Every Single Challenge You Face in Life Was Designed Specifically

February 17, 2018 By LLH Leave a Comment

“Every single challenge you face in life was designed specifically for you. You’ve also been given every single tool you need to overcome it.” – Akin Olokun

Life’s Custom Challenges: Why You Already Have What It Takes

When you hear that your challenges were “designed specifically for you,” it might sound like some cosmic plan. But think about it this way: the obstacles in your path match your unique life situation, experiences, and capabilities. Your financial struggles, relationship problems, or career setbacks arrived in your life because of the specific path you’ve walked. These aren’t random misfortunes—they’re connected to who you are and the life you’ve built.

What’s amazing is that the same life journey that brought you these challenges has also equipped you with exactly what you need to overcome them. Maybe you developed patience through difficult childhood experiences, or problem-solving skills through previous setbacks. Perhaps you’ve built connections with people who can support you, or gained knowledge that will guide you through this rough patch. We often overlook these tools because they don’t come in neat packages labeled “solution.” They’re buried in our experiences, personality traits, and relationships.

The real trick is recognizing what you already possess. When facing a challenge, most of us immediately look outside ourselves for answers—books, experts, quick fixes. While outside help can be valuable, the starting point should be taking inventory of your own toolkit. What strengths have you developed over the years? What lessons have you already learned the hard way? Who is in your corner? The answers often reveal that you’re far better equipped than you initially thought.

This doesn’t mean overcoming challenges will be easy or painless. Using your existing tools might require stretching beyond your comfort zone, trying new approaches with familiar skills, or having difficult conversations. But there’s incredible power in realizing that you aren’t starting from zero—you’ve been gathering what you need all along. Your challenges aren’t walls meant to stop you; they’re hurdles designed at precisely the height you can clear, even if it takes some practice and determination.

Don’t Play Any Victim Card This Year. You Can’t Claim That You Are the Creator of Your Destiny…

February 17, 2018 By LLH Leave a Comment

“Don’t play any victim card this year. You can’t claim that you are the creator of your destiny and simultaneously blame others for your problems. Develop inner equanimity, self-discipline, and perseverance, and firmly reclaim your power.” – Akin Olokun

Rising Above Victimhood: Reclaiming Your Power

The wisdom in this quote strikes at the heart of personal growth. When we tell ourselves we’re victims of circumstance, we hand over our power to external forces. You simply can’t have it both ways – either you’re shaping your life or you’re being tossed around by the winds of fate and the actions of others. This year, make the conscious choice to stop playing the victim card and fully embrace your role as the architect of your own life.

Developing inner equanimity means finding balance within yourself regardless of what’s happening around you. Think of equanimity as an internal shock absorber that helps you stay centered when life gets bumpy. When someone cuts you off in traffic or a coworker takes credit for your idea, you can choose to let these moments ruin your day or you can acknowledge your feelings and then let them pass without dragging you down. This kind of emotional steadiness doesn’t come naturally to most of us – it takes practice and patience to build.

Self-discipline and perseverance are like muscles that grow stronger with regular use. Start small – maybe it’s getting up 15 minutes earlier, cutting back on social media, or taking a brief walk each day. These seemingly minor victories create momentum and prove to yourself that you can follow through on commitments. When you inevitably face setbacks (and everyone does), perseverance means refusing to interpret temporary failures as permanent defeats. Instead of saying “I can’t do this,” try “I haven’t figured out how to do this yet.” This subtle shift in language opens the door to new possibilities.

Reclaiming your power doesn’t mean ignoring genuine obstacles or pretending that systemic challenges don’t exist. Rather, it means focusing your energy where you have influence instead of wasting it on things you can’t control. Ask yourself: “What part of this situation can I change?” Maybe you can’t control being laid off, but you can control how you respond – by updating your resume, reaching out to contacts, or learning new skills. When you stop blaming others for your problems, you discover something incredible: solutions begin to appear where before you only saw roadblocks. Your power was always there – you just needed to claim it.

Lessings Come in Many Disguises. You Can Always Learn Something…

February 16, 2018 By LLH Leave a Comment

“Blessings come in many disguises. You can always learn something from what you go through.”

Finding Light in Life’s Challenges

Blessings come in many disguises. You can always learn something from what you go through. This timeless wisdom reminds us that even our darkest moments contain valuable lessons that can transform our lives in unexpected ways. When we face difficulties, it’s natural to focus only on the pain or struggle. But hidden within these challenges are often the very experiences that help us grow the most.

Life rarely gives us what we want, but it frequently gives us what we need. That promotion you didn’t get might lead you to discover a career path better suited to your talents. The relationship that ended painfully might teach you essential truths about your needs and boundaries. Even health challenges can wake us up to the importance of self-care or help us reprioritize what truly matters. The key is shifting our perspective from “why is this happening to me?” to “what can I learn from this?”

