Living Boldly

By Bunmi Akinkungbe and Mofoboluwaso Ilevbare

There will always be hurdles in life that challenge our comfort zone. "Living Boldly" is a comprehensive compilation of invaluable skills that help you manage stressful situations and changes in your career and life. The Trailblazer Femme Playbook will inspire and motivate you to look deep inside, focus your thinking, assess your situation, and strengthen yourself from the inside out. It also includes easy-to-grasp tips and thoughtful questions to set you up for a successful, courageous adventure. LIVE BOLDLY, INSPIRE OTHERS.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bunmi & Mofoboluwaso
• Release date: Mar 15, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005337964

Book preview

LIVING BOLDLY

TRAILBLAZER FEMME PLAYBOOK

How to transform your life from the inside out when your NORMAL shifts!

Compiled by

Dr Bunmi Akinkugbe

Mofoluwaso Ilevbare

© 2021 Trailblazer Femme

All rights reserved.

Disclaimer: Content in this book is provided for education and information purposes only and is not intended to replace advice from your doctor or registered health professional. Readers are urged to consult their registered health practitioner for diagnosis and treatment for any medical concerns.

No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means, mechanical, photocopying, photographic, any form of recording, or electronic process; nor may it be stored in any retrieval system, transmitted, or otherwise be copied for public or private use, except for fair use as brief quotations embodied in articles and printed reviews, without the prior written permission of the authors, Bunmi Akinkugbe and Mofoluwaso Ilevbare.

INTRODUCTION

'It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.’ ~ Charles Darwin

Life happens to everyone, no matter their background, age, or sex. When things don’t go as planned, who do you turn to? Social media? Prophets? The Bible? Mentors? With the rapid pace of things in the world today, career women have a lot to deal with. You belong in this herd if you: work from home, homeschool kids, lost a job, are grappling to find one, waiting for an interview, struggling to keep your marriage alive, or starting or running a profitable business.

I'm sure you know someone who always seems in control of her life and emotions—who never seems to be under pressure; always looking calm and collected. When in crisis, you want to be around someone like that because they (may) teach you how to keep your head straight despite the situation.

What kind of woman do you become when situations shift and no one is looking? Not everyone will understand your dream or vision, yet you must dream on. The less you care what others think, the more your life will expand.

This book is a compilation of tips and strategies, and a framework for the inner game for professional trailblazers like you who have found that the secret to extraordinary living starts when you transform yourself from the inside out.

Does this sound like you?

God: Give me your time.

Response: My job is too demanding.

God: Give me your money.

Response: I don’t have enough to spare.

God: Give me your talents.

Response: I don’t have time.

God: Talk to me.

Response: I’ll try tomorrow. Bye!

By the time you finish reading this book, you’d find yourself screaming out loud:

I’m not making excuses anymore.

I’m unique and fearfully made.

I’m already worthy and have nothing to prove.

I show up in my power, my voice, and my brilliance.

My gifts will bring wealth, give me rest, and place me before kings and queens.

People are transformed just by being in my presence.

I can live a life of purpose as a career woman.

We hope that through this book, you will find the courage to consistently live boldly at work and in life. You will make mistakes; learn from them. Life will stretch you; allow yourself to be stretched. Pursue your uniqueness. Find your purpose and focus on it. Every day is an opportunity to change the obvious and excel beyond limits because transformation is an inside job.

Don’t do life alone.

If you’re looking for a group of professional women committed to living life boldly, unapologetically, and with grit and grace, we invite you to join us at Trailblazer Femme, the #1 pan-African executive hub designed to connect, inspire, and advance personal and professional development for the career woman of African descent.

Our Vision

To be the go-to online support for the career woman of African descent who wants to be a trailblazer at work and in life.

If you’re looking for no-fluff, real-women, life-changing conversations, then ours is just the right community for you. Visit www.trailblazerfemme.com or follow @trailblazerfemme on Instagram for more information.

Connect with us:

Instagram: @trailblazerfemme

Email: [e-mail]

