Chapter 9
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This is a situation of making your mark in an environment in a positive way. Making a positive impact is one of the best ways to find a sense of purpose, sense of belonging, happiness, and fulfilment. Your blessings — material or in kind — can change the lives of others. When you do what you do best, you are helping not only yourself, but the world, too. When you are the only happy person in the midst of several others who are suffering then, there is problem for you.
You need to think of what you can do to improve the lives of others, to earn self-fulfilment and life satisfaction. You do not need to be affluent to start this. Life is not all about money. This is simply a noble goal, trying to figure out what you can do to make others happy, so that they will earn a positive impact from you. Your desire to impact positively on others brings out the best in you. This equally translates to your being able to unlock the great potential in you, and this will equip you with the power of love and respect from others.
What Can You Offer?
You have to find out what gives you joy and extend that to others. You may be a great organiser, a wonderful public speaker, a nice cook, a humourist, a computer operator, a fashion designer, and so on. Your services can be rendered freely to make a positive impact. However, before such services could be rendered, be pretty sure that they are your identified skills and talents. Equally of note is that they should be what you truly enjoy doing, so that you will be able to consistently offer the assistance. If you are a student, you can offer to organise a study group before your exam, or offer to lend out your notes to those who could not attend lessons/lectures with you. If you are a teacher, let other teachers gain from your experiences in your course or area of specialisation. A person in your neighbourhood may be in dire need of operating a computer or lessons or maybe just another service. The proper thing to do is to offer your services, especially if you have the ability to do so. When you notice downcast situations around you, a little sense of humour can rekindle the lost joy. Your catering services may be beneficial to a neighbour who is organising an event. Your tailoring services can be freely offered to indigent children around you.
If you are an affluent person in the society, you need to think of ways to impact your community. You can sponsor several community projects or help the downtrodden of your society. If you decide to stretch your benevolence to a school, you can consider sponsoring programmes like inter-house sports competitions, cultural activities, talent hunts, and so on. You can equally enrich their libraries with relevant materials like books, magazines, and Compact Disc plates (for storage of materials that have soft copies).
To draw this point home, an example comes to mind here in the personage of Dr Ifeanyi Uba, the Managing Director of Capital Oil and Gas Ltd. The love he gets from people is not as a result of his wealth; after all, there are several other wealthy men who are despised. The people's affection for Dr. Uba is due to the positive impact he is making on society. He is generally known for his selfless service and generosity. These attributes have endeared countless people to him. He has sponsored many activities and programmes such as sports development, engagement in humanitarian activities to help the less privileged, establishment of industrial parks, sponsorship of a football club, employment generation, scholarship scheme, and so on. Dr. Uba equally touches people spiritually through donations towards God's work and projects. He commits to spiritual developmental strides irrespective of which religion or denomination is involved. What I have observed in his actions is encapsulated in Anne Frank's saying: "No one has ever become poor by giving."5 As one gives, one gets more. This is the secret of prosperity which he has imbibed. This is a worthy virtue that can catapult one to enviable greatness.
There are many other services people can offer. Those who have the wherewithal should look for children from indigent parents, to adopt. This is a way of giving those children the opportunity of benefitting from their wealth. They should not concentrate on training only their own children. They can get a child from a poor family whose parents find it difficult to train, and incorporate into their own family circle. They should let the child enjoy all that their own children are enjoying – academic life, social life, moral life, financial life, and so on. They will bring up that child as their own until he or she becomes independent. By so doing, they are living a purposeful life, and a life of fulfilment. They should not make the mistake of doing it for them to be appreciated, because it may not always be so, but they should do it for the sake of impacting positively on humanity. What else can be better than sacrificial love, since we are bound to sacrifice certain pleasures, to ensure that others have a share of what we have? It is important to state that getting such a child should not translate to a case of maltreating such a child as some people would do, turning such a child into a slave. Every child is worthy of affection and should be loved totally.
Those who may not be able to incorporate the child into their own families can offer to take up the child's educational needs or other types of social support such as skill acquisition, provision of jobs, sponsorship in one type of programme or the other. One comedian used to cite this expression: "If you eat alone, you die alone." This sounds funny, but makes a lot of sense. When we make our special services available to others, we can be considered to be making a positive impact.
Are You Impacting On Others?
Several people have made a true and real impact in the world around them. That is not to say that they are privileged, advantaged, or 'special' in any way, but that they have crushed circumstances surrounding their initial limited capabilities, and found ways to pick themselves up and rise above their circumstances, to transform their own lives and the lives of those around them. By engaging with people in open, mutually beneficial ways, you are impacting positively on them. You will push beyond any introversion, shyness, or reluctance, to relate well with others, and build mutually-supportive relationships that catapult both parties to a higher level. You will dedicate yourself to what gives your life meaning and purpose. You will need to find that there is a purpose for your life, and that purpose usually involves some aspects of turning your 'mess' into a 'message', or using what you have learnt — often the hard way — as a means of being of service to others.
