I have recently found myself in a situation where I had to remember things from long ago. Is it not funny how we forget the things that shaped us? Or at least the details surrounding it?
If you are a mother, for example, I am sure you can relate… Exactly how difficult the pregnancy or the birth was. We blanket it as having been a challenge. I suppose it is nature’s way to ensure we get the gist but remain open to doing it all again?
Jokes aside, as a woman in business, a few things need to be called up…
I remember starting my law practice at 24; many know the gist of the story. What many do not know, however is that I was a young, skinny, very blonde Afrikaans girl, trying to make the business work 1000 km from what I then called home.
I cannot say how often I found myself in meetings and asked to serve the coffees or teas just because of my gender. As time went by, I became more stubborn in my reaction to this, and the problem resolved itself.
I cannot truly mimic the reactions I often had to ensure when clients saw me for the first time. All I can say is it was a mixture of sheer terror and surprise. In some instances, the combination turned positive but not at a rate where there was sustainability in forging relationships. This led me to change my appearance to look older, and once I did the change, I saw a tangible change. As sad as this seems, in hindsight, it allowed me to focus on what mattered – developing my skills as a business owner.
So, life was much more challenging given my age and gender than I often lead on. It is a part of my journey and what I have learnt is that every hardship is a beautiful mixture of everyday stuff, bad and beautiful. I, therefore, encourage you to remember who you are and whom you are destined to become through the experience of each day.
