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Tag: Praise Olowe

  • 22 danger signs to watch out for when using a gas cylinder

    22 danger signs to watch out for when using a gas cylinder

    By Praise Olowe

     

    There have been many cases of gas cylinder explosions and when this happens, lives are lost and properties worth millions are destroyed.

    However, there are so many danger signs we need to look out for while using a Gas cylinder.

    Some of these factors are:

    •   Cooking gas cylinders must not exceed five years: most people using gas cylinders hardly remember when it was bought. It is important to keep track of the days and replace them as soon as possible.
    •    Do not buy used Gas cylinders.
    •    Watch out for the expiry dates: The steps to check the expiry date are very simple and basic. The expiry of LPG cylinder can be found on one of the metal strips that connect the body of the cylinder to top ring (handle). It is mentioned on the inner side of the strip. The strip has any of the alphabets from A to D painted on it along with a number. Decoding the expiry date is simple. The alphabet represents the month it expires while the number indicates the year. A year is divided into four quarters :

    A – January to March

    B – April to June

    C – July to  September

    D – October to  December

    For example, your cylinder has ‘A 18  painted on the metal strip. The alphabet A represents month March and 18 indicates the year 2018.

    • ·       Use gas cylinders in a vertical position, unless specifically designed to be used otherwise
    • ·       Securely restrain cylinders to prevent them from falling over
    • ·       Always double check that the cylinder/gas is the right one for the intended use.
    • ·       Before connecting a gas cylinder to equipment or pipe-work make sure that the regulator and pipe-work are suitable for the type of gas and pressure being used.
    • ·       When required, wear suitable safety shoes and other personal protective equipment when handling gas cylinders.
    • ·       Do not use gas cylinders for any other purpose than the transport and storage of gas.
    • ·        Do not drop, roll or drag gas cylinders.
    • ·       Close the cylinder valve and replace dust caps, where provided when a gas cylinder is not in use.
    • ·       Where appropriate, fit cylinders with residual pressure valves (non-return valves) to reduce the risk of backflow of water or other materials into the cylinder during use that might corrode it (e.g. beer forced into an empty gas cylinder during cylinder change-over).
    • ·       Ensure the valve is protected by a valve cap or collar, or that the valve has been designed to withstand impact if the cylinder is dropped.
    • ·       Store gas cylinders in a dry, safe place on a flat surface in the open air. If this is not reasonably practicable, store in an adequately ventilated building or part of a building specifically reserved for this purpose.

    Read Also: Family of six burnt in Anambra gas explosion

    • ·       Cylinders containing flammable gas should not be stored in part of a building used for other purposes.
    • ·       Protect gas cylinders from external heat sources that may adversely affect their mechanical integrity.
    • ·       Gas cylinders should be stored away from sources of ignition and other flammable materials.
    • ·       Avoid storing gas cylinders so that they stand or lie in water.
    • ·       Ensure the valve is kept shut on empty cylinders to prevent contaminants from getting in.
    • ·       Store gas cylinders securely when they are not in use. They should be properly restrained unless designed to be free-standing.
    • ·       Gas cylinders must be clearly marked to show what they contain and the hazards associated with their contents.
    • ·       Store cylinders where they are not vulnerable to hazards caused by impact, e.g. from vehicles such as fork-lift trucks.

  • 10 things you should avoid saying to your wife

    By Praise Olowe

    Words are powerful and can be used to build an amazing relationship or destroy one.

    Here are 10 things you should avoid saying to your wife because women can be quite fragile and emotional.

    “It’s up to you.”

    Ladies generally don’t always like to hear this. If you are trying to come up with a plan or something, and your wife seeks your opinion regarding it, “It’s up to you” can be a very frustrating response and could even make her give attitudes for the rest of the day. Please engage in conversation with her to find a solution that works for both of you.

    “I don’t remember saying that”

    Sir? Why won’t you remember? It is important to know that women are confident in their memory. Be careful how you handle this conversation or it could quickly turn into a fight.
    If you feel confident in your own memory, try something different like “the way I remember it is…” and approach it from a neutral perspective. Saying something like “I don’t remember saying that” can feel like an attack and put your wife on the defence.

