Author Archives: Otiti

About Otiti

Soul visionary. Heart hugger. Huge love advocate. Igniting your soul to live your dreams. Get radiant.

Words from their Fathers – Part 2

Posted on by
Reply

Here’s the rest of it; the first post would have been too long so I divided the material.

Cherie Carter-Scott’s Rules of Life 

Rule One – You will receive a body. Whether you love it or hate it, it’s yours for life, so accept it. What counts is what’s inside. 

 Rule Two – You will be presented with lessons. Life is a constant learning experience, which every day provides opportunities for you to learn more. These lessons specific to you, and learning them ‘is the key to discovering and fulfilling the meaning and relevance of your own life’. 

 Rule Three – There are no mistakes, only lessons. Your development towards wisdom is a process of experimentation, trial and error, so it’s inevitable things will not always go to plan or turn out how you’d want. Compassion is the remedy for harsh judgement – of ourselves and others. Forgiveness is not only divine – it’s also ‘the act of erasing an emotional debt’. Behaving ethically, with integrity, and with humour – especially the ability to laugh at yourself and your own mishaps – are central to the perspective that ‘mistakes’ are simply lessons we must learn.  Continue reading →

Words from their Fathers – Part 1

Posted on by
Reply

A friend forwarded me an email last night and it contained fathers’ messages to their children. I liked the collection of quotes and wisdom so I decided to share them here.

 I can remember when i was younger my father who didnt speak much, would read this poem to me and whenever he thot i was ready he would some times say ‘ kay go spend time in front of d desiderata’( it was a plaque that hung in our study, which had inscribed on it the desiderata and other poems my father described as songs all boys should know! ) and would make sure i got inspired by some of lifes stories and the things he believed in. I just felt I should share some of them, though some are very popular /common , u may agree dat they are inspiring too, while the others may help breathe new life in our day 2 day… u could also share some of the things you learnt from ur dad 

 desiderata – by max ehrmann
Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. 

As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit. 

 If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.  Continue reading →

Emotive Compass – Highs and Lows

Posted on by
1

What do you do when you feel the world is closing in all around you? How do you cope with the need for space and solitude, with feeling like you can’t breathe even though you’re surrounded by air?

There are times when it seems as if nothing’s going right and everything’s going wrong instead. You want to do something great but you wonder if you can make it; you want to lose yourself in a dream but you find yourself punching holes through the gossamer because you have to face “reality”; you want to live but you find yourself doubting you can keep bliss on tap.

So what? So what if you can’t? So what if happiness comes and goes and you have to deal with tears every once in a while? So what if you feel down more often than not and you just want a break from it all? Life is one great big messy ride and nobody has all the answers. Nobody’s perfect. Nobody’s “up” every single moment of every single day. We put on our happy faces in public so no one has any idea how we sob ourselves to sleep at night. We smile ’til our cheeks hurt because it’s easier to cope that way and we’re trying to hold the droop at bay. At the end of the day, though, are you being real? Continue reading →

Reader Response

Posted on by
Reply

Remember when I created a blog email and endlessly solicited for feedback? 😀 Well, some of my friends  came through and I’m long overdue to share their words. Needless to say, their emails warmed my heart. Every writer enjoys validation that a message affects readers enough to make them get up and respond, LOL. More than that, though, they cared enough to write back, so this is me saying “Thank you” one more time. :) For those who can’t leave comments below, feel free to email findotitihere@hotmail.com instead.

Steve shared my pain in his reaction to Was I Wrong?:

I have read this over, and over and still not sure the message i should take from it, personally.This may be because i am in the same boat with you, and the paddles are not working.I can't say goodbye, and mean it or try harder, and not feel the hurt from the past.It is a scary delimma to be caught in between my emotions.I have a million questions for no one, but me and the consistent is," why can't i hate you right or love you right?"  I guess wat i have realised is that the power to 'forgive and forget' is divine as well as the will to love, and be loved.It hungers me to love again and let myself out there to be loved again (genuinely this time), but what guarantee do i have that it wouldn't be another version of the same movie.

A friend who’d rather remain anonymous gushed over Have Faith:

Dear Otiti,    
         This is a very wonderful, educative and inspiring message. I love the way you select your diction in this particular passage which captures your readers and drops the clear message. Your message has really inspired me and given me strength towards  the pursuit of certain ventures i have dropped due to lack of faith in God and my own ability. I can only imagine how many you have inspired and given hope with these heavenly inspired blogs. Please keep using your talents to inspire and challenge others and most importantly also apply these messages to your life. I must admit this is one of the most beautiful pieces I have read in ages. Remain blessed.

