Author Archives: Maiyo Febi

31Jul

Believe, Even When Nobody Else Does

July 31, 2019By Maiyo Febi0 comment

There are many firsts happening in Africa right now. Nigerian star, Yemi Alade became the first African female artist to reach one million subscribers on her YouTube channel. In just one day, a world record-breaking 350 million trees were planted in Ethiopia as part of efforts to tackle deforestation and climate change. In South Africa, 20 teenagers from vastly different backgrounds built an aircraft and successfully flew it from Cape Town to Cairo. I’m sure at some point, the individuals behind these accomplishments were called crazy, too daring, over the top; but look at them NOW! What are you working so hard on that people think you’re insane?…

17Jul

Hard Times Are Not Bad Times!

July 17, 2019By Maiyo Febi0 comment

They are the prerequisite for something new because after a bitterly cold winter, the season of fresh beginnings must follow, that is spring. We live in a culture that predominantly sees difficulty as the end of the world, as an indication that you have done something wrong or God is punishing you. I’d like to suggest to you that your difficult time could also be a part of the seasons of life because there is a time for EVERYTHING under the sun. You can’t have harvest time without first having rain; you can’t have a beautiful baby without the discomfort of pregnancy and labour pains. This is the…

08Jul

Why You Matter

July 8, 2019By Maiyo Febi0 comment

The body is made up of many parts. The eyes see and create perception of the world around us. The pancreas releases enzymes that break down foods and hormones that regulate blood sugar level. The feet enable the complex movements needed for motion and balance of the body. Each part of our body has a specific role to play. The foot cannot see, the eyes cannot produce enzymes, the pancreas cannot enable motion of the body. So why do we try to be like other people? Each one of us is a part of this glorious body called humanity. By trying to be like someone else, we are…

01Jul

Winter is Your Friend

July 1, 2019By Maiyo Febi0 comment

Winter has always been a go-slow period. The late nights and early mornings in my study reduce, exercise becomes non-existent, healthy eating reduces, going to church becomes a burden and waking up early becomes torture. Can you relate? This year I decided, no more! I prepared mentally with morning affirmations like “Today is an amazing day.” I say this out loud while the rest of my body cries “let’s sleep!” Why do I do this? The brain runs on programmes which we basically install mainly through repetition. By saying an affirmation daily, my brain will eventually believe it and stop fighting me. I also psyche myself up the…

27May

Make Your Bed – It Builds Your Discipline!

May 27, 2019By Maiyo Febi0 comment

Are you disciplined to do the every-day small things that bring long-term results? Discipline can be a negative word for some. Pictures of a deprived boring life with zero indulgence and strict routines might be your interpretation. I see discipline like an older friend who tells you the truth you don’t like but need to hear, and after you’ve heard it, you’re glad you did. It can be a painful process that demands sacrifice but in the end you’ll be glad you did it, especially if you are going after something you really really want; it’s an essential ingredient to all achievement. So how can you be disciplined…

29Apr

Let’s Talk Men Empowerment

April 29, 2019By Maiyo Febi0 comment

Women empowerment initiatives happen often. The more I see workshops, seminars, dialogues etc. targeting women, the more I worry about the men. I hardly ever hear about initiatives that specifically empower men. What initiatives speak to our fathers, husbands, sons – the men in our lives? What are our men talking about? I asked the men in my circles this question and their response was generally dismissive “Talking is for women” or “Men talk about serious things like making money“. This bothered me because while women are talking about how to juggle careers and motherhood (with fathers in the picture), how to thrive in intimate relationships (with men),…

17Apr

Crash Course on Fear

April 17, 2019By Maiyo Febi0 comment

I have developed a useful relationship with fear, I call it useful because now I use fear as a launch pad; no longer is it a cage that keeps me bound. Fear uses deception to appear much bigger than what it actually is, like a magic trick; you think you know what you are seeing but it’s actually an illusion. In the past I would summon fear, scream at it and wait for it to disappear. Disappear it would, maybe for a day or even a few weeks, but surely enough it would come back knocking at the door and like a useless boyfriend you know you shouldn’t…