Embracing Authenticity: My Journey Beyond the Lazy Girl Era
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Chapter 1: Breaking Free from the Lazy Girl Era
For too long, I’ve held back from expressing my true self, and I’m ready to change that.
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Section 1.1: My Story Unveiled
The chapter of my life characterized as the "lazy girl era" is officially over. What I mean by this is that while I excel at posting about online entrepreneurship and side hustles, I initially created this platform to share my authentic experiences. I want to delve into the challenging conversations surrounding my identity as a Black woman, a converted Muslim, a wife, a mother, and an entrepreneur. Additionally, as an adult living with ADHD, I face daily challenges.
Living with anxiety and depression adds another layer of complexity, especially within the Black community, where the notion of being a "strong" woman is deeply ingrained. Growing up as a British-born Ghanaian, my strong African parents instilled in me the belief that defeat is not an option and showing vulnerability is discouraged. After a severe episode of depression, when I attempted to end my life, the response I received was devoid of compassion:
“Why would you do that? As Africans, we don’t give up; we just endure and move on, and that’s what we expect from you.”
Upon leaving the hospital, I was instructed to clean my room and complete my homework. In that moment, I channeled my pain into creativity, writing 12 poems in four hours and finishing my year 12 history assignments in just four days. I pushed through, as I was taught.
Section 1.2: A New Chapter Begins
Today, I’m excited to share my plans for revitalizing this page. I want to open up more and express the multitude of thoughts I have. My commitment to sharing my story is stronger than ever.
Here’s my plan moving forward: I will embark on a 30-day challenge to publish one article each day. My target is to earn my first $500 from this platform by January 2024. While the financial goal is significant, my primary focus is on achieving personal milestones and climbing out of the rut I’ve found myself in.
Additionally, I will share each article across various platforms such as Many Stories, Flipboard, and Pinterest.
The first video, "VLOG | Lazy Girl Era is Officially Over," encapsulates my journey of moving beyond complacency and embracing a more productive life.
Chapter 2: Setting Intentions for the Future
In the spirit of accountability, I’m currently participating in a 30-day curated content challenge with Freshlight Money by Abena Talks. Although I’ve fallen slightly behind, I aim to catch up before the year ends. My goal is to have all content scheduled by December 31st.
With my main page thriving in 2023, I plan to reduce my daily posts there in six months. I also have ambitious plans for this page, as I prepare to launch an Abena Talks Life blog, independent of YouTube.
The second video, "Exiting my lazy girl era day in my life | productive day in NYC + opening up & clean with me," aligns perfectly with my goals of productivity and self-discovery.
So, I’d love to hear from you: What topics would you like to see explored on this page?