Webinar with April Laugh: Earning profit in the fitness industry (Apr 26)
Lola Komolafe, founder of April Laugh is a fitness enthusiast, a meal plan genius, and a healthy foodie. Join us for a webinar with her on Apr. 26th, as she shares with us how she progressed from passion to profit. Are you passion driven, or profit driven? Wait a minute! Who says it isn’t possible to pursue both? For many people, working is about much more than simply paying the bills. It’s about having a full life, using talents and making a difference. Understand that knowing your passion is a lot more easier than learning how to make money from it full time. Whatever it is you love to do, there are an incredible amount of ways to monetize your passion. Lola Komolafe discovered her passion for fitness and a healthy living and started organizing fitness challenges online, before long she got positive testimonies from friends she’d helped and decided to do what she loved full time, thereby giving birth to April Laugh. Join us for a 45-minute webinar with Lola Komolafe on Wednesday April 26th, 2017. We’ll be discussing how to discover your true passion and make money from what you enjoy doing. Register below to get the exclusive link to the webinar. [bctt tweet=”Learn how to turn your hobby into money. Join @fitmrsfats for a webinar on Wed Apr. 26th ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Some of the topics we’ll cover: Starting out in a non-traditional industry Turning a hobby into money Stages and steps to a healthy living Juggling work, life and your finances while working from home. Webinar Details: Date: Wednesday April 26th Time: 2pm UK // 2pm Lagos // 3pm Johannesburg Watch here: About Lola Komolafe Lola Komolafe aka April Laugh is a Fitness Entrepreneur, Certified Nutritionist, Meal Plan Genius and a Fitness Enthusiast who takes conscious efforts to live a healthy lifestyle. She helped her husband to lose over 40kg and has been inspiring people to adopt lifestyle changes with the #LifestyleChangeWithApril 12 Weeks Challenge. She’s also a God-fearing wife and mom to Bryan and lives in England. You can read more about her on here and find her on Instagram: @fitmrsfats
How to land a job with the African Union Commission
[bctt tweet=”Would you like to work for the AU? Here are some tips on how you can land a job with the AU” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] The African Union Commission, previously the Organisaton of African Unity, is Africa’s biggest and most influential regional body. Its origins span from a time the continent was fighting against colonialism and Apartheid with African heroes such as Kwame Nkrumah, Emperor Hailie Selassie, Muammar Gaddafi, Sekou Touré, Jomo Kenyatta, Julius Nyerere and many others being its founding fathers. It’s 54 years later and the AU has won its fight against colonialism and Apartheid and has shifted its focus to the development of the continent in order to create a prosperous, people-centered Africa which is a key global player. More and more young people want to join the AU and contribute to the development of the continent. Would you like to work for the AU? Besides meeting the requirements of the job description here are some tips on how you can land a job with the AU. Be a Pan Africanist! In order to work for Africa’s largest regional organization, you have to love the continent and be a Pan-Africanist. Pan-Africanism is essentially the belief that African unity is important for the social, political and economic development of the African people. When talking about Pan-Africanism, other theories such as Black Consciousness and Ubuntu come to mind. However, this should not just be a theory, you should genuinely believe in a Pan-African Africa with a strong regional identity. Your belief in Pan-Africanism should be evident in your cover letter, make it known through the interview, and your personal and professional experiences should speak to that. Demonstrate that you have done development work in your community. This is very important. Your previous and current experiences (personal and professional) should demonstrate that you have been active in the African development space, especially in your country of origin and/or its sub-region. This shows that you aware of and can conceptualize the realities that Africa is faced with in different subjects and can make a meaningful contribution as you are in sync with the realities. Be African with an international view The African Union works with a wide variety of organizations and governments worldwide. The pool of AU staff come from different African countries and the diaspora. This means that you will constantly work with people from different countries, cultures, and backgrounds, whose working language is probably different from yours (The AU has four official working languages). You have to be culturally sensitive and be willing to learn from other people’s cultures and backgrounds. You have to demonstrate an international