WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IN YOUR 20S?

INVESTING IN YOUR 20S.

Your 20s are a crucial stage when you probably have more control over your cash flow than you will later.Your 20s are also a time when you can afford to invest aggresively and take on a little more risk in order to earn better returns.

Your 20s are a crucial stage when you probably have more control over your cash flow than you will later when you have kids and college plans kicking.there are some of the ways you can use these golden decade years to set yourself up for decadesto come.

STEP 1:Leverage the years.

You have it before but when you are 20s, time is truly your friend.The power of compounding can help your cash grow in a way that it never will again because right now you have got decades on your side, and responsibilities are not as many as when you have already started a family therefore creating room for alot of investments forfuture use.

STEP 2:Save time.

You have got alot going on, but if you do not feel like an expert in the stock market,do not use it as an excuse to postpone investing.
The key really is simply to open an investing or retirement account and regularly transfer money in to it,preferably automatically from your paycheck so that you cannot forget.You can do this at the end of every month,and ensuring that you do not forget or get the money planned for other activities, saving at the end of every month is actually the best not only for investing but also security for any emergency.

STEP 3:Save more.

It might seem like a sacrifice to save 20% of your income right now,but think about it this way:By saving as much as you can while there are a fewer demands on your income compared to your 40s or 50s when you have kids in college, say you put yourself ahead.


Then, if you lose your job at some point or raising kids and running house means you temporarily have to save a little less you are not giving up as much ground.This are only some exceptions that  can make you to save less but you just have to sacrifice for you to safely guard the future.

STEP 4:Be aggresive.

Very few kenyans have their money in a money market or stable value fund.There is not much chance that those accounts will keep up with inflation, which makes them just slightly more useful than stashing the money in a freezer.


While putting your money into equities does entail ,more risk,it also provides you with more growth at a time of life when you need the growth nad can probably handle the risk.By being more conservative you risk losing out on market gains and jeopardizing your savings.

There are a plenty of examples of young people who are saving for retirement and they put it all in cash.that is not going to move the needle in your retirement account

 

MY NEW MORNING ROUTINE AS A MOM.

BEST MORNING ROUTINE WHICH TRANSFORMED ME:

I had been completely transported into some other life with daily maid service,I could just wakeup at my own time to find everything perfectly done by my housegirl,and on this fateful day,i had this completely crazy moment,iwoke up at around 8am my house help was not around i sat down drinking my coffee and feeding my kid,everything turn into a total mess,a lot of dirty dishes were the my sink,the house need to be cleaned,our room need to be arranged,the bed is  also in a total mess,this was the time i really had to plan myself well and come up with a good routine to ease my work and find time to play with my kid.

It all started with what i do immediately i wake up;

1. morning pages:What i do immediately i wake is to take my pen and a note book and write anything that comes into my mind,this is so weird like but it has transformed me truly,i dont really have to think about it but i have to fill the three pages of my note book with what is really in my mind,this exercise helps me to rid myself of random thoughts, worries, questions and anything else that i might have in my mind.After getting done with writting i wisper a word of prayer to thank God for many things he has done and to guide me throughout the day. 
   
   Yoga:When i wake up in the morning i find that my muscles are stiff and tight,i might struggle to touch my knees but my toes i cant,so some yoga help me get a beautiful whole body strech and i find that i get flexible while i do my daily  house chores.
   
   Meditation:If you haven't meditate before,the sit in silence and think of nothing style can be difficult,meditation is enjoyable when you are starting,this involves sitting comfortably in a quiet space,closing your eyes and concentratring on emmiting gratitude out toward the world.this helps me to get free of stress and work on my duties well.I meditate because i am always anxious and feel resistance before i write,and meditation clears my head and lets me focus.
   
   MusicMy love for music has helped me create a playlist that makes me feel great in the morning whether it is relaxing,upbeat or mental stimulating,what i listen comes down to my personal taste,this reflects how i want to feel the whole day.
   
   Herbal tea:Herbal tea has alot of advantages to our heealth,but my love for herbal tea helps me greatly in relaxing and slows down my mental processes,or take some coffee and a drop of honey.
   
   Online:The reason for me to get online in the morning is to look for a little inspiration,this might be uplifting my blogs or video,or a hashtag and instagram account,i avoid emails,facebook,news and anything that might distract or alter my frame of mind.
   
   Daily planning:
   Breakfast is a great time to plan my day,i take sometime to jot down my daily task,any phone call or appointments i might have and any simple Dos i need to check off,i highlight the most important things i need to get done before the end of the day.
   
   WHAT MORNING ROUTINE GIVES:Morning routine helps you live a productive life, it helps you know your dreams are on the other side if establishing that routine.
   The most important component of creating a successful morning routine is actually having a real reason to get up in the first place.
   
