“Someone I loved once gave me a box full of darkness.
It took me years to understand that this too, was a gift”
– Mary Oliver
Now when I look back on it. I must admit that for most of my life, I was asleep.
I spent my youth daydreaming. I felt lost. I ‘felt’ this emptiness that I couldn’t describe in words.
I FELT HOPELESS.
Every time, I would try to visualise my future, all I saw was a black cloud. A black cloud of hopelessness. And no, I’m not describing some voodoo or magic trick.
I remember going for interviews and being asked: “where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time?”
I would make up a lie or two. Note to self: How the heck am I supposed to know? Do I look like a crystal ball?
SO, I CONTINUED TOWARDS MY PATH OF HOPELESSNESS AND TRIED ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING.
I ran so many businesses, you name it. I’ve done it.
I guess you can call me a serial entrepreneur; from running a hair extensions business to a skin & hair care business to finally a marketing agency, which is when I knew I was really lost as I had no interest in running an agency let alone a marketing agency. LOL. Millennial much?
LITTLE DID I KNOW. I WAS HAVING QUARTER-LIFE CRISIS. IT IS A REAL THING. GOOGLE IT.
With each business or blog, I’d started nothing stuck.
Nothing felt authentic. I knew deep in my heart that I was headed in the wrong direction, but I didn’t know how to retrace my steps.
I didn’t know that what I was searching for was within me.
I didn’t realise what I needed in my life was someone to direct me. Perhaps a mentor, a coach or even a therapist.
Someone to help me self-reflect and to ask me hard-hitting questions that no one else dared.
So, after years of feeling hopeless. In 2014, I packed my bags and left London for Africa.
In the first year, I had a blast and I was truly happy. I loved my life, the sun and my career was going okay (ish).
And then in 2016, something happened to me.
I took a break from my career in Marketing. I tried to start a marketing agency and it was proving a bit difficult.
Then my (apparent) soulmate broke up with me via WhatsApp. Side note: I don’t believe in soulmates anymore. Yikes.
Then my perfectly healthy dog of two years died at the VETS. Side note: Story for another day.
I FELT HOPELESS. AGAIN.
I cried. And cried. And cried myself to sleep for 7 days straight.
Apparently, heartbreak comes in threes. Side note: why didn’t I get the memo? LOL.
Then one day, I was listening to a motivational talk by Victoria Osteen and I realised I could turn my life around.
Her talk gave me an idea of creating a platform of positivity that would send daily reminders to people to encourage them and help them navigate through the difficulties of life.
Months after her talk, I picked up a journal and the book Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill and then my personal development journey began.
I began exploring the meaning of life, my purpose and what I was here to do on this earth.
Then, I started attending self-development workshops and doing daily affirmations.
In August 2016, I remember writing “my purpose is to inspire, empower and motivate people to success”.
I remember recording those words as a voice note on my phone “My purpose is to inspire, empower and motivate people to success”.
THE FASCINATING THING IS THAT WE LEARN MORE FROM PAIN THAN WE DO FROM PLEASURE. PAIN IS A TEACHER.
So many times, we try and run away from our problems, yet we fail to realise that confrontation often leads to a breakthrough.
DO NOT RUN FROM YOUR SHADOW.
We tend to tell ourselves that ‘WE ARE OKAY’.
We tell our friends that ‘WE ARE FINE’.
We tell our parents that we are ‘DOING GREAT’.
But what we really want to say is ‘I DON’T KNOW WHAT I AM DOING WITH MY LIFE’.
I am in the wrong career.
My relationship is a total ‘MESS’.
I am ‘LOST’.
We fail to give ourselves permission, to tell the truth.
So, we hide behind social media creating false narratives pretending that ‘WE ARE FINE’. LOL.
But here’s the truth. At some point, we are ALL going to have to be honest with ourselves.
At some point, we are going to have to look in the mirror and admit that we are a ‘LITTLE LOST’ and that’s okay.
In October 2017, I came up with Lioness Awaken® and started coaching people who felt they had no purpose based on lessons learnt from my Quarter-life crisis.
By December, I had enrolled in Coaching School and was working towards getting a Diploma in Transformational Coaching.
Then, in August 2018 I realised I wanted to put positive affirmations on apparel wear and I started having ideas for Lioness Awaken® Apparel and the rest is history.
LIONESS AWAKEN®.
Many moons ago, I realised something.
Pain fuels my creativity.
Pain is my paintbrush.
Pain is my muse.
I birthed Lioness Awaken® during one of those ‘dark days’. When I was heartbroken and disappointed.
I started Lioness Awaken® Apparel because I believe that the mind is a battlefield. And our thoughts are under siege.
But I believe that our words are our armour. I believe that words have power.
Power to destroy or to build up. I choose the latter. DAILY.
My mission is to encourage one million women (and men) around the world to take on the world, one positive thought at a time with AWKN Apparel.
Together, I believe we can move mountains but not until we have taken our words, thoughts and fears captive.
Creative Director | Lioness Awaken® Apparel
Lioness Awaken® Apparel is a positive affirmation brand and a global movement. Founded by a transformational life coach, whose passion is to help people transform their minds daily by using affirmations. SHOP AWKN.
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