PHOTOS FROM UNILAG FACULTY OF EDUCATION & ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE BBQ.

18 Rules for Living by Dalai Lama's

1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk. As I mention in many of my other articles, anything worth achieving takes much effort, application and risk. If it were that easy to accomplish great things, we'd all be lauded as geniuses (genii), yet evidently, that is not the case.

2. When you lose, don't lose the lesson. As seen in 7 Life Lessons Learned from Basketball this, is a no-brainer. We all lose at times, but if we lose the lessons offered, it becomes a real loss. As some wise person pointed out: 'The lesson is often in the struggle, not the victory.'
3. Follow the three R's:

• Respect for self
• Respect for others
• Responsibility for all your actions.

I especially endorse this rule because it entails self-love and self-respect, which in turn, generates respect for others. Taking responsibility is part of the human potential movement as delineated in the article: Personal Development and Human Potential.
4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck. Sometimes what we think we want is not necessarily good for us, hence the stroke of luck!
5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly. If you are going to break a rule, you better know what it is and why. From there you can make the conscious decision to break it for the right reasons.
6. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship. How many times have many of us jeopardized a wonderful relationship due to pride or hurt feelings?  To throw away years of friendship and shared good and bad times over a dispute would be unfortunate. Don't do it!
7. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it. That same pride can do you in when it comes to admitting a mistake. Do whatever it takes to correct it beginning with an apology.
8. Spend some time alone every day. This point is generally underrated by most of us. We all need time to recharge, reflect and regroup. Not only can this change your perspective and state of mind, it can generate fresh new ideas and thinking.
9. Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values. Indeed there is a difference between being open-minded and having a personal value system. Values are eternal while ideas are ever-changing.
10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer. Silence can be the best answer when you are stuck and cannot come up with solutions. It gives you the opportunity again to regroup and think afresh.
11. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll be able to enjoy it a second time. There is no substitute for a life well-lived. When you near the end of your life, regrets and sorrow for missed opportunities are not what you will want to be revisiting. You will want to know that you did your best with the information and knowledge you had at the time. You will also want to remember that you made the most honorable choice possible in those difficult moments.
12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life. A loving atmosphere includes surrounding yourself with things that make you happy such as music, books, beautiful plants and memorable decorative objects. Your home is your sanctuary – make it a meaningful rejuvenating place.
13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don't bring up the past. The past can hurt you over and over again unless you let it go. Nothing good can come from rehashing old, painful incidents that didn't serve you well even then. Deal with the present, resolve it and then let it go too.
14. Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality. We all have something important to contribute to humanity. If we stifle it we will feel unfulfilled and feeling we've missed out on something. Sharing our unique gifts will not only help others, it will liberate us.
15. Be gentle with the earth. Our beautiful earth is here for our use and enjoyment, therefore, we must take good care of it. Recycle, preserve and keep it clean!
16. Once a year, go someplace you've never been before. Visiting new places does wonders for the brain, our emotional state and perspective. It broadens our experiences and can expose us to different cultures, people and ways of doing things. It's a win/win!
17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other. Need implies a must have for yourself, while love implies giving of yourself. Need I say more?
18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it. Indeed having to work hard for a goal is more about the journey than the goal itself. True success is what you learn and develop along the way.

As you will probably agree, there is little I could add to improve upon the wise words of the Dalai Lama. The above 'rules' offer more than enough excellent advice for living life fully, nobly and happily. Namaste!

The 21 Success Secrets of Self-Made Millionaires by Brain Tracy

The common principles and practices of all men and women who become millionaires in one generation.

1. Dream Big Dreams - How to visualize, imagine and create an exciting picture of personal wealth and prosperity;

2. Develop a Clear Sense of Direction - Learn a powerful, proven goal-setting exercise that can change your life;

3. See Yourself As Self-Employed - How to take complete control of your career and your financial life;

4. Do What You Love To Do - Identify the ideal work for you and then get paid well for doing it;

5. Commit to Excellence - How to move into the top 10% in your field and be paid more than ever before;

6. Work Longer and Harder - How to organize your time so you get more done and contribute more value;

7. Dedicate Yourself to Lifelong Learning - How to continually upgrade your talents and abilities to earn more money;

8. Pay Yourself First - The most powerful process of wealth accumulation ever discovered and how you can use it;

9. Learn Every Detail of the Business - How to become an expert in your chosen field and double your income;

10. Dedicate Yourself to Serving Others - The starting point of all personal fortunes and how to begin;

11. Be Absolutely Honest With Yourself and Others - How and why personal integrity goes hand in hand with financial success;

12. Set Priorities and Concentrate Single-mindedly - The importance of focusing on your most important tasks all day long;

13. Develop a Reputation for Speed and Dependability - How to give yourself the winning edge in everything you do;

14. Be Prepared to Climb From Peak to Peak - Learn how to recognize the cycles and trends that can make you rich;

15. Practice Self-Discipline In All Things - Develop the most important quality for financial success;

16. Unlock Your Inborn Creativity - Learn how to solve any problem, overcome any obstacle, achieve any goal;

17. Get Around The Right People - The important of surrounding yourself with winners at each stage of your career;

18. Take Excellent Care of Your Physical Health - How to develop and maintain high levels of energy and fitness;

19. Be Decisive and Action Oriented - How to identify the most important action steps you can take immediately;

20. Never Allow Failure To Be An Option - How to overcome the fears that hold most people back;

21. Pass the "Persistence Test" - Learn how to bounce back from defeat and never, never give up.

10 quicker ways to achieve goals.

