BLACK FOR THE FUTURE - None but ourselves can free our minds

As we celebrate Black History Month, leading life coach, Rasheed Ogunlaru, highlights how we can liberate our minds and build a better future.

Bob Marley, one of the most widely celebrated and successful characters in black history was right on point when he said “Emancipate Yourself from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds”. This is the challenge and is the key to happiness and progress for every man, woman and child living in the UK and around the world. Ironically this line is from Redemption Song, the last song on Marley’s last album. It was perhaps his masterpiece and perhaps he sensed his imminent death and the important of the way ahead. It charts a huge slice of black history from slavery to the modern challenges of the environment and the nuclear age. Ultimately is a rallying song for a brighter future.

Free your mind

The importance of Marley’s words is that everybody’s success, progress and happiness in life depends on their frame of mind and their outlook. Hundreds of years on from slavery and oppression many people are captives in their own mind. All great leaders and successful people like Bob Marley, Martin Luther King, and Mohammed Ali have great vision and have the ability to look beyond how things have been in history, and are at present. They challenge current thinking and refuse to be limited by the past or by the ideas of others.

Stuck in the past…or learned from it?

The past has many rich valuable lessons to help us understand ourselves, our stories and our evolution. But many people become stuck in the personal or cultural past. When this happens people tend to project negativity into the present and the future. This negative will convince you that you’re disadvantaged, disrespected, prejudiced against, won’t ever get a good job, and have to fight harder for anything. You may believe this whether it is the reality or not. You may believe these things about everybody even though their may be countless exceptions. Above all being stuck in a negative mindset will make your beliefs a self fulfilling prophecy. You probably know - many people who are stuck in the past perhaps unemployed, uninspired and uninterested, while others are moving on in their lives, careers and relationships. This is because some people run positive beliefs and others run negative ones. The lesson from black history is that all the characters we celebrate have believed in themselves, others and the possibilities of a richer life. So do many of the people you know who are moving ahead in life.

Inspiration

Who inspires you and why? Perhaps a famous figure from history or today or maybe a friend or relation. The chances are that you inspire someone with self belief, who inspires others, who has achieved things against the odds, has taken action and has gone on and done things in their life. If this is the case for you then this is the invitation for you to do the same. They may also have other qualities - and the chances are that they are qualities that you have.

Work from your strengths

Happiness and success always comes from appreciating and using what you already possess, not what you lack. Always work from your strengths and know that you are already a full, talented person. Working from your strengths then can branch out into areas that you may have perceived as weaknesses. So write down all your skills, talents, good qualities and achievements no matter how small. Write down all the challenges you have overcome and how. Now write down all the skills, talents and qualities those who know you would say you have. How can you use these strengths more? If anything where possible what would do in your life, career and relationships using these? What are the steps you’d need to take? Now take the first step this month - or even better today.

Positive parenting and relationships

If you are a parent or guardian, and if you have any kind of friendships or relationships with others, it’s key to their growth and yours that you give positive messages and encouragement to your children, friends and loved ones. It is proven that positive messages improve people’s educational success, personal growth and happiness and career development. In contrast 70% of the messages we receive every day are negative. These messages include things we hear or read in the media - and the things we say and think to ourselves and others. Your task is to turn that around. Ensure all the things that you say, think and do are positive and constructive. Start today and it will become a habit. Notice the change you will see in yourselves and others.

Plan for success

Key to getting anywhere in life is setting a destination and planning a route. When you go on holiday you plan your route and prepare a suitcase. When you go shopping you prepare a list. In contrast if you don’t know where your going you won’t get there. Once you know where you’re going and plan your route the chances are that if you take care of yourself and others that you will get there. So right now ask yourself what you do want in your life, career and relationships and stop wasting time thinking, and doing things you don’t want.

Strong support

Athletes who want to be at their best, train with the best and have the best coaches. They also take care of themselves, their diet and manage their time and focus. What people are positive in our life? How can you build on these relationships? Who else can help you move forward and how can you help them. What skills, study, research or help will help you move forward? How can you find it and who can help you? What people and things will have to be in order for you to move forward - and how can you do this sensitively.

Believe in yourself…. Throw out stereotypes

There’s a common belief that young back men underachieve. If you tell somebody or yourself that they will under-achieve it is proven that they will. If you tell someone that they a whole, talented and have potential and focus on the strengths they will grow. I believe that there are a generation of young black men who are ready to throw out the stereotypes and who have a great potential. If you look back 20 years you’d see few black faces in the UK’s media, in sport, in business, in the arts. The numbers have increased. Focus on the positives and let that be your encouragement. Interestingly over the last 20 or so years there has been a belief among many black women that they are professional able and moving forward. It’s that belief that has created the reality of many black women achieving more today. If you’re a young black male let all these possibilities focus you on what you can achieve.

The reality is that we are diverse and skilled, and have all differing shapes, sizes and lifestyles. You don’t need a label, throw them out. You are unique.

Live for today

Take responsibility for our life, your thoughts and actions and let others do the same. The past is dead. The future is unborn. Live in the present and plant your seeds for success right now.

Rasheed Ogunlaru is a life coach, business coach and speaker. For more information visit www.rasaru.com