Beauty for Ashes with Dee: Recent Episodes
Adedolapo Ige Adeleke
Are you tired? Are you depressed? Are you overwhelmed? Are you rejected? Do you feel like giving up? Do you feel lost in a fast moving world?
Beauty for Ashes with Dee is a weekly podcast where answers would be found. The focus would be on life battles and challenges, faith in God, career progress and advancement and great academics success. I am committed under God to help you achieve and become the best God has called you to be. New episodes would be released on Mondays. Please listen, rate, follow, share, and review the podcast if you enjoy it.
In this episode, I shared 5 ways you can make optimum use of your gifts and talents. It's not enough to discover them, you must move from the place of discovery to the place of maximizing it. These gifts and talents are God's gifts to us and what we do with them is our gift back to Him. We will give account of how we utilized them to Him because He gave them to us for a purpose.
In this episode, I spoke about the steps you can take to discover your talents and gifts which include: Self-examination, Discussion with your close friends and family, Prayer and discussion with God and Taking self-assessment tests like S.H.A.P.E. Assessment test. You can visit this website to take the SHAPE test: https://www.freeshapetest.com/
A talent is the natural ability, endowment, aptitude or skill of a person. It is in-born. Every human being has at least one talent. While a Spiritual gift, is an endowment or extraordinary power given by the Holy Spirit. Every Christian (i.e. born again child of God) has at least one spiritual gift. Many times, I have heard people say they don’t have any talent or gift and so they tend to feel inferior and less of themselves when they see or hear others maximizing or talking about their gifts or talents. In this episode, I am here to debunk that myth. You have at least one talent in you which God had placed in you as part of your wiring right from birth. It’s just for you to take time and take certain steps to help you identify your gifts and talents. I hope you have a mind shift as you listen. Stay blessed and see you next week for part 2.
God is aware of how you feel and all that you are going through. He is ready to fight your battles if you are willing to let go and let Him have His way. You are more than a conqueror and you will overcome by His grace. Don't give up! Hang in there a little more, your victory and testimony is around the corner. This too shall pass!!! Just hold tightly unto God and His Words and promises, keep praying, keep trusting and believing. You are a winner!
This thing called procrastination is a time waster and time is life. Any time lost cannot be regained. It makes one develop poor time management skills, increases your level of stress, makes you produce poor quality work amongst others. It’s important we learn to discipline ourselves to do what we ought to do at the right time even when we don’t feel like it or the task is undesirable. If you keep pushing off what you need to get done now till a later perfect time, that time may never come and you may never get it done. Procrastination delays you from achieving success and hitting your goals in time. Make a conscious decision to deal with this bad habit as you begin a new week today. Happy New Week!!! Please like, share and comment.
Sometimes we experience delays in certain areas of our lives for one reason or the other but this is not to say that we will be denied of the things we are trusting God for. So long as it is God’s will for us to have them and we have strong convictions and assurance about them coming to reality, they would certainly happen but at God’s perfect timing. The delays we experience can sometimes be due to the consequences of our actions or inactions, permitted by God or caused by demonic forces. It is important to identify the reason for the delay and take necessary actions. We must also know what God is saying concerning that situation per time as this will help us during our waiting period. In this episode I have shared my thoughts around this topic and shared some tips to help us navigate through the season of delays in our lives. Please like, share, comment. Thank you
The pains, hurts and challenges we face are not to destroy us but to make us into better people if only we will look beyond the surface. Pain matures us, builds up our endurance and perseverance etc. You are not going through that difficult situation just for the sake of it. If it has been permitted to happen to you, it is to end that many lives will be blessed, strengthened and encouraged by your testimony when you overcome. There is purpose in your pain and I encourage to sit back to evaluate that challenging situation and discover the purpose in it and key lessons that God would have you learn from it rather than just grumbling, complaining and wallowing in pity. If Jesus overcame every difficult and painful situation while He was on earth, you too can and you will by His grace.
When we encourage and appreciate others for the little things and efforts they make, it boosts their self-esteem, confidence, and belief in themselves. It inspires them to take action, improves their attitudes and make them feel loved because you have created an awareness that you see what they are doing. Constantly talking down at people and always focusing on their negative sides will only keep bruising their self-esteem and gradually destroy them. In this episode, I talked about the power and importance of encouraging and appreciating others. As you go about your daily affairs this week, please be intentional about encouraging and appreciating the efforts of your employees, bosses, colleagues, children, friends, spouses etc.