There is the call for you to spread what you know. Those who make a true positive difference cannot help but share and teach what they have learnt. They see their success story as information that has to be shared with the world, for its betterment. You should believe that your ideas and innovations are of use and value to others, so, you need to share them openly, and teach others what you have learnt. You have to live up to the principle of 'the more you give, the more you get'. Use your power and influence well. Those who impart the world for the better are careful and judicious with their words, actions and behaviour. You need to take your gifts seriously, as a special honour and responsibility, not to be flaunted or misused. Ensure that you understand your role and accept it with grace, compassion and care.
Making a positive impact involves showing respect to others. Whether you are successful or powerful, you should not step on others to get ahead. Do not take people for granted. Uplift others as you ascend. You will always have the urge for others to grow, unlike some power mongers who are cruel to their subordinates. If you really want to impact positively on others, your ultimate goal should not be about upholding your title, income, reputation, status or power, but about new ways to help and share with others.
For people to be positively impacted by you, you have to admit when you make mistakes, and apologise accordingly. Nobody is perfect. When you make a mistake, people around you need to know that you made a mistake, then move ahead and correct it. This move will help them understand that everyone makes mistakes, and that you can make it right. The junior ones imbibe this virtue from you, and that makes the world a better place. It is often the little things you do that make the difference in the way children perceive how to succeed in business and relationships.
While in school, for example, a student can make positive impact by joining a club in the school, using it as a medium to raise the standard of the school, and also to train other students in the area of affective domain. Through debating club too, a gifted student can equally influence other students on learning how to talk convincingly, casting away unnecessary shyness and timidity. A practical illustration of how a student can raise the standard of the school, in order to win laurels, is as shown in the Nigerian movie, Nkoli nwa Nsukka. Nkoli, the central character of the movie, has to coach the other students in dancing practice. This is in a bid to ensure that the school wins in a competition they are slated to participate in. She does this to great result as the school wins the competition eventually. She makes a positive impact on both the other students and the entire school, because, through the victory, the school's standard is raised. A great lesson should be learnt here of what commitment, leadership and dedication can bring to people. This is aside from the entertainment value of the movie which, of course, is another area of positive impact through the ease of tension by viewers, as they laugh and derive joy from such.
Making an effort to befriend a new student who has not yet understood the rigours of the school will avail the new student the opportunity to get good orientation on the rules and regulations of the school. This is a positive impact. When a student in the school takes time to coach a classmate who is struggling with a particular subject, that student is making a difference positively. This can bring about an improvement in the general result of a school, especially in external examinations6. Teachers can also impact positively on students through demonstration of mastery of their subjects, response to students' personal interests or talents, improvisation of measures to meet a particular student's need, and maintenance of admirable standards. Everyone needs to impact positively on his environment.
Spread Joy
"There is no joy like spreading joy!" goes a popular saying. Joy is not a rare material simply found in material things, money, or positions alone. It is a gift that lies in us all. We need to look inwards, do things that give us happiness and smiles that translate to joy. All we need to do with our acquired or derived joy is to share it with others. Joy is a strange thing that only increases as you spread it. In essence, the more generous you are with spreading or giving out joy, the more it will be multiplied for you. The only way truly to have great joy is to give joy. When you spread joy, your heart will be flooded with great joy. We can spread joy around us, at work, at school, with our children, with our parents, with our friends and with strangers on the street. When others are talking, you have to give a listening ear as this makes them feel good. You are indirectly spreading joy, by giving a listening ear. It shows you care about other people's thoughts.
You can spread joy by giving a huge honest smile to someone. Your smile can make all the difference in the world. That little smile makes you attractive, and makes someone else happy. Smiling shows people that you are a positive person, and that you are easy to get along with. It is the most welcoming gesture. Greet someone cheerfully. A little 'hello' sends joy to the person you are greeting. Do not hoard your greetings. Practising cheerful greetings earns you joy. Mere hugging of someone around you gives the person a feeling of intimacy with you. The person will feel accepted. This is a common practice when one reunites with a loved one. But that joy can equally be shared with others.
You can spread joy through genuine compliments. Naturally, when someone receives compliments from another person, he or she feels high in spirit. That brings joy to the recipient. We do not have to be miserly in paying compliments to others. Their morale needs to be boosted. There is great joy in receiving compliments.
Try to surprise someone with small presents, and you will make that person's day. Open hands, they say, bring open doors. Everyone has something he or she is endowed with, to positively impact others. A good way to surprise others and make great positive impact is to assist the indigent students. You can do this through purchasing books for them, paying their school fees, providing jobs for the ones who have completed schooling, and equipping them with what it takes to have a worthy living. You can equally offer assistance to a stranger. When you do that to someone who was not initially expecting a help from you, you have made yourself a hero to that person, having given him joy for that act you performed.
When you settle down to count your blessings, you will see every reason why you should strive to make positive impact on your environment. You may have had the advantage of fulfilling your career, but, what about others who could not have such opportunity? For the adults, there are as many opportunities as possible, for you to bring about positive changes in other people's lives, on a daily basis, no matter how small. You, as a child, may be identified with running errands for the elderly, or offering some minor social services to people, without looking for gratification. You are spreading joy through that, and God will make you great for doing that. When we spread joy, we earn joy.
