love,

Keziah.

P.s. Feature Photo by Nicolas Poupart, got free from Canva.com

Factors That Affect Architectural Space (1)

Last week’s post ‘Defining Architectural Spaces‘ gave us an explanation of the three major categories of architectural space. This week, I’m sharing some factors that influence the design of any architectural space. This list is coming to you in three educative installments of which this is the first.

THE BUILDING PURPOSE

While this may sound obvious, it is not as easy as saying the ABCs. The purpose of a building greatly affects the spaces inside and around it. A commercial building for example will have a different set of internal spaces and requirements from a residential building such as bedroom versus boardroom. The beauty about architecture is that every human being experiences it. It’s not some foreign concept in the sky. For that reason, I’ll pose a question: can you think of some ways in which the building purpose affects the design of architectural spaces?

2. CLIENT’S TASTES AND PREFERENCES

The client is king even in architecture because he or she pays the bills. Because of that, the client’s choices make a huge impact on the design of a space. The level of exposure of a client greatly matters because it influences their tastes and preferences. As a client, it’s important that even as you engage an architectural designer of any kind, you have an idea of what you want so that the professional can help you realise your dream.

3. THE DESIGNER’S EXPERTISE

The designer on the project will draw from their knowledge, skills, experience and exposure to deliver a creative design solution that meets the client’s needs and adheres to any other relevant conditions.

Beautiful Architecture building Exterior with santorini and greece style – Vintage light filter

4. AVAILABLE CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS

During design, consideration is given to the materials which will be used to implement the design. Usually materials that are locally available are the easiest and cheapest to source. However when the budget allows, importation and sourcing externally is easy to achieve.

5. BUDGET

Money, money, money; many things in this life somehow trace their way back to this crucial factor. The client’s budget will greatly influence the design of a space because of the different prices of materials, designer services, labour costs and so on.

I’ll continue this series next time as I bring you the second instalment of factors that affect architectural space.

Until next time, leave a comment and like, plus check out my social media pages @spacesbykea (Instagram) or @spacesbykea (Facebook) for more architectural design goodies.

With love,

Keziah.

Ps. All images herein are free images from Canva.com.

Defining Architectural Spaces

It’s a delight to bring you something architectural on this blog. Up until recently, I only wrote motivational and general life articles here. I decided to include more of my life’s work here and this is only the beginning. It is my hope that this post will be educative and interesting for anyone that reads this. To start with, I’ll share a bit of my journey with architecture. My first encounter with the subject of Architecture was in my childhood where one day out of the blue, I drew the front facade of the family house we lived in. My brother, who later saw my sketch, said to me, “You should do Architecture.” For those of you who have children, please don’t ignore their raw talents and interests. They just might lead somewhere meaningful. That was the first time I heard of Architecture. If you want to read more about that particular story, I’ll share a link to that post, at the end of this one.

Later in life, I actually went to Architecture School and got my Bachelors’ degree in Architecture. Aside from this formal education, I have working experience of about six years and I am very much in love with good spaces. I innately love to teach and I have a part-time lecturing job with the International University of East Africa. I believe that we should all live in good spaces regardless of our economic statuses. The reality though is that good spaces are not free and so many factors apart from finances affect the final product of space. I will share these factors in my next post, next week on Thursday. Today though, I think it’s important to define in general terms the three categories of spaces that every building has, regardless of its function or design.

Interior Spaces

These are spaces on the inside walls of buildings. They are the spaces where people spend most of their time. The interior spaces are designed with the consideration of the external environment and other project-specific factors such as the client’s tastes and preferences. To properly design interior spaces, you have to think about them in a 3-dimensional sense by considering the wall, ceilling and floor. With relation to these three main elements, you also need to think about the furniture, fittings, fixtures and accessories. Before this gets too technical, let me move on to the next type of space every building has. I’ll return to interior spaces in further detail in a future post.

2. Facades and Other Building Faces

The word facade originates from French and it refers mainly to the front face of a building facing a street. It’s basically the side of the building that is seen first when approaching the building. Usually a lot more design goes into the front facade than into any other building face. Building faces therefore, are the external wall surfaces of a building. The number of building faces and their nature depend on the design of the building. It should also not be taken for granted that only the front face/facade of a building needs to be designed well. All sides matter, especially if the building is approached from a face other than its front face. The building faces create space in front of them and serve the purpose of inviting people to the building. Surface finishing materials as well as the general outline/shape of the building should be considered.