We have come to the concluding part of this series 💃💃💃. In this episode I spoke about the third D, which is Dedication. You must be committed to achieving your goals for you to succeed in life. This means that you have to stay focused on, loyal and devoted to doing only the things that can yield the success that you desire. Successful people are dedicated people who stay true to their goals and give it their best until they see it become a reality. It doesn’t matter the obstacles and challenges that come your way, with these key ingredients of success: Determination, Discipline and Dedication backed up with hard work and prayer, you will succeed in your chosen field or whatever endeavor you lay your hands on.
In this episode, I spoke about the second D of success which is Discipline. Self-Discipline is the ability to push yourself forward, stay motivated and take action irrespective of how you are feeling physically or emotionally. You need self-discipline because as you journey towards success or achieving your life goals, challenges will come, discouragement and demotivation would also arise at some point. It takes discipline to forge ahead to achieve your goal regardless of what is happening in, to and around you. I also shared a little bit about how I inculcated self-discipline on my weight loss journey and it was definitely worth it. I hope you get value from listening.
There are 3 Ds for success which are Determination, Discipline and Dedication. These Ds are major ingredients for success in any of your life’s endeavor e.g. Career, Academics, Business, Ministry etc. In this episode I spoke about Determination which is likened to Grit. It is the quality of having a firm resolve of achieving certain goals regardless of the obstacles and challenges that may arise along your path. If you are not determined to succeed, it means that any situation or challenge can make you give up on pursuing your goal. Successful people stay focused on their goal and never give room for anything or anyone to distract them. You must have this “Never Give Up” spirit for you to achieve success in life.
Sometimes we get caught up in the web of comparing our lives and journey with that of others which often leaves us confused, frustrated and doubting ourselves and God. We must remember always that our times and seasons are in God's hands. You are different! You are unique! Hence, your journey can never be like any other person’s own. You must acknowledge where you are and ensure you maximize your current season in your journey as you look forward and work towards a better tomorrow rather than complaining, comparing and grumbling. In this episode I shared my thoughts on owning your journey. I hope you are blessed by listening. Please like, share and comment.
We must always remember that the way we behave in terms of the comments, pictures, audios and contents we make or post online depicts who we are and what we represent. We must be careful not loose ourselves or values when we are online. We should represent Christ well even online and use our platforms to transform, impact, educate and mould lives rather than destroy them. Let your words and comments be seasoned with grace and love. In this episode I spoke about certain aspects of our usage of social media where we need to be cautious so that while at what we do online we are still glorifying God. Please like, share, and comment.
There is a common cliche that some believers capitalize on to give excuses for why they dress the way they do which is “ God looks at the heart and not your physical appearance”. I believe we are missing the whole point. If your heart is right with God then it will definitely reflect in the way you dress. You will dress modestly and in respectable clothing to glorify God because you understand that you are His representative here on earth so you are not permitted to dress in a kind of way. You can’t claim to be a believer and consistently you dress like an unbeliever. In this episode I have shared my thoughts around this topic which I believe would be very helpful for you. Please like, share and comment. Thank you! Happy Easter
Christianity is a way of life and it shouldn’t be separated from our businesses and careers. It should be integrated into it and we ought to view and use them as platforms for ministry. God has placed us wherever we are so that we can represent Him well, win souls for Him and transform lives while at our duty post. The focus shouldn’t be on making money at all cost and by any means but honoring God while at it. In this episode, I shared my thoughts around this topic. I pray that it blesses you as you listen.
Maintaining your spiritual fire especially when there is a change in your environment requires extra effort. You must be intentional about it and not leave it to time and chance. In this episode, I have shared some key tips to help you achieve this. It is not enough to identify a problem, going a step further to proffer solutions and taking necessary actions is the key to the change that you desire to see in your life. One key tip is that you must know God genuinely by yourself because your experiential and revelational knowledge of Him will keep you going in your walk with him. You can share some more tips on this topic via my social media platforms, Adedolapo Ige Adeleke on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. Please feel free to send me a DM, I am willing to hear from you. Please make sure you like, share and comment. Thank you!
I discovered that when some university graduates who were on fire for God and were so fervent in the Lord leave the school environment, they become a shadow of themselves finding it difficult to sustain their fire. This also applies to young adults when they relocate from their home country to another. It is not the will of God that our past walk with him is better than our present, rather he wants us to grow steadily in our walk with him. In this episode, I have shared some of the reasons why this category of people find it difficult to maintain their spiritual fire when they change environment. What do you think are some of the reasons this happen? Please share your thoughts with me via any of my social media platforms. Adedolapo Ige Adeleke on Instagram, or Facebook.