Your Attitude Crowns It All
Attitude to life is the ultimate watchword for everyone, no matter our travails or opportunities. As Charles R. Swindle, an author, educator, and radio preacher, observed: "The longer I live, the more I realise my impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company… a church….a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that's our attitude…..I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me, and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you…..we are in charge of our Attitudes." The determining factor that leads us to our desired success is our attitude.
Being really practical about having a positive attitude to life, and equally, impacting positively on other people's lives, needs to be stressed here. There are people who will so much impact positively on you that you can never allow their names to be swept away from your sweet memories. These are people who have, through their humanitarian gestures, demonstrated what it means to appreciate other people's existence. Worthy of mention here is the practical demonstration of this attribute by Professor (Mrs) Julie Okpala, who has shown me tender care, real gentleness, pure humility, motherly concern, true Godly worship, deep friendship, and above all, positive attitude to life.
Through her impact on my life, I was able to build more resilience, more love for others, and more spirit of determination, as she morally encouraged me when I was writing some pages of this book in her London residence. Though she is a professor of Geographic & Environmental Education she has equally delved into many other areas of human development and concern, through her researches in some areas ravaging mankind. Of particular interest to me is the book she wrote on diabetes, which is a step towards salvaging humanity from this deadly ailment. After an experience she had, she decided to write on the topic: Degrading Diabetes: My Personal Experience, just to get others informed. Due to her concern for leaving no stone unturned in her findings, she took serious time to visit hospitals and relevant offices, link the internet services, make personal contacts with specialist doctors, make thorough researches on relevant books, to unravel the best ways of dissociating oneself from this dreadful ailment, diabetes.
The book, with the full research made on the contents, is a masterpiece by my estimation. This step really motivated me, as this has made a serious impact on me in my literary career. As a means of encouragement, she was always quick to ask me – continuously – in her sweet and gentle voice: "Uche, how are you getting on with the writing of your book?" I am really happy for that inspiration and sincere encouragement. She is a great and wonderful lady!
What about you? Who can boast of you as having made a positive impact on him or her? You may not know the weight of gratitude the recipient of your goodwill may have, until you see it demonstrated by that person in one way or the other. On the other hand, if you are the one that got the positive impact, it pays to show gratitude, be it in print or otherwise. You are equally indirectly impacting positively on the person you are thanking, because, gratitude is a great morale booster. That is how each and every one of us will make the world a better place. Check yourself thoroughly and adjust, where necessary. It will do you real good to have a positive attitude towards life, so that you will be assured of a firm bridge between problems and solutions.
~ Touch Me Once Again ~
1. What a sweet and sincere contact Devoid of being artificial
And enriched with positive impact Quite proven to be beneficial.
2. Out of your own goodwill, I'm rising to my greatness
My aim in life to fulfil, And gazing at its brightness.
3. I'm provided with the stool To display all the mastery And never to play the fool, While I unravel life's mystery.
4. You do not mind your position And qualitative repute
But still honour my ambition This gesture, will I salute.
Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click www.webnovel.com for visiting.
5. I'm touched by your compliment Which you do not withhold May you truly be prominent As your great deeds unfold.
Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!
This is a situation of making your mark in an environment in a positive way. Making a positive impact is one of the best ways to find a sense of purpose, sense of belonging, happiness, and fulfilment. Your blessings — material or in kind — can change the lives of others. When you do what you do best, you are helping not only yourself, but the world, too. When you are the only happy person in the midst of several others who are suffering then, there is problem for you.
You need to think of what you can do to improve the lives of others, to earn self-fulfilment and life satisfaction. You do not need to be affluent to start this. Life is not all about money. This is simply a noble goal, trying to figure out what you can do to make others happy, so that they will earn a positive impact from you. Your desire to impact positively on others brings out the best in you. This equally translates to your being able to unlock the great potential in you, and this will equip you with the power of love and respect from others.
What Can You Offer?
You have to find out what gives you joy and extend that to others. You may be a great organiser, a wonderful public speaker, a nice cook, a humourist, a computer operator, a fashion designer, and so on. Your services can be rendered freely to make a positive impact. However, before such services could be rendered, be pretty sure that they are your identified skills and talents. Equally of note is that they should be what you truly enjoy doing, so that you will be able to consistently offer the assistance. If you are a student, you can offer to organise a study group before your exam, or offer to lend out your notes to those who could not attend lessons/lectures with you. If you are a teacher, let other teachers gain from your experiences in your course or area of specialisation. A person in your neighbourhood may be in dire need of operating a computer or lessons or maybe just another service. The proper thing to do is to offer your services, especially if you have the ability to do so. When you notice downcast situations around you, a little sense of humour can rekindle the lost joy. Your catering services may be beneficial to a neighbour who is organising an event. Your tailoring services can be freely offered to indigent children around you.