outlook and be forward thinking. Any international experience you might have will work out in your favour. Do not conceptualize ideas within the framework of your country origin but it should have an African and international view. Simply put do not give a single country’s view/perspective to solve continental problems. Be diplomatic Diplomacy plays a huge part in the African Union’s work so you need to be diplomatic. You need to be able to find diplomatic solutions in your work and in all your experiences. Most, if not all, of the work done at the AU is very sensitive so you need to be sensitive to others while so you need to be tactful and consider everyone’s opinions while maintaining your own. Know Agenda 2063 Agenda 2063 is the holy grail of the African Union as it is the continent’s 50-year developmental framework. It is based on seven aspirations which will result in the “Africa We Want”. Agenda 2063 works towards creating a prosperous, peaceful, people-centered Africa with a regional identity. If you want to land a job with the AU you have to know and understand Agenda 2063 and its flagship projects which are currently being implemented. For the first time, the AU’s focus is not only predominantly on peace and security but on the continent’s development and making it a key player in the global arena. Agenda 2063 does not belong to the AU but to all Africans! It relies heavily on its implementation by member states. Every single African has the responsibility to seeing this great plan through in order for the continent to enjoy the fruits of its aspirations. Thousands of people who meet the job description apply for jobs at the AU Commission but it is those who robustly believe in themselves and the continent who get the job. If you would like to get more information on vacancies at the AU Commission visit http://aucareers.org/
Tips from Shonda Rhimes on handling tough conversations
[bctt tweet=”Fight your way through uncomfortable situations at work with these tips” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Raise your hand if you would rather avoid confrontation and addressing difficult conversations that make you uncomfortable at work? Not because you are slow and don’t know how to stand up for yourself. Instead, it just isn’t something that comes naturally to you. To some, this may seem like an absurd thing because, how hard can it be to articulate a fluent conversation that isn’t muffled by fear or anxiety? All I can say from experience is these things happen. Long after the moment where you had the opportunity to speak up is gone, you find yourself considering all the smart things you should have said. If this sounds like you, rest assured that you are not alone. As big of an influencer Shonda Rhimes is, she had to fight her way through uncomfortable situations at work in as graceful of a manner as possible. She had to learn how to stop avoiding conversations she did not want to have. Chapter 8 of her book, Year of Yes details the struggle and importance of putting your fear aside and voicing your concerns. If you have ever doubted yourself in the workplace or let fear get the best of you from saying the crucial things you really needed to, it’s time to take charge girl. Below are some useful tips from Shonda’s book to get you started on that journey. No is a complete sentence Every now and again, you might be plagued by the constant need to explain yourself when you disagree with someone or when you simply can’t do something. So much time and in some cases (money) is wasted beating around the bush when all you can do is just say no. No is a complete sentence and you don’t owe anybody an explanation. Ask questions Petty and nasty things will be said. A strategic way of dealing with this is asking “what did you mean by that?” Shonda explains that asking this question can be effective because too often, people are used to being spoken about not spoken TO. Most people would rather bottle everything inside or worse off rant about what upset them to someone else. Next time you feel offended, always clarify by asking questions. “When something wasn’t going well, when there was a conflict or someone was upset or being difficult, the more introverted me would flee and hope it all went away. The new me wades right into the deep end as asks, “What’s wrong?” –Shonda Rhimes [bctt tweet=”Say yes to difficult conversations at work, it’ll help you thrive in your career” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Say yes to difficult conversations There is no easy fix or supplement you can take to make hard conversations any less daunting. The fear will always be there if you are not used to having them. With practice, it does get better and you will find your voice. So if you take nothing else from this post, just remember to just say yes to difficult conversations. The more open you are to the idea; there more willing you’ll be to seek help and find ways to tackle those hard discussions and thrive in your career.
