Self-care Secrets for Healthy Motherland Moguls
Motherland Moguls can be some of the busiest women in the world. They are mothers, wives, boss ladies, friends and everything else in between. Many times, they often prioritize other people’s needs above their own and forget about their own self-care. But why is self-care important for a motherland mogul? Self-care is the art of understanding one’s needs and meeting them. This simply means showering yourself with kindness and goodness. With the right amount of self-care, you can grow emotionally, physically and spiritually. Awino Omole put together for us some secrets for motherland moguls to maintain a healthy self-care routine. [bctt tweet=”Sometimes all you need is to get in touch with your senses to stay in the present moment. ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 1. Create goals Setting achievable goals is a critical part of having a self-care routine. Other people will come with their interests and goals. However, you shouldn’t neglect your goals as this is important towards your growth. To set your goals, you can break them into smaller portions. Through this, you will eventually live to see your dreams turn into actionable plans. 2. Be your best friend We can be our own worst enemies if we want. How many times have you judged yourself a lot harsher than others have? When the weight of self-care kicks in; perfectionism seems to be the order of the day. But you need to learn to be easy on yourself. Being your own cheerleader will help you put things into perspective during those moments of self-doubts. Once you learn to love yourself first, then you can love others better. 3. Laugh at your flaws In all that you are going through, it is important not to drown in your storm. You should strive to be an individual who embraces their flaws and knows their awesomeness regardless of all the flaws they may have. We all have those moments we don’t want to share with others. Despite this, it is very important that you learn to accept your flaws and insecurities and learn to live with them. 4. Slow down Live one day at a time. Create time outside your normal daily routine to love yourself or to just do nothing. If you don’t have much of a social life, find ways to nurture new and meaningful relationships. Above all, it is also important to debrief yourself on your progress. Sometimes you need to have a board meeting with yourself to see if you are meeting your goals but also to ignite your passions when you feel like you are losing touch. 5. Talk about your fears We all get a little scared sometimes. But we should not let our fears paralyze our dreams. When it is getting tough, you should find a trustworthy person and explain your fears. Through talking to someone, they may help you sift through your problems and come up with a solution. Sometimes all you need is to get in touch with your senses to stay in the present moment. To do this you may need to zone out. Walk away from what is normal. It is okay to retreat inwards and not engage at all. It may seem selfish, but it is important to get in touch with your self. If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your story with us.
Mavis Zaina: Slaying From accounting to agriculture
Mavis Zaina is a chartered accountant with over 8 years’ experience in strategic management, accounting and finance. But beyond her accountancy, Mavis is passionate about the agricultural value chain and its potentially high impact reach for poverty alleviation and development. Driven by this passion, Mavis founded Kanjadza Acres. Kanjadza Acres is an agricultural enterprise that grows fruits and vegetables together with employing 10 locals. Mavis’ overall aim is to become a world-class entity participating in the end to end agricultural value chain. Through this, she hopes to create jobs and wealth for her community and eventually Africa. What made you desire to start a business in agriculture? I have always been fascinated by the agricultural value and the impact and change it has on an economy and its people. Specifically, I decided to focus on horticulture because of its high productivity and value. With this passion, I launched my agribusiness journey. It has been quite exciting as the margins made are good and the products are often demanded and used daily in my community. How friendly is the Malawian business environment to young female horticulturists? I think the business environment is challenging. The value chain is highly informal so the hustle is real to find market information that drives production and this results in unpredictability. You have to be as strategic as possible and also very resilient and tough. Males dominate marketing and supply and many assume that as a young female, you are naive and vulnerable. I once harvested a lot of cassava, and cassava must be sold or processed the very day it’s harvested or it changes colour and customers shun it. I went to the market once I was done the harvesting. Knowing it was my first time, buyers undermined me and started changing the agreed prices. Refusing to bow down, I took a chance and went to offload at a new market. My risk paid off as I was able to sell all the cassavas. Although, since I stayed much later, I had to hire security as thieving gangs often disrupt women-led businesses. This is price men don’t have to pay. [bctt tweet=”My biggest mistake was doing too much too soon. I tried to build Rome in a day and lost money and time” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How can the business environment be improved for young entrepreneurs? For the business environment to improve, we need clear and functioning value chains and infrastructure. I also believe in mentorship and so having agribusiness incubators and accelerators is key. These two accompanied by financing options would really do wonders for the environment. Has collaborating worked for you? And why do you think it’s important for women? I love collaborating because synergies created through collaboration can be very transformative. But just like any worthwhile relationship, it requires a good amount of work to find good collaborative partners, not just because we are in the same field, or because we are friends. Collaboration should be done objectively and soberly. Otherwise, most end up in turmoil and discord. Are they any women that have helped you in your journey? I look up to many