It’s important to push the boundaries of your comfort zone, and when you do, it’s kind of a big deal. But what is the “comfort zone” exactly?

The comfort zone according to Wikipedia; is a psychological state in which a person feels familiar, at ease, in control and experiences low anxiety and stress. In the zone a steady level of performance is possible. Bardwick defines the term as “a behavioral state where a person operates in an anxiety-neutral position.”

The idea of the comfort zone goes back to a classic experiment in psychology. Back in 1908, psychologists Robert M. Yerkes and John D. Dodson explained that a state of relative comfort created a steady level of performance in order to maximize performance, however, we need a state of relative anxiety—a space where our stress levels are slightly higher than normal. This space is called “Optimal Anxiety,” and it’s just outside our comfort zone. Too much anxiety and we’re too stressed to be productive, and our performance drops off sharply.

What You Get When You Break Free and Try New Things

As we grow and learn in our jobs and in our careers, we’re constantly faced with situations where we need to adapt our behavior. It’s simply a reality of the world we work in today. And without the skill and courage to take the leap, we can miss out on important opportunities for advancement.

Optimal anxiety is that place where your mental productivity and performance reach their peak. Still, “increased performance” and “enhanced productivity” just sound like “do more stuff.” What do you really get when you’re willing to step outside of your comfort zone?

Be honest with yourself

Comfort kills productivity because without the sense of unease that comes from having deadlines and expectations, we tend to phone it in and do the minimum required to get by. We lose the drive and ambition to do more and learn new things. We also fall into the “work trap,” where we feign “busy” as a way to stay in our comfort zones and avoid doing new things. Pushing your personal boundaries can help you hit your stride sooner, get more done, and find smarter ways to work.

Make the behavior your own

Very few people struggle in every single version of a formidable work situation. You might have a hard time making small talk generally, but find it easier if the topic is something you know a lot about. Or you may have a hard time networking, except when it’s in a really small setting.

Once you start stepping out of your comfort zone, it gets easier over time. As you step out of your comfort zone, you’ll become accustomed to that state of optimal anxiety. “Productive discomfort,” as they call it, becomes more normal to you, and you’re willing to push farther before your performance falls off.

Take the plunge

In order to step outside your comfort zone, you have to do it, even if it’s uncomfortable. Put mechanisms in place that will force you to dive in, and you might discover that what you initially feared isn’t as bad as you thought.

It takes a lot of courage to break out of your comfort zone. You get the same benefits whether you go in with both feet as you do if you start slow, so don’t be afraid to start slow. If you’re socially anxious, don’t assume you have to muster the courage to ask your crush on a date right away, just say hello to them and see where you can go from there. Identify your fears, and then face them step by step.

source: http://www.walktallarena.com/comfort-zone-keeps-learning/

“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”– Jim Rohn

My own success increased rapidly when I took an honest look at the people around me and replaced negative relationships with positive, empowering individuals who would support and inspire me.
List of people you should avoid in other to be successful at your plans:

1. The Haters

People you should avoid in other to be successful: Negativity is contagious. The danger with this group of people is that they will expect you to keep their misery company and with time, they could make you believe it’s okay to be a hater, too.
Successful people don’t spend time with haters, but with other successful, positive minded people. You are going to do yourself a great favor by deleting these people from your life.

2. The Envious

There’s a popular saying that goes “be wary of those who don’t clap when you win”. A friend or colleague who is envious won’t celebrate your victories or support your dreams. He covets the life you’re aspiring to create, in large part because he doesn’t believe in his own ability to achieve the same success. Choose to surround yourself with people who can be genuinely happy for your achievements and champion your long-term aspirations.

3. The Crawlers

This personality type habitually backs out of commitments and expects you to accommodate her ever-changing schedule (and whims). Your time is valuable, but they don’t respect that notion.
If a friend or associate can’t honor your plans, meet you halfway, and arrive on time, then use those instances to state and enforce your boundaries. Learning to take care of yourself first, and respect your time, will also help you in other areas of your life and work.

4. The always finding Guilt

Here’s the problem with guilt: You can’t dream when someone makes you feel guilty for desiring better. You can’t capture value when you’ve learned to feel guilty for asking to be paid what you’re worth.
Do your best to identify and distance yourself from people who make you feel guilt majority of the time.

5. The Perpetually Fearful

There are people around you who are simply afraid to “go for it.” They view life through a lens of fear and lack the basic belief that things will work out for the best. If that’s the exact opposite of you, then you have to peel them out of your life.
As personal-development legend Bob Proctor said, “If you see it in your mind, you will hold it in your hand.” Avoid fearful people with limiting beliefs, and embrace your visions of success instead.

source: http://www.walktallarena.com/list-of-people-you-should-avoid-in-other-to-be-successful/

“A leader affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops”. Henry Adams

Building a long lasting influence with people: Influence matters. The ability to influence is one of the essential skills for leaders at all levels.

Influence is power. No matter who you are, where you work, or what your professional goals are, achieving more influence in the workplace is critical for success. Gaining influence on a team can help you work together more effectively.

Influence has countless advantages, but gaining that influence, like learning a skill, takes time and effort. Fortunately, there are many strategies you can use to cultivate this characteristic.

Give honest and sincere appreciation

Appreciation is one of the most powerful tools in the world. People will rarely work at their maximum potential under criticism, but honest appreciation brings out their best. Appreciation, though, is not simple flattery, it must be sincere, meaningful and given with love.

You can make more friends in two months by being interested in them, than in two years by making them interested in you. The only way to make quality, lasting friendships is to learn to be genuinely interested in people and their interests.

Listen to Others

Study after study has shown that listening is critical to leadership effectiveness. Influence is a two-way street. The more you believe in the people around you and incorporate their ideas into your vision, the more they’ll believe in your ideas and incorporate them into their work habits. If you want to build up this kind of relationship with your co-workers and employees, you first have to listen.

The ability and willingness to listen is often what sets a you apart. Hearing words is not adequate; you truly need to work at understanding the position and perspective of the others involved in the conversation.

Don’t criticize, condemn, or complain

Human nature does not like to admit fault. When people are criticized or humiliated, they rarely respond well and will often become defensive and resent their critic. To handle people well, we must never criticize, condemn or complain because it will never result in the behavior we desire.

