There is a chinese proverb that states that “He who blames others has a long way to go on his journey, he who blames himself is halfway there and he who blames no one has arrived.”

I came across this proverb three years ago , I was celebrating my 50th Birthday as well as My Parents 50th Wedding Anniversary in far away Antalya, Turkey.

I will never forget the morning I drank from these words. I was sitting on the balcony  and staring through the space of the most tranquil mountains. The peace of the moment was filled with wealth.

I kept on repeating these words to myself “he who blames himself is halfway there and he who blames no one has arrived.”he who blames himself is halfway there and he who blames no one has arrived.”

There and then I made a personal decision to ALWAYS look within and to ALWAYS point the fingers at THE MAN IN THE MIRROR. 

 It had always dawned on me that to know and to embrace oneself came with the responsibility of addressing ones faults, shortcomings, imperfections and areas of improvement.

Till this day, I still believe that his process also creates a sense of self awareness,clarity, foresight and a healthy outlook when dealing with people, situations, thoughts, feelings and actions. 

In recent years, I have also realised that a lot of people who are in self denial or spend time blaming people, blaming the world and pointing fingers – are not very happy people. 

Do you know of such people ? 

Today I am 53, but most importantly I still feed from those God sent words 3 years ago in far away Turkey.

At 53, It has given me a sense of clarity in life to know who I am and to acknowledge my many imperfections through Life and its beautiful twists. 

Each morning , I wake up with a new excitement, ready and able to work on the old Tony, ready and able to create new stories and make improvements  on my several flaws.

I start the day with my Bible, Warm water and Good thoughts. 

My Motto in Life has always been to Be the Change I want to See in Society. This means the world to me.

I have never lived in any City without making an impact on the people and the community. 

We do not need permission to make a difference in our vicinity. 

You see, its not just about what people say, its more about what people do, their actions and the examples they set to empower others.

My passion and purpose in making a difference also comes with the deep realisation of the importance to look within , work on my flaws and never be part of the blame game of pointing fingers at the world. 

At 53, it feels amazing to wake up each morning with new tasks, new goals, new targets , but the same vision. 

To know oneself is a beautiful feeling.

To explore new territories, adds value to our mindset, outlook and values. 

 I have been blessed with the opportunity to visit over 33 countries around the world. I have always had a passion for travelling from a very early age. 

My thirst to see many countries around the world has also expanded my mind to think differently ,  act differently and always embrace the beauty of thinking and living outside the box. 

At 53, to share new experiences in different regions around the world is a source of fulfillment  

At 53, it is a beautiful feeling to create new legacies in our pursuits to become better people, 

But most importantly at 53, I still have a long way to go in working on myself and doing more for family, friends and humanity. 

As I celebrate my birthday each year, I also set a task to be fulfilled.

 So this year, as part of the celebrations  I have just produced a video titled . “WHAT MAKES LAGOS SO SPECIAL” You can click on the link here to watch the short documententary . Do not forget to subscribe to the youtube channel –     

As part of the celebrations, I am also organising an online awards aimed at promoting the achievements of local champions in my local community and much later next month, I will be travelling to Talllin , Estonia for both business and pleasure. 

Today, I am blessed to be alive,  Today, I feel blessed that you have made time to read these words and I hope they will make a difference to you because I love you very much.

Always remember that in LIFE, it is easy to point fingers at others and society , but the moment you start to point those same fingers at yourself, your journey becomes lighter  and a new sense of growth unfolds, blessed with the radiance of clarity, humility and a priceless thirst for LIFE

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, BE YOURSELF – WE ARE ALL BLESSED WITH DIFFERENT VERSIONS AND THERE IS NOTHING AS BEAUTIFUL AS ORIGINALITY 

TRUE HAPPINESS STARTS FROM WITHIN – KNOW YOURSELF

STAY BLESSED 

TONY TOKUNBO ETEKA  FERNANDEZ