    “I don’t know.”

    Your wife is asking what you’d like for dinner, and you saying I don’t know. Even as a daughter, it gets really annoying when I ask my dad “can I serve your food now” and he says “I don’t know” please what do you not know exactly?

    When your wife turns to you for some insight or help and you reply with “I don’t know” and keep doing what you’re doing, you leave your wife feeling alone. Instead, jump in and make some suggestions. Just say something that will benefit you both please.

    “Nothing”
    The “silent treatment,” is very dangerous to any relationship at all. It creates disconnection and frustration. Instead, tell your wife you need a short time to “cool off,” and then intentionally go back to the conversation later.

    “I’ll do it later”

    Please, what happened to now? Or at least why not specify when exactly. We all know that later could be next year. If you do say it, be the person who does it within a reasonable time.

    “What have you done all day?”

    Personally, I feel like this is the height of it all. This is just a big no, no! Some women stay home to take care of the kids while the husband goes to work, or perhaps works from home. I beg you to please never come home and ask your wife what she’s been doing all day. Maybe the house isn’t perfect or dinner is a bit late, just don’t ask such. It can be really really annoying.

    Read Also; Six ways to win over your crush

    “Get out!”
    Okay, is there a crisis situation?, I mean, is the house on fire? did a tree fall on the house or somewhere near? Please and please, if any of these is not the case then do not order your wife out. She didn’t sign up to be bullied. No matter what the issue is, give it time to cool off.

    “You always….” or “You never…”

    You don’t have to criticize her or at least find a better way of doing it. Instead of discussing all of your wife’s shortcomings, again, be constructive. Simply tell her how you feel and what you would like her to do differently. Yes, you can still do this while married.

    “It’s your fault.”

    Even if it is her fault, you should find a better way of making her realize it. Assigning blame only takes you further into disagreements. It is nonconstructive. Remember, you’re a team, and you can be part of the solution.

    “You’re fat”

    Such a blunt statement will never be seen as helpful but hurtful. Your wife knows it that she has put on weight and she might have already made plans to drop off a few pounds. She might be already under some pressure regarding her weight gain, and saying she is fat will only worsen matters for her. So, please be gentle.

  • Eight things you should know about Yemi-Esan new Head of Service

    By Praise Olowe

    President Muhammadu Buhari removed Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HoCSF), Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita and appointed the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Dr. Folashade Yemi -Esan as the acting Head of Service.

    Here are Eight things you should know about Dr.Mrs Folashade Yemi-Esan, the newly appointed acting head of service of the federation.

    • Yemi Esan served as Permanent Secretary in the Office of Head of Civil Service (OHOCSF), and in the Ministries of Information Education until her new appointment

    • She graduated as best Bachelor of Dental Surgery student in 1987 at the University of Ibadan.

    • She started her career at the Federal Ministry of Health and rose to become a director.

    • She served as Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Information, Federal Ministry of Education and Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources.

    Read Also: Yemi-Esan replaces Oyo-Ita as Ag. HoCSF

    • She rose to the position of Federal Permanent Secretary in 2012, serving first as Permanent Secretary, Service Policy and Strategy, Office in the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation.

    • She was Director Information in the State House Abuja from 2012 to 2014.

    • She was the Information Attach’e in the Nigeria Information Service Centre, Embassy of Nigeria, Abijdan, Cote d’ Ivoire from 1992 to 1995.

    • She was the Press Attach’e and Head of the Information and Cultural Service Centre, Embassy of Nigeria, Paris, France from 2001 to 2003.

  • 10 Nigerian celebrities who became stars from reality shows

    By Praise Olowe

    Reality shows can sometimes be a career-launching pad.

    In Nigeria, these shows have enjoyed massive followership and the impact cannot be overemphasized.

    Although not everyone who went through reality shows were able to sustain the fame, we have celebrities who used these shows as a stepping stone to actualizing their dreams and have over time remained recognized for what they do.

    Here are 10 celebrities who got their start on reality TV.

