An Inaugural Lecture

It's day 338 of documenting 2025.

27 days to 2026!

Today was quite eventful.

From a cancelled class to an inaugural lecture.

What the lecture was actually about?

Health Policy in Nigeria.

If there's anything I learned that Nigerian healthcare policies require more funding to be implemented.

Another thing is that no dream of a woman is too big to be achieved.

The speaker shared her story and it  resonated with me, in that those ideas that come to mind are no mistakes.

By ideas, I mean certain initiatives that God has put in my heart for a while...and I'm still watching and waiting.

I'm actually scared, because it requires me to let go of a kind of stability that comes with stress....to trade it for massive uncertainty with less stress and more time for studies.

I believe that God will help me 😌

I can't really reveal anything now...

But I will do so in time, maybe before the year runs out.

Let's see how it goes.

In the meantime, let's see the highlights for today, and then I'm going to share an important lesson that God taught me.

365 Days With Self-discipline

📌 “I Don’t” vs. “I Can’t"

"I don’t” is experienced as a choice, so it feels empowering. 

It’s an affirmation of your determination and willpower. 

“I can’t” isn’t a choice — it’s a restriction, it’s being imposed upon you. 

So thinking “I can’t” undermines your sense of power and personal agency."

Quote by Heidi Grant Halvorson

Be careful not to say “I can’t” whenever you’re working on implementing a new positive change in your life that requires you to give up something (such as going on a diet).

Thinking of your decision in terms of a restriction (“I can’t do it”)

inevitably leads to discontent and approaching your change as a short-term

solution. 

Admitting that a change is your choice by saying “I don’t do it” lends itself to treating it as a permanent identity shift.

A related technique you can use to give up something that’s bad for you is to associate it with the discomfort it leads to and deciding that you no longer want to suffer from it. 

You aren’t saying that you can’t do this thing any longer and thereby think of it as a restriction. 

You’re saying that you don’t do this thing

because it’s your own choice, dictated by your wish to avoid the unpleasant

consequences.

For example, I was once a big lover of potatoes and they greatly contributed

to me being overweight. 

When testing how certain foods affected me, I realized that potatoes made me bloated, tired, and led to digestive issues. 

Just like that, I stopped eating potatoes that I had been previously eating in copious amounts at least three times a week. 

I’m sure that if it weren’t for uncovering my food intolerance and a conscious decision not to eat potatoes anymore, I would still be eating them. 

A restriction in the form of “I can’t eat potatoes” wouldn’t work.

Catch yourself whenever you say “I can’t” and replace it with “I don’t” or

“I choose not to do it.” 

It’s a small change in your vocabulary, but the way you think about your changes can impact whether they become permanent or are only short-lived.

Hmm... 🤔

A very good illustration of how language plays an important role in permanent change.

Words truly have an impact when it comes to shaping our behavior and aligning our subconscious to work with us...and against us.

I'll probably say something about this later...in another post.

What I want to share happened today.

So, I had to cut off a friendship.

For good.

You remember M? 

I mentioned her in one of my former posts.

She used to be my friend.

The first time I had a difficult conversation with her, I told her that I'm ready to give up our friendship if it comes between my relationship with my Abba.

The second time I had a difficult conversation with her, was when I cautioned her about her excessive outings and reminded her why we're here in the first place...

For our academics and not to "catch cruise" like they would say.

Then today, Abba spoke to me through my roommate, someone I consider a sister.

After hearing from her, I was so convicted that I shed tears 😭

I went to Him in prayer and then He showed me certain places in His Word, which made me realize that I had to sacrifice that friendship and choose Him.

What He actually did was that He likened my friendship with M to an addiction I had already overcome..back in Lagos.

I knew I had to let it go.

I prayed for Jesus to help me, that I couldn't do it myself.

I have chosen Him over my friendship with M...and I'll do it over and over again, forsaking the benefits I will miss out on.

They don't matter.

What matters is my walk with Abba.

Another thing He pointed out is the fact that I should spend more time with people who are spiritually aligned...like my roommate/sister.

If she wasn't in my life, I would be far away from God by now.

I remember praying for a roommate like her...and she's the answer to that prayer.

Prayer really works! 😌

Even the prayers of a rebellious sinner like me.

And it's the grace of God that made me realize that it's not even about my prayers.

It's that sincerity...that humility to admit that I can't achieve anything without Him.

I'm still on this walk with Christ.

In fact, I'm still a fresher...and I believe that I will grow into a stronger relationship with Him.

As I go higher in my academics.

Jesus is wonderful 🥰

Walk with Him, see what I mean.

I think that would be all for today's documentation.

Thanks for reading 🎀

Like play, like play....2026 is approaching!

And after this blog is over, I may document in another form... as the Spirit leads.

Till then....

See you in the next post 💜