If you are an affluent person in the society, you need to think of ways to impact your community. You can sponsor several community projects or help the downtrodden of your society. If you decide to stretch your benevolence to a school, you can consider sponsoring programmes like inter-house sports competitions, cultural activities, talent hunts, and so on. You can equally enrich their libraries with relevant materials like books, magazines, and Compact Disc plates (for storage of materials that have soft copies).
To draw this point home, an example comes to mind here in the personage of Dr Ifeanyi Uba, the Managing Director of Capital Oil and Gas Ltd. The love he gets from people is not as a result of his wealth; after all, there are several other wealthy men who are despised. The people's affection for Dr. Uba is due to the positive impact he is making on society. He is generally known for his selfless service and generosity. These attributes have endeared countless people to him. He has sponsored many activities and programmes such as sports development, engagement in humanitarian activities to help the less privileged, establishment of industrial parks, sponsorship of a football club, employment generation, scholarship scheme, and so on. Dr. Uba equally touches people spiritually through donations towards God's work and projects. He commits to spiritual developmental strides irrespective of which religion or denomination is involved. What I have observed in his actions is encapsulated in Anne Frank's saying: "No one has ever become poor by giving."5 As one gives, one gets more. This is the secret of prosperity which he has imbibed. This is a worthy virtue that can catapult one to enviable greatness.
There are many other services people can offer. Those who have the wherewithal should look for children from indigent parents, to adopt. This is a way of giving those children the opportunity of benefitting from their wealth. They should not concentrate on training only their own children. They can get a child from a poor family whose parents find it difficult to train, and incorporate into their own family circle. They should let the child enjoy all that their own children are enjoying – academic life, social life, moral life, financial life, and so on. They will bring up that child as their own until he or she becomes independent. By so doing, they are living a purposeful life, and a life of fulfilment. They should not make the mistake of doing it for them to be appreciated, because it may not always be so, but they should do it for the sake of impacting positively on humanity. What else can be better than sacrificial love, since we are bound to sacrifice certain pleasures, to ensure that others have a share of what we have? It is important to state that getting such a child should not translate to a case of maltreating such a child as some people would do, turning such a child into a slave. Every child is worthy of affection and should be loved totally.
Those who may not be able to incorporate the child into their own families can offer to take up the child's educational needs or other types of social support such as skill acquisition, provision of jobs, sponsorship in one type of programme or the other. One comedian used to cite this expression: "If you eat alone, you die alone." This sounds funny, but makes a lot of sense. When we make our special services available to others, we can be considered to be making a positive impact.
Are You Impacting On Others?
Several people have made a true and real impact in the world around them. That is not to say that they are privileged, advantaged, or 'special' in any way, but that they have crushed circumstances surrounding their initial limited capabilities, and found ways to pick themselves up and rise above their circumstances, to transform their own lives and the lives of those around them. By engaging with people in open, mutually beneficial ways, you are impacting positively on them. You will push beyond any introversion, shyness, or reluctance, to relate well with others, and build mutually-supportive relationships that catapult both parties to a higher level. You will dedicate yourself to what gives your life meaning and purpose. You will need to find that there is a purpose for your life, and that purpose usually involves some aspects of turning your 'mess' into a 'message', or using what you have learnt — often the hard way — as a means of being of service to others.
There is the call for you to spread what you know. Those who make a true positive difference cannot help but share and teach what they have learnt. They see their success story as information that has to be shared with the world, for its betterment. You should believe that your ideas and innovations are of use and value to others, so, you need to share them openly, and teach others what you have learnt. You have to live up to the principle of 'the more you give, the more you get'. Use your power and influence well. Those who impart the world for the better are careful and judicious with their words, actions and behaviour. You need to take your gifts seriously, as a special honour and responsibility, not to be flaunted or misused. Ensure that you understand your role and accept it with grace, compassion and care.
Making a positive impact involves showing respect to others. Whether you are successful or powerful, you should not step on others to get ahead. Do not take people for granted. Uplift others as you ascend. You will always have the urge for others to grow, unlike some power mongers who are cruel to their subordinates. If you really want to impact positively on others, your ultimate goal should not be about upholding your title, income, reputation, status or power, but about new ways to help and share with others.
For people to be positively impacted by you, you have to admit when you make mistakes, and apologise accordingly. Nobody is perfect. When you make a mistake, people around you need to know that you made a mistake, then move ahead and correct it. This move will help them understand that everyone makes mistakes, and that you can make it right. The junior ones imbibe this virtue from you, and that makes the world a better place. It is often the little things you do that make the difference in the way children perceive how to succeed in business and relationships.
