My Word for 2019

The very first time I ever posted my Word Of the Year was in 201*. I can't remember where I saw the trend - most likely from other blogs I followed and my interest was piqued. Again, just like New Year resolutions and Goals, a lot of people find them to be cliche. That's their prerogative - everything is not for everyone. But I like the idea of being guided by a word or phrase. It influences your thoughts, and therefore your actions.

My 2019 Goals

As the year begins, and everyone thinks about their goals and resolutions (or shuns them because they are cliche), I have been thinking about some of my goals for the year. I have shared my blogging and some personal goals in years past, and even my Word of the Year a couple of times. I kinda skipped sharing my goals last year - although I did mention wanting to lose weight (which I did, and then regained some towards the end of the year). This year I wondered whether I want to go through the process of sharing my goals on this platform. And at the end of the day, I have decided that while I may not share some of the more intimate things I'd like to accomplish this year, it doesn't hurt to list out the others.

Quotes about Goals!

Hi there!!!

I've been thinking a lot about goal setting, and I hope by now you have not only downloaded my Goal Getter Guides, but also shared the link within your circles! Sometimes, when setting goals or even in the middle of working towards those goals, some extra motivation is needed in the form of quotes. We all love some good motivational quotes, and not only did I add some great ones in my Goal Getter Guides, I thought it would be nice to share some Goal Setting quotes right here. Some of them are long (I'll share 2 motivational messages I've posted at my desk at work), some are short, and some are directly from the Bible.

FREE Goal Setting and Planning Guide

I'll make this post short and sweet... my Goal Getter Guides are now ready to be downloaded!

There are two versions:

New Year Goal - Losing Weight

It is 8 days into the year and most of us are still on the high of a new year, fresh start, renewed energy, and hopeful beginnings. In the past I have shared some of my personal and blogging goals here. However, in my 2017 fog, I lost myself and also what my goals had been. As I have been picking up the pieces and being restored by God, some of my life goals are coming back to me. I am still working on what I want to see happen in my life this year and the years ahead, and I'm glad I'm making some progress.

Q1 Review and Goals Update

Hey there!

Can you believe we're already in the second quarter of the year?!?! Where is the time flying to?! Before you know it, I'll be 55 and my children will be telling me they want to get married! LOL. There's still a little bit of time before that, so I thought it would be good to check up on some of the goals I set at the beginning of the year. I actually wrote 3 different posts dedicated to how I want 2016 to go for me.

2016 Blog Goals

Hiya!

Last week, I shared my 2015 Goals recap and mentioned that I hadn't quite yet put a finger on what direction I wanted my goals for 2016 to go in. I'm beginning to think I'm using it as an excuse to NOT come up with goals. But I do know that there are some things I want to do better, more of, or differently this year. I'll share them below.

Welcome to the Second Half of 2015

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!!!

How do you feel about the year already being half gone? It feels like yesterday that Cakes and I were on the way to church on December 31st, then decided to make a brief stop at home first, and I woke up around 3am while he slept through all the knockouts and fireworks - we completely missed crossing over into 2015. Anyways, after the first quarter of the year passed, I promised I would do an update post of both my Blogging and Personal Goals. I procrastinated until kingdom come, so here I am doing the updates now :D

Are you following me on Instagram yet? @berrydakara

Berry's Gym Chronicles: 8 Things

Bonjour Mesdames et Messieurs!

Comment allez-vous tous? Je vais bien.

Okay, it's enough. That's more tiring than my workouts. :p

Speaking of working out, I thought it would be nice to share some of the stuff I've been doing at the gym since I started working on my 2015 Goal of losing weight before my birthday (which is next month btw). I owe you guys a Goals update. This is going to be just some random info thrown out at you, so take it as it comes.

Blogging Goals for 2015

Hello delectable ladies and dashing gentlemen *wink*

Last week, I shared my personal goals for 2015. I'd like to announce that it's been over a week into the new year and I'm on track with the first goal (I've been exercising and trying to watch what I eat). I'm not doing well at all on the book reading one - I watch waaaaaaaaaay too much TV and seem to have lost the discipline of reading. For this I might have to limit my TV watching to 2 hours max per day, or do a lifestyle fast and drop TV for a little while (I've done it before). Anyways, I said I would share my blogging goals later and here they are...