Sometimes life happens and we can get lost in it. We become discouraged, demotivated, unhappy and loose our sense of self-worth and self-esteem. Daily affirmations help you boost your self-esteem, shift your mindset in ways that improve your life, dampen negative emotions and encourage you. In this episode, I have shared some daily affirmations that cut across several aspects of your life for your use. Please listen and be blessed.
Health affirmations are a powerful way to reinforce wellness in your life. In this episode I shared some physical health affirmations that you can say to yourself daily to reinforce your healing. Our mind has a powerful impact on our physical health. Hence, by training our mindset to new perspectives, we can support our body and wellness.
Mental Health is underrated but it’s impact on both one’s psychological and physical state if not properly managed is adverse. At a time like this for us Nigerians as we await the results of the 2023 General Elections, there is so much tension, mental stress and anxiety in the atmosphere because this is a defining moment for us as a nation. The need to take care of our mental health is imperative. One of the ways to take care of our mental health is by using positive affirmations to calm our anxiety and help us to stay positive. In this episode, I have shared some mental health affirmations for you. Please listen and say it repeatedly till it settles in your mind.
Waiting most times is not easy especially when it has to do with a life partner. One of the most important things to note while waiting is to maintain a positive attitude and one of the tools that can help with this is positive affirmations. Waiting forms character in you and teaches patience. It is better to wait right rather than just waiting for the sake of it. Speaking positive affirmations upon your spouse to be even while waiting is a good thing to do. Remember, you attract what you say and believe. In this episode, I have shared some affirmations you can use while waiting. It is my prayer that God will settle you speedily in alignment with his timing and will and give you an uncommon testimony soonest, Amen. Just hang in there a little more while, the wait is almost over. You will get it right and not make a mistake maritally in Jesus name, Amen.
Apart from the fact that women are naturally emotional hence the reason we often crave for loving and affectionate words, wives love to hear and need to hear positive affirmations from their husbands because they want to know that their efforts count, are been seen, and appreciated. Most times wives can get overwhelmed with everything around them and they tend to feel low. Your soothing and positive affirmations as an husband will go a long way in encouraging your wife during such times. Wives love to hear their husbands reaffirm to them how much he loves and appreciates them because it boosts their self-esteem in a way. No more hoarding of sweet positive affirmations for your wife. Since her happiness is your goal, you as a husband has to be ready to learn to speak kind words to your wife. In this episode, I shared some positive affirmations husbands can speak to their wives. I hope you are blessed by listening and it brings a positive change in your home.
In this episode I shared some positive affirmations that wives can speak to their husbands. Many times we women assume that we need more words of affirmations than men because we are more emotional. The truth is that men also need to hear these positive words too. These words encourage them and can lift them from the negative headspace to a positive one. They need such words when they are going through difficult situations and it seems like everything is against them and so they begin to doubt their capacity. These words will also bring out the best in them as we call forth the things we want to see in them. They are humans too with emotions no matter how hard they try to mask them. Please try to engage in more of positive affirmations for your husband going forward and you would see great changes in him.
Family is Everything!!! It is important to pay attention to our family growth. To this end, I have shared some family affirmations in this episode. Family affirmations can be used whether you are facing hard times or you want to spend more time bonding. These affirmations would help your family build a stronger bond, create more dynamic and authentic relationships in your family. They would help build a positive and supportive environment in the home which is needed for children to grow well and even adults. They would also foster a sense of love, trust and understanding. They would help your children build up their self-esteem, encourage them to believe In themselves and create a more positive attitude in day-to-day life. This would have a long term beneficial effect on them and you too. These affirmations would help your family cultivate an attitude of gratitude, promote the values of strength, perseverance, courage and resilience. If you want to create a positive influence on your family dynamics this year, please incorporate daily family affirmations into your lifestyle.
It is common for business owners to fall into self-criticism especially when it seems like their business is not doing well as expected. This makes them think negative thoughts about themselves. One of the ways to overcome these thoughts and start seeing your business and efforts in a more positive light is through inspirational affirmations. In this episode I have shared some business affirmations that would help you reaffirm your commitment to your business and it’s success especially when you are feeling down or doubtful about your business. These affirmations would also help you focus on your goals, stay motivated, overcome obstacles, increase your confidence when pitching to your clients and customers and remind you of your skills and strengths amidst many others. I hope and pray that you get empowered to stay diligent in your business and even do better as you listen, Amen.