Ese also had this to say after reading the same post:

Miss *woot woot* awesome stuff. Reading this took me on a journey. I absolutely love it. It's definitely worth reading more than once and maybe sharing too *winks*







					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
The Identity Series – 6

			
						

				Posted on   by  			

			
						

				1			

					


				

			
Greetings, everyone. Long time no see. :) So I think I’ve come to the end of the Identity Series, there doesn’t seem to be much left for me to say. Looks like I’ve gone over everything that was in my head before I started. It was a fun ride, yes? Enlightening as well I’m sure, LOL.


Right then, in conclusion, let me just say this: Be your own person. Discover your true self. Find peace within. Have a clear picture of what you want and where you wanna be so you can get there. Do something. As Jeanette LeBlanc says below, “Go now, and live.”





					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
The Identity Series – 5

			
						

				Posted on   by  			

			
						

				2			

					


				

			
Identity. What does it mean in today’s society? How do you protect yours when you discover it? How does it affect your goals and dreams? In my first post on the Identity Series, I said I’d tackle these questions. Time for me to make good on my statement, no?


I think identity is a function of perception in today’s society. You try to fit into a group or category if you like what you see. You try to belong because you believe in gaining something that’s on offer. Your perception determines your action and your action determines your identity. You are what you accept. As such, it is important to know the difference between what you willingly accept and what others force upon you. After all, how can you really claim to be living your life if you only do what other people say you should? It is not your life anymore, just an extension of theirs. In the same vein, it’s not your identity either but also an extension of theirs. Now why should you allow that, hmm? Live it, do it, feel it for you; those are the basic principles for genuine satisfaction and contentment. Anything less just isn’t good enough. Continue reading →

					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
The Identity Series – 4

			
						

				Posted on   by  			

			
						

				1			

					


				

			
My good friend Dami was the first person to send me feedback on the Identity Series. Come to think of it, he was the very first person to send an email with his thoughts on my blog. So before I go any farther, I’d like to say a special ‘thank you’ once again. :)

The following is an excerpt from his last email on The Identity Series – 3:


If the environment has the potential to define or categorise me, how do I break out?


 


If my subconscious yearns for something greater, how do I trust it?


 


In all, how do I define myself apart from the parameters that have defined me in the past?


 


I am asking these questions because a series like these should be a platform to answer questions lurking in people’s minds. I should find laid down principles and answers if I were to be a hopeless or dejected person looking for direction. So my challenge to you is to guide me, not necessarily help me, find my identity and trust my person or like you say; be comfortable in my own skin.! Continue reading →

					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Have Faith

			
						

				Posted on   by  			

			
						

				8			

					


				

			
Often times when you’re poised on the verge of breakthrough, there’s a loud voice of doubt that tries to drown out the hopes of your dreams. Doubt weighs you down, smothers you, makes you question if you can really achieve that for which you strive. Whenever you hear that voice of doubt, stay strong and shout “YES I CAN!”


You can do whatever you choose to accomplish. I read somewhere that our dreams are limited only by the scope of our imagination and the truth of those words struck me. After all, how can you do something if you can’t envision it? How can you reach the pinnacle if you can’t imagine it? I believe I’ve said before that fear is only natural because we’re human; with that in mind, fear and doubt are interchangeable forces that try to rob you of precious blessings. 


Don’t listen to them. Have faith in yourself. Have faith in your talent, your gifts, your ambition, and your heart. Have faith to silence the voice of doubt. Have faith to calm the fear. Have faith to stand up and work towards your vision. Have faith to follow your dreams and live them every day. And when it seems like you can’t go on anymore, when you feel like you’ve used up every ounce of ability and endurance, have the faith to tap into the infinite well of strength slumbering within you. Believe that you can move forward.


I speak these words to myself even as I speak them to you. I have struggled with self-esteem and self-confidence. I have felt I didn’t matter and I wasn’t loved. Personal trials have made me doubt beauty, truth, love, even the existence of God. I’m here to tell you that those same trials are now opening my eyes to things I would never have imagined otherwise. I’m here to tell you that there are times you need to bleed before you can shine; times you must go through fire so it purifies you, times you must find yourself so far down there’s no other place to go but up. Sometimes you need to change direction in order to take the right path and it might require drastic measures to make the right changes happen.