Happy 2015 - New Year Goals!!!

Hello Dahlings!!!

Can this be my official HAPPY NEW YEAR post? Yes, yes, I know I have already put up 2 posts this year, but in my mind this is the one I wanted to put up first. So let's pretend today is January 1st. The first thing you have to do is leave your office or class, and tell them that Berry said today's a holiday. BUT if you get fired or an F, just know that I was not there by that time.

Longest overduest Goals Check In

Remember how I started the year with Berry Dakara's 2013 Goals. My previous progress report can be found here - March Goals Check In Time!

Let's just say that I slacked off BIG TIME. I'm probably doing well and keeping on track with only 2 out of 13 goals. *le sigh*

Goal	Steps	Progress
1. Live independently by the second half of the year (new apartment, new car)	i. Determine cost of housing in desired area. ii. Work out necessary saving plan.	i. My car's name is JET!!!!! ii. Since Cakes and I are engaged, the apartment hunt is for 2 of us. I still want to live by myself for a month or so though.
2. Get married by the end of the year	i. Ask God for direction. ii. Continue working on relationship with Cakes, and bridging our families. iii. Start wedding planning in earnest. Timelines, lists, vendors, fall in line!	i. You already know that Cakes proposed. ii. Pre-marital counseling classes have been completed. Speaking of which, I think there should be Pre-engagement classes. I've been seeing more of them crop up in the US. iii. I still want to hyphenate my married name.
3. Try out Nollywood	i. ON HOLD	i. ON HOLD
4. Lose 13 pounds by my birthday and keep it off all year!	i. Check weight everyday. ii. Do the 10lbs Slimdown series which means going to bed and waking up early! iii. Do the Max Capactiy Training app on BB Playbook iv. Eat proper, balanced meals v. Drink more water	i. I think I'm giving up :( It just seems like I don't have enough willpower to curb bad eating habits, and I haven't been exercising properly or with purpose. ii. New goal - Lose 13 pounds by my wedding. In Jesus' name, Amen!
5. Read at least 13 books (Bible included) by the end of the year	i. One book or more per month and ii. One Year Bible	i. I've read 4 books so far. 3 books behind. I'll catch up within the next month or 2. ii. I even joined a Book Club and have never gone to a meeting - DISASTER much?! ii. I'm restarting the 90-Day Bible Plan. *hides face*
6. Put on my makeup before I leave the house daily	i. Wake up 5 minutes earlier. ii. Have makeup palette laid out for easy access.	i. Still doing my makeup in my car :-|
7. Make one beaded accessory monthly	i. Plan ahead - necklace, ear rings, rings... decide beforehand. ii. Look up DIY blogs and Etsy for creative ideas.	i. The last thing I made was in March or April. I think I should sit at home on Sunday and just face this goal.
9. Find and volunteer once a month at a charity	i. List interests and things-that-touch-my-heart. ii. Start researching online and via church. iii. Ask parents if/how I can help with their philanthropy.	i. I never went back to the Orphanage near my house :( ii. We kinda completed a community project at church. I should share pictures. iii. Since my mum already does charity work, my siblings and I have decided to donate financially
10. Go to England and Greece or Ghana	i. Decipher when the next potential work break is. ii. Start scouting tickets for that period on various airlines. iii. Start contacting friends/family for accommodation purposes. iv. SAVE FOR AND PLAN HOLIDAY TRIP AND SPENDING!	i. Neither of these is feasible anymore. Unless maybe Ghana. Somebody please tell Cakes that we should go before the year runs out.
11. Read my Bible, pray every day, and fast more often	i. Wake up early!!! ii. Utilize YouVersion bible/devotional plans. iii. Praying is TALKING to God, so just TALK!	i. Confession: I do well for a few days or weeks, and then stop for a whiiiiiiiiiile. And the cycle continues. At this point, I should be VERY VERY strong spiritually, but it seems so out of reach. And I know I have to make the effort myself, because God's near and always with me, and waiting for me to come to him.
12. Follow Nigerian news weekly – not just entertainment news, and not just on Bella Naija	i. Ask around and research Nigerian news outlets. ii. Select and subscribe to 1 or 2 - email deliveries?	i. Do Facebook, Twitter and text updates count as news outlets? ii. I listen to the morning news on radio, maybe 3 days a week. That's better than nothing.
13. Get a fulfilling/rewarding job	i. Write down skills, hobbies, interests. ii. Update resume. iii. Subscribe to job websites and keep an active lookout.	i. Someone please explain to me how having an MBA is a deterrent to hiring me?!?! I'm too qualified/old to be a recent graduate, but too underqualified to be an experienced hire. I'm tired jo

