Ha! 2018 kicked off to a good start we have seen great activities and this should be expected in any New Year. One of the activities I’ve found really interesting so far is the Time’s up movement. A movement that was first founded in 2006 and resurfaced again in 2018. (Wikipedia). I for one never knew about it in 2006 but the joy in my heart and the smile on my face grows really wide each time I see that hashtag #timesup and also see the various marches taking place across America. I see what collective effort and the power of positive social media can achieve. I love what this movement represent because nobody should ever be harasse or abused sexually or otherwise in the workplace just because somebody feels they have the power. So yes Time’s up.
It took a fraction of women to speak up and lend their voice even in the midst of fear. They risked ridicule and judgements from bystanders who may even be going through the same thing. These few women opened their mouth to stop the torment that kept them awake at night and the guilt and shame that plagued them during the day. Look how far this has come and how many people have been exposed but much more how many people have been liberated just because some women gave power to their once silent voice.
Permit me to use this hashtag as the backdrop of this post and also to drive home a point I keep reminding myself and those who care to listen-we have to find the power of our voice whether it be in our one bedroom apartment, hospital hallway, corner shop or the mansion with the white picket fence. Don’t be afraid to say time’s up for anything that’s holding you back.
Let’s face it people can go to war for you, win you the trophy to signify your freedom but until you feel free in yourself and know that you are deserving you will never experience the joys of freedom and you will never be able to walk the true extent of the freedom somebody thought you deserve. There are lot of things holding us back from being a better version of ourselves that we need to serve the time’s up notice. Time’s up is not just another hashtag that should be used to stop what others are doing to us but it should be personalised to stop what we are doing to sabotage ourselves from letting our lights shine. Don’t just take a seat and watch this movement but look in your life and lend a voice for yourself on the things that have held you back and in 2018 serve them the time’s up notice.
For me I’m daily serving Time’s up notice to those negative voice that make me second guess myself and force me to backspace my uniqueness and significance. Time’s up for feeling sorry for myself. Time’s up on doubting my own ability to be great and achieve greatness. Time’s up on procrastination that stop me from achieving my daily goals. Time’s up on waiting to hear people’s opinion on what I should or shouldn’t do or what I can achieve or can’t achieve.
Long after the hashtag fades and long after the parades stop you will be left with the reality of what you have made out of your life. Don’t let 2018 be that year where you don’t spell it out that Time’s up.
So here goes Time’s up for believing you can’t get that degree, time’s up for not doing better by yourself, time’s up for thoughts and mentality that reduce you to nothing but an average and a loser. Time’s up for friends who hold you back and speak negativity into your life. Time’s up for talking yourself out of real good opportunities just because you think you are not worthy or good enough.
Don’t be afraid to let your life hear your voice because if you don’t call time’s up now you will continue to battle the same issue even years to come. Make this your turnaround year and speak to yourself all those positive things you want to see until you believe them about yourself and also be ready to put the work in. Don’t just stand on the sidelines using the hashtag time’s up without letting your personal life benefit from it.
4 things to consider :
1. VISION: write the vision and make it plain. (Habakkuk 2:2) If you don’t have a vision for your life you ain’t creating anything with your life. When there is no vision you don’t have focus and you are not able to build boundaries for your life, so anything goes. Do yourself a favour and write your vision. Your life should mean something and should accomplish something significant. Let your vision drive you and not somebody else’s vision.
2. SPEAK: you know those positive and affirmative words that you want people to tell you. Those words that are significant to you, those words that build you up and put a pep in your step, those words that make you feel like you are the best version of you there is. This year time’s up waiting for a hype-man or hype-woman to speak these words for you. You’ve got to speak over yourself. Look in the mirror and hype yourself up by yourself. It might not look like anything is changing but one day you will wake up and believe those words you have spoken and you will start seeing it in yourself. Voice activation mode have to be in full operation this year if you are going to call time’s up. Nobody calls time’s up in silence.
3. ACT: action is important. You don’t call time’s up and just sit down doing nothing. You know what needs to change, don’t just speak it get up and change it. Take those little step everyday toward your vision. If you speak time’s up to “thinking I’m not deserving of good things” then the action will be to start acting gracious to yourself. Treat yourself with respect. If you speak time’s up to “thinking I can’t get that degree”. The action is to look for a college,fill out your application form and then submit it. You got this and you can do it.
4. ASSOCIATION: our life will be influenced by people and we also will influence people. Check your circle and make sure all of the people in it want to win because if they don’t want to win they won’t want to see you win and they will talk you out of every good thing that you know you deserve. So find the right connection/network/friends who will be wind beneath your wings. Let it be known Time’s up on friends who hold me back from finding the best version of myself.
Don’t just wish for better, speak better and act better.
You are never alone
Love and Light
Tosin
Girls with God 