It is the desire of every career professional to experience career advancement and tremendous growth in their careers. I believe you must have set out your career goals ranging from landing that dream job, sitting at a particular position, getting promoted, bagging a certification etc. You must also remember that as you pursue these goals, challenges and obstructions will come, you need to be prepared ahead for them and maintain that mindset that enables you push through and stay positive regardless. One of the things to add to your active pursuit of your career goals is speaking positive affirmations about your career. It helps stay focused, positive, encouraged and resilient on your journey. It’s not too early to begin to call forth the desired future that you see in terms of your career. Remember that you attract what you say and believe. In this episode I have shared some affirmations for career advancement. It is my desire that you are energized daily to pursue and achieve your career goals.
The importance of money in the life of a man cannot be overemphasized. In as much as we are not to chase money at the detriment of our health and eternity, we still need money to make impact, meet our needs, the needs of our family members, loved ones, and fulfill purpose. I believe everyone wants their financial status to change for the better and so we have set goals in this aspect. It is important we have the positive mindset towards money to achieve our goals and most importantly we must remember that it is the blessing of God that makes a man rich and adds no sorrow in it. This means we can’t rule out God’s place if we want to experience financial prosperity. In this episode I have shared some affirmations and declarations to help you build a positive mindset, improve your belief system and energize you to pursue your financial goals this year. God is committed to changing your story this year, just play your part.
Happy New Year!!! As you begin the year 2023, it is important that you set the tone for the year and one of the ways to do this is my leveraging on positive affirmations and declarations. It is a new dawn, a new season, a new chapter and a new beginning for you. To get better results than the previous years you have to do something new. You have to start on a fresh page. I know this is the time when goals for the year are been set and vision board is been drawn. To empower you to smash your goals you need to start on a positive note with a positive mindset so that only positive vibes can attract you. This episode contains some positive affirmations to enable you kick start the new year, forget the past and begin anew. I pray that you are empowered and energized as you listen.
Gratitude Affirmations are positive words that help you maintain a grateful mindset which is needed for you to live a mindful life. Gratitude is everything. It opens the door for you to receive more. It is the attitude that positions you for altitude. As the year 2022 is running to an end in few days, it’s not surprising that majority would swim into complaining and ingratitude as they evaluate their goal accomplishments this year and evaluate themselves. This is not a good attitude or mind posture to maintain if you want to do better and receive more in 2023. Focus on what you did well, what worked for you and not vice versa. This would you help you to see reasons to be grateful. Regardless of what has happened this year, I encourage you to choose gratitude. This episode talks about gratitude affirmations and examples of some of such affirmations to get you started on your gratitude journey as the year ends. I hope it opens your mind up for you to see reasons you need to express gratitude.
Every student has the inherent capability to excel in their academic pursuit. This ability would continue to remain in the state of inertia if it is not awakened. One of the ways to activate this ability and develop an excellent mindset in your academic pursuit is by engaging in positive affirmations. In this episode you would learn about some affirmations that would help you open up your mind and make academic excellence a reality in your life regardless of the current state of your academic performance.
It has been observed that when students and individuals prepare for exams as the day draws nearer they begin to feel anxious and tensed. This state of mind if not well managed affects their final preparation and performance in their exams. To this end, this episode encapsulates some positive affirmations coined from the scripture on exam success. Repeating these affirmations gives the student or individual the assurance that their success is non-negotiable and it helps to keep their mind positive. But it must be backed up with the necessary actions to see the desired results.
In this episode you would learn ways in which you can get positive affirmations and most importantly how to create them. I have shared five simple steps to follow to help you know how to create affirmations. It is not difficult. If followed as stated you would find yourself creating tons of affirmations for yourself. One of the most important benefit of creating affirmations for yourself is that it enables you to create what resonates with you which you believe and can address your situation. I hope you would put into practice what you learn from this episode going forward. Thank You
On this episode, you would be learning about how positive affirmations work. They are not magic like some people think. They have been scientifically proven to work well when used properly and even from the scripture there are proofs of this too. You would also learn how to use them effectively to achieve the maximum result that you desire.
In this episode, you will learn about the meaning of positive affirmations, it’s origination and it’s various benefits. Positive affirmations are great tools which when properly utilized are capable of catapulting and energizing us to succeed and attain victory in various aspects of our lives. They are much more powerful when they are backed up or created based on the Word of God.