    Ebuka Obi Uchendu

    Ebuka Obi Uchendu
    Ebuka Obi Uchendu

    Ebuka known for his trendy styles and fashion was a housemate on the first season of Big Brother Naija reality show. Although he finished in the eight position, he is one of the most successful products of this reality show. He is a media personality from Anambra State. He is popularly known for hosting the reality show Big Brother Naija, the long running Rubbin’ Minds talk show on Channels TV as well as co-hosting The Spot and Men’s Corner on Ebonylife Television.

    Timi Dakolo

    Timi Dakolo
    Timi Dakolo

    Timi is a Nigerian soul singer who rose to fame after emerging winner of West African Idol 2007.

    With his victory, he got a recording contract with Sony BMG, in addition to other prizes. No doubt, Timi is now an award-winning singer.

    Yemi Alade

    Yemi Alade
    Yemi Alade

    Yemi Alade is a Nigerian Afropop singer and songwriter who came into limelight in 2009 after winning the Peak Talent Show. She is best known for her hit single “Johnny” and trust me, there has been a lot of hit songs afterwards.

     Uti Nwachukwu

     Uti Nwachukwu
    Uti Nwachukwu

    36-yr-old Uti Nwachukwu rose to limelight after emerging winner of Big Brother Africa season 5 in 2010.

    In 2011, Uti began his acting career and has so far featured in several movies since then.

    Praiz

    Praiz
    Praiz

    Praise Ugbede Adejo, better known by his stage name Praiz, is a Nigerian R&B songwriter, producer and singer. His music career hit the limelight after he finished second runner-up at the maiden season of Project Fame West Africa. Trust me, he was my favourite contestant that year maybe because his style was different or because of the name (Praise).

    Tonto Dikeh

    Tonto Dikeh
    Tonto Dikeh

    You may not know this but the popular Tonto Dikeh is a product of a reality show. She was a contestant on a show called “The Next Movie Star” in 2005. Tonto was the first runner-up and this however made her Movie career hit the limelight.

    Darey

    Darey
    Darey

    Dare Art Alade as he is popularly known is an award-winning musician, singer-songwriter. Darey rose to fame after he participated in the 2004 edition of Project Fame Academy. He emerged third in the contest.

    Omawumi

    Omawumi
    Omawumi

    The beautiful Omawumi Megbele is another celebrity who rose to limelight after contesting in the first edition of West African Idols music competition. Omawumi, a graduate of Law from Ambrose Alli University came second on the show. Her first single ‘In The Music’, became an instant hit which won several accolades over the course of her music career.

    Iyanya

    Iyanya Onoyom Mbuk, is a Nigerian recording artist and performer. He rose to fame after winning the first season of Project Fame West Africa, and is best known for his hit single “Kukere”.

    Chidinma

    Chidinma

    Beautiful star singer Chidinma Ekile is another Nigerian celebrity who rose to stardom after winning the third season of MTN Project Fame West Africa in 2010. Following the release of the music video for her “Emi Ni Baller” single, she became the first female musician to peak at number 1 on the MTV Base Official Naija Top 10 chart.

  • Nigerian delicacies you should try this weekend

    Nigerian delicacies you should try this weekend

    By Praise Olowe

     

    Nigeria, with her diverse ethnic groups, has several foods delicacies that even some Nigerians are yet to try.

    These ethnic groups are diversified by varying factors including culture, language, beliefs and even food choices. Although Nigeria is diverse, food among other things have a way of unifying the people.

    Western influences have, however, transformed the Nigerian culture in many ways including eating habits. We have become comfortable with canned, frozen and well packaged food found in supermarkets and malls.

    Interestingly, we have so many foods and are creative with them, which is why we can adopt anything that is not ours and come up with interesting stuff. We have our adopted jollof rice which doesn’t have its roots in Nigeria but many of us are not aware of.

    Since we have Nigerianized it, we can afford to have social media wars with Ghana to prove that the Nigerian jollof rice is better.

    The Nigerian chapman is something else I recently read of. Until I did, I never imagined that Nigeria had its own variant of chapman. How many other dishes have we colonized? The list is a handful.

    There are, however, some Nigerian foods that we most likely did not “colonize” because they are peculiar to certain parts of Nigeria. You may also want to try them out.