   Waking up early is not under the impression that it causes success,this is wrong,success comes by figuring out what your values are and alighning the things you do around those values.
   
   Without a purpose for waking up early,you wont wake up,if you wake up because it allows you time to learn,explore your interests and figure out what you want,thats great,but define your morning routines as suiting that purpose.
   
   Do not just say that you want to wake up early because it will make you successful,thinking that way wont make any difference in your life instead,find real reasons for why you need to wake up early and you will follow though with the routine.
   
   WHY I WAKE UP EARLY EVERY DAY:When i was single,i had alot of free time,i actually wrote in the afternoon.i would wake up read for a few hours and hang out around the house,the routine of waking up at around 8am worked well for me.
   when my life changed,my plans also changed.i have  family and also in school now,i created morning routine because i was already on a mission and i needed to adjust my life accordingly.
   
   My routine consist of things that are aligned with my values, my future and my definition of success.i wake early to write and study because it takes alot of creative energy to accomplish what i need to accomplish and by the time i come home from school,i am too exhausted to even think about writing.
   I drink water and coffee to give myself the kick i need and hydrate at the same time.
   
    
   

MY PREGNANCY JOURNEY.

WAS IT WRONG TO BE PREGNANT IN MY EARLY 20S?

Having being brought up in a christian family where the believe of having your focus in studying and not making friends of opposite  sex existed,getting pregnant was not an easy thing to ever think of,worries were ringing in my mind of how i could approach my parents in beaking such a message to them.
 

I believed that getting pregnant was a Gods plan thing,i did not want to give too much worries to it i knew that when your parents kick you off because of such experience then i will stand with God only,i never bothered,and i moved on well with my studies and infact with alot of effort because i knew that the only task remaining for me to do is to study smart.

I learnt that college students mostly female students when realising that they are pregnant,they look for arbotion medicine which is so risky to ones life,this can lead to even death,i perfectly put in mind that every thing will be alright,the fact that the fathers kid accepted the pregnancy then there was nothing to be worried of.

How do you feel arriving late in to the lecture room when all the students have already settled and the lecturer has just began the lesson,then you are there popping into the lecture room with a protruding stomach all of a sudden the students turn to you and might be you were known by most of the students?

The kind of feeling i had was just:why dont you differ your studies and bare your stomach by staying at home? series of questions were criss-crossing my mind,i could not stop my studies just because of being pregnant,this is not a secondary school where pregnant students were not allowed in class,i could comfort myself like am better than those who arbort.

I had to be brave and leave aside the thinking of human beings because i knew that am not living anyones life let them talk about my ways but not to attempt to cross the line,but the most difficult thing i faced was rejection by some of my friends but the faithful ones stayed and helped me in all ways,one thing i learnt is that never undermine a pregnant student and you know that you are a lady because one day you be expectant and you never know the kind of life you will face with the people you will get,you have to know that whatever you are doing bad to your colleague will come back to you, its only a matter of time.

WHAT IS THE MOST POWERFUL THING THAT A WOMAN CAN DO?

How you treat yourself sets the tone for how others treat you.Make yourself well even when things are not going so well.
 
women faces a lot of challenges without noticing,and when she comes back to her minds she has been wasted  and also lowered down financially or even physically.
Most of the women are a cause of downfall to their friends,some may be betrayers,some their friendship with that woman she values so much is toxic that her friend is only taking from her and slowing her down and not adding value to her life,and might be the man she loves so much is also fraud,
When this woman comes back to her senses,she will look inward,thereafter,there will be anger and blame,usually heaped on herself,then she will embark on fixing herself because she believes this is what is expected of her.

A woman who finds herself hurt,disappointed or taken advantage of should ask herself this question:What would a woman who loves herself do?
She will not sacrifice her friendship because her friends are looking good and she is afraid her man might catch the wandering eye
She will not build her life around another person ,she will not judge herself based on perceptions of those around her.

A woman who loves hersef will work on her life,bult it and let others fit into it,she will drop everything and run every time that man she is seeing calls;her schedule will not revolve around another.
A woman who loves herself ignores societal dictates and takes time out to understand her personal needs and to tend to them.

MOVE ON AND GET YOUR LIFE:

Instead of sitting down on your couch for hours waiting for him to call,get a life.Go out and do something that you enjoy doing, if you are in a relationship that is not adding any value to you,love yourself enough to walk away.
A woman who loves and values herself will also be able to ask more of a relationship,let that man chase you,dont go to the gym just because your man said you need to while he sits on the couch tending to his pot belly,only do it because you want to.

Love yourself unconditionally and enough to put yourself first.Seeing as the Kenyan girl is socialised to put others first,to never wander too far away from home because she mustalways think about those she leaves behind,prioritising your needs may not come naturally,you might need to make a concious effort to get there,
Start with baby steps,start by believing that loving yourself is not selfish.

