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PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE

 



Put Yourself Out There – You’ve got nothing to lose

 

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t was December 31st, 2015, cross-over night into the year 2016. Prior to that, I had been thinking of writing something a bit different from the conventional Happy New Year message to my friends. Hence, I created a broadcast list on my WhatsApp, wrote some few lines that had nothing to do with the Yuletides but will sure help on the journey of the year. Well, that was how it all began for me.

True, I have always loved inspiring and motivating people to be their best since I was a teenager, I desire to see that people live life to the fullest, this is why I resolved into writing. What was meant to be just a New Year message, turned out to be a daily broadcast that run for eight months. It was hard, tasking on my writing ability but a worthwhile exercise.

2017 was a decisive year for me, the year I finished my National Youth Service and took some life shaping decisions afterwards such as starting this blog which took me almost three months to finally give it a shot. Why? I was not sure I could do it, I was not sure I was ready to put myself out there to public scrutiny and the criticism (Good or Bad) of as many that will read my kind of writing. So far so good, two years down the line, here we are today.

It is not just about going out on dates, hanging out with friends, being at social gatherings or events or being extrovert-like. As good and commendable those things are, you can do all of those and there likes and still feel something is missing. To “Put Yourself Out” according to the Cambridge University Dictionary is “to make an effort to do something to help someone, even if it is not convenient. Obviously therefore, to put yourself out there is hard work but needful because there is so much magic happening outside you comfort zone. 

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ou are created for a reason. To fulfill that reason you have to live. To live you have to reach out. The bane of many people especially young people is the fear of putting themselves out. No doubt, there are reasons that most people are still feeling at home in their shell. Yours may be fear of failure, another’s may be low self-esteem or even related to mine which was the fear of being under public scrutiny and criticism. As sure as those challenges exist, greater are the far-reaching benefits of putting yourself out there.

I am a believer in the reality that everyone is important and needful in life. As you are reading this piece, there is something inside you that no one can offer this generation but you. To do that, you have to put yourself out there. You have to truly live regardless of all odds, for you are not meant to journey this life without leaving a mark and touching at least a life.


How then can you put yourself out there practically? First thing first: be at peace with God and yourself. Let go of the past, make the most of the present moment and don’t put off living because of the fear about tomorrow. Again, have a perfect blend of your self-image, self-value/worth and self-esteem, these three make up your identity. Haven done these two, start small, take the risk, endure the inconveniences it may cause you and add value to another no matter how small.

It was Tim Lahaye in his book, “why You Act the Way You DO” who said: “You can never go anywhere unless you stick your neck out. Nor will you ever help anyone else unless you risk the possibility of an emotional injury”. Aligning with what he said, know that in putting yourself out, there is a cost and a price to pay. However, paying the price is far more worthy than withdrawing into your cocoon.

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hat is that thing that only you can serve this generation? Yes it may be similar with that of another, but yours is always a custom-made recipe. Myles Munroe of the blessed memory loved to say that the cemetery is the wealthiest place on earth because most people died with their potential untapped, under maximized and unused. I urge you, don’t add to the wealth of the cemetery, put yourself out there and live life to the fullest. You have only one life to live.

Let me wrap this piece with this as a take away. While putting yourself out, fear not failure, and fret not correction, for upon these two is learning and growth built. Be triumphant in failure and be humble in taking correction. If you fall, never rise up without studying every step that led you down, the knowledge and experience garnered will be your souvenir as you carry on with life.  

Be at peace with God and with yourself, blend your self-image, self-worth and self-esteem, and put yourself out there. Live life to the fullest. You Only Live Once – YOLO.

Thank you for reading

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