You might have noticed that I took one goal off this updated table. I was told that it might not be the best, most secure idea to write about my personal money goals and progress here. I quite agree, so let's just say that Goal 8 is to have an Emergency Savings Account, and the progress is this: I'm saving some money, but in June/July, I allowed myself to slack a little and not worry about being on a very stringent budget. What's the point of having money if you never get to enjoy it, right?

Have a pretty, berryful weekend! What I've got lined up are Jet-skiing, rehearsals, and a comedy show at This Present House on Sunday. Y'all should come!

Tim Godfrey and Frank Edwards are amazing performers! Akpororo is on a different level of funny!

Follow @BerryChocoLatte

My March Book

Hey everyone,

So a couple of days ago, I posted my 2013 Goals progress. One of my goals, if you remember, is to read 13 books this year (including the Bible). I read Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility in January. A lady at my church wrote a book, which I reluctantly chose as my February book. It's a really short book and I still can't get myself to finish it. So I started my March book: There Was A Country by Chinua Achebe. I haven't yet finished it. I'll start Part 2 today and hopefully finish it before April starts. I might devote a post later on, after I complete the book - Nigeria just makes me sad.

Anyway, the reason why I'm bringing this up is because I've just heard unconfirmed reports that Chinua Achebe has died. It's a tragic loss for Nigeria and the literary world. May he rest in perfect peace. I think I'll add Things Fall Apart to my books list for the year. I don't remember jack about it, having read it in Primary/Secondary School.

A young Chinua Achebe

My March Book

Rest in peace Mr. Chinua Achebe.

Long Overdue Goals Check-In/Update

It's that time again! Time to check in and update progress on Berry Dakara's 2013 Goals post. My previous progress report can be found here  End of January Goals Check In Time ! Quite frankly, it's not going as well as it could - and I have only myself to blame. I'm not doing poorly, but I could do better.