Get to understand your natural orientation and the appropriate styles to influence those around you, figure out where you’re on solid ground and where you need to shift gears and use a different approach to be more effective.

Smile

A smile costs nothing, but creates much. Research has shown that it takes thirty-two muscles to frown and two muscles to smile.

Therefore why frown and stress your entire muscles when you can smile and still maintain your body architecture.

Happiness does not depend on outside circumstances, but rather on inward attitudes. Smiles are free to give and have an amazing ability to make others feel wonderful. Smile in everything that you do. A smile is contagious and it’s an inexpensive way to improve looks. A smiling face is always welcomed.

Don’t compromise your values

Values are ideals which you choose to live with. It helps shape your future and enable you to make proper decisions. To influence people, you should never be swayed from your values no matter the pressure mounted on you.

A little personality goes a long way, especially when you’re trying to build influence in the workplace.

Nothing diminishes the dignity of a man quite like an insult to his pride. If we don’t condemn our employees in front of others and allow them to save face, they will be motivated to do better in the future and confident that they can.

Source: http://www.walktallarena.com/building-a-long-lasting-influence-with-people/

There's a great difference between 'ego' and 'confidence'. Donald Trump is a very confident man. If you know your stuff, no matter what, you will always triumph. #Leadership-Digest

Sex is not free from awkward situations, goof ups or embarrassments. What is the single man’s goal? To land a single woman. But no matter how charming, attractive or witty you are, women can be turned off in an instant.

We might do something unconsciously because we are so habituated of that, but for the other person, it could be a total switch off. In all my years of experience, women have mentioned many things guys do which turns them off sexually. Read to know if you are not doing any of the six of them:

1. Bad hygiene

Women hate when guys smell or have poor hygiene. Before you even think about hopping into the bed, you should make sure you’ve showered and don’t smell like you’ve just come out of a pig sty! In addition, it’s important to do the proper maintenance actions like shaving, applying deodorant, cleaning your ears and brushing your teeth. Though some woman may like the body odour, but too much of even that is bad; bad breath especially that of onion & garlic is the biggest turn off. If you constantly smell bad, go visit a doctor.

2. Being a poor kisser

If you have seen the movie Hitch, you know exactly what I mean. The first kiss is the most important thing when starting is relationship. It tells tales about your sexual compatibility and believe it or not, it also says a lot about you as a person. Show some passion when kissing her; show her that she makes your pulse race! Acting in a wispy or aggressive way while kissing is such a turn-off.

3. Saying ex’s name

This one of the biggest sex turnoffs women always mention. If you do happen to make this huge blunder, be extremely apologetic, give her a massage and take her out for a romantic dinner. Don’t stop brownnosing until she forgives you. She will, eventually. But first, you’ll have to prove that she is the only one for you and that it was an honest mistake and that, no...

Go to http://www.walktallarena.com/real-women-share-biggest-sex-turnoffs/

When Your Peer Becomes Your New Boss: Becoming a leader is an exciting transition. Your colleague just got a promotion. Now, instead of being your peer, she’s your boss. It’s a weird situation to be in. Does your relationship need to change? Should you act differently, or expect her to treat you differently? In other words, how do you manage up to someone who’s just jumped a level above you and who might’ve been a friend?

“If you take a typical group of mid-level executives and ask if they’ve ever been promoted to lead their peers, 90% of them will say yes,” says Michael Watkins, the chairman of Genesis Advisers and author of The First 90 Days and Your Next Move. Now what do you do?

Accept that things will change

Don’t think that you and your peer-turned-boss are still going to go out for beers on Fridays or grab a casual lunch together. You can still have a warm, respectful relationship, but if your manager does a good job of assuming his new role, he’s going to establish some “social distance” so he can more effectively step up to the job of coaching and assessing you. If you two are good friends, this can be painful. But “it seldom works to have a friend evaluating you,” says Watkins. Don’t take the change personally. It’s what’s best for the business and, ultimately, for you.

You might have an advantage, but don’t expect it

There’s a serious advantage to having already worked with your new boss, says Watkins: “To a degree, you know that person, you know their style.” Sutton agrees: “If it’s someone you have a good relationship with, it can put you in the position where you now have an important ally. You may be able to get projects more easily approved or bend her ear when you have an idea.” But don’t presume anything.

Watkins says one of the big mistakes people make is “asking for special treatment based on their past relationship or behaving like they’re still going to have the kind of influence they had when they were peers.” Your boss probably wants to demonstrate that he/she is going to give the same attention to everyone, even her former teammates.

Signal the new relationship

Ideally, your new boss will sit down with you to discuss how you’re going to work together going forward. But if he doesn’t take the initiative, do this yourself. Tell him that you understand things are different now and that you want to find a new way of working well together. Sutton did that when one of his peers was promoted to department chair, telling him, “You’re my boss now. It’s your job to make decisions, and I won’t always agree with them, but I will follow them.” The goal here is to help your colleague accept her new authority over you and demonstrate that you trust him/her to do the job.

Think about how you can help

If you were in contention for the promotion your peer got, your ego may be wounded. But it’s important to get over it and focus on what you can do to help your new boss succeed. This is a big moment for him/her, and he’s probably spending a lot of time and energy trying to figure out how to be effective in the role. So be empathetic and try to anticipate what she needs. The more you understand the situation the boss is facing, the better off you are.

The goal should be to support your peer-turned-manager as he/she “grows into the new role.” You might help them get organized, shape their vision, strategy, and goals, or volunteer to tackle a particular project that would help them have a significant impact in a short period of time, says Watkins. Remember to be patient, too. “They’re probably not going to function right away at the same level that your former boss did,” Watkins says. “They’re going to be on a learning curve.”

When your relationship isn’t strong

Sometimes the peer who gets promoted isn’t someone with whom you had a good relationship previously. But getting along with her is especially important now. “If it’s someone who you really don’t like and is maybe even out to get you,” you have two tasks, Sutton says. First, “be nicer” to him/her. Second, advocate for yourself through your network. “Figure out which allies on your team or outside it can pressure the boss to treat you better than he would otherwise,” he suggests. After all, whether you like the person or not, she is now one of your most critical relationships at work.

post source: http://www.walktallarena.com/peer-becomes-new-boss/

Men are weaker today than they were 30 years ago, research in the Journal of Hand Therapy found. In the study, men aged 20-34 have lower grip and pinch strength – which measures how strong your hand and upper extremities are – than the same aged guys did three decades ago.

