A Tale of Self Motivation Through Video and Images

© Pencil Case Studios

Yesterday I was on the brink of a nervous breakdown as my professional and personal life seemed to be blurring in very disturbing and discomforting ways.  My mind is a terrible place to get lost in when my soul is morose and my spirit is flagging.  To help myself along, I posted this image on Facebook, laughed at the attempted typo correction, then decided to take the rest of the day off as it indicated that only men were meant to be working.  Yes I can twist anything to my benefit when needed.

With so many things up in the air, and unsatisfactorily so, I thought it best to forensically sift through my thoughts and feelings to root out the evil and get back on track.  Last week I blogged about maintaining the happiness inside while making sure it reflects outwardly too, and so need to keep honouring that. So here is what I came to realise:

I am a giant killer! I am David out to conquer her Goliaths.  Great things come in small packages ;}

© George Evans

I am fearless and this fuels my persistence.  I will never give up, I will find that rainbow and ride it till I get my gold: I am looking for more than just money, I need meaning to be truly content.  My journey may take a little longer but I WILL GET THERE! 

© Pencil Case Studios

I can auction a goat that doesn't want to be sold even after tries to run away then jumps and bites me in efforts to escape. That's some serious skill! 

Was asked last minute to help with an auction
to raise money for Chibolya Clinic to service
35,000 people with no immediate access
to healthcare.  Check out Empowerment Zambia

We all have been blessed with the power within to be our own hero, to fight our fights and to keep going, even when things are hard.

I am truly blessed with women in my life, old and new, who are there for me to rant, to be vulnerable, to encourage me when I doubt myself, and support me no matter what.  Communion with women I have found gets harder as one gets older.  Glad that the ones in my life aren't the kind that secretly hate you and are friends with you so they can feel better about themselves, or want minions to follow them and worship them.  My friends are invested in my happiness as much as I am in theirs.  A lot of my friends live scattered across the world, mainly elsewhere in Africa, Europe and the US so having a group here to support me so selflessly is really special. 

I have found community on and offline through people like Mwanabibi, Lwanga and MissBwalya, online forums like Zedian Naturals (sorry closed Facebook Group, but if you have natural hair and are thinking of transitioning, let me know on Facebook and I can request for you to join) and Insaka Chat, and have found my creative niche through a collaboration with fellow entrepreneurial creatives through Project Cascade: check out #ProjCascade.

@projcascade: @HartwrightAZ @PurpleTembo @c1rca1964
@pencilcasestudi @Yandapps @BongoHive @StartupJunct
© Dan Hartwright Photography

All the men in my life, most of whom I happen to be collaborating with on this project, treat me as an equal, respect my opinions and are such gentlemen. They express their indignation when the misogyny, chauvanism and sexual harrassment that comes with it, rear their ugly head in my life and in others.  As my father says: never be a lesser woman because of a weak man.  They never ask me to be anything other than myself and for this I am eternally grateful.  To the men in Zambia who chose to act like $"#@*&s:

After remembering all of this I said to myself quiet little one quiet! Hush, all is well :)  Hope this little sojourn through my thought process to keep my optimism afloat helps you too...

© Pencil Case Studios