Heartfelt Thanks!

How much do you have to be thankful for this year? Are you in a better or worse position than you were this time last year? It does not matter which way the world has turned, rocking us off balance a bit or placing us on a firm footing, having the breath of life is enough reason to be thankful to God. Like the saying goes, when there is life, there is hope! Since we have come this far, it means God is not finished with us yet, so we must not give up on the thanks!

So many people have been an inspiration to me this year, and have contributed immensely to my success thus far. I must not feel any shadow of guilt about how easily some things have come to me this year because I also had a glimpse of things falling apart in my personal life but yet, it is how one turns out in the end of such hiccup that counts. On this note, I’m dedicating today’s article to all my role models who inspired me to keep my head up. Like Asha Tyson, author of “How I retired at 26!” states: I call them role models and not mentors because they had little if any conscious participation in my life the way mentors do. These role models simply live their lives so powerfully that they inspire me from a distance.

My role models are ordinary Nigerians doing extra-ordinary things with their lives. I see them out and about- the men are smart, intelligent and polished while the women are beauty, brain and brawn. They are not perfect but they are God fearing and positive in a country where corruption seems to thrive. They are hardworking and successful individuals of integrity, who have refused to tip toe through life without apology and this is one of the things that excites me about them.

But for space constraints, I would have mentioned their names. Perhaps you know them, they might be one of your role models too! God has placed them in a position to influence our lives and they have not abused it! How about us in this generation? In days to come, will someone be thankful to God because we are living a positive life that is influencing them? That is a responsibility we must think about! Wishing you and your family a New Year filled with good tidings. May God Bless the good works of your hands and make your efforts a resounding success in 2008 and beyond, our youth will not be a barrier!