How to land the media job you want: Tips from Isis Nyong’o Madison
[bctt tweet=”Get inspired and land the media job you want with lessons straight from Isis Nyong’o Madison” via=”no”] Isis Nyong’o Madison is a well-known media and technology leader in Africa. She has held leadership roles at Asphalt & Ink, InMobi, Google and MTV. Over the past decade, she has made her mark scaling media and digital businesses across the continent. Isis holds degrees from Stanford University and Harvard Business School and is the CEO and Co-founder of Mums Village an online start-up dedicated to enriching the lives of current mothers and mums-to-be in urban Kenya. Accolades awarded to her include being named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum and one of Africa’s most Powerful Women by Forbes. Isis serves on the boards of two technology companies and it can’t hurt to add that her family boasts of greatness with Academy award winning actress, Lupita Nyong’o as her cousin. As someone with great experience in media and technology – all the while ensuring career longevity, below are some takeaways we can learn from her as she tells us how she got to where she is now. Network, network, network and be persistent “I networked incredibly hard to get into MTV in 2005. They were just getting ready to launch in Africa right as I was graduating from Harvard Business School -I was very excited about media at the time and absolutely obsessed with working there. I didn’t know if they had any vacancies but I did everything I possibly could to find myself space there as it was logical to me that they would need to put a team together. The person leading the MTV Africa venture was Nigerian so I reached into my network asking every single Nigerian I knew if they knew this guy. None of them did but with more digging I got the phone numbers I needed that finally connected me to him. This took about six months to get to him and get him to hire me as their first sales person. Today, I wouldn’t recommend spamming a potential employer with too many emails and cold calling them but you should do your best to get noticed. For example, attend events that they host, engage with them online and meet employees to better understand what it’s like to work there. Never give up on something that you feel is right for you but also use your judgement on optimal approach.” Some key points to help with landing the job you want: 1. Network Again, this is very important and is a skill that young people should have. There are more forums to network nowadays and a lot of networking opportunities as well. The reality, particularly here in Kenya, is that people feel like only certain people get jobs because they have access to certain networks. There is some truth to that but not to say that one cannot build their own networks no matter where you are starting from. Your networks don’t just happen to you, you build on your alumni institution, your church, and many other avenues. That’s something I became very good at over time and it’s something that is important not just for jobs but for business in general. [bctt tweet=”The importance of your network in landing the job you want in the media is very real ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 2. Throw your hat in the ring When applying for jobs in big companies, I think there’s a view that you can’t just apply on their website and expect your CV to be reviewed. I applied to Google at a time when they had 1,000 people at least applying per week and every single CV was screened. Also, particularly for women, there’s a lot of research that shows that women will go through an entire list of requirements and if they do not have one of those things that the company is looking for, they won’t apply. Yet men tend to apply regardless of meeting all the requirements or not. I think that women definitely need to have a much more controlled view of this and apply for the job they want despite missing one or two requirements. The only way to ensure you don’t get a job is to not apply. 3. Preparation matters – a lot. Ensure you have an engaging, updated LinkedIn profile as that is where your professional visibility matters and be mindful of everything you put online. Typos in CV’s and any other communications are inexcusable and reflect a cavalier attitude which makes it easy for employers to pass on. When you reach the interview stage, do thorough research in preparation for it. You can never over prepare -you should definitely never walk into an interview unprepared as you’ll be wasting everyone’s time including your own. Understand what the role is, what you think they’re looking for, what questions they are likely to ask you, what questions you’ll ask them and find out what’s happening in that industry that you want to join. There’s no excuse not to be prepared. How to ensure career longevity “If one finds their life passion, it becomes much easier to have