3. Landscapes and Other Exterior Spaces

Landscaping is a general term for the design that happens in the rest of the space on a building plot outside of the building structures themselves. Within this category we have things such as gardens, backyards, front yards, external parking sheds, gazebos, among others. We generally categorize these into two – hard and soft landscape, where the hard landscape refers to things such as paved areas while the soft landscape refers to greenery. In addition to this, we have special features such as swimming pools, fountains, sculptures and so much more.

I hope I made this simple and yet still as detailed as possible for the basics. I’d truly love your feedback on this piece. Let me know if you have any questions and if you’d like to read more content like this. I assure you that once we get past the basics, we can delve more into the fun stuff. Consider this your mini crash course on Architectural Spaces. So, comment, like, share as much as possible and subscribe to my blog.

We can also connect on other platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube where you’ll find me under the same name Keziah Elaine Ayikoru. You can also follow my space design business by simply clicking the following names @spacesbykea (Instagram) or @spacesbykea (Facebook) for architectural design.

To read that childhood post I spoke of, click here.

Thank you for reading to the end.

With lots of love,

Keziah.

Ps.

All articles on this blog are copyrighted by me as I draw from my experience and knowledge gained over time. Respect that please and don’t reproduce this content in any form without permission. Thank you.
All images are free images from canva.com

11 Things That Make Me Happy (Day 21 UgBlogMonth)

As the UgBlogMonth draws to a close, I am delighted to share the things that make me happy.

Life would be one huge dull blob if there was nothing to look forward to. I am grateful for moments of smiles, laughter and warm goodness. The following are what make me happy:

Understanding Grace

Understanding the grace that comes from a relationship with God truly freed me to live a guilt-free life. I was very legalistic in the past and though I was raised in the church world, religion kept me enslaved to a life of tradition devoid of freedom. I wasn’t fully happy in my Christian journey; in fact, I was one of those Christians that didn’t make Christianity look attractive. However, when the revelation of grace started sinking in, it released me into a new kind of happiness. I’m getting happier with each new passing day and I am thankful for the blessings that come from being a child of God.

Family

I love my family. As most families do, we have experienced issues too. That said, my family has also had some really happy moments. I am happy we are in a good place now and we experience a lot of peace and laughter with each other. My favourite moments are when we all gather together in my parents’ living room and share a meal while watching TV. God has brought us out of some murky waters of the past. Currently, we are all more understanding of each other and happy to have each other. Watching Nigerian programs with my parents really makes me happy; we always share lots of laughter in those moments because as we all know, our Nigerian brothers are not short of drama. I treasure those moments; they are golden.

On one of my birthdays, bae took me to the lakeside where we watched the sunset over a good meal. A few days ago, he walked a distance to come see me, since public and private transportation is not operational due to the lockdown. Apart from the many acts of service, gifts and more, we have great conversation and lots of laughter. He and I haven’t had a perfect run but I can say without doubt that he makes me happy.

Great Friends

Where would I be without good friends that support me and understand me? The friends with whom I can talk effortlessly for hours on end are the absolute best. Time seems to stop, the tea is poured and a new world is formed for hours of pure bliss. I am so blessed to have great friends with whom I can share such moments.

Great Music

Music is my first love of all the Arts. Listening to great music does something to my soul that feels so divine. It’s like entering into Heaven for a moment and being totally transported to a surreal world of happiness. Music nurses my heart so well if I am feeling sad and it has the ability to instantly shift the mood and give me hope. I am very picky with the music that I love and I ensure that it’s uplifting and positive either because of the beat, the lyrics, or both.

Beautiful Spaces & Items

Beautiful spaces, clothes, jewellery, décor and other items, make me feel very important. I love feeling like royalty. Beautiful spaces and items boost my confidence and desire to continue living in ways that I can’t explain. When I enter a space, I instantly start either appreciating it or redesigning it mentally.

Nature

Nature is God’s genius creation filled with beauty. I feel closer to God when in beautiful natural settings where the sun shines warmly, casting vibrancy over the horizon. Calm and peace fill me up and I am easily happy.

The Performing Arts

Watching good performing arts gives me goose bumps out of feeling pure wonder. I can also remember a number of times when I have stepped off stage, after performing poetry, thinking ‘I was born for this’. The wide range of performing arts excite me. In fact, to kick up my energy and enthusiasm, I often watch talent shows such as The Voice and the ‘Got Talent’ series.

Good Fantasy Stories

Good fantasy literature and movies transport me to other worlds and I love being transported to places I won’t ever go to physically. I can get lost in these made-up fantasy worlds willingly. The happiness that fills me in those moments is immense.