While in school, for example, a student can make positive impact by joining a club in the school, using it as a medium to raise the standard of the school, and also to train other students in the area of affective domain. Through debating club too, a gifted student can equally influence other students on learning how to talk convincingly, casting away unnecessary shyness and timidity. A practical illustration of how a student can raise the standard of the school, in order to win laurels, is as shown in the Nigerian movie, Nkoli nwa Nsukka. Nkoli, the central character of the movie, has to coach the other students in dancing practice. This is in a bid to ensure that the school wins in a competition they are slated to participate in. She does this to great result as the school wins the competition eventually. She makes a positive impact on both the other students and the entire school, because, through the victory, the school's standard is raised. A great lesson should be learnt here of what commitment, leadership and dedication can bring to people. This is aside from the entertainment value of the movie which, of course, is another area of positive impact through the ease of tension by viewers, as they laugh and derive joy from such.
Making an effort to befriend a new student who has not yet understood the rigours of the school will avail the new student the opportunity to get good orientation on the rules and regulations of the school. This is a positive impact. When a student in the school takes time to coach a classmate who is struggling with a particular subject, that student is making a difference positively. This can bring about an improvement in the general result of a school, especially in external examinations6. Teachers can also impact positively on students through demonstration of mastery of their subjects, response to students' personal interests or talents, improvisation of measures to meet a particular student's need, and maintenance of admirable standards. Everyone needs to impact positively on his environment.
Spread Joy
"There is no joy like spreading joy!" goes a popular saying. Joy is not a rare material simply found in material things, money, or positions alone. It is a gift that lies in us all. We need to look inwards, do things that give us happiness and smiles that translate to joy. All we need to do with our acquired or derived joy is to share it with others. Joy is a strange thing that only increases as you spread it. In essence, the more generous you are with spreading or giving out joy, the more it will be multiplied for you. The only way truly to have great joy is to give joy. When you spread joy, your heart will be flooded with great joy. We can spread joy around us, at work, at school, with our children, with our parents, with our friends and with strangers on the street. When others are talking, you have to give a listening ear as this makes them feel good. You are indirectly spreading joy, by giving a listening ear. It shows you care about other people's thoughts.
You can spread joy by giving a huge honest smile to someone. Your smile can make all the difference in the world. That little smile makes you attractive, and makes someone else happy. Smiling shows people that you are a positive person, and that you are easy to get along with. It is the most welcoming gesture. Greet someone cheerfully. A little 'hello' sends joy to the person you are greeting. Do not hoard your greetings. Practising cheerful greetings earns you joy. Mere hugging of someone around you gives the person a feeling of intimacy with you. The person will feel accepted. This is a common practice when one reunites with a loved one. But that joy can equally be shared with others.
You can spread joy through genuine compliments. Naturally, when someone receives compliments from another person, he or she feels high in spirit. That brings joy to the recipient. We do not have to be miserly in paying compliments to others. Their morale needs to be boosted. There is great joy in receiving compliments.
Try to surprise someone with small presents, and you will make that person's day. Open hands, they say, bring open doors. Everyone has something he or she is endowed with, to positively impact others. A good way to surprise others and make great positive impact is to assist the indigent students. You can do this through purchasing books for them, paying their school fees, providing jobs for the ones who have completed schooling, and equipping them with what it takes to have a worthy living. You can equally offer assistance to a stranger. When you do that to someone who was not initially expecting a help from you, you have made yourself a hero to that person, having given him joy for that act you performed.
When you settle down to count your blessings, you will see every reason why you should strive to make positive impact on your environment. You may have had the advantage of fulfilling your career, but, what about others who could not have such opportunity? For the adults, there are as many opportunities as possible, for you to bring about positive changes in other people's lives, on a daily basis, no matter how small. You, as a child, may be identified with running errands for the elderly, or offering some minor social services to people, without looking for gratification. You are spreading joy through that, and God will make you great for doing that. When we spread joy, we earn joy.
Your Attitude Crowns It All
Attitude to life is the ultimate watchword for everyone, no matter our travails or opportunities. As Charles R. Swindle, an author, educator, and radio preacher, observed: "The longer I live, the more I realise my impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company… a church….a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that's our attitude…..I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me, and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you…..we are in charge of our Attitudes." The determining factor that leads us to our desired success is our attitude.
Being really practical about having a positive attitude to life, and equally, impacting positively on other people's lives, needs to be stressed here. There are people who will so much impact positively on you that you can never allow their names to be swept away from your sweet memories. These are people who have, through their humanitarian gestures, demonstrated what it means to appreciate other people's existence. Worthy of mention here is the practical demonstration of this attribute by Professor (Mrs) Julie Okpala, who has shown me tender care, real gentleness, pure humility, motherly concern, true Godly worship, deep friendship, and above all, positive attitude to life.
Through her impact on my life, I was able to build more resilience, more love for others, and more spirit of determination, as she morally encouraged me when I was writing some pages of this book in her London residence. Though she is a professor of Geographic & Environmental Education she has equally delved into many other areas of human development and concern, through her researches in some areas ravaging mankind. Of particular interest to me is the book she wrote on diabetes, which is a step towards salvaging humanity from this deadly ailment. After an experience she had, she decided to write on the topic: Degrading Diabetes: My Personal Experience, just to get others informed. Due to her concern for leaving no stone unturned in her findings, she took serious time to visit hospitals and relevant offices, link the internet services, make personal contacts with specialist doctors, make thorough researches on relevant books, to unravel the best ways of dissociating oneself from this dreadful ailment, diabetes.
