Do it Now

The Nigeria I grew up to know is a country that you can make predictions about how things should be in some period, this was our thought as a family when we decided to shift our mom's retirement program to this year. We were suppose to have the celebration party last year December but we decided it will be this year February because of increase in price of foodstuff during festive period. Our speculation was wrong when instead of reduction in price after the festive period, what we are experiencing presently is continuous increase in price.
The Nigeria of today is unpredictable, you get different prices at every seconds. Things get costly at every opportunity. Both locally made and foreign products are not affordable. I was having a conversation with my mom and she was regretting her decision to postpone her retirement program. I told her to choose another date and celebrate it in her own little way. The lessons I picked from the present situation includes:

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1. Do it now: if you have plans to achieve anything this year, start now, even if you are not having enough you can still do something with what you have. I remembered my goal of learning a tech skill, I was gifted a laptop and it remains the training fee. The first month of the year ended and I couldn't still enroll, then I went to the training centre and held a meeting with the person in-charge and we agreed that I will be paying instalmentally. If I had not make a move I'm not sure I can pay the fees at once and that is how the plan would have been left unachieved.
   A similar experience was when I wanted to buy rice, as at early this year a plastic of rice was #3700 in my area, I begged the woman to sell it at the rate of #3500 she agreed. Instead of buying it I left and promise to come back for it. My plan was to get it in the market at a cheaper rate and that was how I kept postponing it till the little I had finished and I went back there, the same rice is now #4800. I wished I had bought it then.
2. Adjust your budget: when things we don't plan for happen we must learn to accommodate the changes. I told my mom since things are not the way we planned it, instead of party in her school and thanksgiving in her church, she should do everything in the church and prepare snacks if the money available can't be enough for cooking. This is a period when trying to impress people will only push you into unnecessary stress and debt. Go for what you can afford.

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1. Surround yourself with wise people: We are a product of what we see, hear and feel. The people you walk with matters a lot in this period, there is a need to walk with people that are wise, people that are rich in experience in any field you want to venture in so that you can be well guided. I remembered a friend to my mom who was encouraging her to get a loan to finance her program all because she feels it is a one in life celebration and she has to celebrate it in a mighty way.
   When she left I could see a kind of expression on my mom's face, I could see that she was pressured, then I reached out to someone that I know to be wise among her friends who spoke with her and that was how her peace was restored. I know the economy is bad but an unwise decision is worst.
2. Create your own happy environment: The situation of the economy can make one to be depress, once depression sets in sicknesses and diseases are not far from such life. Do what makes you happy without considering what people will say. Live your life and worry less. Try to be mindful of your health and always see reasons to be grateful.
   In summary, don't delay that particular thing you want to achieve, do it now. Be flexible, watch the kind of company you keep and be grateful in every situation.
   Thanks.