Being Around Talented Positive Artists

Being around these kinds of artists energizes me tremendously. There is something about being with likeminded and driven artists that confirms my purposes to me every time I am with them.

Good Comedy

The laughter industry makes me happy without a doubt. Comedians like Trevor Noah and our very own Pablo add a lot of humour to a serious world.

I am very happy about the above 11 and more. Life is certainly not dull but rather, filled with so much colourful variety. Thank you for reading. Like, share, comment and subscribe.

Stay safe. Stay HAPPY. Stay grateful.

Regards,

Keziah.

The Child I Love to Remember (Day 20 UgBlogMonth)

I had to dig deep down for this day of the UgBlogMonth Challenge. Thankfully, the Arts came to my rescue with some happy childhood moments.

When I was around 8 years old, while seated at home one sunny afternoon, something like a tune started dancing in my head and along with it, words. I was a reserved child which meant the world in my head was rather eventful. However, even for my eventful mind, this was a new experience. I picked up a pen, and wrote the words down in an exercise book. I don’t know where the book is anymore however some of the words stuck with me and so did the tune. I’ll never forget the tune. It resounds in my head even as I write this paragraph. Perhaps one day this song will see the light of public day. I started writing more often from that day forward. Strangely though, the pieces that came to mind after that came with no tunes despite the fact that when I wrote them down on paper, they followed a similar structure to that first one. Somehow, the words that I put down on paper helped me explain what my emotions couldn’t. I never shared those pieces with anyone. It was much later in life, when I joined secondary school, that I found out that those pieces I loved to write had a specific name. It was Poetry; and I’ve been in love with it ever since.

On a different day when I was about 10 years old, without anyone instructing me to do so, something in my mind told me that it would be nice to draw the front facade of the house we lived in. I had been drawing little sketches of people for a while and I needed a new challenge. I picked up my clipboard, ruler and pencil, and positioned myself in front of our home. It was a rather engaging process. Just when I was about to finish, one of my brothers returned home. He saw me drawing something and asked to see it. Please note that the age difference between him and I is almost 9 whole years so he was about 19 years old and must have just joined university.

He sounded pleasantly surprised when he said, “Wow, did you do this? You should do Architecture when you grow up.” Architecture. That was a new word that was introduced to my world. I was very blessed to have that word introduced to my heart and mind so early in life.

The third and final memory is from the age of 11. There was a channel called Lighthouse TV where one of my favourite shows was aired – Colby’s Clubhouse. Oh, how I loved that show! I loved the music and the kids. I loved that they were so proactive and creative. It opened me up to a whole new world of possibilities. I decided with great resolve that I too would form my own group of young musicians. The band would be made up of my friends and I.

My parents had a beautiful big radio which could record on tape. If you don’t know what tapes are, I don’t know how to help you (insert smiley face). I asked someone to buy empty tapes for me, I don’t remember who. I told them that I wanted to record some music. Then one weekend when I was set to go for a sleepover at my friends’ place in the Bugolobi Flats, I asked mum if I could go along with the radio because I wanted to record some music. She agreed without asking many questions, which was really sweet of her.

I got there and gathered all the kids. I told them we were going to record music and one day be on TV. I had very big dreams. I led us in practice. I can’t remember what songs we practised but after that, I got the radio and started recording. I recorded once and asked that we repeat the recording. I think it was on the third recording that the other kids started to look out the window. They were tired. I was so determined but there was no way for me to convince them to continue. And that was the end of my dreams. There is no Colby’s-like band for my friends and I, to this day.

I’ll sneak in a quick bonus memory. I don’t know what age this happened at, perhaps because it looks like something I probably did more than once. Because of the massive age gap between my older brothers and I, I often had only myself to entertain me. I remember locking myself up in the girls’ bedroom, tying a cloth on my head (to mimic long hair) and going to stand in front of the mirror.

I would strike a pose, smile and say something like this: “Good morning ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to this week’s show. I am your host Keziah….” I proceeded to say a bunch of things I can’t remember. A part of me still thinks I’ll be a TV show presenter in this life, someday.

Thanks for reading to the end. Like, share, comment and subscribe below.

Stay safe. Stay happy. Stay grateful.

Keep dreaming like a child.

Regards,

Keziah.

What I Wish People Would Stop Doing (Day 19 UgBlogMonth)

It’s never too late until it’s too late, and it’s not yet too late. I’m delighted to join the #UgBlogMonth Challenge albeit only for the final three days. It’s commendable that the Ugandan Blog Community is doing this. A new era is certainly with us and blogging is becoming a mainstream activity in Uganda, or at least more respected and loved than it used to be.