The book, with the full research made on the contents, is a masterpiece by my estimation. This step really motivated me, as this has made a serious impact on me in my literary career. As a means of encouragement, she was always quick to ask me – continuously – in her sweet and gentle voice: "Uche, how are you getting on with the writing of your book?" I am really happy for that inspiration and sincere encouragement. She is a great and wonderful lady!
What about you? Who can boast of you as having made a positive impact on him or her? You may not know the weight of gratitude the recipient of your goodwill may have, until you see it demonstrated by that person in one way or the other. On the other hand, if you are the one that got the positive impact, it pays to show gratitude, be it in print or otherwise. You are equally indirectly impacting positively on the person you are thanking, because, gratitude is a great morale booster. That is how each and every one of us will make the world a better place. Check yourself thoroughly and adjust, where necessary. It will do you real good to have a positive attitude towards life, so that you will be assured of a firm bridge between problems and solutions.
~ Touch Me Once Again ~
1. What a sweet and sincere contact Devoid of being artificial
And enriched with positive impact Quite proven to be beneficial.
2. Out of your own goodwill, I'm rising to my greatness
My aim in life to fulfil, And gazing at its brightness.
3. I'm provided with the stool To display all the mastery And never to play the fool, While I unravel life's mystery.
4. You do not mind your position And qualitative repute
But still honour my ambition This gesture, will I salute.
Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click www.webnovel.com for visiting.
5. I'm touched by your compliment Which you do not withhold May you truly be prominent As your great deeds unfold.
This is a situation of making your mark in an environment in a positive way. Making a positive impact is one of the best ways to find a sense of purpose, sense of belonging, happiness, and fulfilment. Your blessings material or in kind can change the lives of others. When you do what you do best, you are helping not only yourself, but the world, too. When you are the only happy person in the midst of several others who are suffering then, there is problem for you.You need to think of what you can do to improve the lives of others, to earn self-fulfilment and life satisfaction. You do not need to be affluent to start this. Life is not all about money. This is simply a noble goal, trying to figure out what you can do to make others happy, so that they will earn a positive impact from you. Your desire to impact positively on others brings out the best in you. This equally translates to your being able to unlock the great potential in you, and this will equip you with the power of love and respect from others.What Can You Offer?You have to find out what gives you joy and extend that to others. You may be a great organiser, a wonderful public speaker, a nice cook, a humourist, a computer operator, a fashion designer, and so on. Your services can be rendered freely to make a positive impact. However, before such services could be rendered, be pretty sure that they are your identified skills and talents. Equally of note is that they should be what you truly enjoy doing, so that you will be able to consistently offer the assistance. If you are a student, you can offer to organise a study group before your exam, or offer to lend out your notes to those who could not attend lessons/lectures with you. If you are a teacher, let other teachers gain from your experiences in your course or area of specialisation. A person in your neighbourhood may be in dire need of operating a computer or lessons or maybe just another service. The proper thing to do is to offer your services, especially if you have the ability to do so. When you notice downcast situations around you, a little sense of humour can rekindle the lost joy. Your catering services may be beneficial to a neighbour who is organising an event. Your tailoring services can be freely offered to indigent children around you.If you are an affluent person in the society, you need to think of ways to impact your community. You can sponsor several community projects or help the downtrodden of your society. If you decide to stretch your benevolence to a school, you can consider sponsoring programmes like inter-house sports competitions, cultural activities, talent hunts, and so on. You can equally enrich their libraries with relevant materials like books, magazines, and Compact Disc plates for storage of materials that have soft copies.To draw this point home, an example comes to mind here in the personage of Dr Ifeanyi Uba, the Managing Director of Capital Oil and Gas Ltd. The love he gets from people is not as a result of his wealth; after all, there are several other wealthy men who are despised. The people's affection for Dr. Uba is due to the positive impact he is making on society. He is generally known for his selfless service and generosity. These attributes have endeared countless people to him. He has sponsored many activities and programmes such as sports development, engagement in humanitarian activities to help the less privileged, establishment of industrial parks, sponsorship of a football club, employment generation, scholarship scheme, and so on. Dr. Uba equally touches people spiritually through donations towards God's work and projects. He commits to spiritual developmental strides irrespective of which religion or denomination is involved. What I have observed in his actions is encapsulated in Anne Frank's saying: "No one has ever become poor by giving."5 As one gives, one gets more. This is the secret of prosperity which he has imbibed. This is a worthy virtue that can catapult one to enviable greatness.There are many other services people can offer. Those who have the wherewithal should look for children from indigent parents, to adopt. This is a way of giving those children the opportunity of benefitting from their wealth. They should not concentrate on training only their own children. They can get a child from a poor family whose parents find it difficult to train, and incorporate into their own family circle. They should let the child enjoy all that their own children are enjoying academic life, social life, moral life, financial life, and so on. They will bring up that child as their own until he or she becomes independent. By so doing, they are living a purposeful life, and a life of fulfilment. They should not make the mistake of doing it for them to be appreciated, because it may not always be so, but they