career longevity. Things fall into place when you find your passion. There’s always more you want to do and there’s more opportunities that find their way back to you. [bctt tweet=”If one finds their life passion, it becomes much easier to have career longevity” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] For those who are unfortunately stuck in a career path that’s not for them, make it a mission to find a way to get out of that situation instead of trying to create a long-term career.” Finally, what matters more between education and experience? It depends on the individual “Education and experience are both very important and I do think that I vacillate myself on whether one matters more than the other. A good education gives you a foundation to build knowledge, working in teams, critical thinking skills and the discipline of simply
Degree in view: Five things you must start now
[bctt tweet=”Don’t pause your life in university, you can’t expect to play it back after your degree” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Shout out to those of us that are yet to officially stop getting monthly allowances and still basking in the euphoria of the school life freedom. Undergraduate life can be amazing, and besides attending lectures (and partying non-stop), there’s a lot more you can do while still in the ivory tower which would be healthy for you and your future, sista. So before, you join the 9-5ers or labour market or whatever it’s called, here are five things to start now to save you some stress in the future Be independent and explore your options. (Yass girl, start learning to do things on your own). Take responsibility for yourself and your actions now and start gathering up skills and those sorta things you would require to be your own #MotherlandMogul. Start making great and valuable decisions that would do you good years from now. Regardless of the course you might be studying (whatsoever course) try your hands on a couple of other extracurricular activities and studies. You could learn a second language or some photography, or even try participating in an art exhibition. A professional job and a side hustle never hurt anybody, plus you never know where your big break would spring from in the long run. [bctt tweet=”Talk to your career counsellor, get a career mentor…and other things to start while in uni” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Get all the advice you can and enjoy the process Talk to your course adviser or career counsellor (inasmuch as it might be boring). Get yourself a mentor, gain as much mentorship knowledge as you can about your career path. The internet is also a great stop for amazing career advice. Read with a lil’ dash of fun Immerse yourself in schoolwork, attend classes, never miss an assignment, read, read, and read, anything to come out with a turn-up degree, and do this while having a good time (cause we girls, are smart like that). You could try organizing a creative and fun study group with a few smart friends, that way, studying wouldn’t be so boring. Have safe fun as much as you can, but whatever you do, don’t stay partying on the eve of your exams, you are on your own. Spice up your profile Create a professional online presence for yourself towards whatever path you are looking to take in the future. Know what you really want to do; the kind of job that excites you and start building yourself and your resume in that direction (you do not want to come out of school with only your name and personal profile barely half page on what should be called your resume, nah). [bctt tweet=”You can start building yourself and your career strategy while in university” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Research on specific companies you’d love to work with in the future and apply to intern with them, chances are that they might want to retain you after you get a degree, or not (anyways, you still lose nothing). Jumpstart your career School is the best place to start your career and your friends and classmates are the best customers you could have. However you start up, chances are that you will likely get loyal classmates and friends that’ll want to help your hustle. Don’t dull, take advantage of the university environment before you are shown the door out. Start gathering your Oprah money: I know everybody talks about money, and honestly, we all need money to survive. So whether you’ll be gathering up from the tons of free money that comes your way while in school or from all the monies you’ll come to earn from doing jobs or having a business, start investing your money and saving enough cash for you and your great future of responsibilities. Start making every second count now. Don’t pause your life, expecting to play it back after you’ve gotten a degree- nah, because when the degree comes, you’ll be in for some shocker reality check. Don’t take it personal though, everybody faces the check.
