“If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.” — Milton Berle
Dear Fellow Warrior,
Happy New Year! And Happy Black History Month!
I will have a separate post on Black History Month another time.
I seem to say this every year, but it usually takes me after MLK day and into the first week of February for the new year to hit me. I have had some reflections, a lot actually.
Sometimes I forget how much I do in fact reflect because of the overwhelming amount of reflections, ideas and aspirations that come into mind.
But I didn’t take a chance to wish you a happy new year yet, in this space.
A space dedicated to freedom of expression, authenticity, belonging, and inclusion.
Always.
I hope you had a smooth start to the new year.
My biggest goal this year is to make a stronger effort in building community. I have shared that across various platforms online now.
Including my first long-form video on my Youtube Channel HERE!
Please consider subscribing to my channel.
I have some great videos planned this year and will continue to try to make each video better as I progress.
I appreciate all who are part of my journey and evolution in my indie blogging and vlogging efforts.
Some elements don’t come naturally to me, with regard to speaking and being in front of the camera. But I am proud of my evolution and with the 1.5 years I have been on YouTube and started to do videos at the end of 2021. I have improved a great deal and I think so much is possible even with the limited positive reinforcement I get from my social networks.
You have to push through that. Naturally we want some validation and approval, as a form of support and encouragement from our friends and family and this can be harder when we don’t have it. Most of us who try these types of things will rarely get the necessary or consistent support from our friends, peers and family. But you cannot let that bring you down. Unfortunately, it is easier said than done.
There are lots of insights in the video about choosing collaboration and building social capital. I have a lot more to say about social capital in the coming months.
Connected to all the above, I wrote my first blog piece on MEDIUM as well this year, just last weekend:
Do give it a read when you get a chance. The link above gives you free access to the article. I hope to be writing more articles in Medium this year.
In this piece, I share a personal reflection of the fundamental vision I have for 2024, in terms of embracing the multiple hats connected to my identity, continuing the quest to find/refine my voice, and building/re-building community in four primary (overlapping) “spaces:”
The Professional, The Academic, The Creator, and the Activist.
As I share in the post, building community has always been core to my endeavors.
However, as you may encounter yourself, various identity intersections can create difficult yet exhilarating hurdles in the process.
Many studies have noted that social capital is directly connected to human capital, concerning the cognitive elements. This puts many people who struggle with, for example, mental illnesses, at a greater disadvantage in building strong and healthy relationships.
But It won’t stop me, and I hope it doesn’t stop you.
We must work on the inward and outward revolution together.
Just like we can rewire the brain’s neural pathways, we can rewire, enhance, and build/rebuild our social networks. I have always accepted the challenge and will continue to do so in 2024, and at a time when Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) especially has been under attack. I will write more about this, this year, and have a potential publication coming into fruition on this topic for a DEI practitioner’s journal.
While I didn’t use the term DEIB on this blog initially when I started it, with the focus on mental health and intersectionality, it is a connected concept, and has always essentially connected to this genre. And I hope to write more about that here in this space, as I make the blog more approachable and visually appealing for you as well.
Should any of these ‘spaces’ I share, The Professional, The Academic, The Creator, and the Activist, specific to my passions & specializations, resonate with you, please do let me know in the comments, or reach out to me. I also revisited this post I wrote last year about Being Public about Your Goals.
I have learned over the years, at times it is risky to share things. People may show emotions of jealousy, envy, and resentments, especially to the ambitious, unconventional woman. You feel it and you know it. It’s harder to build bridges and build relationships and community with jealous people. I have discussed this in previous posts. It’s truly an unfortunate phenomenon. I am proud I have made the efforts to tame this natural human emotion of jealousy, but I don’t think that most people have that level of self-awareness. My self-reflective and self-awareness nature is something I am very proud of and I have honed within this blogging effort.
I also note in the Medium article the importance of women collaborating and enhancing our support networks for one another. I have always been deeply moved and inspired by other women, pushing through barriers, and achieving incredible things. When we genuinely support one another, collaborate, and co-create, it can be breathtaking and beautiful.
I hope to connect with other like-minded women, inspired by one another’s contributions & success, especially with the challenges we endure in male-dominated spaces.
Cheers to all the emerging, flourishing, rising, and empowering women entrepreneurs, academics, creators, activists, & more!
I look forward to sharing more new endeavors, publications, and content with you this year.
Thank you for reading, and thank you for blessing me with the opportunity to be a part of your community and network.
I hope we can work together to build amazing things this year, that can lead to positive transformations within ourselves and our communities.
Pardon my enthusiasm, but trying to stay positive in this second month of the new year. I have been reading Ali Abdaal’s new book on Feel Good Productivity for that! It’s so important to stay positive through rough times.
Here are some other great recommendations for the new year (hope to share more later):
I believe great things can happen when we truly embrace the power of a diverse and inclusive community.
Happy New Year. I wish you great success and wild prosperity this year in all the great things you plan to contribute. Keep moving, Warrior.
“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.” — Robert Louis Stevenson
“You are only free when you realize you belong no place — you belong every place — no place at all. The price is high. The reward is great.” -Dr. Maya Angelou
“Do not wait for Leaders; do it alone, person to person.” -Mother Theresa
Peace, Warmth, Blessings, and Solidarity,
Your Sister,
Dr. Elsa, Warrior KQueen
“She wasn’t looking for a Knight. She was looking for a Sword.” – Atticus
The featured photo is a painting completed in 2022, called “Befriending the Nazar,” sold for donation to a charity through my online painting auction called Painting Heals Pakistan.
Please feel free to follow, share my work, and/or learn more about me on Medium here and on this Blog here. I also welcome feedback and discussion. Thank you for your support and wish you well on your writing and artistic journey!
DISCLOSURE: Views expressed are my own. As described in this post, “In the effort to be transparent,” there are a few affiliate links in this piece. As an Amazon Associate, if you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. While I may not endorse certain systems, I’m committed to suggesting reliable and safe products. In promoting items, I prioritize those connected to small businesses, especially those owned by women. Your trust is important. I only recommend products I genuinely believe in, like books that could help with your personal development and self-care goals. In doing so, you support my independent writings, art, and other content. You can also support me directly at Buy Me a Coffee. Thank you for supporting “The Chronicles of a Warrior KQueen!”
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