should do it for the sake of impacting positively on humanity. What else can be better than sacrificial love, since we are bound to sacrifice certain pleasures, to ensure that others have a share of what we have? It is important to state that getting such a child should not translate to a case of maltreating such a child as some people would do, turning such a child into a slave. Every child is worthy of affection and should be loved totally.Those who may not be able to incorporate the child into their own families can offer to take up the child's educational needs or other types of social support such as skill acquisition, provision of jobs, sponsorship in one type of programme or the other. One comedian used to cite this expression: "If you eat alone, you die alone." This sounds funny, but makes a lot of sense. When we make our special services available to others, we can be considered to be making a positive impact.Are You Impacting On Others?Several people have made a true and real impact in the world around them. That is not to say that they are privileged, advantaged, or 'special' in any way, but that they have crushed circumstances surrounding their initial limited capabilities, and found ways to pick themselves up and rise above their circumstances, to transform their own lives and the lives of those around them. By engaging with people in open, mutually beneficial ways, you are impacting positively on them. You will push beyond any introversion, shyness, or reluctance, to relate well with others, and build mutually-supportive relationships that catapult both parties to a higher level. You will dedicate yourself to what gives your life meaning and purpose. You will need to find that there is a purpose for your life, and that purpose usually involves some aspects of turning your 'mess' into a 'message', or using what you have learnt often the hard way as a means of being of service to others.There is the call for you to spread what you know. Those who make a true positive difference cannot help but share and teach what they have learnt. They see their success story as information that has to be shared with the world, for its betterment. You should believe that your ideas and innovations are of use and value to others, so, you need to share them openly, and teach others what you have learnt. You have to live up to the principle of 'the more you give, the more you get'. Use your power and influence well. Those who impart the world for the better are careful and judicious with their words, actions and behaviour. You need to take your gifts seriously, as a special honour and responsibility, not to be flaunted or misused. Ensure that you understand your role and accept it with grace, compassion and care.Making a positive impact involves showing respect to others. Whether you are successful or powerful, you should not step on others to get ahead. Do not take people for granted. Uplift others as you ascend. You will always have the urge for others to grow, unlike some power mongers who are cruel to their subordinates. If you really want to impact positively on others, your ultimate goal should not be about upholding your title, income, reputation, status or power, but about new ways to help and share with others.For people to be positively impacted by you, you have to admit when you make mistakes, and apologise accordingly. Nobody is perfect. When you make a mistake, people around you need to know that you made a mistake, then move ahead and correct it. This move will help them understand that everyone makes mistakes, and that you can make it right. The junior ones imbibe this virtue from you, and that makes the world a better place. It is often the little things you do that make the difference in the way children perceive how to succeed in business and relationships.While in school, for example, a student can make positive impact by joining a club in the school, using it as a medium to raise the standard of the school, and also to train other students in the area of affective domain. Through debating club too, a gifted student can equally influence other students on learning how to talk convincingly, casting away unnecessary shyness and timidity. A practical illustration of how a student can raise the standard of the school, in order to win laurels, is as shown in the Nigerian movie, Nkoli nwa Nsukka. Nkoli, the central character of the movie, has to coach the other students in dancing practice. This is in a bid to ensure that the school wins in a competition they are slated to participate in. She does this to great result as the school wins the competition eventually. She makes a positive impact on both the other students and the entire school, because, through the victory, the school's standard is raised. A great lesson should be learnt here of what commitment, leadership and dedication can bring to people. This is aside from the entertainment value of the movie which, of course, is another area of positive impact through the ease of tension by viewers, as they laugh and derive joy from such.Making an effort to befriend a new student who has not yet understood the rigours of the school will avail the new student the opportunity to get good orientation on the rules and regulations of the school. This is a positive impact. When a student in the school takes time to coach a classmate who is struggling with a particular subject, that student is making a difference positively. This can bring about an improvement in the general result of a school, especially in external examinations6. Teachers can also impact positively on students through demonstration of mastery of their subjects, response to students' personal interests or talents, improvisation of measures to meet a particular student's need, and maintenance of admirable standards. Everyone needs to impact positively on his environment.Spread Joy"There is no joy like spreading joy!" goes a popular saying. Joy is not a rare material simply found in material things, money, or positions alone. It is a gift that lies in us all. We need to look inwards, do things that give us happiness and smiles that translate to joy. All we need to do with our acquired or derived joy is to share it with others. Joy is a strange thing that only increases as you spread it. In essence, the more generous you are with spreading or giving out joy, the more it will be multiplied for you. The only way truly to have great joy is to give joy. When you spread joy, your heart will be flooded with great joy. We can spread joy around us, at work, at school, with our children, with our parents, with our friends and with strangers on the street. When others are talking, you have to give a listening ear as this makes them feel good. You