Favour Echebiri’s Post

People ask me all the time how I run a successful voiceover business for myself and the four young voice actors I have birthed, while maintaining balance as a wife, mom, friend, volunteer, occasional substitute teacher, and the many other hats I wear. Here are some things that work for me: ⏰ **Efficient Use of Time:** Much of parenting is spent waiting, amiright? So I handle work tasks during downtime, like responding to email during gymnastics practice, or while waiting in the dentist’s office during a child’s cleaning. This helps maximize productivity so I can be present when my child returns from their activity. ☎️ **Active Work Calls:** When a friend or voiceover colleague wants to set up a chat, I like to make it a phone call instead of a video chat so I can walk and talk at the same time. That way I can exercise AND enjoy some accountability and brainstorming! Or yesterday I scheduled a call with a new regional agent while getting a pedicure (and no one was the wiser!) Taking advantage of the wonderful capabilities of AirPods means work calls can happen anywhere! 🚶♀️🚶**Shared Activities:** My husband is a total morning person, and even though I wouldn’t place myself in that category, when it’s sunny and mid-60’s and the birds are singing, who can resist? ☀️ So this morning I was happily up before 6am chatting with him while we took a brisk walk around the neighborhood, and lemme tell ya, morning people LOVE that! So what if we were catching up on our kids’ latest happenings, the grocery list for our upcoming lake vacation, and all kinds of other everyday stuff? That’s what a comfortable 20-year marriage is made of. 💞 The point is, it doesn’t have to complicated, there doesn’t have to be a system, and you don’t have to feel guilty about ignoring your kid for 5 minutes while you answer an urgent email so that you can get it off your brain and go back to being 💯 present with them. Let’s quit treating “multitasking” like a dirty word. For me, it’s a synonym for “freedom” and my family likes it just fine. Be free today! 🙌 And if you want, I’d love to hear how YOU multitask in your own business and life! 🌟 #WorkLifeBalance #Multitasking #FamilyTime #Productivity #Efficiency #RemoteWork #Freelancer #TracyLindleyVoiceovers

Growing up watching Bollywood movies, many had a part in developing certain interests in my life. For example, I am huge Bhool Bhulaiyaa fan. And it was the movie that got me interested in Psychology. Do you think movies had a part in developing certain interests of your life? PS: Bhool Bhulaiyaa isn’t just a movie but a part of my childhood. Part 2 really disappointed me. #movies #bhoolbhulaiyaa #storywriting #psychology #contentcreation

Why I Watch Movies And TV Shows Yesterday I shared an experience from watching The Real Housewives of Lagos on Showmax. Sometimes I get some comments like, “You get time to watch stuff oo” or “What did you learn after watching this movie or TV show?” Well, apart from entertaining myself I watch movies and TV shows for 5 reasons; 1️⃣ To Use The English Language Better There are some words I learned from watching some movies and shows. Watching a movie or series is an opportunity for me to learn new words and I always look forward to it. 2️⃣ Learning New Words And Their Meanings I shared a mental health phenomenon a few weeks back - Münchausen syndrome. I learned it from watching The Blacklist - a Hollywood series, did research on it and created content out of it. 3️⃣ Engaging My Overly Active Mind There are some places I’ve only been in my head 😂. I am not ashamed of it because it helps my creativity. I imagine myself in different scenarios and how I will react. Sometimes I write about them and I’m really happy to have such an active mind. 4️⃣ How The Producer/Writer Perceives The World Everything we watch on our screen is a product of someone’s creativity. I love knowing what makes people tick. When I watch a scene, I try to understand what message the screenwriter is trying to pass. I love doing this a lot. 5️⃣ Learning New Places And Cultures I know a lot about places because of some of the shows I’ve seen. When I hear the name of a city or place I haven’t heard before, I go online to research it. I love learning how life is in some other part of the world. The next time you watch a movie or series, try putting these 5 things in mind. It will help ease the guilt of “wasting your time” especially when the movie or series didn’t end the way you want. You can thank me later😉. In the meantime, kindly like, drop a comment and repost. ———————————————————————————— I am Toluwanimi Olawuyi, an emotional intelligence instructor and a mental health therapist. I create content that can help you to lead an emotionally intelligent life. Click on the follow button. 📷 Me acting out a scene during an audition