Kundai Chiyanika: Not every job will be for you, bloom where you are planted
[bctt tweet=”Entertainment in Zimbabwe is hard, you need to become visible to build your brand” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Kundai Chiyanika is a Zimbabwean television and radio host. She is fun loving and always keen for an adventure. An explorer at heart, she loves new places and new people. A proud mommy of two, Kundai is building a name for herself in the entertainment industry. Her life motto is ‘Be happy and stay happy’ and she’s focusing on building her brand around that. SLA contributor Ruva Samkange recently caught up with Kundai to learn more about her brand. You recently moved back to Zimbabwe, what did you want to do when you came back? I had lived in Cape Town for a long time and had some personal issues so I felt that it was time to move back home to be with family and regroup. At first, I really didn’t have an idea of what I wanted to do. I had enjoyed baking so I started a small baking business in my hometown. The market was not sustainable and I felt like it wasn’t what I really wanted to do. [bctt tweet=”@KundaiChiyanika wanted to make sure she was not just working because she had to” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Even though I struggled with what I what wanted to do, I always knew I wanted to work actively with people and that an office job wasn’t for me. I wanted to make sure I did something that suited my personality and was not just working because I had to. You ultimately went into radio at ZiFM. What made you go into radio? Well, radio found me. A friend of mine sent me a flyer about an entertainment company that was looking for a female co-host for a radio slot. I shared it with another friend and she asked me why I wasn’t trying out. I was scared but she encouraged me. The experience has been amazing, I never thought I would love it so much. My co-presenter Dannythatguy and I get along like a house on fire, we present The Switch and Fire Friday. Our show is the pre-party, helping people get ready for a Friday night. You now work on Kwese Sports, what made you venture into television? I’ve secretly always wanted to be an actress since I was a child. So television has always been something I would jump at the chance for. I think it is a natural progression. A lot of people I work with did radio. I get to diversify my portfolio through television with exposure to different mediums, Kwese Sports is a Pan- African channel. Even though I’m a couple of months in I have traveled and will continue to travel between across Africa and I can’t wait to get more African stamps in my passport. How hard has getting into media been? I have been very fortunate that an opportunity became available when I was not looking. But the industry is so competitive. Once you are in, the pressure is on to produce a quality product because there are 10,000 people behind you hungry for your job. I have learnt that passion is not enough. You have to keep chasing the dream. Fight for it and keep trying to improve. There is always room for more. [bctt tweet=”You have to keep chasing the dream. Fight for it & keep trying to improve – Kundai Chiyanika” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How different are radio and television? With radio, my personality comes out a whole lot more because my show allows that. Television is a whole different beast. If you are nervous people can see it a mile away and there is more pressure to be perfect. Like I said its a very natural progression. Television is the next step for a lot of radio personalities. Once you conquer one, you’re hungry for the next challenge. I am lucky I still get to do both. What advice would you give to someone looking to get involved in television and radio? Don’t copy anyone. Be inspired but always be yourself. Also, keep making demos and keep sending them. Try to make those contacts. Entertainment in Zimbabwe is hard, you need to become visible to build your brand. Do promos, host events, be relevant. [bctt tweet=”Be inspired but always be yourself if you’re looking to get in TV and radio @KundaiChiyanika” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I’m not a social media person but I had to open myself up and become active online. Having updated Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts will let people know who you are. Make sure your name comes up when people are are looking for an entertainment personality to host events or when job opportunities arise. What are the most important lessons you’ve learnt on your journey? Try not to compare your journey to someone else. Unfortunately, this industry is about comparisons and people’s preferences so you have to sometimes put blinders on and focus on what you need to do. Not every job will be for you. Try not to dwell too much. The hustle never stops. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Leadership 101: Lessons learnt from my first leadership roles
[bctt tweet=”This was leadership in a world where your juniors are old enough to be uncles or aunties” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] In 2012, a few weeks shy of my 22nd birthday and armed with my freshly bestowed degree, I was given a leadership role. Leadership was nothing new to me because I had enjoyed a couple of governance roles in school; but this was starkly different. This was the real world. This was leadership in a world where your juniors are old enough to be uncles or aunties. Though the task was formidable, I accepted the challenge. Four years later I am still in a leadership role and I am actually at ease with it. I still have my fair share of challenges, but I must admit that I have come a long way from my early days. So without further adieu I present my top 5 tips for acing your leadership role. Be authentic For me, I think this is the most important aspect of your leadership journey. You need to understand that it is not a copy and paste type of role. It requires actual effort and analysis of the make up of your team. You need to exert