Website: www.trailblazerfemme.com

To trailblazers,

Bunmi & Mofoluwaso

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page

Title Verso Page

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER 1

UNIQUENESS

By Bunmi Akinkugbe

CHAPTER 2

GRACE

By Feyikemi Oyewole

CHAPTER 3

CONFIDENCE

By Deborah David

CHAPTER 4

FAITH

By Kemi Olurinmade

CHAPTER 5

COURAGE

By Oluwaseun Ilevbare

CHAPTER 6

GRIT

By Funmilola Asa

CHAPTER 7

AUTHENTICITY

By Patience Joseph

CHAPTER 8

VIRTUE

By Moyosore Makinde

CHAPTER 9

CONFORMITY

By Adeola Efunwoye

CHAPTER 10

RESILIENCE

By Mofoluwaso Ilevbare

A LETTER TO YOURSELF

ABOUT TRAILBLAZER FEMME

REFERENCES

CHAPTER 1

UNIQUENESS

BY BUNMI AKINKUGBE

'I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.’ ~ Psalms 139:14

Do you ever wonder why some people behave a certain way? Why do they seem so different from you and others? Do you know they ponder the same concerning you? Welcome to the unique you.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines unique as being without a like or equal, or being distinctively characteristic. Uniqueness is also defined as the quality of being unequaled, incomparable, or unusual. Think of the snowflake. As many as there are, each is uniquely different from the other. You might think you don’t fit into this description because there’s nothing so exceptional about you. But even if the big picture doesn't ooze uniqueness to you, can you think of just one unique thing about you? One thing you do so well, one thing you do differently from others, one thing that makes you stand out in a good way.

‘You were born to be original, don’t die a copy.’ ~ John Mason

In 2005, a year-long study conducted by Caliper,1 a Princeton, New Jersey-based management consulting firm, and Aurora, a London-based organization that advances women, identified a number of unique characteristics that distinguish women leaders when it comes to qualities of leadership. The study showed that women leaders are more assertive and persuasive, have a stronger need to get things done, and are more willing to take risks than male leaders. Women leaders were also found to be more empathetic and flexible, as well as stronger in interpersonal skills than their male counterparts.

These characteristics enable women to use their intuition and instincts in a positive way that benefits any organization. Women serve as positive influences and role models to the people they lead by showing a genuine sense of concern and care.

'The more you like yourself, the less you are like everyone else.’ ~ Walt Disney

In his book, The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren explains how we have been uniquely shaped to fulfil our life’s purpose. This is applicable to all facets of life: family, career, ministry, and beyond. He elaborates on this uniqueness by using the acronym, SHAPE.

S stands for spiritual gifts. Every talent, skill, and gift you have is given from above. Most times, when you’re gifted in a specific area, you take it for granted by assuming everyone else is equally gifted. Unfortunately, that’s not necessarily the case. As you discover and use your gifts, you get better and build your unique individuality.

H stands for heart. This refers to the things you love to do and are passionate about. For example, cooking, decorating, service, sports, or ministry.

A stands for abilities. These are your natural, innate abilities; stuff that you’re naturally good at; your genius tendencies. According to Rick, each person has 500-700 skills and abilities, most of which are unused. Examples of abilities include singing, teaching, sporting activities, public speaking, playing musical instruments, amongst others. These and various abilities and skills can be learnt.

P stands for personality. This encompasses your temperaments, expressions, and natural make-up. It is that unique, special vibe that lingers around you. You could be introverted, extroverted, calm, verbose, melancholic, choleric, sanguine—all categories of DISC, Gallup, or Myer Briggs personality test.

E stands for your experiences. Both good and bad experiences serve a purpose: to teach us life lessons and serve as a spark that leads us to fulfilment.

Embracing your uniqueness helps you to accomplish what you have been created for. Out of the 7.8 billion humans on earth as at January 2020, you still carry something rare. It’s your secret sauce or recipe that cannot be imitated or copied. Quit hiding, let it shine!

FOUR STEPS TOWARDS LIVING BOLDLY IN YOUR UNIQUENESS

DISCOVER YOUR UNIQUENESS

Take some time today to ask yourself and honestly answer the following questions:

Who am I?

What’s special about me?

What’s different about me?

What sets me apart from others?

What do people often compliment me for?

What do people close to me say about me?

What do I really love?

What do I really love to do?

What do I absolutely dislike?

What causes do I stand for?

What are my strengths and weaknesses?

What has served me well in the past?

What exactly is my life anchored on? What is my story?

What’s my why, greater focus, and purpose?

What’s the unique problem I can solve that others cannot?

By answering these questions, you will discover myriad attributes, qualities, and values about yourself.

EMBRACE YOUR UNIQUENESS

Kobi Yamada says, 'Embrace your uniqueness. Time is much too short to be living someone else's life.’

Have you been in a situation whereby you get a compliment but just shake it off, smile, and move on? Or maybe you’re the type that instantly sends th e compliment back, or projects it to someone else. To live boldly, you must learn to embrace your uniqueness, no matter how big or small. And this involves accepting compliments wholeheartedly. The more you embrace it, the more you get comfortable with it, and the bolder you become.

Many women who have accomplished great feats or pioneered breakthroughs are not quite as well-known as their male counterparts. This is because women tend to be conservative about their achievements; this, however, is changing in this new age. Nowadays, women are standing up for their rights and celebrating their wins and other women’s wins.

Let me remind you of a few of such women who have been recognized for their accomplishments.2

Rosalind Elsie