Author: designyourlifefoundation

A powerful woman in her own right – an advocate for other women and all people – Karen Mutasa – sent me and other women a question the other week: ‘I have been invited to be on the panel below – what would you like to see represented?’   First panel: Supporting women in the workplace Women are … Continue reading As a woman leading your organisation, what have you done? →

This morning I woke up with an image of my young self: happy, fun, finding it difficult to stand and sit still because I just wanted to get on with playing and having fun (that’s me in the picture above). I felt an unwavering confidence and joy of just being me; an unwavering joy that … Continue reading When the young you, looks up wondering why you would actively choose a life of misery →

Thank you to writers like Thembe Khumalo for all their articles and books published and in the process of being published, because the things we write for ourselves and for other people, lend a voice to a nation that has been silenced and is still silenced in so many ways; a nation of patriarchy and … Continue reading Lending a voice to a nation that has been silenced →

The last couple of weeks in Zimbabwe have been and are still historical as the dynamics of politics change. Where people did not feel they had a voice, a power, a cause to come together, to ask and make a change – that quickly shifted. The hope is that, that innate power put into action … Continue reading The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any: Alice Walker →

I woke up at midnight on Thursday night / Friday morning? with a scratchy throat and a possibility of a cold coming on. Nooooooooo…. not on my clock! So, had an interesting conversation with myself for a good half an hour in bed. If I can force myself back to sleep — that will allow … Continue reading The sniffles are not what I need right now! →

I was born on the 20th of July. I traditionally take time off on the day to reflect on the past year and to plan for the coming one. This year, I took myself away for the weekend to celebrate me and to continue this tradition...up in the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe, in the Vumba. … Continue reading What’s your truth? Your birthday could be your New Year too… →

You know the phrase: you are the average of the 5 people you spend most of your time with? Or the not so friendly one that says: you lie down with dogs you wake up with fleas or show me your friends and I will show you your future. I get schooled on these all the time. The most … Continue reading If you’re always the smartest person in the room, it may be time to expand your horizons further →

On Saturday morning, I went for a tea at Willowmead Bells Café, organized by Savanna Wilson, to thank all the women entrepreneurs that she interviewed for her Masters thesis entitled Making the Invisible viable: Stories from female entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe. It was epic. It reminded me of how when well-meaning people come together, they create … Continue reading The beauty of communion →

Having chocolate for breakfast is definitely not a habit I want to keep: I recently found non-dairy dark chocolate that I could have and chocolate that I have fallen in love with! Problem is…it didn’t last so long. I got so excited that I’d found some and promptly had it for breakfast 2 days in a … Continue reading Chocolate for breakfast anyone? →

What does this look like in my world? Well for one, my little sister calls me weird – she describes me as one of two extremes. I’m either very energetic, animated, dancing around, literally bouncing of chairs and wanting to share that with everyone around me. This also means I am drinking a lot of … Continue reading Hi, my name is Barbara and I’m an introvert →

I had hoped to work for this one organization for such a long time, such that when this inexplicable feeling came up to not apply for a position that had come up in the organization and which I qualified for; I applied anyway. I thought this feeling would pass if I gave it time. Maybe I wouldn’t … Continue reading I knew the job wasn’t for me, but I applied anyway… →

So, a while ago I wrote a book called Am I Insane, Black or Just a Woman. The reasoning behind the title was as follows. There are things that are happening or which happen each and every day of our lives that make us stop and think, wait a minute –is this really happening, how has … Continue reading Am I Insane, Black of Just a Woman? →

I woke up this morning with tears streaming down my face because my ego got so bruised it was difficult to deal with. I would like to say that I was tired and that it is difficult to manage my emotions when I am tired. But that’s an excuse – I know very well what … Continue reading My ego got in the way, and it left me bruised →

I realise that talking about the environment may not be one of those topics that may be appealing to most people, as everyone is busy running around trying to make a living, looking after family, working and trying to stay relevant, alive and sane in this interesting world of ours. I do hope however, that … Continue reading The Truth About Styrofoam →

I have been a vegan for a little over 3 years now and a vegetarian for 10 years prior to that. Most restaurants have started catering to vegans and most already cater to vegetarians – which is awesome. The difference between the two in short is that strict vegetarians don’t eat meat, but they take … Continue reading Us as building blocks to the world around us… →

It all started in my deliberate efforts to make more time with the cheerleaders in my life: those I love, those who love me, those who are always in my corner, those who I support and those who support me. My biggest cheerleaders in all aspects of my life are my parents. I make a … Continue reading I managed a HEADSTAND in YOGA! →

I am up by 3am. I fill my mind with positive thoughts and actions for the day for an hour, I work for another hour and at 5am I start getting ready to leave for the 530am bootcamp Soooo easy! Fast forward to when I get back home at 7am – decision making begins…what am … Continue reading Bootcamp at 530am is the easiest part of your day??? →

This is what wakes me up in the mornings - reflective feedback from my mentees and clients: My first encounter with my mentor was surprising. I expected a strict formal lecture about life and goals, how to make goals and keeping them. Contrary to that it was thought provoking, and eye opening. Her level of … Continue reading My first encounter with my mentor was surprising… →

  When someone tells you that you have potential - you should run - fast - and far away from them and from that notion. WHY? because they are essentially describing you as a battery. A battery has potential power - it has a lot of juice in it. The unfortunate thing is that it … Continue reading I know you don’t want more month at the end of the money… →

The labels that we place on people — whether it be that they are good people or bad people — or any other other labels you can think of — pushes people to succumb to what other people tell them to do, for the sake of being labelled ‘a good person’; though their souls and … Continue reading Part 2: You are love, you are good →

When someone tells you that you have potential - you should run - fast - and far away from them and from that notion. WHY? because they are essentially describing you as a battery. A battery has potential power - it has a lot of juice in it. The unfortunate thing is that it cannot … Continue reading I know you don’t want more month at the end of the money… →

The labels that we place on people — whether it be that they are good people or bad people — or any other other labels you can think of — pushes people to succumb to what other people tell them to do, for the sake of being labelled ‘a good person’; though their souls and … Continue reading Part 2: You are love, you are good →

So, I have been trying to craft this message on love for a couple of weeks now and am not sure I have done it much justice because it is a bigger conversation. However, I thought to just start from where my thoughts are today and look foward to your comments and future engagements…here we … Continue reading Part 1: You are love, you are good →