Dear April Advice Column #6 By April Yvette Oct. 11, 2023   Q: Dear April, I find it hard to walk into rooms and introduce myself to crowds of people. When I get on stage I sometimes stammer & stutter. How do I ensure that it's not a detriment to my sales flow? A: Dear friend, It's common for people feel fear or anxiety while networking in a crowd of people or speak on stage. Therapists say the cause of stage fright is a fear of failure, fear of embarrassment, fear of rejection or judgement or a subset of social anxiety disorder. When your body goes into a fight or flight response it floods your brain with adrenaline. The adrenaline produces the symptoms of stage fright. Stage fright can be overcome or managed. In my 20’s and 30’s, I had a dream of being an actress on the big screen and win an Oscar. So, I started going to local auditions for small acting roles, TV commercials and modeling jobs. I was so scared on camera and on stage that I was sweating profusely, and my throat would close-up. One time during a live audition I completely froze, forgot my lines, said something random and I cried on the drive home. But I did not quit! All of this was preparing me for what I do now. I kept putting myself out there and exposing myself on camera and on stage again and again until it felt like second nature and the fear released. I still get butterflies before a big speaking engagement, but I’ve learned to manage it, remain calm and confident. I have no fear of hosting a live video and my sales flow. You can too! Here are a few things I did to overcome fear of speaking on camera, on stage and networking: 1)   Breathe deeply and pray for a feeling of calm and confidence before stepping out there. Be prepared and then surrender it. Give it to God! 2)   Say affirmations, “It’s ok for me to be imperfect. I am accepted and worthy just as I am now.” 3)   Take negative thoughts captive and cast them out! Take a limiting thought (the lie) and turn it around by saying the exact opposite (the truth). Then find 3 pieces of evidence that prove the NEW empowering thought is actually TRUE. This mental shift helps you go from stuck and anxious to calmer and moving forward again. 4)   Visualize yourself speaking with confidence, the audience applauding and sales flowing with ease. 5)   Avoid caffeine or stimulants. 6)  Work on your confidence. Speak with conviction level confidence on your topic, expertise and your offer! That is the secret to a flow of sales! Make sure there is alignment with everything you say and do. Just keep EXPOSING yourself on camera, speaking and networking until the fear releases and you feel confident. You CAN do this! April Submit your question for DEAR APRIL ADVICE COLUMN. It's anonymous! LINK in the comments below! If you found this help, be sure to subscribe, comment and share. Thank you so much! #motivationalspeaker #dearapriladvicecolumn #salescoach #personalgrowth

A couple is sitting on the couch together watching television. The wife turns off the television and asks her husband what’s wrong. The husband says nothing is wrong, he was just trying to watch the show. The wife gets upset and tells the husband that he always shuts down and never shares his feelings with her. The husband says that he doesn’t know what she is talking about and that she is overreacting. The wife gets pissed, starts yelling “you’re so cold and emotionless”. The husband says he has work to do and leaves the room. No dear wife- yelling doesn’t make him hear you more. No dear husband- shutting down doesn’t make the issue go away. This is a common pattern in marital relationships- and it is known as the pursuer-distancer pattern. According to research, the most common reason couples fall out of love and stop being intimate is because of a pursuer-distancer dynamic that develops over time. The pursuer/distancer pattern can be a normal pattern in relationships during times of stress BUT it can be extremely destructive if it becomes entrenched. This can interfere with their ability to maintain a loving connection. I see this pattern way too often in my couple therapy work. If you feel your couple relationship displays this pattern, don't hesitate to seek professional help from a clinical psychologist/ qualified couple therapist. +++ Hundreds of couples have benefited from my Couples Masterclass. Join the wait list NOW! Link in comments #couplegoals #communication #couplestherapy #attachmentstyles #mentalhealth

An epilogue… Next Wednesday I’ll be bidding farewell to Conturae as their in-house Content Coordinator, a role I’ve enjoyed (and been challenged in) alongside a team of very lovely, talented people Dan Debnam, Jen Timothy and Sam Halfyard. As well as the equally brilliant Owen Roberts and Jamie Debnam. Change has been a little forced on me, but change is also good and new opportunities have arisen that are both terrifying and welcomed. My mum has suffered from mental health issues my whole life and nearing 80 her situation has become even trickier to support. She has hoarders disorder (there - I've outed my childhood for the very first time!) and crippling OCD and well, basically, I need to step up and step in more and more, and it’s impacted my work/life balance a lot. To quote quote Caitlin Moran, from a book Owen kindly gave me: “By the age of 40, chances are, you will have become a fifth emergency service: friends’ marriages are imploding; your parents are becoming ill, or dying; your children’s teenage years are when they truly need you to be around as much as possible. You have a marriage to keep alive, two careers in the household to maintain, a pile of stuff at the bottom of the stairs that no one else seems to realise NEEDS TO BE TAKEN UPSTAIRS, and the slow realisation that your life really isn’t turning out how you’d always presumed it would.” Quite. So I’m taking control of this moment as I enter my “Carer Era” and will be giving myself the much-needed schedule of working ad-hoc, on my terms, so that I’m around and able to adapt to any situation; whether it’s my mum having a fall (again) or forgetting why she’s shuffled down the road (again), to letting my four year old be at home for the day, if she’s not feeling well. All guilt-free. And present. I’ll be continuing my relationship with Conturae as a content consultant and writer. I will also take on freelance projects both as a copywriter and content strategist. And because I need to finally scratch the itch - I am also registering as a LAMDA (London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art) tutor, going back to my routes as an actress, to nurture young talent and support those who simply want to gain confidence with words and take their space in the world. Thanks to those who’ve rallied around me recently, both in my home life - and at work. Onwards.