Goal	Steps	Progress
1. Live independently by the second half of the year (new apartment, new car)	i. Determine cost of housing in desired area. ii. Determine cost of desired car. iii. Work out necessary saving plan.	i. I've got a tentative idea of the budget. I need to start looking and seeing what's out there now. ii. Car budget's been increased by a little bit, and now I gotta find a car. A pretty one.
2. Get married by the end of the year	i. Ask God for direction. ii. Start studying marriage books. You gotta study for it! iii. The rest is a secret.	i. Sometimes I feel like I'm a little selfish - how will I get married if I'm selfish? ii. And I'm really close to my family. Must I cleave? Can I hyphenate my married name? iii. Still keeping lips hushed
3. Try out Nollywood	i. Talk to my actor friend for pointers. ii. Ask other friend with access to Nollywood to introduce me around. iii. Pool the little Nollywood-esque body of work I've done from YouTube and spread. iv. Also order personal calling cards.	i. Card designed, still not ordered. ii. Nag one or two people to post up other "work" I've done. iii. I have access to a director/actor now, but I'm too shy to say anything :(
4. Lose 13 pounds by my birthday and keep it off all year!	i. Check weight everyday. ii. Do the 10lbs Slimdown series which means going to bed and waking up early! iii. Do the Max Capactiy Training app on BB Playbook iv. Eat more healthy v. Drink coffee no more than 2ce a week	i. FLUCTUATING WEIGHT SUCKS!!!. ii. February was a hard month cos I was sick on and off. Didn't exercise as much as I wanted. iii. Fallen off the exercise wagon, and now I compensate with bad eating/diet habits. iv. My BB Playbook crashed btw :( v. Still drinking coffee only 2ce a week! Yay me
5. Read at least 13 books (Bible included) by the end of the year	i. One book or more per month and ii. One Year Bible	i. I didn't read a book in February! Started one last week (but bored with it), so I'm reading my March book (There Was a Country by Chinua Achebe) ii. I'm NOT on track with the 90-Day Bible Plan. *hides face*
6. Put on my makeup before I leave the house daily	i. Wake up 5 minutes earlier. ii. Have makeup palette laid out for easy access.	i. Maybe I should settle for doing my makeup in my car :-|
7. Make one beaded accessory monthly	i. Plan ahead - necklace, ear rings, rings... decide beforehand. ii. Look up DIY blogs and Etsy for creative ideas.	i. I made 1.9 necklaces in January, a ring in February. Yay me! ii. Made an earring last week - March almost done
8. Have an emergency-only savings account with at least N1,000,000.00 by the end of the year	i. Save N100,000.00 a month. ii. It's BUDGETING TIME!!! iii. List all monthly expenses (overcompensate, just in case) iv. Put down income (maybe underestimate by a bit) If difference is less than N100k a month, reduce expenses.	i. It's hard to save when you have big expenses coming up, so I'm not sure I even want to count any savings as savings.
9. Find and volunteer once a month at a charity	i. List interests and things-that-touch-my-heart. ii. Start researching online and via church. iii. Ask parents if/how I can help with their philanthropy.	i. Woohoo! I just signed up to volunteer once/twice a month at a nearby orphanage ii. We're working on a community project at church, so YAY too! iii. I want to join Rotary (like my grandfather) and make a difference - NO TIME right now
10. Go to England and Greece or Ghana	i. Decipher when the next potential work break is. ii. Start scouting tickets for that period on various airlines. iii. Start contacting friends/family for accommodation purposes. iv. SAVE FOR AND PLAN HOLIDAY TRIP AND SPENDING!	i. At this rate, I'm traveling next year. *rolls eyes*
11. Read my Bible, pray every day, and fast more often	i. Wake up early!!! ii. Utilize YouVersion bible/devotional plans. iii. Praying is TALKING to God, so just TALK!	i. Dear God, give me a motivated heart on EVERY ITEM :(
12. Follow Nigerian news weekly – not just entertainment news, and not just on Bella Naija	i. Ask around and research Nigerian news outlets. ii. Select and subscribe to 1 or 2 - email deliveries?	i. There's just no point. *Dear God, please help me be interested*
13. Get a fulfilling/rewarding job	i. Write down skills, hobbies, interests. ii. Update resume. iii. Subscribe to job websites and keep an active lookout.	i. Resume updated! Haphazardly applied to a couple of places. Should do a focused job search

Househunting in Lagos? 11 lessons shared...

*saw this posted on YNaija and thought to share - especially as I need to move out later in the year*


My Lagos househunt – 11 lessons I’ve learnt


1.  Not to count my chickens before they are hatched. I learnt this the hard way when I was getting to an agent’s office two weeks ago to pay for a two bedroom apartment, only to find someone else had beaten me to it. I was this close to calling all my friends over for the washing and was already trying to figure out how much Star to get (not Heineken, not in my house). And then, in a split second, I was houseless again.
2. Looking for a house in Lagos is a full time job. I found out one needs to treat it as such, or find someone else to do so. If you cannot drop everything and leave your baby whom you are still breastfeeding, your business that comes to a standstill without you present or your scary boss the moment the agent calls you to say he’s heard of a vacancy, do not bother to look for a place at all. Demand is high and the best places are off the market in he blink of an eye. See lesson number 1.

3. To treat the title of ‘real estate agent’ lightly. Everyone can be an agent. The moment somebody hears of a 3 bedroom around the corner, he has become an agent. There is no license involved nor are there any professional ethics required. Al it takes is having the contacts to said landlord and then guarding it with your life. Never give your client phone numbers or the exact address of a place that is for rent. He might dupe you and go directly to the source. This is a market of middle men in a networking society: a man’s contacts are his capital.