Growing through difficulty doesn’t mean pretending hardship doesn’t hurt. It means acknowledging the pain while remaining open to the lessons it contains. Think of yourself as a detective, searching for clues and insights within your challenges. Each obstacle overcome builds resilience, each disappointment teaches patience, and each loss deepens your capacity for gratitude. These qualities can’t be gained by reading about them—they must be earned through lived experience.

Remember that recognizing the blessing in disguise often happens in retrospect. In the middle of a storm, it’s nearly impossible to see the rainbow that follows. Be gentle with yourself during hard times, knowing that your future self will likely look back with understanding of how this challenge shaped you for the better. Trust the process of your life unfolding, even when the path ahead seems unclear. The lessons you’re learning today are preparing you for opportunities you can’t yet imagine.

Don’t Abuse a Kind Heart. You May Never Be Offered…

February 16, 2018 By LLH Leave a Comment

“Don’t abuse a kind heart. You may never be offered one again.” – Pokello Nare

The Delicate Balance of Kindness

When someone offers you a kind heart, they’re giving you one of life’s most precious gifts. “Don’t abuse a kind heart. You may never be offered one again.” This wisdom isn’t just about preserving relationships—it’s about honoring the rare treasure of genuine compassion in a world where self-interest often takes center stage.

Think of kindness like a garden that requires proper care. When someone extends their kindness to you, they’re planting seeds of trust and vulnerability. Trampling these seeds through manipulation, taking advantage, or simply failing to appreciate them doesn’t just damage that relationship—it changes how that person approaches future connections. Many who’ve had their kindness exploited build walls that few can penetrate afterward. The person who loses most isn’t just you, but everyone else who might have benefited from that once-open heart.

We often don’t recognize the value of kindness until it’s withdrawn. That generous friend who always made time for you, the family member who consistently put your needs first, the partner whose forgiveness seemed endless—these people aren’t infinite wells of compassion. Their kindness is renewable but not inexhaustible. When we carelessly drain others through constant taking without giving back, we shouldn’t be surprised when the well runs dry. The saddest part is that those with the kindest hearts often don’t announce their departure—they simply fade away, redirecting their generosity toward those who truly appreciate it.

The good news is that practicing gratitude and reciprocity creates a different kind of cycle. When you honor someone’s kindness by responding with appreciation and care, you’re not just preserving that relationship—you’re creating an environment where kindness can flourish. Small acknowledgments, genuine thank-yous, and thoughtful responses to others’ generosity aren’t just good manners—they’re investments in a world where kindness continues to be offered freely. Remember: those who respect kindness often find themselves surrounded by it, while those who abuse it eventually discover how cold life becomes without it.

Yes, I Overthink, but I Also Over-Love

February 15, 2018 By LLH Leave a Comment

“Yes, I overthink, but I also over-love.”

This duality captures the beautiful complexity of sensitive souls. When we overthink, we’re often processing the world deeply, examining every angle and possibility. The same depth that causes us to spiral with worry also enables us to love with extraordinary intensity. Our analytical minds that sometimes torment us with doubt also allow us to notice the subtle beauty in others that many might overlook.

The overthinking mind and the over-loving heart are two sides of the same precious coin. Both stem from a fundamental care about life and its outcomes. Those who overthink often do so because they deeply value making the right choices, understanding others correctly, and avoiding harm. Similarly, those who love abundantly do so because they see the worth in people and experiences that others might dismiss. This sensitivity isn’t weakness—it’s a form of courage that chooses to remain open despite knowing how much it might hurt.

The key to transformation isn’t eliminating these qualities but channeling them productively. Overthinking can become thoughtful reflection when we set boundaries on our rumination. Over-loving can become profound compassion when we maintain healthy expectations. Both qualities, when embraced and properly directed, can become superpowers rather than sources of suffering. The goal isn’t to think less or love less, but to direct that energy with wisdom and self-awareness.

Remember that those who feel deeply often create deeply. The same sensitivity that makes you vulnerable to pain makes you capable of extraordinary connection, creativity, and insight. Your overthinking mind can solve problems others never notice; your over-loving heart can heal wounds others can’t see. Don’t apologize for the depth of your experience—instead, honor it by learning to channel it in ways that serve both yourself and others. Your intensity isn’t a flaw to fix but a fire to focus.

There’s Only One Way to Love Someone

February 14, 2018 By LLH Leave a Comment

“There’s only one way to love someone: completely.”

When we truly love someone, we can’t pick and choose which parts to accept. Complete love means embracing the whole person – their strengths that inspire us and their flaws that challenge us. It’s about seeing someone clearly, with all their complicated layers, and choosing to love them anyway. This doesn’t mean ignoring problems or accepting harmful behavior, but rather loving the complete person while maintaining healthy boundaries.

