STARTING ALL OVER AGAIN

A life review for me began with a self-addressed letter whereby I sat down in my quiet home, alone, and wrote down this question: “What are the things I am not doing right now and yet I think of them nearly every day without taking any action, or starting but never finishing? “

This was not the first time I had tried this exercise, but I knew for a fact that this time I was being very deliberate, and I would seriously take action despite the challenges. I am in the second phase of my life, 65-plus years, and I was dissatisfied with the comfort zone I had settled for.

Firstly, I did a personality assessment and accepted the fact that I was a highly sensitive person, and therefore prone to being hurt easily. I had to learn a new approach to goal setting by being more logical and analytical. To do so, I developed an introduction and one major approach.

“HONING MY CRAFT”:

• Assess and reassess my past for a dignified present and future vision.
• Learn and unlearn- especially where I have habitually been messing up.
• Create Bridges-meet and mingle safe spaces; offline and online.

Tough Love Lesson No 1:

“I Have Learnt More Through Pain Than Pleasure”:

Let’s be clear; I have never asked for pain. I get no pleasure out of pain. I would never want to inflict pain on another. But this is my story and my truth. I am now wiser, more resilient and empathetic. I dare to be an activist against injustice, violence, poverty, isolation, and corruption. I have experienced all of the above, and below is one example:

As a survivor of domestic violence and Abuse (DVA), and after scrutinising my life review and adding up the dots, I now see clearly from within that this was a relevant phase of my life. It has been the fuel that has ignited what I have been slowly rebuilding… that voice for victims of DVA.

As a content creator, my goal is to give hope to victims and survivors of DVA. I aim to reassure them that their dignity can be restored, that there is a better tomorrow, and that there are good, kind, responsible people out there. After the painful past, it is not the end of a career, a joyful family, a dream, or a healthy future partnership. The bridge to being a dignity visionary starts with you and me, taking the pain and turning it into a lesson learned. Life lessons are just stepping stones to a better destiny.