Think you’d beat your dad in an arm wrestling competition when he was your age? Bad news: he’d probably kick your ass.

In fact, the average grip strength for men ages 25-29 is nearly 12 kilograms lower today than it was before. Your grip may not seem super important unless you’re a competitive arm wrestler, but it actually serves as a good proxy of your overall strength.

In fact, a 2011 study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that grip strength was predictive of strength in push-ups, leg extensions and leg press. What’s more, research in previous generations has linked lower grip strength to a variety of serious health problems including arthritis, heart disease, stroke and neurological conditions, says Fain.

It’s not clear whether grip strength actually makes people healthier, or if healthier people are just stronger. So why are men today so much weaker?

They are less likely to be employed in manual labor jobs, such as in the manufacturing and agricultural fields, than they used to be, says study author Dr Elizabeth Fain, an assistant professor of occupational therapy at Winston-Salem State University in the US. Working on an assembly line, for instance, requires repetitive tasks handling weighted objects, which can strengthen your hands, she says.

That day-in, day-out grind likely plays more of a role increasing grip strength than weight training – which may only be a few times a week – would do. It’s also more helpful than the repetitive hand motions we’re more likely to do today, like texting or typing, which tend to activate smaller muscle groups, she says.

Your move, then, is to work on your own grip. If you’re not working with your hands, you need to make training grip more of a priority.

Share your opinion on this issue!!!

post source: http://www.walktallarena.com/men-are-weaker-today-than-they-were-30-years-ago/

So lovely couple. How time flies.

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The Delta State Government on 13th June, 2016 issued an initiative with the title: “Commencement of Passenger Welfare Scheme in Delta State”. Read the announcement below.

GOVERNMENT SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
COMMENCEMENT OF PASSENGER WELFARE SCHEME IN DELTA STATE

It is hereby announced for the information of the general public particularly Deltans, that in pursuant of the provisions of the Delta State Law No. 6 of 2002, on the Passenger Welfare Scheme, the State Government has approved Wednesday June 29, 2016, as the date of commencement of the operation of the Scheme in the State.

Accordingly, passengers on intra and inter-state journeys from any part of the State, are expected to pay the sum of N50 (fifty naira) and N100 (one hundred naira) respectively, which shall be used by the Government appointed Consultant to pay the approved benefit of any road accident victim.

For the avoidance of doubt, the Passenger Welfare Scheme was introduced by the State Government, to cater for the safety and welfare of passengers and to ameliorate the suffering of victims of road accident.

Under this scheme, government will ensure that any passenger involved in any road accident is paid his/her entitlement promptly.

By this announcement, the State Government has requested members of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), commuters and owners/operators of private motor parks in the State to ensure full compliance to the implementation of this scheme.

Paul Osahor

Director of Information

Why is it that this is the scheme the Delta State Government is bringing to Deltans? Will this help in curbing the root causes of accident across the state? After settling the families of the accident victims, what then? According to statistics, the major causes of road accident are, over speeding and faulty vehicles, among others.
What the govt needs to do

#1. The Federal Road Safety Corps should stop collecting illegal money from helpless citizens and start enforcing traffic rules and regulations.

#2. Drivers should be sensitized on maintaining the speed limit and ensure adequate repairs and/or maintenance of their vehicles before driving.

#3. Trailer drivers, commercial bus drivers, private car owners, government officials and public office holders, security agencies and bullion vans used by banks, should be made to adhere strictly to the driving rules and regulations.

#4. One way driving, wrong parking of cars on highways, etc should be prohibited. Defaulters should be made to face the law no matter your status.

#5. Road safety signs and signals should be repaired or replaced for proper guidance to drivers.

#6. The FRSC staff, police officers and other concerned agencies, should be re-trained in other to discharge their duties effectively.

Respect for human life should be the number one purpose of any state governor and president. The Delta State Government should retract the announcement and ensure that the root cause of accident on the highway is reduced drastically. Traffic rules and regulations should be obeyed by all. Remember, no one is above the law!

Diabetes, often referred to by doctors as diabetes mellitus, describes a group of metabolic diseases in which the person has high blood glucose (blood sugar), either because insulin production is inadequate, or because the body’s cells do not respond properly to insulin, or both. Patients with high blood sugar will typically experience polyuria (frequent urination), they will become increasingly thirsty (polydipsia) and hungry (polyphagia).

However, here are proven facts you should never ignore:

Losing Weight Will NOT Cure Your Diabetes: From the day you’ve been diagnosed, everyone has been saying the same old thing: “lose weight, lose weight, lose weight.”

Guess what? Shedding a few pounds is not going to hurt (it’s actually quite beneficial) but weight loss by itself is no cure! Scientists discovered that it’s actually the food you eat than can make or break diabetes. A large study done at the University of California, Los Angeles discovered that “contrary to common belief, Type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome can be reversed solely through lifestyle changes.” And these people didn’t have to lose tons of weight: “the changes occurred in the absence of major weight loss”.

Type 2 Diabetes Is Not a Life Sentence: Most doctors only talk about diabetes treatment, diabetes management and diabetic control using drugs, pills, injections and surgery. Nobody talks about the cheaper and more powerful alternatives because they don’t make the pharmaceutical industry any money. If they can’t make money off it, they don’t tell you about it.

Diabetes Drugs Are Extremely Dangerous: Not only are diabetes drugs ineffective at attacking the root cause of your diabetes, they are extremely dangerous too. Over 100,000 people die every single year from drugs properly prescribed by their doctor. Not only could your diabetes kill you, but the drugs you are taking could take you down any day too.

Diabetes drugs artificially adjust your blood sugar, they don’t do anything to address the root cause of your disease. They are only made to ‘treat’ and ‘manage’. So you still live with the constant daily threat of heart attacks, stroke, kidney failure, limb amputations, dementia, hypertension, nerve system disease, high cholesterol, depression, coma and blindness.