4. To decipher agent’s lingo. ‘Some work needed’ means the place has been destroyed by the last lodger and looks like a war zone. ‘Cosy’ means claustrophobically small. ‘Under construction, ready in a fortnight (always a fortnight)’ signifies that the foundation has just been put in place and it would take an army of Chinese workmen to finish it in that time frame. Prepare to wait at least a month before you can move in. ‘To be finished to your own taste’: the land lord has left you with a cement floor without tiling, a kitchen without cabinets and a bathroom without sink. ‘Airy’ – ruin without roof. ‘Serene’ means expensive. Very expensive, as in Lekki or Banana Island. The kind of overrated locations agents want to ship oyinbos like myself to.

5. To forget about knowledge. In the case of househunting in Lagos, time is power. Quick decisions are rarely the right ones. When you are not in a hurry and can afford to delay your decision, you get better results.

6. Not to let any agent bully me into buying. They always emphasised there was another client interested in the place. In fact, many time they declared another client was ready to pay for it within the hour. I got used to hearing ‘This apartment is in very high demand, you have to move pa, pa, pa (quick, quick, quick)’ Sometimes it was true (see lesson number 1). Other times it was a selling strategy.

7. I read the Lagos State Tenancy Law. I should not have bothered. It is simply not working.
Me: ‘But it is illegal to ask for two year’s rent!’
Agent: ‘Is this Fashola’s house?’

In fact, I’ve come to mistrust landlords who ask for only a year’s rent. There is usually something very, very wrong with their property. The kind of thing you will only discover after you’ve paid, spent your first night there and woke up to realise you cannot stay there for a single second longer. Do not go there.

8. Me and my car Wima got used to a lot of company on our househunt. At one point I had my agent, the agent’s contact, the contact’s contact and the man with the key to the apartment in my vehicle. All four of them were giving me contradictory directions in the typical Lagosian manner (‘That way’ – waving vaguely with index finger to nowhere in particular). I tried to be Buddhist about it. It did not always work. Sorry again Mr Tony that I yelled at you when you almost misguided me into that one way street from the wrong end.

9. To get accustomed to waiting. For my agent, my agent’s contact, his contact, the man with the key, the guard to let us in and the landlord. I learnt to spend it wisely. Walked around the block, talked to the residents. Asked about flooding and the light situation. Checked for security and night clubs. Night clubs within walking distance: good. Night clubs within hearing distance: bad. And of course I inquired after the best place for moinmoin and Star beer at pump prices. After this research I sometimes did not even have to see the apartment for rent anymore.

10. To hoard up on phone credit. I made endless phone calls to get my agent, my agent’s contact, his contact, the man with the key, the guard to let us in and the landlord at the same place at the same time before sundown. Also provided occasional credit for my agent, my agent’s contact, his contact, the man with the key and the guard who let us in. I stopped adding up how much I had spent on phone calls half way through the house hunt. Too depressing.

11. Not to count my chickens before they are hatched. So I will not tell you now about that cute and very affordable upstairs apartment in Surulere with lots of windows, views all round and a guest room for when my mum comes to visit. I know better than that. I will let you know when I have the door keys in my hand and my stuff is in the little doll house. I have learnt my lessons.

I put a ring on it!

Yes, I did. I surely did!

You know how one of my goals is to make at least one beaded accessory a month? Well, I've been slacking a little bit. I knew I wanted to make a ring, but just the time and patience to sit down and get it done was being elusive. So this Saturday, I had some downtime and I was determined to sit in one place and JUST DO IT, like Nike! Here are the snaps :)

Red seed beads - from I-Can't-Remember-The-Name-Of-The-Shop in Surulere

Red seed beads and my handy dandy beading thread

Let's get started :)

My photog said he thinks my hands are pretty and I should be a hand model *Yeah right*

Almost there

Side note: A pack of beads I have, got dropped and scattered all over the ground outside! *angry face*

Thanks to my scooper-upper! Hugs for days on end to ya!