yourself to find out what leadership style works best for you. In the early years of my leadership journey, I struggled with my leadership style. I realized all too often that sometimes decisions I made were not reflecting what I truly wanted and my team could sense that. Once your team senses that you are uncertain of yourself they begin to become unsure of themselves and their work! Always ask yourself if a decision made really reflects the values of the company; but also importantly reflects your values and what you wish to achieve. Once you hone your leadership style, your skills will transcend to every interaction you have with your team. Your co-workers become more trusting of your decisions because you trust and they can definitely perceive that [bctt tweet=”Being authentic is very important aspect for your leadership; figure out what style works” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Create an open environment Get it from me folks, this works. An open environment is a system that allows for open communication between leaders and their juniors. An open system facilitates better work relationships and ultimately leads to greater accomplishment of desired results. So how can you put it into practice? Well these days, when something goes disastrously wrong I bite my tongue, hard. Instead I ask; “What went wrong”. By doing so I am able to identify the root cause of the problem but I am also allowing my colleague to express themselves and identify for themselves things they could have done better. Additionally, also allow for your team mates to fully own the processes they initiate. Don’t you just hate it when your boss polices every single one of your tasks? Allow your team to discover what works for them and what doesn’t. In addition to that, have regular ‘check in’ meetings. Ask the team what challenges they are facing during the meeting. Praise employees who have done exceptionally well and also show gratitude to the entire team. Have intention If you wish to achieve a goal for your team, make it a core part of your day-to-day work. Leading with intention entails taking steps towards achieving a set goal or target for you and your team. One way I try to lead with intention is jotting down my plan of action; it worked great for me. Every day I try to identify a step that will help me achieve my set goal. And every day, I encourage my co-workers to do the same. A couple of years ago, one of my superiors told me; “Kuda the corporate world does not award effort, it awards results”. And boy this is the truth! So always focus on the goal ahead whatever it may be and lead your team towards that goal with intention. [bctt tweet=”Always focus on the goal ahead and lead your team towards that goal with intention” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Keep a leadership journal Yes, that’s right a journal. Whenever something major at work happens, document it. I promise you, your future self will be so happy and glad you did it. A journal acts as a medium of venting and letting everything out. But it can also provide a solution to hurdles you may be facing. As you write (honestly) you begin to brainstorm solutions and logically think through a problem. Journalling my leadership came naturally to me but it did not come easy. It was hard for me to write about my own mistakes and literally face them. However, once I overcame this, my journal provides me with a plethora of insight into problem solving and people management. Remember that leadership style I mentioned earlier? A journal will help you realize that and more about yourself. So don’t dismiss journalling as an activity of hormone crazed teenagers because it sure isn’t. Take an interest in your co-workers Because work is essentially work, it is very easy to see your co-workers as merely means to an end, or as people you are forced to be around. You would be so shocked to realize how interesting many of your co-workers are if you simply take an interest. Also, this gives you a better understanding of what roles are fit for people. You don’t have to literally hang out the office and become overnight besties; a few simple changes can help. For example, why not ditch your regular lunch partner at least once a week. Instead sit on a different table with a different colleague and get to know them more. This strategy has helped me tremendously. Not only do I get a feel of the office relationship dynamics but I get people to open up more especially about how they really feel about the work they are handling. [bctt tweet=”All in all, leadership is a process. It is more the journey than it is
More than business: Having a life outside the office
[bctt tweet=”How do you keep your life in check when it feels like work is the only life you know?” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Work can be overwhelming especially if you work long hours. It takes a lot to get up in the morning and when you get home, you drag yourself to bed. So how do you keep your life in check when it feels like work is the only life you know? It is so important to have an active life outside of work as our lives outside the office do effect our careers. All our facets of life are intertwined and it is important to make sure that we do things outside of work continue to bring positivity into our lives. Be organized After a long day at work you don’t want to go home to have to clean, do errands or go shopping. You just want to get home and relax. Being organised definitely makes life easier. One of the best ways to stay organised and to monitor and track your activities is to use a bullet journal. Setting aside a particular day to do your weekly grocery shopping and housecleaning take away the stresses of having to run around during the week worrying about small things. Leave work at the office It is important to distance your work life from home life. This means you have to be as efficient as you can be at work so you aren’t tempted or required to take any work home. If you have to work from home, then try make sure that you work until a certain