A friend posted this on his Facebook timeline expressing his displeasure on the past government of Emmanuel Uduaghan's led administration. The truth is the past administration failed Delta State and the people are looking forward to the leadership of Okowa's led administration to chart the cause of governance in the right direction.

The question now is, after one year on the throne, are Deltans seeing any progress so far? Any progress on the promised prosperity?

See what my friend wrote: “And so it was on Sunday after 1hr:30mins rain @ the famous Enerhen Junction which the immediate past government of the state allegedly spent over 50million Naira on. So I wonder what exactly was the money spent on when the things done ain’t durable?

We can shout all we want at the FG for the present economic state of the nation, talk about projects which ought to be done, etc. But we should look inwards our vicinity, is Effurun Sapele Road a Federal Road?

A year is gone, I am still waiting to see our very own Governor Okowa’s led administration and it’s implementation policies on Prosperity for all Deltans”.

I believe each of us carries around us a mental list of what kind of people we would like to attract in our organization or department or our personal lives. What will determine whether the people you want are the people you get? Is your attitude. You may be surprised by the answer. Believe it or not, who you are is not determined by what you want, it’s determined by who you are.

Maybe you’ve started thinking about the people that you have attracted in your organization or anywhere else. Most organizations reflect the characteristics of their leaders. Rarely have I seen positive and negative people attracted to one another. Have you? It is true that people who view life as a series of opportunities and exciting challenges don’t want to hear others talk about how bad things are all the time. Not only do people attract others with similar character or attitude, but their attitudes tend to become alike. Attitude is one of the most contagious qualities a human being possesses.

People are attracted to others whose values are similar to their own. It doesn’t matter whether the shared values are positive or negative. Either way, the attraction is equally strong.

Naturally, nobody goes out looking for mediocre leaders to follow. People are attracted to talent and excellence, especially those with whom they know will impact their lives greatly. Businessmen also likes to hire someone with the kind of talent they are looking for or that they admire. I’ve met a lot of leaders who expect highly talented people to follow them, even though they neither possess nor express value for those people’s expertise. They know they could learn something from them.

How do the people you are currently attracting to your organization or to yourself look at you? Review your attitude towards them. How well do you align with them? Know that the way and manner in which they are attracted to you, is dependent on your attitude. Probably they do not feel comfortable around you. You need to reshape and re-align your behavior with them.

If you are already attracting the kinds of people you desire, then it’s time to take your leadership and personae to the next level. Create a favorable environment where they will be comfortable around you. Be a leader more than a boss and a friend more than an acquaintance.

It’s often said that leadership mistakes provide great learning opportunities. However, it’s much better not to make mistakes in the first place. According to Oscar Wilde; “Experience is the name every one gives to their mistakes”.

In this article, we’re looking at four of the most common leadership and management errors that are mostly associated with young leaders and highlighting ways you can avoid them. If you can learn about them here, rather than through experience, you’ll save yourself a lot of trouble. Here are they:

Not Making Time for Your Team

When you’re a manager or leader, it’s easy to get so wrapped up in your own workload that you don’t make yourself available to your team. Yes, you have projects that you need to deliver. But your people must come first – without you being available when they need you, your people won’t know what to do, and they won’t have the support and guidance that they need to meet their objectives.

Avoid this mistake by blocking out time in your schedule specifically for your people, and by learning how to listen actively to your team. Develop your emotional intelligence so that you can be more aware of your team and their needs, and have a regular time when “your door is always open”, so that your people know when they can get your help. You can also use management by walking around, which is an effective way to stay in touch with your team.

Once you’re in a leadership or management role, your team should always come first – this is, at heart, what good leadership is all about!

Being Too Friendly

Most of us want to be seen as friendly and approachable to people in our team. After all, people are happier working for a manager that they get on with. However, what I have learnt over the years is that, you’ll sometimes have to make tough decisions regarding people in your team, and some people will be tempted to take advantage of your relationship if you’re too friendly with them.

This doesn’t mean that you can’t socialize with your people. But, you do need to get the balance right between being a friend and being the boss. Set clear boundaries so that team members aren’t tempted to take advantage of you.

Not Delegating

Some managers don’t delegate, because they feel that no-one apart from themselves can do key jobs properly. This can cause huge problems as work bottlenecks around them, and as they become stressed and burned out.

Delegation does take a lot of effort up-front, and it can be hard to trust your team to do the work correctly. But unless you delegate tasks, you’re never going to have time to focus on the “broader-view” that most leaders and managers are responsible for. What’s more, you’ll fail to develop your people so that they can take the pressure off you.

Not “Walking the Talk”

As a leader, you need to be a role model for your team. This means that if they need to stay late, you should also stay late to help them. Or, if your organization has a rule that no one eats at their desk, then set the example and head to the break room every day for lunch. The same goes for your attitude – if you’re negative some of the time, you can’t expect your people not to be negative.

So remember, your team is watching you all the time. If you want to shape their behaviour, start with your own. They’ll follow suit.

You already know what to expect during pregnancy: weight gain, morning sickness and fatigue. But with all of the hormones and changes your body goes through, there are other pregnancy symptoms that might surprise you. And while they may be strange, they’re completely normal. Although it’s always a good idea to talk to your doctor first, rest assured these 10 common symptoms are nothing to worry about.

1.      Excess vaginal discharge
Leucorrhea, or an increase in vaginal discharge, is common and happens because of the hormonal changes that happen during pregnancy. “The hormones cause the glands in the vagina to have an increased production of secretions which then manifests itself as leucorrhea,” said Dr. Kelly Kasper, a board-certified OB-GYN at Indiana University Health in Indianapolis.

Excess vaginal discharge can also occur as you near your due date because the cervix will begin to ripen, or become soft to prepare your body to give birth. Vaginal discharge that’s white to light yellow is nothing to worry about, but if it becomes itchy or has an odor it could mean you have a yeast infection. Also, if the discharge is persistent and watery, it could mean you’re leaking amniotic fluid, so call your doctor immediately.

2. Spotting
Between 20 and 40 percent of women will have spotting during the first trimester and most of the time it’s simply because more blood is being pumped into the cervix. Spotting can also happen because of implantation bleeding when the embryo is implanted in the uterine lining, which happens between six and twelve days after fertilization.

