IS BREAK UP AN OPTION?

It is very interesting how the body system responds when one gets a feeling of attraction towards the opposite sex. There have been so many descriptions from different people in terms of words used to describe those feelings. At the same time, it is very fascinating such responses happens during the beginnings of the relationship and tends to diminish as the relationship moves on. Some parties in such relationships use different ways to either end the relationship or sustain it. Unfortunately. it is sometimes forgetten that relationship is not an event but a long and arduous process that needs to be nurtured and grown as the parties get to know each other. 

Some parties in a relationship dates for nearly a year and at first, they were sure that guy/girl was “the one”. Sometimes, they can even rekindle the romantic feelings that characterized the onset of their relationship. However later in the relationship, they will be having second thoughts. Should they ignore those thoughts? How can they know if they should break up? How can they determine when to break up? 

Whenever such issues start cropping up in a love relationship, it must not be overlooked or played around with. It should be dealt with ones and for all in order for it not to escalate into something different. 

Initially, the parties must accept the cold truth. Because ignoring danger signs in a relationship are like overlooking the warning signal your health through the small headaches and dizziness. The problem will not just vamoose. In fact, it is possible it will only get worse. 

Signs you should never not ignore

• Blames others for problems 
• Blames others for feelings 
• Things are moving too fast or quick Involvement 
• Verbal abuse or he/she is critical and demeaning or threats of violence 
• Hypersensitivity or he/she is got a volatile temper 
• He/she is secretive about the relationship.  
• The relationship is on-again, off-again 
• He/she pressures you for sex 
• Others have warned you about the other party.  
• Jealous of seeing you with any other guy/girl
• Controlling behavior 
• Unrealistic expectations
• Cruel to animals or children
• "Playful" use of force in sex 
• Past battering 
• Breaking or striking objects 
• He/she has no intention of marriage  
• Any force during an argument

THE CHALLENGE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Since human beings have known to exist in this world, one challenge after the other have been thrown to us and every now and then, we find one, two, three, four or more people look the challenge in the face and find suitable remedies that benefits all one way of the other. Some of these remedies turn out to profitable businesses whiles others are just there to serve mankind without much financial return to the founders. Different names have been given such individuals and groups and the current commonest word associated with them in the 21^st Century is entrepreneur. In fact, entrepreneurship is a continuous challenge that needs to be dealt with every now and then. It is this consistency and persistency of the entrepreneur to always find solutions to future problems that makes these individuals and groups different and unique in our families and communities.

Indeed entrepreneurship can be an exciting challenge, if only one is ready take it head on. Practically all facets of entrepreneurship are invigorating. Undoubtedly, conceptualizing an idea that has potential to change the status core is challenging, especially in our time where technology is increasingly pushing humanity to its maximum. Basically thinking about whether an idea makes sense, whether it could be put into action or accepted, how much capital it would require, how many people would have to be employed and the skills required, and how the venture would be operated is food for best of fantasies. Nevertheless, if simply thinking about entrepreneurship is thrilling, how thrilling will the management of the actual venture be? Consider the highs and lows that every start-up business goes through.

Even after the venture is launched, entrepreneurship is still a challenge since it does not end with just launching and sustenance. Keeping the operation afloat and working with internal and external factors such as workers, technology, suppliers, customers, and investors is hectic, but satisfying, set of tasks if it is well approached. If things don't go well, the scrambling to save the venture or to find supplementary financial support or to find buyer for the business can put pressure on the entrepreneur. At this stage, the major focus of the entrepreneur will be to keep the venture alive and away from collapse. 

On the other hand, if the venture goes well and achieves rapid growth as planned by the entrepreneur or entrepreneurial team, then another challenge will be to maximize growth without loosing control of the company. All of these circumstances definitely include the satisfaction of ownership which the entrepreneur enjoys. The entrepreneur can either grow a venture that can provide a comfortable life-style with the possibility of becoming independently wealthy, or lose the entire venture and face psychological, social, financial and sometimes physical wreck. 

How Does an Entrepreneur Begin?

It is common to hear the word entrepreneur nowadays due to the challenges the global economy is throwing to every human being, family, community, village, city and country. Amidst this chaos comes the opportunities that will create the future millionaires around the world. Those who will be succeeding the Bill Gates and Trumps of USA as well as the Alberts Ocrans and Otabils of Ghana etc.

The world is demanding of its citizens more of out-of-the-box thinking. Thinking out of the box can be found in so many ways. But more than ever, it is being demanded of CEOs, managers and business owners to catch-up with competition and be better than they find themselves at the moment. Anyway, competition is good because it promotes better products as well as edge lazy people to work harder than they are used to. Those who cannot move with the competition, bows out gracefully into searching for unavailable jobs or find the comfort zone of blaming the world and its leaders for their inability to meet the higher standards of the modern world.

In the same vain, entrepreneurship demands the entrepreneur to be passionate, consistent, creative and willing to sacrifice more than necessary, at least at the beginning stages. It is understandable that most of the people who have not been able to succeed in their corporate refugee camp have decided to come back to the issue we have been preaching about over decades of years. The question that those who have not been able to find their way around ask themselves is, how does an entrepreneur begin?

Every entrepreneur had a beginning and 99% of them have been people who have gone through a life of untold hardship that pushed them hard enough for them to take a second look at the situation and make a firm decision. Entrepreneurship has certain steps that need to be taken into consideration whenever anybody is bold enough to go that way.