Its truewhat they say that to be able to say that "I love you",you must be able to say the "I"first.If you can do this,it will be easier for those around you to also love you,they wont have a choice.

HOW DO YOU KNOW A WOMAN WHO LOVES HERSELF:

She is sure about her desire in life.she has establish goals and benchmarks for herself and they wont get beaten by any limitations that get her idea.she is always outgoing and desire to achive her set goals.

You look to like the mysterios guy in the world when you are with her,because one thing you are sure of is that, someone as unsual as he would not just date a guy.She is strong confident woman,and she is not scared of being alone so she must really like you,if she has chosen to share her life with you!

She is never humble in the bedroom,if there is something she require to do she comes out and say it clearly,she will even justify the reasons for it instead of getting awkward,she does not act like confidence is something to be hidden and never talk about it,she is ready enough to take it as perfectly normal.

Her social communications behaviour is not something that she will ever need to hide or be disconcerted about,she knows how to present herself infront of somebody,whether it is in character or on a computer screen.

She does not act like the entire world turns around her,she wants love,and value from you.and she is ready to offer you the same, she wont require you to defeat your own passions just to keep her comfortable.

She has strong opinions on almost every topic and she will never shy down from showing them just to avoid discussions or to keep everyone satisfied,but this does not mean that she will ever require those beliefs on you,or anyone else, she is open to negotiations and any argument you wont turn into furious battle.

She is wise enough to know what topics to discuss with your parents and when she is with your friends, she can let loose and enjoy a good time.

BEING A MOTHER IN MY EARLY 20S.

HOW DOES IT FEEL BEING A MOTHER?

Being a mother is the most rewarding,it makes you feel joyful,elated,empowered and invincible,but it is also the most frustrating experience,giving birth to a baby is an exciting moment because of the newness of the experience,but it is also time for uncertainity,becomimg a mother expands the love in your heart that you didn't know existed,this kind of love is different from the love you had for your parents or your husband.

Being a mother allows you to be able to love from a different part of who you are,becoming a mom comes with feelings of inadequacy because there is learning curve involved,but the most important thing is that you are not alone,all mothers experience the same process and you will get through it,you dont really have to be perfect,but you do have to understand it is okay to make mistakes in motherhood.

SCHOOLING AND PARENTING.

Parenting: It been a hard work for me it has not been an easy task,the fact that both parents must be with the baby all time to ensure that you are raising a happy and healthy child has been so challenging because i have to chase my carrier and the fathers child has to look for a living.
The most important thing that i have kept in mind is that you must adapt your parenting to fit your child,by keeping pace with your child's development,close monitoring your child's behaviour will be an easy task to raise a good mannered child,if you dont manage your childs behaviour when he is young,he will have a hard time learning how to manage himself when he is older and you will not be around.
Any time of the day or night,you should be able to answer the following questions:Where is your child?Who is with my child?What is my child doing?the rules your child has learnt from you are going to shape the rules he applies to himself.
Parents should avoid harsh discipline,never hit a child under any circumstances,children who are hit or slapped are more prone to fighting with other children,they are more likely to be bullies and more likely to use aggression to solve disputes with others.SCHOOLING:balancing study work and family life takes one to be well organised,waking up early for classes needs sacrifice and commitment,although parenting should be a full time job,time is actually hard to find,but here are some of the motivations;

• plannig ahead: I prepare for larger projects and exams well in advance,this helps me to arrange for a baby sitter or ask a family member to help me if I need to devote much of my time to a paper or projects,because studying for a big test is time intensive so I try to make my child's schedule to ensure that it does not conflict with my exams.

• Talking with my instructor:Establishing contact with my lecturer early and telling the that am a parent makes for them the work easier and with me also if i miss adeadline might be because my baby was not feeling well,keeping my communications clear and concise with my instructors shows them that i value time.
  Preparing family meals earlier:To minimize week night rush and free up study time,i prepare the meals during the weekends,i check out meal planning sites that help me set a menu for the whole week.
  
  Taking breaks:i need to refreshen up my mind which helps me feel less stressed,and also time for my family and having fun together so we plan a movie night or a game night to help keep everyone smiling during the busy time.
  CHALLENGES.
  

  Inappropriate socio-economic conditions:the costs associated with transportation,ready to serve food for lunch and also child care are causing alot of expenditure causing financial strain for my husband.
  
  The inflexible eduction system:inappropriate curricula and limited collaboration of the instructors and classmates causes longer period of study due to strikes by students or lecturers.
  
  Physical and mental strain:constant worries about my child and also studies causes alot of stress,suffering from fatigue also is caused by the work pressure and multiple roles of being a mother and studying.