Complete love requires courage because it makes us vulnerable. It’s easier to keep parts of ourselves hidden or to love conditionally – only when the other person meets our expectations. But this approach creates shallow connections. True love means opening ourselves to potential hurt while offering acceptance to another person just as they are. When we love completely, we create a space where both people can be authentic without fear of rejection.

This kind of love isn’t just about romantic relationships – it applies to family, friends, and even how we treat ourselves. When we love others completely, we stop trying to change them into versions we find more acceptable. Instead, we support their growth while respecting their core identity. Complete love doesn’t mean never experiencing conflict or disappointment; rather, it’s about working through these challenges without withdrawing our fundamental acceptance.

Complete love is ultimately a daily choice, not just a feeling. Some days it comes easily, while other days it requires conscious effort to set aside judgment and frustration. Each time we choose to see the whole person and remain present, we strengthen our capacity for this deeper form of love. By practicing complete love, we create relationships with real staying power – connections that can weather life’s inevitable storms because they’re built on full acceptance rather than idealized versions of each other.

As Long as You Keep Making Excuses

February 13, 2018 By LLH Leave a Comment

“As long as you keep making excuses, you prevent yourself from getting out of the situation you’re in.” – Author Unknown

Breaking Free: The Hidden Power of Excuses

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to justify why things aren’t working out? “As long as you keep making excuses, you prevent yourself from getting out of the situation you’re in.” This simple truth hits hard because we’ve all been there. When we create explanations for why we can’t move forward, we’re actually building our own prison. Those excuses might feel comforting in the moment, but they’re secretly robbing us of our power to change.

Think about that situation you’ve been stuck in—maybe it’s a dead-end job, a relationship that’s no longer serving you, or a habit you can’t seem to break. Each time you say “I can’t because…” you’re handing over the keys to your freedom. The most dangerous thing about excuses is how reasonable they sound. “I don’t have enough time.” “I need more experience first.” “It’s not the right moment.” These statements feel true, which makes them so effective at keeping us trapped. But here’s the reality: there will always be reasons not to act. Always.

The path forward requires something uncomfortable: radical honesty with yourself. When you feel an excuse forming, pause and ask: “Is this really true, or am I protecting myself from potential failure or discomfort?” Often, what we’re really saying is “I’m scared” or “I don’t believe in myself enough.” Once you recognize this pattern, you can begin to shift your language. Instead of “I can’t because…” try “How can I despite…” This simple reframing opens up possibilities where before there were only walls.

Your life expands in direct proportion to your willingness to take responsibility for it. Every time you catch yourself making an excuse and choose action instead, you’re flexing a muscle that gets stronger with use. Start small—challenge one excuse today, then another tomorrow. As you build this practice, you’ll be amazed at how situations that once seemed fixed and permanent begin to shift. Remember, your excuses may feel like they’re protecting you, but they’re actually preventing the growth and change you deeply desire. The moment you truly decide to stop explaining why you can’t is the moment your transformation begins.

It’s Very Easy to Be Judgmental Until You Know

February 13, 2018 By LLH Leave a Comment

“It’s very easy to be judgmental until you know someone’s truth.” – Kate Winslet

The Untold Stories Behind Our Judgments

We’re all guilty of it—that quick assessment of someone who cut us off in traffic, the eye roll at a coworker’s excuse, or the silent criticism of a friend’s decision. “It’s very easy to be judgmental until you know someone’s truth.” These words contain a profound wisdom that’s transformed my own approach to human connection, and I believe they can change yours too.

Consider the parent struggling with a screaming child at the grocery store. From the outside, we might think, “Control your kid,” but we don’t see the autism diagnosis they received yesterday, the sleep deprivation they’re experiencing, or the financial stress crushing them. Each person carries invisible burdens—histories of trauma, medical conditions, family responsibilities, and personal battles that shape their actions. When we pause our judgment and seek understanding instead, we create space for compassion to flourish. This doesn’t mean excusing harmful behavior, but rather approaching others with the humility to recognize we don’t have the full picture.

I’ve found that the most judgmental people are often those carrying the deepest wounds. Our harshest judgments frequently reflect our own insecurities projected onto others. When I catch myself making snap judgments, I’ve learned to ask, “What’s this reaction really about?” Usually, it reveals something I need to heal within myself. The practice of suspending judgment becomes a spiritual exercise—a way to develop both self-awareness and empathy. By recognizing that everyone is fighting battles we know nothing about, we cultivate a gentler way of moving through the world.

The truth is, extending grace to others ultimately liberates us. Judgment creates separation; understanding builds connection. When we make the effort to listen to someone’s story—to truly hear their truth—we often discover that their choices make perfect sense given their circumstances. This doesn’t mean we need to agree with everyone, but it allows us to disagree with respect rather than contempt. In your interactions this week, I challenge you to pause before judging. Ask questions. Listen deeply. You might be surprised how someone’s truth transforms your perspective—and how much lighter you feel when you put down the heavy burden of judgment.