    There is no doubt, most of us find it difficult preparing our local recipes. Nevertheless, these traditional recipes have nutritious value.

    You might want to try some of these numerous recipes, below is a few Nigerian traditional recipe you should try.

    Iyan (pounded yam) and ishapa

    Iyan
    Iyan

    Iyan (pounded yam) is one of the Nigerian fufu recipes, made from pounding boiled yam repeatedly. It is common among the Ondo and Ekiti people. Ishapa is a tangy vegetable used to make egusi soup served with pounded yam. It is mostly eaten by the Ondo and Ekiti people. It originated from Zobo (roselle)  a woody shrub of the hibiscus species (hibiscus sabdariffa ). The leaves are used as vegetables. Ishapa has lot of health benefits such as Lowers cholesterol, Boosting the immune system (from its high levels of vitamin and antioxidants), Decreases inflammation of the kidneys, Decreases occurrence of urinary tract infections, diuretic properties (helps with water retention) and many more. How to prepare.

    Starch and Banga soup

    Banga
    Banga soup

    Starch (Usi) is a popular delicacy in the Southern part of Nigeria especially with people from Delta state. It’s the major type of “swallow” used in eating the popular Banga soup. It’s made from the common starch used in laundry in Nigeria. How to prepare

    Abula

    Abula
    Amala & Ewedu Abula

    Abula is a wonderful Yoruba soup. It is a mixture of gbegiri (bean soup) and ewedu (draw soup).  Amala (yam flour) is a solid brown paste  made from yam or cassava flour which has been peeled, cleaned, dried and blended into a flour and is simply delicious. There are two types of amala which are yam flour (amala isu) and cassava flour ( amala lafun). Abula and Amala is just a perfect match, you should give it a try. How to prepare

    Masa

    Masa
    Masa food

    Masa is a northern staple similar to a pan-fried rice cake. You can experiment with some onion and ginger to derive that perfect taste. Traditionally, Masa is made into oval shape. How to prepare

    Fufu and ofe owerri

    Fufu and ofe owerri
    Fufu and ofe owerri

    This is a nutritious traditional meal, loved and eaten by Owerri people. Ofe owerri is basically made with assorted fish, mixed with green vegetable. Fufu is a starchy accompaniment for ofe owerri soup. It is made with a flour made from a cassava plant. This meal is popular for it rich taste and nutritional value. How to prepare

    Eba and Edikangikong

    Edikangikong
    Eba and Edikangikong

    Eba is made from cassava flour popularly known as garri. Edikangikong is another traditional meal, eaten by the native of Efiks, Akwa ibom and cross river. It is prepared with a great quantity of pumpkin leave and waterleave. It is nourishing in every sense. Eba and Edikangikong is just perfect. How to prepare

    Abacha and Ugba

    Abacha

    It is popularly known as African Salad. It is made with dried shredded cassava(Abacha) and fermented oil bean seeds(Ugba). Your African salad will not be complete without ugba. How to prepare

    Tuwo masara

    Tuwo masara
    Tuwo and Masara

    This is a corn flour dish popularly eaten in the Northern part of Nigeria.To prepare tuwon masara you must first let your maize dry and afterwards grinded. Let your water boil and then pour the grinded maize fine particles, stir and allow it to harden until it become like a firm dough. Tuwon Masara can be eaten with different type of soups and it has nutritional values. How to prepare

    Miyan Taushe

    Miyan
    Miyan Taushe

    Miyan Taushe is a Pumpkin soup popular among the Hausas in Nigeria. It is prepared with ripe pumpkin meat and enjoyed by both young and old. There are different species of Pumpkin, but the Gourd type is very common in Nigeria, nevertheless, feel free to make use of any species you can get as long as it is ripe. How to prepare.

  • 10 tricks you probably didn’t know about your smartphone

    By Praise Olowe
    Smartphones have revolutionised the world in so many different aspects. Most people don’t know the usefulness of their Smartphones as some just think they are only meant to call, receive calls, surf the internet etc.

    While people maximise most of the features of their smartphone, others use them just to make calls.