A small amount of light pink or brown blood is normal but if it’s bright red or it’s heavy like your period, call your physician. Bleeding could indicate placenta previa or a miscarriage but most of the time, it’s normal and will resolve itself. “Don’t freak about it because it happens a lot and most people are fine. But do take precautions and talk to your physician— that’s what they’re there for,” said Jeanne Faulkner, a registered nurse in Portland, Ore., author of “Common Sense Pregnancy: Navigating a Healthy Pregnancy and Birth for Mother and Baby” and host of the Common Sense Pregnancy & Parenting podcast.

3. Bloody noses and bleeding gums
The pregnancy hormones that increase the blood vessel supply throughout the body can also make the tissues in the nose and gums hypersensitive. As a result, you might have a bloody nose and notice that your gums bleed when you brush them or have a dental cleaning.

Running a humidifier at night and using a saline nasal spray or gel can help keep your nasal passages moist. When you brush your teeth, use a soft bristle toothbrush and brush gently.

4. Skin tags
Skin tags are small “outpockets” or excess skin growths that show up in the folds of the body like the neck, the underarms and the groin and usually develop between the fourth and six month of pregnancy. Although it’s unclear why they happen, it might be due to hormones and weight gain. There also seems to be a genetic component and they tend to happen more frequently with age.

“Sometimes they regress or fall off after pregnancy but most of the time, they’re markers of pregnancy and they tend to stay until your dermatologist snips it off or burns it off,” said Dr. Doris Day, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City and author of “Forget the Facelift: Turn Back the Clock with Dr. Day’s Revolutionary Four-Step Program for Ageless Skin.” If you notice new or changing skin lesions or moles, however, tell your doctor at your next prenatal visit to make sure it’s not skin cancer, which is common but treatable during pregnancy.

5. Racing heart or a pumping sensation in the ear
The increased blood volume means there’s more blood for your heart to pump throughout your body, so your heart has to work harder. If you feel your heart beating harder or even hear the sound of your heart beating in your ear, know that it’s nothing to stress out about.

6. Varicose veins in the legs and the vulva
As your blood volume increases and your uterus and baby grow, the pressure on the large blood vessels can make it difficult for the blood to circulate back to your lower extremities.

As a result, the blood can pool and create varicose veins in your legs and even in your vulva, which happens in about 10 percent of women and can be quite uncomfortable. To prevent varicose veins, try not to gain more than the recommended amount of weight during pregnancy and walk everyday to increase your circulation. Spandex pants and pregnancy compression hose can help varicose veins in your legs. After pregnancy, they may improve or get better. If they don’t, there are many treatments available.

If you have varicose veins in your vulva, you can still deliver vaginally and they will disappear after pregnancy. Meanwhile, ice packs can make them feel more comfortable now.

7. Dark nipples
During pregnancy, it’s perfectly normal for your nipples and areolas (the area around your nipples) to become larger and darker. The change is a result of the increased blood volume but it’s also nature’s way to prepare your body for your baby.

“It creates the bullseye that makes it easier for the baby to latch on later,” Faulkner said.

8. Numbness and tingling
During pregnancy, the hormone relaxin, which helps to open up the pelvis to deliver your baby, can also make the rest of the joints in your body loose too. As a result, it can cause sciatica or pain that starts in the lower back and radiates down the legs. The two sacroiliac joints at the bottom of the spine can get loose and create a sensation of sciatica too, Kasper said.

Although it’s almost always not a cause for concern and can be relieved with pregnancy massage or prenatal yoga, numbness and tingling sensations might mean you have a bulging or herniated disc in your lower back that’s compressing the sciatic nerve. Left untreated, it could lead to permanent nerve damage so be sure to run it by your doctor at your next prenatal visit.

9. Pain in the wrist
Swelling in the tissues of the wrists can compress the nerves and cause carpal tunnel syndrome. It usually shows up later on in pregnancy when swelling is more common and it can cause pain as well as numbness and tingling in the fingers.

Carpal tunnel syndrome will resolve after delivery but a hand brace or splint can help to decrease the swelling.

10. Scary dreams
Vivid, frightening dreams about your unborn baby or about your other children are perfectly normal and happen because you subconsciously want your baby to be healthy and safe. “It’s not a premonition that anything bad is going to happen,” Kasper said.

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2016/05/22/10-strange-pregnancy-symptoms-that-are-nothing-to-worry-about.html

Okonjo Iweala, the famed technocrat , has returned to the pulpit. The gospel of good governance, like that of Christ, is easily preached. Technocrats come into public service in Nigeria brandishing reputations and clutching unto self righteousness.

But they often prove too sterile to affect the filth, and always leave as ineffectual as ordinary politicians. Okonjo Iweala came richly credentialed. Iweala was hardworking. She was one of our best ministers. But she is perhaps oblivious of the concept of collective responsibility. And she was gutless. She tamely supervised the squandering of national resources.

She has sauntered out of the wreckage with the gaiety of a bride. She is now preaching her way to redemption. Grace abounds in Nigeria. The masses are too forgetful. Glory is milked for little achievements and hypocrisy is let loose to deflect blames for woeful failures.

When Nigeria paid her debts and swelled her foreign reserves under Obasanjo, Iweala was exceptionally savvy. That was the impression. She concedes obliquely that Jonathan’s was an era of gross mismanagement but she won’t take any blames. She, the coordinator of the economy. They didn’t listen to her admonitions. And she stayed on coordinating!

There was “zero political will to save”. She says it oozing the righteous indignation of a jilted seer proven right by disaster. It is supposed to be an exculpatory revelation. Obasanjo had managed to conjure some ‘political will’ .

But with Jonathan? No, it wasn’t him, it wasn’t Okonjo Iweala either. It must have been the special breed of greedy governors that unlucky Jonathan inherited. They drained all the “political will”. But you would think Okonjo Iweala’s insights won’t be that simplistic. That she must be too stricken , too sober, to tell trite tales. Because the federal government got almost 50% of oil boom revenues and Okonjo Iweala was coordinating minister. That arm of government later resorted to borrowing to pay salaries.

