Growing up, my fondest memories include those of my grandparents and my parents. The former taught me a wide variety of skills, whereas the latter encouraged me to explore and learn. Since young, my parents have instilled a curiosity in me that gave a new dimension to my learning. Even something as simple as a walk outside with my mom was an opportunity to learn something new. This sense of curiosity combined with the learned art of observation and listening contributed significantly to who I am today.

Even as asthma refrained me from other physical activities and kept me mostly indoors as a child, it became the key to developing my interests in reading, writing, and music. I started writing at the age of ten and later started blogging when the blogosphere was in its infancy. Writing became a channel to express my thoughts on my observations about the world, my feelings about the incidents around me, etc. Music too has been a constant companion that I found solace in.

My biggest source of inspiration has always been and forever will be my mom. It never ceased to amaze me how she managed to maintain the relationships around her- as a mother, a wife, a sister, an entrepreneur; she left a positive mark on all the lives she has touched, an incredible feat in my books. She also found time to give back to society by being a member of the local council, bringing about a change in her way. If there is one thing that I have learned from my mum, it is that circumstances gave us choices, and it is our core being that makes them.

Every failure, every challenge I have faced, has only helped me grow from strength to strength. The lowest points in life means that there is nowhere else to go but up. When I juggled three jobs to fund my tertiary education and later failed a subject in law school thrice, the experience taught me that the only way to survive a challenge is through.

From all the lessons learned throughout the journey of life, I realized the importance to maintain inner peace; I would favour harmony over maintaining balance any day. Balance requires a 50 -50 approach, but to me, prioritizing is key. To be truthful to oneself is to acknowledge that no two matters are of exact equal importance at any specific point of time.

As part of the workforce, many women of equal skills and experience on the job as their male counterparts still face disparities in remuneration and career advancement across industries in this modern age, propelled by various factors, including the lack of self-confidence and imposter syndrome. Over the years as a knowledge management professional, I have advised and provided training to young women, to build self-confidence and sharpen their skillset, especially those who intend to pursue a career in law.

There are many options out there for us. All we need is the courage to branch out and give it a try. I believe that today’s girls and young women are stronger than before. They have the capacity to defy conventions. All we need to do is give them that little boost of confidence.

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