Finished product! I wore it 3 days in a row :)

2013 Goals Biweekly Check-In

So, remember how I posted a Berry Dakara's 2013 Goals post? Well, I've decided that it's not enough to just post the goals and forget about them. I shall be sharing on a biweekly basis on any progress made and what improvements can be taken. I also didn't post what steps are needed, so here they are:

Goal	Steps	Progress
1. Live independently by the second half of the year (new apartment, new car)	i. Determine cost of housing in desired area. ii. Determine cost of desired car. iii. Work out necessary saving plan.	i. I've started asking around for prices.
2. Get married by the end of the year	i. Ask God for direction. ii. Start studying marriage books. You gotta study for it! iii. The rest is a secret.	i. I really ought to pray more :( God said to pray without ceasing. ii. I plead the 5th.
3. Try out Nollywood	i. Talk to my actor friend for pointers. ii. Ask other friend with access to Nollywood to introduce me around. iii. Pool the little Nollywood-esque body of work I've done from YouTube and spread. iv. Also order personal calling cards.	i. Card designed, not yet ordered. ii. YouTube compilation (just 2/3 videos coming soon)
4. Lose 13 pounds by my birthday and keep it off all year!	i. Check weight everyday. ii. Do the 10lbs Slimdown series which means going to bed and waking up early! iii. Do the Max Capactiy Training app on BB Playbook iv. Eat more healthy v. Drink coffee no more than 2ce a week	i. Still hovering at my starting point. ii. I sleep late, wake up late and tired iii. Did the MCT for one week *I'm ashamed* iv. Well... v. Going well, I think. Actually, no.
5. Read at least 13 books (Bible included) by the end of the year	i. One book or more per month and ii. One Year Bible	i. I haven't yet chosen a book, but I bought a compilation of 4 books by Jane Austen. I will start THIS EVENING! ii. I was going to sign up for the 1-Year Bible Plan on Youversion (see my Youversion profile here) but I took too long and would have to finish next year, so instead I've signed up for the 90-Day Bible Plan which is intense.
6. Put on my makeup before I leave the house daily	i. Wake up 5 minutes earlier. ii. Have makeup palette laid out for easy access.	i. Well, I'm still doing my makeup in the car. But I've been able to apply it at home a few days :)
7. Make one beaded accessory monthly	i. Plan ahead - necklace, ear rings, rings... decide beforehand. ii. Look up DIY blogs and Etsy for creative ideas.	i. I'm 99% complete with a necklace for January!
8. Have an emergency-only savings account with at least N1,000,000.00 by the end of the year	i. Save N100,000.00 a month. ii. It's BUDGETING TIME!!! iii. List all monthly expenses (overcompensate, just in case) iv. Put down income (maybe underestimate by a bit) If difference is less than N100k a month, reduce expenses.	i. Well, I haven't gotten paid, but budget has been created.
9. Find and volunteer once a month at a charity	i. List interests and things-that-touch-my-heart. ii. Start researching online and via church. iii. Ask parents if/how I can help with their philanthropy.	i. I know women and children's issues are endearing to me. ii. I need to be more proactive on this one.
10. Go to England and Greece or Ghana	i. Decipher when the next potential work break is. ii. Start scouting tickets for that period on various airlines. iii. Start contacting friends/family for accommodation purposes. iv. SAVE FOR AND PLAN HOLIDAY TRIP AND SPENDING!	i. So far, I know the next break would be Easter. That is all.
11. Read my Bible, pray every day, and fast more often	i. Wake up early!!! ii. Utilize YouVersion bible/devotional plans. iii. Praying is TALKING to God, so just TALK!	i. Hmmm... I've been going to bed late and so I wake up late. ii. And do you know that you have to practice constant prayer? iii. I half-heartedly fasted with church last week - NO GOOD! iv. Erm, I must discipline myself to read my devotional everyday, and stop playing catch-up every 3 days.
12. Follow Nigerian news weekly – not just entertainment news, and not just on Bella Naija	i. Ask around and research Nigerian news outlets. ii. Select and subscribe to 1 or 2 - email deliveries?	i. So I asked last week, but haven't gotten around to visiting Sahara Reporters yet. *Shame*
13. Get a fulfilling/rewarding job	i. Write down skills, hobbies, interests. ii. Update resume. iii. Subscribe to job websites and keep an active lookout.	i. Well, I had previously subscribed to Jobberman but I don't check it religiously.