Linda Ikeji: To Stay Happy, Enjoy Your Life As It Is

Linda Ikeji: To Stay Happy, Enjoy Your Life As It Is

Like one who has survived depression, celebrity blogger and ex model, Linda Ikeji, has shared incisive tips on how to walk all over life’s challenges, writes Omolabake Fasogbon

A popular quote goes thus, “Depression does not equal weakness, real strength is reaching out”, but again, depression can actually be a ‘loser’ in life’s toughest ordeal. This is simply the gist when the popular blogger penned down a motivational piece to dissuade a feeling that has seen many off to a journey of no return.

Baring her mind on the issue that has squeezed life out of many, the 39 year-old mother of one wrote on her instagram page earlier in the week: “I think the best way to stay happy is letting go of what you think your life is supposed to be and embracing what your life is. One of the greatest reasons for depression is lack of fulfillment. Not getting the things you want, the things you believe you deserve, the things you have fought for, prayed for, hoped for…the failures. Then you start looking at other people’s lives and comparing…forgetting everyone is on their own journey and no two journeys, even along the same path, are alike. 

“To stay happy, you have to enjoy your life as it is. It is all that you have. It is all that matters. And then look into the future with trust in God and trust in your journey.”

Depression, like death, is no respecter of any mortal, notwithstanding, it can be defeated by approaching life with optimism and contentment, as the blogger has averred in her post. Unfortunately, this malady seems to be winning so fast in this clime, such that new cases of suicide, arising from it, are being recorded almost on a weekly basis.

Available report also shows that Nigeria has recorded a not less than 42 cases of suicide in six months, perhaps, the worst in the country’s history, which is why folks are lending more voices to it before the situation gets overly out of hand.

Linda’s reaction might be coming a bit late when the crisis seems to be cooling off, but her words of admonition are quite deep and heartening. In a very unusual way, the award-winning writer makes a deviation from her routine – stirring controversy and sniffing for gossips, to address a pressing dilemma, which in a way has earned her a good spot in the mind of fans and even critics.

As it is that no one is completely immune to depression, one can, to a very large extent, say that Linda’s life’s narratives at different occasions have only pointed out that she is a master over depression.

From having a child at an age that the society considered too late for a woman, and doing so out of wedlock, she definitely must have been nurturing some blows which she refused to allow get her down.

Once, while trying to clear the air on her single parent status, she said, “One of the things I have learnt in my life’s journey is that your idea of how life should go might be different from the way life actually goes. It’s called Life Happening. Sometimes it unfolds into something we never dreamed of but because we don’t recognise the route we find ourselves on our journey through life, doesn’t mean God won’t get us to our destination. Remember, an uncertain chapter doesn’t ruin the whole book. Life will happen whether we are ready or not. All we can do is keep our heads up and keep moving.”

The media mogul has since been lambasted for betraying her words, being a critic of having a child out of wedlock. Yet, she swallowed her words but still cares less about trolls. On this, she declares, “There’s nothing that I have preached that I didn’t practice. So you guys should stop trolling me over this abeg.”

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