On to the business at hand: there is one thing I truly wish people would stop doing and that is…(drumroll)…COMPLAINING!

I feel that complaining can be likened to a sick person drinking poison in the hope that people will rush to his or her aid because suddenly things are harder. My point is that complaining actually makes you feel worse and not better. I’m not presiding as judge over this matter. I am in the defendants’ corner with the rest of the world, erring on the side that’s guilty as charged. There are all types of complaints. Some complaints are clearly easy to judge; the complainer may be loud and obnoxious. And yet it’s the subtle complaints that are even more dangerous. You know them, don’t you? Those that seem justified because after all, someone or the ‘universe’ is behind the cause of pain. Moreover, you are human and you deserve to air out the injustices in the world. Right? Maybe not.

In his book Secrets of a Millionaire Mind, T. Harv Eker talks about the negative impact that complaining has on your ability to get rich. He even goes as far as saying that if you stopped doing this one thing, it would dramatically increase your ability to earn more. He goes further to mention that he has given this advice to his clients over the years and it has tremendously made a positive difference to their finances. He says that rich people with a rich mindset don’t complain. And even if they did, no one would pay them any attention because people don’t take too kindly to complaints about the size of a yacht, for example, especially not while so many others have ‘real’ problems.

I am more conscious about the need not to complain and I grow daily in that regard. Some days are better than others. Yesterday in particular was not one of my strongest days on this front. However, I am grateful that I am no longer in the frame of mind where I’d make justifications for complaints. I feel terrible when the negative energy from the poison of complaints runs through me and I am instantly in a better place mentally when I choose to stop complaining. More than this, I want to be rich, I mean who doesn’t? I have no illusion that not complaining is a magic wand that will put money in my pocket. However, I know and believe that a better attitude and outlook in life greatly affects every action therefore instilling more willpower to make better choices daily. If you make better choices daily from a point of choosing to focus on the positives rather than the negatives, the opportunities instead of the challenges, you are then able to move everything in your life forward.

That does not mean that we aren’t allowed to be sad. That’s a normal human emotion dependent on circumstances. However, to complain or not to complain is fully a choice. Yes, you read that right! We can learn to control our emotions and completely remove complaining from our default settings. This is one thing I really wish everyone would learn to do.

Thank you for reading. If this is your first time here, subscribe, like, follow and comment below.

Stay safe. Stay happy. Stay grateful.

Resolve to stop complaining.

Regards,

Keziah.

The Limitless Creative

To say that I am very excited about the new look of my blog, is an overstatement! Actually, that’s not true, because though I don’t exhibit any visible signs of this internal euphoria, I am truly super-excited.

This upgrade of my domain and the effort I have exerted to express myself creatively through this blog symbolizes new beginnings for me.

See, I’ve been told quite a number of times that I do too much or that I can’t be involved actively in all the gifts God has given me. One person actually told me one time that I was finishing activities for the rest to do.

Her exact words were, “If you do everything, what do you expect the rest of us to do?”

I wish I could properly express the laughter emojis that I picture in my mind at this point because her insecurity was clearly coming from a place of not knowing herself well enough, and not believing that her own abilities were enough. A person who is insecure will naturally want to pull another person to the level they are at in their minds.

Thankfully, I paid her no attention.

On a different occasion, I asked a business man for guidance on how to utilize every talent God has given me fully, because I recognized that to those whom much is given, much is expected. Much to my disappointment, despite my desire to steward my gifts well and fully, I was told, “No, it can’t be done.”

Thankfully, I paid him no attention either.

I have continued to do many things and to exploit my creative potential as much as I can. I am not saying that I am perfect at everything, certainly not. I simply seek to give my very best every time. And even when I seek this, sometimes I still fall short. But that’s okay. I desire that when I stand before my God, unutilised potential will not be one of the things I cry over, not that there will be any tears there, but you get my point.

I am presenting myself here in a new light, with all of me, or at least some major parts of me. Some of you might not know that I do some of the things I am sharing on this blog/personal website. And I like that. I like that we are discovering new dimensions of eachother because I am certain that you too are not a one-hit-wonder. God made us all so multi-faceted and we should stop limiting what we expect from ourselves and others.

Allow me to welcome you to Keziah, the limitless creative. It’s not that I have an infinite level of creativity. That’s not what I mean but rather that there are no boundaries to my creativity and I celebrate my limitlessness because I am truly gifted.