1. Make all your dreams real by first identifying and then focusing on specific, tangible targets for what you what.
2.  Maintain at least one clearly defined goal for every major interest and role in your life.
3.  Set your goals so they are directly aligned with your life’s mission, purpose and passion.
4.  Create goals high enough to challenge your spirit and inspire you to take action.
5.  Write down all your goals in specific and measureable detail.
6. Absolutely, unconditionally commit to hitting each of your targets.
7.  Share your goals with others like minds for mutual accomplishment.
8.  Set a whole series of related daily, weekly and long-term goals, complete with starting times and completion date.
9.  Take at least 5 minutes every day to imagine how terrific it will feel when your goals are actually realized.
10.  Take an action step toward the attainment of at least one goal every blessed day.   

15 Ways to Keep A Relationship Working

1.       Love each other.

2.       Don’t lie.

3.       Keep communication open.

4.        Stay sweet.

5.       When you get hurt just forgive and forget.

6.       Never talk about break-ups.

7.       Never say it’s okay even when it’s not.

8.        Forget about pride.

9.       If you say sorry mean it.

10.   Don’t compare your past with your present.

11.    Don’t talk about your stupid ex’s.

12.   Give and take process.

13.   Beware of his/her feelings.

14.   When you had a fight, don’t let the day pass.

15.   Don’t be the perfect one, be the right one.

10 Steps to Self –Care

1.       If it feels wrong, don’t do it.

2.       Say exactly what you mean.

3.        Don’t be a people pleaser.

4.       Trust your instincts.

5.       Never speak bad about yourself.

6.       Never give up on your dreams.

7.       Don’t be afraid to say NO/YES.

8.       Be kind to yourself.

9.       Let go of what you can’t control.

10.   Stay away from drama and negativity as much as possible.

10 Characteristics Of A Good Woman To Be Your Girlfriend

Having a good woman by your side as your girlfriend is always nice.
In fact, it is a dream of every normal man in this world. The right woman is a woman who can make you grow into a better man.
Many men experience failure in relationships because they are too quick to choose, too easily attracted and fall in love with a woman without thinking whether she is worthy or not (of course mistakes committed by ourselves can cause failures too). Below are 10 characteristics of a good woman to be your girlfriend:
1. Supportive
She is a figure who always support you in your life as well as your career and always by your side when the whole world walks out. As we know, our society tend to require a man to be a strong man and not a fragile person, but sadness and stress that come repeatedly will destroy you if you don't vent your feelings. Thus, a good woman can be the best listener by providing support and comfort for you. She also gives you freedom to develop yourself as you want.
2. Independent
This characteristic is important because it means she can manage and take care of herself. It will be very annoying when you have to be her 'babysitter' all the time, right? She can go home by herself when you can't pick her up, she can go shopping by herself when you can't accompany her, and she can rely on herself when you can't help her. Independent woman is a woman who can stand by her own feet and walk alone when you can't be there (of course she still respects you as the leader).
3. Beautiful inside and out
From the outside, she is not a woman like Taylor Swift, Kate Middleton, Megan Fox, or Jessica Alba, but she looks beautiful and attractive in her own way, her simplicity and friendliness. From the inside, you notice that she is a person who has an extraordinary and inspiring personality.
4. Confident
She loves her imperfection, perfectly. She doesn't hurt herself or dying to be famous and beautiful like a movie actress. She doesn't try to be someone else, she is confident of herself and (of course) proud to have you by her side.
5. Respects you
You are the leader and she, as your partner, has respect for you and the decisions you make. She doesn't make you afraid of her and look like a loser. But of course, you have to respect her too by not humiliating and treating her like a slave.
6. Know when to speak and keep quiet
She knows which stories that can be told to her friends and which ones don't. She doesn't like to gossip about your bad things and your relationship. She knows when to speak and listen to your words. She also can speak tenderly (without yelling) when she expresses her opinion to you.
7. Loyal
Someone who's in normal or happy circumstances tend to be a kind person. Don't immediately assume she has a good character when she is in such conditions, just wait until you have some problems. Then you will know her true character and who she really is. Women who are not loyal will turn around and leave you when you face problems, either minor or major ones. While women who are loyal will remain by your side to face the problems together. That's why you need time to evaluate your partner before moving to the next stage of your relationship.
8. Doesn't fall in love with your wealth and social status
In this modern era, money is something that has tremendous appeal. Money can buy positions, power, authorities, even 'love'. Of course they love the money not the person. Although money remains an important thing to think about (you can't eat and shop without money, right?), but a good woman won't put her love on your wealth because she already has something more valuable than money... You. Think about this... Love of money is only temporary because wherever the money goes, that's where her heart is... But love that comes and grows from her heart to you will last for a lifetime. Why? Because wherever you go, that's where her heart is. Do you notice the difference?
9. Simple and down to earth
There was a joke that said, "The average woman would rather have beauty than brains, because the average man can see better than he can think." It's funny but also true. Women are good market of beauty products by various companies. In fact, MOST of their body parts are good market.. Their hair, face, ears, eyes, hands, fingers, toenails, and so on. Don't be trapped by a high maintenance woman if you can't afford her needs. It's better to choose a simple woman who still looks good with what she got, without requiring too much maintenance. In addition, she is modest and humble in everyday life, she doesn't demand a lot of facilities to indulge herself.
10. Gets into your life
And the last thing is she knows and gets along well with your friends. She also knows your family well, helps your mom to prepare meals, travels with your family, and most importantly she enjoys it all sincerely. When she knows your life well and has a good relationship with your family, then you have a good chance to move into the next relationship stage.