    However, no matter where you fall on the spectrum of tech users, there are apps as well as hidden features built into the phones that can make your life easier and more enjoyable.

    Measure height and distance: These apps are useful if you need to check the dimensions of a room or the distance across your yard or determine whether a piece of furniture will fit through your door.

    Monitor your heart: Many people check their heart rates often for signs of a medical problem or to help determine fitness levels. The app ¬Instant Heart Rate has more than 5 million ¬users.
    You place your fingertip over your phone camera lens for 10 seconds. Using the camera sensor and flash, the app detects a colour change in your finger from blood flow each time your heart beats and then calculates your pulse rate. Instant Heart Rate keeps a ¬record of your tests so that you can share them with medical professionals and/or monitor the effects of your physical workouts.

    Translate foreign languages: Point your phone’s video camera at any printed material such as a road sign. The app replaces the words in the live picture on your screen with its English translation. It covers major languages including French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. The Android and Windows versions even work without an Internet connection.
    This is a free feature in the Google Translate app for Android and iPhone. Windows Phone users can download a similar visual translator that is part of the free Bing Translator app.

    Mail a postcard: Now your phone gives you a way to easily create your own custom paper postcard and have it mailed. The Postcard on the Run app allows you to take a snapshot and -personalize it with a message and your signature. You send it via text message to the company, which prints and mails your card for you to anywhere in the world.
    The app is free for the three major phone operating systems.

    Digitize documents: CamScanner allows you to take a picture of any document, receipt or photo and instantly convert it to a high-quality PDF or JPG file format. The ability to “scan” on the go without a cumbersome office scanner can be very useful. Features allow you to enhance scanned images, adjusting for low lighting and for documents with light print or handwriting. Free for all three major phone operating systems.

    Allow you to create a high-security password: Instead of using a simple four-digit code to unlock your phone, you can create a more complex password with a mix of letters, numbers and special characters.
    iPhone: In the Settings menu, tap Touch ID and Passcode (or just Passcode on older phones), then Turn Passcode On. Turn off the switch that reads “Simple Passcode.”
    Android: In Settings, tap Screen Security, then Screen Lock. Select Password, then type in the password you want.
    Windows: In Settings, tap Lock Screen, then Password. Type your password.

     Take a screenshot: There may be times when you want your phone to capture a picture of what appears on your screen and save it, for example, detailed information on a web page that has constantly changed content.
    iPhone: Press and hold the Home button, along with the Sleep/Wake button. The screenshot will appear in your Camera Roll section. If you have an operating system earlier than iOS 6, consult Apple.com for directions.
    Android: Hold down the Power and Volume buttons at the same time. The image is saved to the Screenshots folder in your Gallery app. Note: This works only for Android OS 4 or later. If you have an earlier version, you’ll need to download the free app, AirDroid.
    Windows: On Windows Phone 8.1, press the Power and Volume Up buttons at the same time. The screenshot is stored in the Screenshots album in ¬Photos Hub. For Windows Phone 8, press and hold the Start button and Power button at the same time. The shot also is stored in your Screenshots album. Earlier Windows Phone versions do not have screenshot capability.

    Enable you to see text more easily: If you’re having a difficult time reading from your phone’s small screen, you can change the size of the text.
    iPhone: In the Settings menu, tap General, then Accessibility, then Larger Text and/or Bold Text.
    Android: In Settings, tap Display, then Font Size.
    Windows: In Settings, type Ease of Access. Under Text Size, move the slider to change the size of the text. This works only in Windows Phone 8 or later. Earlier versions do not allow you to change the text size.

     Let you customise vibration mode patterns: With iPhones and Android phones, you can set your phone to vibrate in a different pattern depending on who is calling you so you can tell, say, that your spouse is trying to reach you, even if your phone is not set to ring.
    iPhone: Go to Contacts. Tap on a contact name. Tap Edit, then Vibration to choose or create a pattern.
    Android: Go to Contacts, and tap on a contact name. Under Vibration Pattern, tap Default and choose a preset pattern.

