Angela, don’t forget to pray, Angela, go and take a shower.
Angela, make your bed, Angela, wash your breakfast dishes after you eat.
Angela, wipe the table, Angela rinse your mouth after breakfast.
These are just some of the many orders my Africanadian parents reminds me every morning after I wake up from my sleep!
At school, it is no different.
Angela, help your classmate, Angela, help carry these books.
Angela, hand out these notes, Angela, finish your food before recess.
Angela, write in your agenda at the end of the day.
My teachers telling my peers and I what to do and almost sound like my parents at times!
When I come home, there is more for me to endure from my parents.
Angela, do the lunch dishes. Angela, go and take a shower.
Angela, practice your piano songs. Angela, finish your homework.
Angela, set up the dinner table. Angela, clean your room.
Angela, clean the bathroom. Angela lights out and go to bed.
As I am putting down my head, I could hear echoes of Angela, Angela, Angela, Angela…do this do that…did you do this and that … did you remember to …….. zzzzzzzzz ….. sleeping.
One day, I had enough of all these. I said to myself, I am tired of this TV-Remote relationship. All this while, I was a TV being controlled by the remote control. I decided to be the remote control and control the channels of my life. That is when I decided that it would be best if I become a proactive girl.
When you are proactive, you do things without being asked. Being reminded and told what to do is to be reactive. My parents and teachers had to remind me about everything that I had to do. When my parents read the book 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens for us, I decided to start changing my ways.
To be proactive, you need to first know what is expected of you. Know your daily schedule and what you should be doing at each time of the day. Know when the homework is due so you can hand it in a day early. Know what time you reach home from school so you can wash the dishes the moment you reach home. Know when it is time to write in your agenda so you can have it out a couple of minutes beforehand. If you know what you are to do and when you are to do them, you can be prepared for your upcoming tasks and you could even do them before hand to impress your parents or teachers.
There are many benefits of being proactive. A few of them are
- People around you will trust you to help with important things.
- You will have a good reputation when it comes to helping
- You will learn many things that you see your parents do like washing the dishes, cleaning the bathroom, etc.
- Completing what you need to do can lead to more privileges from your parents and teachers.
- It just feels good doing what you are supposed to do before you are told to; you feel more mature.
Now you know how to be proactive and its benefits. I know it seems hard to be proactive but if you start small and work harder every day to do bigger tasks, you will become an expert in no time! Another name for a proactive person is being a “do-it” person. Let’s be the do-it boys and do-it girls of this generation! Remember, you are the remote control and you can change your life’s channels before you are told to.
Angela-Acaye