The bane of African politics isn’t academic insufficiency. No, good theories abound everywhere, even in Zimbabwe. Often it’s authoritarianism and gross inefficiency. But more often it is moral bankruptcy. It is immoral to be silent in the face of conspicuous evil.

The political will to enthrone rectitude is where the snare lies. So when technocrats come with abundance of academic talk and sermons about global best practices they are no more than soulless mercenaries. They get the perks of office, the privileges of power and do not bother about practical freedom and concrete empowerment of the poor. They mouth capitalist ideas but treat democratic ethics with contempt. They will not stand against election rigging, they stay aloof, ready to serve whoever wins, however he wins. They will not fight corruption frontally, they pay lip service. “We are doing their best in the circumstance”.

Their characters are tested when their principals begin to subjugate national interests to private considerations. Corruption and theft of public resources will be clothed with the garments of lofty policies provided by technocrats. Nepotism, they cannot resist.

The poor will be harangued about the virtue of sacrifice in nation building while monies meant to fight insurgency walk into private pockets. Flimsy poverty alleviation programmes that fatten only politicians will be trumpeted. A multitude of workshops and seminars to pretend to intellectualism will be thrown around. Spurious data would be spawn to deny the grim reality of life on the streets.

They will close their eyes to absurdities like Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) and join in mouthing gibberish like Transformation Agenda. They will wring their hands like Pilate. Yes, a finance minister will sign a memo that opens up the vault of the Central bank to the carting away of stacks of dollars to private homes, without compunction. Or was there? She sneaked in a dubious “my hand no dey inside” clause by reminding them of the need to render accounts. She retained her sainthood, lapped up international awards. They never get fed up, technocrats, never get angry. They always play along.

Corrupt regimes love them. They lend them legitimacy. When in such governments they lose scrupulousness. Who would have thought that after the financial commonsense exhibited during the Obasanjo regime that prodigality would return with vengeance with Iweala on the saddle? Okonjo Iweala attributes our present woes to recalcitrant governors. Iweala’s second stint was a chronicle of wastefulness. Impunity institutionalized corruption and theft in public service. 350 million dollars Abacha stole came back to the country and was reported re-stolen under Iweala’s nose. Iweala had been in government long enough to know what happens during elections. Yet she crafted a memo seeking approval to ‘lend’ 350 million dollars to the NSA three weeks to the original date for national elections ostensibly for the procurement of arms.

Since politicians disregarded her, why didn’t Okonjo Iweala resign? When the then CBN governor spoke about widespread looting , she was irritated. As irritated as she was when foreign journalists pestered her about Chibok girls. If Iweala had put the interest of the nation above the benefits of remaining a minister she would have easily resigned. She knew the country was clearly headed in the wrong direction . Her cowardice was even more baffling because she, apparently, did not need the job. Why are these technocrats never really patriotic beyond mouthing? “I have come to contribute my quota to national development?” And having failed pitiably as finance minister to do that which was most important , why is Okonjo Iweala not mourning? Why is truthful sober reflection , an ingredient of intellectualism , so lacking amongst our political technocrats? Why can’t Okonjo Iweala keep quiet if she isn’t ready to tell the whole truth yet?

Okonjo Iweala, international civil servant, substantially immune to the troubles and potential fallouts of outspokenness at the highest levels. She was in Aba campaigning for the return of Jonathan and the same set of circumstances she now cleverly refers to as ‘zero political will’. She has been one of our best ministers. And that is why our politics has remained a study in sycophancy.

Let the technocrats in Buhari’s government know that a president is not a deity. Their ultimate loyalty is to the nation. And sometimes the nation is best served by a principled noisy resignation.

Nigeria's vice president, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, gave a detailed insight on the new price hike of fuel on his Facebook page. See what he wrote below...

"I have read the various observations about the fuel pricing regime and the attendant issues generated. You have all certainly raised strong points.

The most important issue of course is how to shield the poor from the worst effects of the policy. I will hopefully address that in another note.
Permit me an explanation of the policy. First, the real issue is not a removal of subsidy. At $40 a barrel there isn't much of a subsidy to remove.
In any event, the President is probably one of the most convinced pro-subsidy advocates.
What happened is as follows: our local consumption of fuel is almost entirely imported. The NNPC exchanges crude from its joint venture share to provide about 50% of local fuel consumption. The remaining 50% is imported by major and independent marketers.

These marketers up until three months ago sourced their foreign exchange from the Central Bank of Nigeria at the official rate. However, since late last year, independent marketers have brought in little or no fuel because they have been unable to get foreign exchange from the CBN. The CBN simply did not have enough. (In April, oil earnings dipped to $550 million. The amount required for fuel importation alone is about $225million!) .
Meanwhile, NNPC tried to cover the 50% shortfall by dedicating more export crude for domestic consumption. Besides the short term depletion of the Federation Account, which is where the FG and States are paid from, and further cash-call debts pilling up, NNPC also lacked the capacity to distribute 100% of local consumption around the country. Previously, they were responsible for only about 50%. (Partly the reason for the lingering scarcity).

We realised that we were left with only one option. This was to allow independent marketers and any Nigerian entity to source their own foreign exchange and import fuel. We expect that foreign exchange will be sourced at an average of about N285 to the dollar, (current interbank rate). They would then be restricted to selling at a price between N135 and N145 per litre.

We expect that with competition, more private refineries, and NNPC refineries working at full capacity, prices will drop considerably. Our target is that by Q4 2018 we should be producing 70% of our fuel needs locally. At the moment even if all the refineries are working optimally they will produce just about 40% of our domestic fuel needs.

You will notice that I have not mentioned other details of the PPRA cost template. I wanted to focus on the cost component largely responsible for the substantial rise, namely foreign exchange. This is therefore not a subsidy removal issue but a foreign exchange problem, in the face of dwindling earnings.
Together, Nigeria will prevail".

I have listened to so many successful businessmen and leaders around the world. I have about five of them as my mentor and coach.

The common thing they all have in common is "Time Management", they do not play with it. Every second counts.

But that is not what I'm going to talk about. I am talking about the best business ideas I've gotten from them.

1. Be quick but be careful: Sometimes you think you've seen the big picture and then decide to jump in and get it executed, forgetting that a lot more is needed to get you up to speed. You need to do more of planning so as to get balance ones you start. Lack of proper planning, keep you out of business.