Through this blog, I hope to share more of me with you and I am super-excited that I am going to write about more of the Creative Arts than I previously did. The Precious Series which was mainly for encouragement has been superseded by www.keziahelaineayikoru.com in all her fullness, or at least most of it – the parts I will show you.

Stay blessed and remember: we can all be all God created us to be, in the seasons that He has commissioned us to be, and we can do so without apologizing for our light! We are never too much. God made no mistakes.

With love,

Keziah.

P.s. All blog posts from the previous domain still exist here, under ‘Inspiration’ on the menu bar. This is simply an upgrade. Tell your friends to tell your friends. Follow, like, subscribe.

P.p.s. I also have a youtube channel now. See you too on that side.

New Things Under The Sun

Ecclesiastes 1:9 NKJV

That which has been is what will be,
That which is done is what will be done,
And there is nothing new under the sun.

In the past, I applied the above verse in resignation because I felt there was after all, nothing new that lay under the sun. Sometimes, I used it with great relief because I felt that I didn’t have to think so much because the solution already existed somewhere on the earth. I guess my feelings were valid in as far as my knowledge was at that point. However, ignorance of a truth still prevents one from walking in the freedom of that truth.

I got a revelation a few days ago while watching a sermon. The preacher said that God is waiting to give some secrets to the children of God that will dwell with him and commune with Him. His opinion was that there are new things that don’t exist yet, that God will reveal to a chosen few. Right there and then, the following scripture came to mind and quickly connected the dots for me.

Ephesians 2:6 New King James Version (NKJV)
and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

See, it’s true that nothing is new UNDER the sun but THAT’S NOT WHERE WE ARE POSITIONED. As children of God, we are seated in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus! In addition to that, the Bible says in 1^stCorinthians 2:16 that we have the mind of Christ!

In short, this matter is sealed. We are spiritually seated in HEAVENLY PLACES so that we can bring NEW solutions from there to here, UNDER the sun where the world currently sees us. As children of God, made righteous by salvation, we are able to do this.

Because of this, I would like to believe that there are still new innovative businesses that are going to be born, new scientific discoveries, new artistic ventures and new positive human advancements of great value.

Because this is true, I believe that new terrifying situations like COVID-19 also have new Heavenly solutions. God isn’t running around Heaven holding His head and wondering where the treatment will come from. He already sorted this matter at the cross. Because of that, Christians can appropriate the healing for it straight from Heaven to earth because God has a new solution to combat this “new” negative situation. I watched a testimony on Faith TV about a healing from COVID-19 after a word of healing was sent over the phone to a couple that had tested positive. Instantly, they were healed. Such is God’s power.

He is such a gracious God and has already prepared for conclusive treatment in the form of medicines and healthcare too, to make sure more people get well. His mercy surely endures forever and He wants us well!

I don’t in any way belittle anything that’s happened. I also do not deny the severity of the situation. However, I simply can’t deny the power of our God who already put in place measures for new multiple solutions to be found even way before this situation occurred. Because of these solutions, the world has seen many recoveries and will continue to see many more.

COVID aside, there is a lot to be grateful for; God is still in the business of doing NEW, awesome things every day. I am happy that we can trust such a good father.

Stay safe under God’s shelter of His word and presence. He is good.

WHAT ARE WE?

Are we our feelings?
That butter-milk fit of emotion
Frothing and beautifully rising…
Culminating in a sense of euphoria!
Or the black pepper anger,
Poured in maximum quantities
Dulling our senses.

Are we our bones?
The structure that holds us together,
Helps us stand and not crumble;
The skeleton of flesh,
Curved out with ingenuity,
From the day of inception.

Are we our senses?
The five that we know:
Sight, smell, touch, taste, hearing –
On which we rely for perception and direction.

Are we our blood?
The oxygen-filled red that flows in our veins,
Giving our hearts substance for beating,
Regulating our breath.

Are we our possessions?
The things that give a sense of security:
Cars, houses, money –
The pretty, the flashy and dashing items.

Intricate beings,
Floating in shallow waters:
Not swimming in the deep,
Not standing with mountains.

If flesh gives birth to flesh,
Shouldn’t spirit give birth to spirit?

We are not our skin:
Neither it’s tone not texture.

We are not out lips:
Not its words, nor movement.

Our very substance is more than we think we know.
Our truest nature is beyond this surface.

We are, we are, we are.

This piece was first published in Badilisha Poetry Exchange, an online magazine on https://badilishapoetry.com/keziah-elaine-ayikoru/ . I recite an audio version of the poem documented too by the magazine. Follow the link.

Feature photo from Pexels.