time and then take a break. That way you create an area that’s just for you that isn’t filled with the stresses of work. Make your home a place you won’t dread to come back to after a long day. [bctt tweet=”Perfect the art of keeping your work life and your home life far apart” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Keep motivated At the start of the year create a vision board setting out what you would love to see yourself achieve in the year. It may be planning for a girl’s trip away or setting career goals. Vision boards are a great way to stay inspired because you are reminded of what you want when you see it. Keeping a coin jar can help you have something to look forward to such as a trip or those shoes that you wanted for the longest time. Empty your handbag at the end of each day and whatever change you have in there put it in your coin jar and you can add up and you have something to look forward to. We all need a creative outlet to stay vitalised and motivated in life and at work. One of the best ways to spend your time could be to take get active or pick up a new hobby. This give you something to look forward to outside of work. Be social A lot of people struggle with making friends outside work because they spend a lot of time at the office and just go home. So how do you build up your social life when you feel isolated? Get out of the house! If you are a sporty person join a gym and go to classes or find park runs where you could meet people with similar interests. Joining a book club can also be a great way to meet new people. Volunteering is also a great way to do something good with the potential to meet new people. Make time for friends and family if you live near them, even if it is just for a few hours. They will keep you sane. Treat yo’ self Make the most of your weekends! What you do in your spare time and the attitude you have will impact your overall character and attitude. You have to make time to make sure all the facets of your life are enriched especially keeping an active social life. Schedule self- love appointments even if it is only for an hour or two. Set aside time to reflect, journal, get a haircut or read a book. Spending a day or weekend with family or friends is very important for making sure you stay positive. Make time to do the things that make you happy. So set aside a day when you do exactly what you want. TREAT YO’ SELF!
When competing with your male colleague goes wrong
[bctt tweet=”Working hard almost cost me my life before I finally realized that I had limits” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I didn’t want to admit the sudden realization that my workplace had now become a war zone for me. More like, “A war that I am scared I may not win”. It felt as though I was losing to the battle —one of self-pride. Restlessness overwhelmed me each morning. You see, I have this very intelligent colleague. He’s very charming and he knows this, clearly showed his abilities off as he’s quite good at his job. It gets annoying most times. Everybody loves and respects me at work and while I am grateful for that, I wanted more. I wanted more attention, and respect. Kinda felt I deserved it! Soon, I made myself into believing that I could be better than my colleague, faster even and more appreciated. I had this insatiable appetite for success, and to achieve it; I wanted to do all the work by myself without him helping so he wouldn’t take all the glory —crazy, right? [bctt tweet=”I made myself into believing that I could be better than my male colleague” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Once, we had a workload to be executed by three people, one that was to be finished in a week! It was as if a spirit possessed me. I told myself, “no going home” and informed the rest of my colleagues that they needn’t worry. I was going do it all by myself and be through in two days. Their reply was as expected, they asked if I was sure I could do it. This angered me so I replied, “I am a woman not a weakling.” I threw myself into it; I wanted to show the rest of the department that I was not as fragile as they had painted me, and I was stronger than I looked. I felt I needed to erase all doubt. What I taught would take 2 days turned into a tiring and exhausting week. A part of me wanted to give up and and to ask my colleagues to finish up but, I didn’t want that. Once I finished the job , I had everybody’s attention as I intended. Yet, I had reached burn out. In my life, I had never felt so tired like I did after that week, I felt so drained. But that was just the beginning, from then on my workload increased. In my head, I was screaming so hard but unfortunately, this became my new reality; heavy workload in very tight deadlines. I wasn’t prepared for that at all! All I wanted was a little attention and respect, I didn’t want to faint at the hallway. What I didn’t realize was: It was okay to ask and accept help Asking for help doesn’t make you feel less of a person. It doesn’t reveal to the world that you are helpless, it shows that you are human, not a robot. Everybody has their breaking limit. For me, it almost cost me my life before finally realizing that I had limits. Really, ask for that help, it won’t cost you anything, not even your pride or dignity. It is better to be a team player Team players never get too tired or exhausted. Do you know why? They work hand-in-hand with their subordinates. All you need is to be there and supervise the job; you don’t have to do it all. Most people tend to have an obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) when it comes to their jobs, they want everything perfect —which can be so amazing but still don’t overdo it, or else, you might break. Competition with a male counterpart is overrated I know you are a strong and determined woman, there is no disputing that —but you don’t need to lose yourself in trying to prove to everybody that you are stronger than a man. There is no need! Forget competing, just make sure you give your best shot at your job, that’s really all there is to it.