2. You have to love it: If you don't love what you do, you can never grow in it. Many people are into the business they dread all because they just want to put food on the table. You are wasting your time and that of others. Do business that you love and in the midst of adversity, you'll find a way around it and save your business.

3. Never underestimate your competitors: Know this; "Winners contribute to the peak performance and personal growth of all competitors. They are comfortable going for the throat in competition. They don't give up. They delight in going for the chase". Always have at the back of your mind that no great business thrive without competition.

4. Be tough and be Resolute: You are in-charge of your business and whatever needs to be done, that's your responsibility. Never allow employees or outsiders to grind you down.

5. Form your own opinion: Every decision about your business is yours to make. Don't get me wrong! You have to listen to other people's input but at the end their opinions are only suggestions. The final decision comes from you. Remember, your competitors will hire your employees when you go out of business. They have nothing to lose.

6. Focus on the present first: This is where a lot of people get wrong most of the time. They tend to focus on the future while neglecting the present situation. It's a terrible business policy. You have to know that the present points to the future. Take care of the present conditions first while you look towards the future.

7. A penny saved is penny saved: No amount is too small or too big for you to save. Why are you wasting that N5 because you feel it cannot buy anything in the market? "little drops of water make a mighty ocean". Save whatever is your profit for further investments.

8. Add the business advice you ever received to help save someone's failing business.

In the episode which aired on Wednesday, May 11, 2016, Jamal took the bullet for his homophobic father, Lucious Lyon, who had earlier told him he would be happy if he died of AIDS.

Jamal stepped in to stop Freda Gats from shooting Lucious after she found out Lucious killed her father in the prison.
The episode concluded in a cliffhanger with Jamal Lyon in surgery.

Do you think Jamal is out of Empire for real? See tweet below...

SirWere:
I guess it all hinges on your definition of success....

If by success, you mean make money, marry, give birth, die and have an expensive funeral; then you can never be convincing.

But if by success, you mean making a mark in the world long after you're gone, making your name known to generations for doing something meaningful to the human society, then education is the same.


Take a look; Cassper Nyvopest and the dude that graduated with 5.0,..

There will always be another Nyvopest, another hip and hot rapper.....


But the Unilag dude has written his name on metal! Can never be erased again.....


That's the difference

SirWere:
I guess it all hinges on your definition of success....

If by success, you mean make money, marry, give birth, die and have an expensive funeral; then you can never be convincing.

But if by success, you mean making a mark in the world long after you're gone, making your name known to generations for doing something meaningful to the human society, then education is the same.


Take a look; Cassper Nyvopest and the dude that graduated with 5.0,..

There will always be another Nyvopest, another hip and hot rapper.....


But the Unilag dude has written his name on metal! Can never be erased again.....


That's the difference

SirWere:
I guess it all hinges on your definition of success....

If by success, you mean make money, marry, give birth, die and have an expensive funeral; then you can never be convincing.

But if by success, you mean making a mark in the world long after you're gone, making your name known to generations for doing something meaningful to the human society, then education is the same.


Take a look; Cassper Nyvopest and the dude that graduated with 5.0,..

There will always be another Nyvopest, another hip and hot rapper.....


But the Unilag dude has written his name on metal! Can never be erased again.....


That's the difference

I respect your view on this. Look at 2Baba for example, a school drop-out who just received an honorary doctorate degree from Igbinedion University. Has he not engraved his name on the minds of many?
And I will tell you, that unilag student has more to do than just going around with 5.0 cumulative otherwise, nobody remembers him.

Below is a picture of Cassper Nyovest (a successful South African high school drop-out) burning books and a picture of a university graduate sweeping the streets.

Now the big question is: How are we going to convince the future generations that Education is the key to Success when they are surrounded with successful school drop-outs and poor jobless graduates?

JustOzito:
very confusing

JustOzito:
very confusing

JustOzito:
very confusing

what's the confusion. you must have known this before now, or if you haven't, now you do. so let go of the confusion and figure out how you can put those points into your relationship.

Love is the most important thing that could happen to anyone at any time. Therefore, it is good you know and understand your partner if you aspire to build a healthy and long-lasting relationship together. Here, I want to let women in on how they can understand their men and what they hold dear in their lives. Happy reading!!

1. Men talk about feelings

It may be easier for your man to talk about feelings indirectly. For instance, ask him how he will do during a romantic weekend, or what he thought the first time he met you. You will be amazed how he’ll respond to your answer…

2. Men say “I love you” with actions

Some men prefer to express their feelings through actions rather than words. Your man may say “I love you by fixing things around the house or even taking out the trash – anything that makes your world a better place”. I could your heart beat to this. Yes, men do that.

3. Men take commitment seriously

Generally, men have a reputation for being afraid to commit. But evidence suggests that men take marriage seriously. They may take longer to commit because they want to make sure they are on board for good. In a recent survey, 90% of the married men say they would marry the same woman again.

4. Men are listeners

When you are listening to someone talk, you probably indicate to the person that you are listening by nodding, gazing your eyeballs on them, or replying with a “yes” every now and then. But some men don’t do this. And just because your man isn't saying anything doesn't mean he’s not listening to you. Some prefer to listen quietly and think about what you’re saying so they could give a good reply to your story.

5. Men's shared activities form bonds

Men strengthen their relationship primarily through shared activities more than by sharing thoughts or feelings. For many men, activities like sports and sex make them feel closer to their partner.

6. Men need time for themselves

While shared activities are important, men also need time for themselves. Whether your man enjoys golf, football, or working out in a gym house, encourage him to pursue his hobbies while you make time for your own. When both partners have space to nurture their individuality, they have more to give to each other.

7. Men learn from their fathers

If you want to know how a man will act in a relationship, get to know his dad. Some say men learn about their relationship role by watching and listening to their fathers. How they are with each other and how the father relates to the mother can predict how a man will relate to wife.

8. Men let go faster than women

Women tend to remember negative experiences longer and may have lingering feelings of stress, anxiety, or sadness. In contrast, men are less likely to dwell on unpleasant events and tend to move on more quickly. So while you may still want to talk about last night’s argument, your man may have already forgotten about it.