It's that season where the life can feel both joyous and chaotic. For times like these, when the urgency of the holidays or other year-end activities can create stress, it's important to slow down. One of my favorite sources of inspiration for this is Nedra Tawwab's book "Set Boundaries, Find Peace." It's is a self-care book written for navigating interpersonal relationships. However, I have found it immensely useful in my work-life as a self-employed small business owner. I've found that people bring all kinds of preconceptions with them about me. There are various ones that get on my nerves: - People from creative backgrounds (spaces I've inhabited) may not see the craft in what I do as a freelance copywriter. - People may assume I can be treated like an employee in the direction of micromanagement as their contractor. - People may assume I don't earn as much tech workers as a creative. The truth is, I earned close to what my Senior Data Scientist husband earned this year. The list goes on, but I'll stop there. Setting boundaries can look different to different individuals. For me, it's about proactively knowing what my guiding principles are through introspective work. It's also about protecting the unique value I bring. As a one-woman business owner, I not only proactively develop my own business policies and practices, I aim to manage expectations as fast and intentionally as possible. I note down issues, such as inaccurate narratives or distractingly late payments or even legal problems, and develop a work policy around them to prevent them from coming up again. Boundary setting isn't only about saying "no." It's also about protecting the mental peace required to do our best work. Sometimes a "no" is a "yes." With this in mind, I wish for everyone to build spaces for your under-recognized qualities or needs to shine in 2024. #freelancebusiness #boundariesarehealthy #settingboundaries #selfemployment

What do your dreams revealed about your future? Please visit my website to connect: drcrystalbrownlewis #lifecoaching #peaceonearth #selflove #mentalhealthawareness #depression #depressed #holidayseason #christmas #anxiety #mentalhealth #help #alone #depressionawareness #happiness #suicideprevention #loveyourself #meditation #feelings #hope #dreams #inspiration #positivity #like #happy #inspirationalquotes #brokenheart #motivatinalvideos #mindset #support #love DISCLAIMER: No Copyright Infringement caption intended, music not mine. Music belongs to the rightful owner.

We often hear, "If you are struggling, please reach out to someone for help." This sentiment will work if the person is in a lucid period or in the early stages of the mire. However, it may fall on deaf ears if the person is deep in the mire, or completely overwhelmed with 'life'. Why deaf ears? When people are all consumed with life, the only voice they hear is their own, and that voice is telling them to ignore the world. That voice, the one that comforted us as a child whenever we were struggling or afraid, has now become our enemy. So why don't we ask for help, and why does that voice try in vain to comfort us as it did when we were a child? Fear is the answer for most of us. Fear of burdening you with our issues, fear of what you might say to us, fear that you may scold or scorn us, fear that what you suggest may make things worse, fear of the repercussions of our actions, fear that you may view us as a failure, fear that we will never be seen the same way again, fear that we will never recover, fear of what the future holds if any future at all, fear of the unknown, fear of... The list is endless. Yes, these fears are irrational, illogical, and often unfounded. But we don't know that, because we aren't thinking rationally or logically. When overwhelmed, we are unable to think like you, to rationalise like you, to bring clarity to what you are saying. We can't work out why you don't get it, why you can't see what we see, why you aren't listening to us, why you don't understand that we can't simply "snap out of it". So what should you do to help us when we are overwhelmed? Take us to get some help if we readily want to go, encourage us to get some help if we won't go for help, listen to us without judging us or trying to fix us, ask us what we are thinking and feeling, or just be there for us. A warm smile, a kind word, a hug from a loved one can be enough to keep us going. Remind us that we are loved, that we won't be scorned or scolded, that you don't care what we've done. Just be there for us when we need you. Let's talk! #mindhealth #mentalhealth #stress #stressmanagement #depression

I escape from my reality by diving into fiction. But I don't go there just to float. I enjoy the underwater adventures and discoveries that come as a result. When I work on the plot of my own books, I take a step back and see the story beats in my own life. This was the part where I thought I lost everything. This is my training arc. This is where I made a new connection that changed my story for better or worse. This was a plot twist and a half 😅. When I work on my characters, I get the chance to analyse in detail what I like and dislike in terms of aura and personality. I learn what I truly value, and what I look for in myself and others. I learn what kind of beliefs, temperaments, and qualities I avoid and why I avoid them. When I write, I often find things I didn't know I was looking for And by letting others read my work, I allow parts of my self to be found. 😌 The parts that you can't always see during a casual conversation or brief encounter. Want to take a deep dive beneath the waves of who you seem to be and find out who you actually are? DM me or leave a comment. It doesn't matter if we find pearls or sea monsters when we reach those depths. I can help you deal with both. ^V^ 🖖🏽 I'm Sakinah, a Soul Coach with a deep love for words, both written and spoken. 🗣 I help healthcare professionals with poor mental health escape their cage of silence. 💌 DM me to book a short clarity session and learn more about my therapeutic listening and writing services. #healthcare #healthcareprofessionals