are indirectly spreading joy, by giving a listening ear. It shows you care about other people's thoughts.You can spread joy by giving a huge honest smile to someone. Your smile can make all the difference in the world. That little smile makes you attractive, and makes someone else happy. Smiling shows people that you are a positive person, and that you are easy to get along with. It is the most welcoming gesture. Greet someone cheerfully. A little 'hello' sends joy to the person you are greeting. Do not hoard your greetings. Practising cheerful greetings earns you joy. Mere hugging of someone around you gives the person a feeling of intimacy with you. The person will feel accepted. This is a common practice when one reunites with a loved one. But that joy can equally be shared with others.You can spread joy through genuine compliments. Naturally, when someone receives compliments from another person, he or she feels high in spirit. That brings joy to the recipient. We do not have to be miserly in paying compliments to others. Their morale needs to be boosted. There is great joy in receiving compliments.Try to surprise someone with small presents, and you will make that person's day. Open hands, they say, bring open doors. Everyone has something he or she is endowed with, to positively impact others. A good way to surprise others and make great positive impact is to assist the indigent students. You can do this through purchasing books for them, paying their school fees, providing jobs for the ones who have completed schooling, and equipping them with what it takes to have a worthy living. You can equally offer assistance to a stranger. When you do that to someone who was not initially expecting a help from you, you have made yourself a hero to that person, having given him joy for that act you performed.When you settle down to count your blessings, you will see every reason why you should strive to make positive impact on your environment. You may have had the advantage of fulfilling your career, but, what about others who could not have such opportunity? For the adults, there are as many opportunities as possible, for you to bring about positive changes in other people's lives, on a daily basis, no matter how small. You, as a child, may be identified with running errands for the elderly, or offering some minor social services to people, without looking for gratification. You are spreading joy through that, and God will make you great for doing that. When we spread joy, we earn joy.Your Attitude Crowns It AllAttitude to life is the ultimate watchword for everyone, no matter our travails or opportunities. As Charles R. Swindle, an author, educator, and radio preacher, observed: "The longer I live, the more I realise my impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company a church.a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that's our attitude..I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me, and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you..we are in charge of our Attitudes." The determining factor that leads us to our desired success is our attitude.Being really practical about having a positive attitude to life, and equally, impacting positively on other people's lives, needs to be stressed here. There are people who will so much impact positively on you that you can never allow their names to be swept away from your sweet memories. These are people who have, through their humanitarian gestures, demonstrated what it means to appreciate other people's existence. Worthy of mention here is the practical demonstration of this attribute by Professor Mrs Julie Okpala, who has shown me tender care, real gentleness, pure humility, motherly concern, true Godly worship, deep friendship, and above all, positive attitude to life.Through her impact on my life, I was able to build more resilience, more love for others, and more spirit of determination, as she morally encouraged me when I was writing some pages of this book in her London residence. Though she is a professor of Geographic & Environmental Education she has equally delved into many other areas of human development and concern, through her researches in some areas ravaging mankind. Of particular interest to me is the book she wrote on diabetes, which is a step towards salvaging humanity from this deadly ailment. After an experience she had, she decided to write on the topic: Degrading Diabetes: My Personal Experience, just to get others informed. Due to her concern for leaving no stone unturned in her findings, she took serious time to visit hospitals and relevant offices, link the internet services, make personal contacts with specialist doctors, make thorough researches on relevant books, to unravel the best ways of dissociating oneself from this dreadful ailment, diabetes.The book, with the full research made on the contents, is a masterpiece by my estimation. This step really motivated me, as this has made a serious impact on me in my literary career. As a means of encouragement, she was always quick to ask me continuously in her sweet and gentle voice: "Uche, how are you getting on with the writing of your book?" I am really happy for that inspiration and sincere encouragement. She is a great and wonderful lady!What about you? Who can boast of you as having made a positive impact on him or her? You may not know the weight of gratitude the recipient of your goodwill may have, until you see it demonstrated by that person in one way or the other. On the other hand, if you are the one that got the positive impact, it pays to show gratitude, be it in print or otherwise. You are equally indirectly impacting positively on the person you are thanking, because, gratitude is a great morale booster. That is how each and every one of us will make the world a better place. Check yourself thoroughly and adjust, where necessary. It will do you real good to have a positive attitude towards life, so that you will be assured of a firm bridge between problems and solutions.~ Touch Me Once Again ~1. What a sweet and sincere contact Devoid of being artificialAnd enriched with positive impact Quite proven to be beneficial.2. Out of your own goodwill, I'm rising to my greatnessMy aim in life to fulfil, And gazing at its brightness.3. I'm provided with the stool To display all the mastery And never to play the fool, While I unravel life's mystery.4. You do not mind your position And qualitative reputeBut still honour my ambition This gesture, will I salute.Find authorized novels in Webnovelfaster updates, better experiencePlease click www.webnovel.com for visiting. 5. I'm touched by your compliment Which you do not withhold May you truly be prominent As your great deeds unfold.