Dare to think without boundaries. Dare to seek your truth and shine with the brightness itching to burst forth from within you. Learn from every tear. Bounce back from every setback. Cultivate a positive outlook that turns every obstacle into a stepping stone. Life is a journey with twists and turns and you must adapt to thrive in every situation. 


When I say thrive, I don’t mean to simply do well within certain confines. I mean to flourish beyond your expectations, to let your spirit bloom and grow in leaps and bounds. I mean to choose to excel and refuse to settle for anything less. I mean to avoid mediocrity like the plague and have no time for negativity. I mean to build resources that cheer you up when you’re sad and light your path when you’re surrounded by darkness. You are what you accept, so why accept anything but the best and most fulfilled version of yourself? Everything you need is already within you; you just need to discover it. There’s so much swirling beneath the surface. Take the time to tap into your creativity and inspiration is sure to follow. 


Dare yourself today. Have faith. Shalom.



					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
In Memory of Steve Jobs

			
						

				Posted on   by  			

			
						

				Reply			

					


				

			
Steve Jobs was the foundation of Apple. He made it a household name in business, entertainment, and technology. It’s beyond tragic that he’s passed; I have tears in my eyes for a man I never knew. Just goes to show how special he was to us.


Steve Jobs – innovator, dreamer, legend. Other news sources call him a “visionary” and “creative genius”. He was indeed a great man and the world just lost an icon in more fields than one.


Below are some links that hint at his legacy and impact as an individual.


http://www.apple.com/stevejobs/ Apple’s official statement “Remembering Steve Jobs”.


http://www.ted.com/talks/steve_jobs_how_to_live_before_you_die.html A video of his commencement speech at Stanford University. The talk is called “How to live before you die”.


http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-jobs-quotes-20111006,0,1557833.story “Reactions to Steve Jobs’ death” by Tiffany Hsu and Jessica Guynn for the Los Angeles Times.


http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/steve-jobs-from-humble-start-to-game-changer-2366290.html An article in The Independent that summarises his time with Apple.


http://www.macstories.net/roundups/inspirational-steve-jobs-quotes/ “A Collection of 60 Inspirational Steve Jobs Quotes About Life, Design and Apple” by Federico Viticci


RIP Steve Jobs. You changed our world.

					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
The Identity Series – 3

			
						

				Posted on   by  			

			
						

				7			

					


				

			
How do you discover your true self? How do you ascertain that you are living in line with your own principles? I know we’re all influenced to some extent by our family and peers, but ultimately we choose who and what we want to be. So, I ask again. How do you discover your true self?


I believe that question arises because we often know exactly what we are, we just choose to deny it. Can’t really change anything unless you acknowledge it, right? So if you realise a dark or shocking side to yourself and refuse to address it, it clouds your ability to understand its origin(s) and solution(s). In other words, there’s an inner voice that whispers the deepest secrets of the soul; many of us just choose to drown it out for fear of what we’ll hear. But that only delays the inevitable, doesn’t it? Suppress something long enough and it’ll explode out of control one day. Funny thing is, such explosions never come at convenient times. Bothersome, really.


Before you retort that it’s simplistic to presume an inner voice is all you need to discover yourself, think about it. Why are some people so confident, so comfortable in their own skin? Why is it that nothing shakes their belief in themselves? They’ve invested time and effort in extracting the essence of their character from their subconscious. They’ve examined their desires and identified a common pattern, one that allows them determine the reasons for those desires and the wisdom of satisfying such wants. But most importantly, they’ve accepted their identities. No shrinking back, no suppression, and no denial; they embrace all they are and change whatever doesn’t suit them.


I’ve already said environment and upbringing are great influences on one’s identity, but they are still less powerful than your innermost desires. The soul is a mystical and awesome entity; it is also the single greatest determinant of one’s personality. This is why those who comprise the “masses” are indistinguishable from one another; they all subscribe to the same way of thinking and have no ideas or opinions of their own. Notice how products strive for mass appeal in order to interest the largest possible slice of the population? Same principle. It follows then, that identity’s meaning in today’s society is a knotty issue. Inasmuch as you want to fit in and belong somewhere, you also want to remain true to yourself. It’s about finding the balance between being your own person and remaining a part of your community at the same time. Feel me?


And that’s all for now, please come again for more in The Identity Series. 😀 Agree with or oppose anything I’ve said? Feel free to leave your comments underneath this post or send your emails to findotitihere@hotmail.com Thank you for reading and please share your thoughts. Later, people.