Idea generation and deciding on the best idea

The world is full of opportunities and these opportunities call out to us every now and then. Unfortunately, we mostly turn deaf ear to them because we do not make the conscious attempt to look beyond what we see and are used to. We cannot blame anybody but the system that brought us up or we grew up in. This article is not about blame but responsibility. If I used the term blame game, its not because I believe in that but its because that is where we mostly leave our inabilities. Idea generation involves looking, listening and learning from the environment all around us. In this case, everything counts no matter how small it seems to be. Because its the small things that come together to form the big picture we have started noticing. After all, God is in the details. Once again, it is understandable that everything looks so choked up and it might look like, especially in the ordinary eye, ear and mind that every single idea that can be turned into business has already been taken over by other people. If that is how you feel, please create your own opportunity if you need to. Just do something extraordinary that people will be ready to pay for and your viable business idea starts from there.

Research and planning

Whiles lots of people think that all business ideas might be exhausted by other people around them, identifying the idea is not enough and that is what makes it look almost impossible for you. Anybody at all can come up various business ideas but it will the the real entrepreneur to organize the time and other resources to research into the idea and make it viable for a successful business. Researching should not necessarily be hiring somebody especially if you are starting small and does not have the financial resource for it. Just take your time to prepare questionnaires if necessary and go round seeking the information yourself. Interview people who are already in that business or industry and seek second opinion. You could also opt for a mentor who can gradually guide and prepare you for the market you are about to enter into.

Raising the start-up capital

Capital raising especially from start-up has always been challenging and that is what separates the boys from the men or the girls from the women. To some entrepreneurs, it is the single most important thing in their quest to start and manage their own businesses. But the reality is that, the world we leave in now requires a certain bravity because it is a brave new world out there for entry entrepreneurs seeking funding for their start-up. The commonest source of funding for almost every start-up, the banks still very careful with their lending interest. Whiles venture capitalists being choosy. Therefore, the approach to start-up funding needs strategy beyond the ordinary.

TO BE CONTD.

THE DILEMMA OF A CHRISTIAN CHILD

It’s a new day in another semester at school and some friends have not seen each other for some time. Almost all friends are sharing their experiences during the vacation. Some students who come from strict Christian homes just stand around watching and listening with amazement. It all sounds very fun and enjoying considering they had to commute straight from home to church activities and then back to their residence without being given the room to go about. Well, its not that they will want to do all the things their mates did. They just want to have fun once in a while as most people seem to do. What is your definition of fun? Is it listening to loud music, dancing at a public place, watching movies at a cinema, partying with friends, wearing fancy cloths and their apparels or even more?

The good news is, yes you do need some recreation as a young person even if you are a serious Christian. Eccl 3:1, 4 spells it out very clearly, “there is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens”. The verse 4 also says, “there is a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance”.  In fact, your creator wants you to enjoy your youthful days as stated by Eccl 11:9, “be happy, young man, while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things God will bring you to judgment”. The last end of this quotation reminds you that although you can enjoy your youth with all the fun that you can, remember that you will account for it later. Therefore, be careful of what you consider to be fun in order for it not to lead you to something untoward. 

Even though you may doubt it at times, your parents also want you to have fun. Likely, however, your parents will have some legitimate concerns which may include: what will you be doing when decide to go have fun and who will you be going with, among other reasons.

What about if you are invited to go out with friends but you are not sure how your parents will react? When you are faced with a decision like this, the good book encourages you to consider the options you have, good and bad, and to weigh the consequences before taking any major action (Deut. 32:29; Prov. 7:6 – 23). With regards to the invitation you have received from your friends, what options do you have?

OPTION 1: DON’T ASK – JUST GO

The argument for this option: You want to impress your friends with how independent you are. You feel that you know better than your parents, or you have little respect for their judgment (Prov. 15.5).

Consequences: Your friends will learn something about you and that is, you can be deceitful. If you would deceive your parents, you might be willing to deceive your friends. If your parents find out, they’ll feel hurt and betrayed and you’ll likely be grounded! Disobeying your parents and going out anyhow is a foolish option (Prov. 12:15).

OPTION 2: DON’T ASK – DON’T GO

Why you might consider this option: You think about the offer and decide that the activity doesn’t measure up to your principles or that some of those invited would not be good company in terms of the activities planned for it (1 Cor.15:33; Phi. 4:8). You must be bold enough to say no to your friends if what they ask of you is not meeting the standard and values you have set for yourself. One on the other hand, you might want to go but don’t have the courage to ask your parents.

Consequences: If you don’t go because you know it’s a bad idea, you’ll be more confident when answering your friends. But if you don’t be simply because you lack the courage to ask your parents, you might end up sitting at home brooding and likely to be feeling that you’re the only one who’s not having fun. 

OPTION 3: ASK AND SEE

Why you might consider this option: You recognize your parents’ authority over you and respect their judgment (Col 3:2o). You love your parents and don’t want to hurt them by sneaking out behind their backs (Pro. 10:1). You also have a chance to present your case. 

Consequences: Truthful communication is the sure way to a better relationship. You should always have in mind that for you to be well understood, you should make every information on your destination and activities available so that your judgment can be trusted. In this case, your parents will feel that you love and respect them. And if hey view your request as reasonable, they are likely to say yes.