9. Men don’t pick up on subtle cues

Men are more likely to miss subtle signals like tone of voice or facial expressions. They are especially likely to miss sadness on a woman’s face. If you want to make sure your man gets the message, be direct.

10. Men respond to appreciation

Showing appreciation for your man can make a big difference in the way he acts. Studies show that fathers are more involved in care-giving when their wives value their involvement and see them as competent.

11. Men think about sex a lot

This is no secret! Majority of men under age 60 think about sex at least once a day, compared with only a quarter of women. And this is not all. Men fantasize sex nearly twice as often as women do, and their fantasies are much more varied. They also think more about casual sex than women. But thinking isn't the same as doing!

12. Men like it when you initiate sex

Most men feel as though they’re the ones who always initiate sex. But they also like to be pursued and wish their partner would take the lead more often. Don’t be shy about letting your man know you are in the mood. Initiating sex some of the time may lead to a higher level of satisfaction for both of you.

13. Men like pleasing their partner

Your pleasure is important to your man. But he won’t know what you want unless you tell him. Too many women feel uncomfortable talking about what they like and don’t like. If you can tell him clearly in a way that doesn't bruise his ego, he’ll listen because he knows that he will feel good if you feel good.

14. Men may stray when needs aren't met

If a man doesn't feel loved enough and appreciated by her woman in the relationship, he may turn elsewhere for satisfaction and comfort. Most men will bury their self in office work; others may develop a sudden interest in sports or video games, while others will go out and cheat. To avoid this, partners need to work together to meet each other’s needs.

15. Men are vested in their women

Most men realize there’s a lot to lose if a long term relationship goes sour – not just each other’s company, but the entire life you've built together. If you’re willing to work to strengthen your relationship, chances are your man will be too.

Thank you for reading. Let’s hear from you by dropping your opinion here. Your opinion is highly valued.

https://walktallarena..com.ng/2016/05/lets-talk-about-love-secrets-men-wants.html?m=1

He shared the pics on his Facebook page with the caption...

"Still getting over how surreal this experience is. This is a family shot of us watching TV on Tuesday right before we heard the big news. I'm just honored and humbled to be a part of it in any way however small. The people I've met all across this country that just want real change are an inspiration and I am in awe of them and their passion. Thanks for all you do!"

when you use the last button, you will feel uncomfortable because it will tighten you on the waist region. And if you use the first button on the three button jacket, it will also tighten you on the chest region. The designers are sensible and smart.

I bought a domain name from godaddy.com and now I am finding it difficult to complete the hosting process.

What do I do in other to finish up the hosting process? I keep getting a pop up of none registered DNS.

add 07037398726

#1 Inappropriate or too many colour patterns

You want to stand out and look smart anywhere any time? The key is to master the art of matching colour pattern when you dress to an occasion. It’s actually simple! Don’t get me wrong. To be smartly dressed, add one patterned item (shirt or tie or jacket or trouser), while every other thing is different or add two patterned item while everything else is different. Do not wear striped shirt with a striped jacket, it is not ideal.

#2 Do not leave your shoe unpolished

Many people are fond of doing this. They wear unpolished shoe to any outing or occasion or anywhere they are going. If you do not want to take time to shine your shoes and prepare properly for your event, find a shoe stand where you can always get your shoe polished – it is very necessary. Wearing unpolished shoe can ruin your entire dress sense and looks, no matter how gorgeously dressed you look. Spend good money on quality shoe and keep them healthy with regular shine.

#3 Oversized or undersized shirts and trousers

It is important that shirts and trousers fit well. Have your tailor check your body size and sew the best fitting shirts and trousers for you. Many wear too large shirts and trousers, the effect of this is that you will be pulling them almost all the time and it will make you feel uncomfortable. Undersized clothes equally make you not to feel organized and makes you restless because you will find it difficult to adjust yourself properly. Remember, the goal is to look smart in your dressing at all times.

#4 Never leave the designer tag on your suit jacket

It is not your place to do advertisement for the designer of the suit. So why leave the designer tag on it? It is good you are spending money to buy quality suit, but you do not have to let everybody know you are wearing a branded suit. They already know the worth of your jacket. The tags are only there to assist store personnel with inventory recognition. Therefore, you are required to remove the designer tag on purchase of the jacket.

#5 Using wrong buttons on the jacket

Thanks to the people at Real Men Real Style where I learnt this rule. The rules of buttoning a jacket looks simple but if you do not know they seem pretty difficult.

The rules are;

i. When sitting, no button should be used
ii. When standing, for a single button jacket – always use the button. For a two button jacket – always use the top button. For a three button jacket – always use the middle button.

https://walktallarena..com.ng/2016/05/five-fashion-mishaps-professional-men.html?m=1

[quote author=2undexy post=45275417]I thank God for my life simply because i was an albino b4, but with constant staying in the sun, i transmogryfied into a normal fair guy....also ma advice 2 all albinos worldwide, sundry urself nd u re good 2 go[so the hot sun helped ur case and now U are testifying about it.]

A United Nation human rights council’s expert says that Malawian Albinos may face extinction. In other words the UN personnel implied that it has sadly gotten to that point where albinos will not be found in Malawi for all the wrong reasons.
Albinos all over the world face a certain level of discrimination. But in Africa, the experience is a lot worse. In different parts of the continent, albinism is viewed as taboo. As such people with albinism in the region go through a lot of ordeal.

According to the expert Ms Ikponwosa Ero, who is also an albino, there is an estimated 10, 000 albinos most likely to face “extinction”. This is because of the incessant and inhumane treatments meted out to them. Some are murdered. Others are mutilated for diabolical reasons. Ms Ero says that albinos in some parts of Africa are seen as a source of income.
In places like Malawi and Tanzani there have been cases where albinos lose a part or parts of their body to ritualists who want to be wealthy and influential. In a place like Tanzania there are local markets where charms made from albino body parts are sold. Desperate citizens who want to be rich go as far as exhuming the dead bodies of Malawian albinos from their graves.

“Malawi is one of the world’s poorest countries and the sale of body parts of persons with albinism is believed to be very lucrative.” Ms Ero says that if this hideous crimes continue to be perpetuated on Malawian albinos, then they are bound to go extinct.