    Turn off music automatically: Many people like to fall asleep listening to ¬music. You can set your phone to turn off the music automatically after a certain period of time in order to avoid draining the battery.
    iPhone: Go to the Clock feature and tap Timer. Set the desired length of time you want the music to play. Tap the phrase When Timer Ends. Scroll to the bottom of the screen and select Stop Playing.
    Android: Open the music player, tap Menu, then Settings. Tap the phrase Music Auto-off, and set it to however long you want the music to play.
    Windows: There is no built-in feature to turn off music automatically. Instead, you can download and install the free app Stop Music. It works with Windows Phone 7.5 and later.

  • 6 secrets to saving out of your monthly NYSC allowance

    The N19,800,  allowance for Nigerian Youth corpers is not enough to sustain them for a whole month. It is, however, more challenging for some whose  Place of Primary Assignments (PPAs) don’t pay them stipends.

    It is necessary to note that money management is more important than money itself because even if your allowance is increased to 100k if you cannot manage your money effectively, you will end up asking for an increase again and again.

    Here are a few secrets to saving your monthly allowance.

    1. Set a budget: You need to know how much you are going to spend every day. You have to discipline your spending. If you spend money without the discipline of a budget, you’d end up going overboard with your alawee.

    2. Set a scale of preference: You should differentiate between a need and a want. If you really want to make the most of your allowance, you would need to set a scale of preference to guide your decision making and budgeting.

    Read Also: Minimum wage: NYSC allowance rises to N30,000

    3. Keep the savings aside: You should have separate accounts, one for your expenses and the other for your savings.

    4. Try Cooking: If you buy foodstuff and cook them by yourself, you will end up spending less than going to buy expensive cooked food at restaurants.

    5. Tone down on the partying: As much as NYSC affords you a lot of liberty, try not to wild out at your expense.

    6. Understand the difference between want and need: That you want something does not mean you need it at the time.

  • How to make your bank reverse your money

    Banks are institutions that help you keep your money and facilitate other financial transactions.

    These transactions happen smoothly and with no issues. However, there are times when the bank fails in its service to you. It can be very annoying when bank customers experience such issues as unfair or unexplained charges, poor customer service by bank staff, unauthorised transactions on customer accounts through bank transfers or ATM withdrawals, etc.

    It is even more frustrating when customers lodge complaint and nothing is done about it.

    If you are having challenges sorting out one problem or the other with your bank or any financial institution, bellow are detailed steps you should follow as regulated by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    The first and most important step to take is to contact the bank through the quickest channels available. You can reach them on the customer care numbers available or on Social Media.

    However, if the result is not satisfactory, you are advised to visit the bank yourself and lay the complaints.

    It is also important to note the details of the communication e.g. if a phone call, take down details of when you called, who you spoke to, what you said, and the response you received. All phone calls are recorded so this can easily be reviewed if there are issues later.

    Allow two weeks (it might be less in some banks) for the issue to be resolved.

    If after lodging your complaint, your Bank still fails to engage you and resolve the complaint within two weeks as provided for in the ATM HELP DESK Circular, you have the right to escalate your complaint to the Consumer Protection Department (CPD) of the CBN.

    Read Also: ‘Banks should not joke with cybersecurity’

    You can only direct your Complaints to CPD upon the failure of your Bank/Financial Institution to resolve your complaint within the 2 weeks timeline given by the CBN.

    You can contact the CPD through the following channels:
    E-mail: cpd@cbn.gov.ng
    Letter: Director, Consumer Protection Department
    Central Business District, Abuja
    Your letter of Complaint should be addressed to the Director, Consumer Protection Department. You can submit your letter at the CBN Head Office or at any of the Central Bank of Nigeria branches of nationwide.

    The CBN deals with all financial related complaints so far as it is against Financial Institutions within its regulatory purview. How to Write an Effective Complaints Letter

    How to write an effective complaints letter

    Your complaint, according to the CBN, should be clear and concise to avoid ambiguity. The Complaint letter (petition) should contain amongst other things the following:
    • Name, Address, Contact Phone Number & E-mail of the Complainant;
    • Name of your Financial Institution;
    • Personal banking details ( Do not include PIN & Passwords)
    • History/Date of the transaction in dispute;
    • Amount claimed (if any);
    • Attach relevant documents to support your claim and;
    • Evidence to show that you have first lodged the complaint at your bank.