The easiest way to improve your life: Positive thinking
[bctt tweet=”Negative energy is just not healthy for you, better start with positive thinking” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Picture it: Monday morning. You sit in traffic for 45 minutes just to go 10 miles. You pass your work place as you head to a parking lot which is 5 blocks south of your office block because the usual lot is full. As you pull up, you glance at the clock and you are now 3 minutes late; despite waking up early and leaving your house 10 minutes ahead of schedule. As you walk out your heel gets stuck and as you try to save the Jimmy Choo, the heel breaks. On your walk into work, you’re reminded that the country you live in just elected a cartoon character to be its next president (I live in the U.S., if you couldn’t tell). You walk into work, someone looks at you and allows the door to slam in your face. As if that was not enough for one morning, you get to your desk and your co-worker calls you by the wrong name. Now, as your irritation increases, you need to sit yourself down and breath it all out. Then you fix your attitude because someone didn’t have the opportunity to see this same Monday, although it just tried to steal your shine. Positivity is something so simple, yet overlooked when it comes to our lives. In The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho the author writes, “…when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” Imagine after you didn’t receive the promotion you wanted or life went unplanned, you were able to move forward because you kept a positive outlook. There’s a reason why countless essays and books have been written about it, an entire field of study is dedicated to it, and the most successful figures in history swear by it. So why don’t you? These 5 simple steps will upgrade you from basic to a positive thinking boss in no time. Smile There is truth in the Science of Smiling. Research has shown that by simply forcing yourself to smile naturally increases happiness. Any time you are getting in a bad mood, immediately work up a smile; even if it’s forced. If you look in the mirror at how ridiculous you look faking a smile, chances are you’ll laugh at yourself and boost endorphins. It’s a win, win! Choose a mantra Everyone needs a go-to statement on deck to fight off bad vibes. Once you’ve decided what works best for you, write it down and make it visible. Write out your personal mantra in lipstick on your mirror so you can start your day off right. I personally have a reminder set every day on my phone to love others. Mantras can be simple or extremely detailed, as long as it’s positive you’ll be good to go. [bctt tweet=”Everyone needs an all time statement to fight off bad vibes, use yours to remain positive” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Give back When I was in college, just like other students in their twenties, I went back and forth with feelings of depression. Therefore, to get out of my funk I started volunteering at The Homeless Children’s Playtime Project. Once a week, I went to a women and children’s shelter and played with babies while their mothers took classes. It was one of the best experiences of my life and it instantly lifted my spirits. There is always someone that could use your help in the world, someone who will need you to be their voice so get to lookin’! Count your blessings Every night before you go to sleep, identify and list all the amazing things that you have to be thankful for. When you wake up, read that list. Keep in mind that you always have something to be positive about. Simply taking your next breath is plenty to be thankful for. It’s those little things we think we have a right to that we should be grateful for. Eliminate negative people from your life You know that ‘friend’ who doesn’t clap when you win? The one that always has someone to talk about? That friend who leaves you feeling emotionally drained after hanging out with her? It’s time for her to go. As harsh as it sounds, NO negative energy is better for your life. It’s unhealthy and counteractive for you and your new positive lifestyle.