women in my life. My mother, for example, has provided me with the drive, determination and support system to be able to pursue my dreams. Another woman who supported me is Ngaba Chatata. As a fellow farmer, Ngaba has advised me on horticultural production. It was after I visited her farm that I realized she was living the life I wanted. This challenged me to go an start my own business. Overall, the women in my life have motivated me and provided me with a support system that has kept me going. They keep reminding me that with diligence and focus I will be successful. What mistakes did you make in business and how can other women avoid that? I made and still make lots of mistakes. They make me grow and redirect me. So first, realise that mistakes can be lessons. My biggest mistake was doing too much too soon. I tried to build Rome in a day and lost money and time. So learning to be patient and work one step at a time is one great lesson to learn. Secondly, it is important to draw up a plan, do research and map your journey. Although plans change, having one will grant you focus and purpose. With this, you will also be able to track progress. Lastly, stay in your lane. Do not compare yourself to others. Journeys differ and comparison has a way of killing off your motivation and making you ungrateful. [bctt tweet=”Work on your hustle and keep your eyes ahead. – Mavis-Zaina Kanjadza” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Any final words to our Motherland moguls? Find out what you want to do and do it. Know your purpose and pursue it militantly. You can do anything but only with clarity of purpose and hard work. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Sometimes, you are all you need: Motherland Mogul Tips from Moana
If you have a child, or you’re just an anime lover, chances are you know about Moana. In her Disney movie, she goes about defining the odds and surpassing challenges to save her community. Though she is just a Disney character, Moana’s heroism teaches us a thing or two about setting out and achieving our career and life goals. Here are some motherland mogul tips you can gain Moana: 1. Set Clear Goals ‘I am Moana of Motunui, I will board my boat, sail across the sea and restore the heart of Te Fiti’ Before setting out to help her community, Moana defined her goal. In order to be successful, you need to set a mission for yourself. This helps you keep your goals in order and hopefully achieve them. Remember your strategy may change but your goals should be defined. 2. Chase Your Dreams at all Cost Sometimes you’ll have to leave your safety net and set out for your dreams at all cost! You can sketch it, weave it, dance it and even sing it like Moana. Whatever you do, don’t deter and never accept the limit to how far you can go. Leave your comfort zone, if that is what it’ll take to follow your dreams. 3. Now is the Perfect Time The biggest lie we tell ourselves is we are not ready to launch our dreams. Truth is, there’s no perfect time to begin that business, start that blog, or begin your career journey. Once you set your goal, begin today! Moana set out to find Maui just when her grandmother was dying. Instead of stopping her, Grammy Tala told her “Go – and create your own path”. 4. Believe In Yourself Sometimes, you are all you need! Believing in yourself and your amazing potential will help you achieve greatness. This way, you wouldn’t easily give up or be discouraged even if everything and everyone seems to go south. You’re enough of a heroine to fill your story. 5. Being A Girl Is the Advantage We know boys are great and all, but being a girl is definitely something more. Ask Grammy Tala- her grand-daughter did what her son was afraid of! Put yourself out there, and take advantage of every opportunity. Never feel like you are incompetent or second best because you are a girl. After all, girls run the world. [bctt tweet=”Put yourself out there, and take advantage of every opportunity” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 6. Build your Community On your way to success, you will meet and encounter different people. As a Motherland Mogul, you look out for ways to build those around you so that you can rise up together. This can be through mentoring or investing in your community. The key lesson is you should always leave your community better than you found it. Also remember, whether the people you meet are mortals or semi-gods, remember every Maui needs a Moana to set them back on their confidence track and achieve the greatness in them. 7. Value those you meet on your Journey The truth is, everyone you meet will be important and crucial to your journey to success. Heihei was not exactly intelligent but was helpful at saving Te Fiti’s heart from the coconut-armored pirates at sea. Therefore, value everyone you meet along the way. But also, when you do meet great people, invite them to be your partners or mentors. These people inspire, teach and push you to move forward when the going gets tough. They could be your peers or more knowledgeable than you are. Join a community like She Leads Africa that teaches and inspires you to become the best version of yourself. [bctt tweet=”Sometimes our strength lies behind the surface – Moana” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 10. The Good Might Lie in the Difficult Situation Obstacles should never deter you. In every Te ka lies a Te Fiti, and as such, when confronted by seemingly negative challenges- don’t fret; your greatest achievements might lie in the most daunting situations and task. 8. Create your Legacy At the end of it all, you should place your distinct stone on the mountain. Leave your own legacy, even if it isn’t conventional– don’t be afraid to try new things and walk on the road not taken. Remember that being different is great. 13. Have Fun Even though you’re on a journey to restoring the heart of Te Fiti, or on a mission to save the world, do have fun while at it. Dance, sing, make new friends, see new places and enjoy your journey. Life is a song, find yours. So while this movie teaches us a lot of things, it creates a reminder that as young motherland moguls, we shouldn’t live conventionally, but set out to achieve extraordinary things. Go out and conquer, because the world chooses you! Got a life lesson to share with us? Please share your lesson here and stand a chance to be featured on our Facebook page.