    The CBN noted that consumer protection was a critical requirement for financial system stability and an indispensable component for effective regulatory and supervisory framework.

  • 10 important tips for dating in your 30s

    By Praise Olowe

     

    Dating in your 30s can feel very different from dating in your 20s. This is because as you’re older, you’re naturally carrying around a lot more baggage and of course there is also more pressure on every side.

    However, with these tips in mind, dating in your 30s would be made super easy and interesting.

    Understand that age is just a number

    It is important for you to know that age is just a number and it only matters when you make it matter.

    You need to stop looking at age as a “barrier”. Do not be pressured to settle for what’s not because of your age. There is nothing wrong with dating in your 30s since it is preparing you for forever.

    Know exactly what you want

    If you’ve never really thought about what you want in a partner, then now is the time to figure it out so you can find the right fit. Write down the names of the last few people you dated. Next to each name, list the top five things you liked about them and the top five things you didn’t like about them. You’ll probably notice that there are common descriptors on the list. The top qualities that you liked about these people are what you should look for in your next relationship.

    Let go of the past and focus on the future

    Nearly everyone who is single in their 30s has dealt with some form of heartbreak. Now is the time to leave the past in the past. Yes, your past has shaped who you are, but it’s your past, not your present or future. Instead of dwelling on your past, focus on what is happening now and look where you are going next.

    Let your guard down

    When you’ve been in a lot of unsuccessful relationships, a natural defence mechanism is to put your guard up. If you don’t let anyone in, then you won’t get hurt, right? However, if you don’t let anyone in, you probably won’t end up finding the one. When the time is right and you’ve met someone you’re into who is also into you, let your guard down and tell yourself everything will be okay.

    Focus on having Fun

    When you’re in your 30s, it’s easy to get caught up in thinking about the things you don’t have yet. You haven’t met the one, you’re not married, you don’t live in a beautiful house, and you don’t have kids. Wanting all of these things is okay, but grilling every person you date to see if they have what it takes to fulfil your expectations is not. Focus on having fun and getting to know the person. What’s the point of being in a relationship at any age if you’re not having fun? It shouldn’t be a job and it shouldn’t be depressing. A relationship should bring joy, laughter, and love whether you are 18 or 45.

    Read Also: ‘My husband takes care of his mother than our kids’

    Communication is Key

    Good communication is crucial to any relationship. When you are dating in your 30s, you should be able to talk to your significant other openly and honestly. Likewise, they should be able to talk to you candidly. Got into your first fight? Talk it out maturely

    Don’t waste your time

    Don’t waste your time. If you’re not into someone, stop talking to them, stop texting them, and stop hanging out with them. Life is too short. Wouldn’t you much rather get a good night of sleep than be out drinking empty calories with a person you’re just not that into?

    Trust your gut

    If you have a gut instinct about someone, trust it. Listen to your intuition. If something is telling you that they’re not right, then they’re probably not.

    Do you and be you

    Don’t pretend to be someone you’re not. The real you will always come through eventually, so be yourself from the beginning. Own who you are. Nothing is more attractive than someone who is comfortable in their own skin. Don’t settle, but stop seeking perfection.

     

    Realize that waiting for the right person is more important than being pressured to settle for the wrong one

    Because you are in your 30s and everyone wants you to find a partner, it’s easy to make stupid mistakes. Be focused on finding what you want, what is best for your future.

  • Rainy season must-haves for ladies

    Rainy season must-haves for ladies

    By Praise Olowe

     

    The rainy season is here and the rains are upon us.

    As it is common with this season, most people are tempted to stay tucked in bed with a cup of tea just to ensure they do not get wet or messed up in the rain. However, we all need to carry out our daily activities and because this does not stop the rain, we need not miss any important appointment.

    With all these in mind, it is obvious that we cannot stop the rain, but we can always get ready for its ‘unannounced visit’.

    Click the start button below for a reminder of few things that can help you cope with the rains.