Time for Purpose

By Dr Kate Anolue

"Having lived for more than seventy years, it is about time I share my experience, expertise and wisdom with a new generation of women."

Join Dr Kate as she shares her life-changing values, philosophy and wisdom, to inspire and empower you to reach your dream!

Kate's book is an inspiring read which will spri

• Language: English
• Publisher: Book Brilliance Publishing
• Release date: Sep 22, 2022
• ISBN: 9781913770549

Dr Kate Anolue

Dr Kate Anolue was born in Nigeria and moved to the UK after the devastating civil war. A former midwife, Kate studied law and became an expert in medical negligence cases, supporting her colleagues as their Royal College of Midwives' (RCM) Steward. She has given 40 years' service to the NHS. A woman of action, duty and purpose, Kate has been a councillor for the London Borough of Enfield for over twenty years, and has served as their Mayor twice. She is currently the CEO of Tender Care Health Initiative, and the Founder and President of Forum for Africans, African Caribbean and Asian Women in Politics.

Book preview

Introduction

"Midwifery is my profession

but inspiring women is my mission!"

All of my working life has been devoted to supporting women, from bringing new life into the world, to elevating them to a place where they believe in themselves and create the life of their dreams.

Having lived more than seventy years, it is about time I share my experience, expertise and wisdom with a new generation of women. It is my duty to leave an imprint on this world as part of my legacy, along with the difference I have made in the world as a single mother, midwife, community champion and leader. I have learned the difference between influencing and making a lasting impact by my interactions because of the way in which I leave people feeling. How do I know? They tell me!

Inspiration for Time for Purpose came after I had written and self-published my memoir, Kate Anolue, Autobiography. Yes, it told my story, but what was lacking was the impact of my life. Sharing how to create your destiny by taking control of your mindset, your path and discovering your purpose which gives meaning to your life.

Many of the traumas, experiences and events in my life are shared by millions of women around the world. As a Nigerian woman in diaspora, like many of my sisters, I am a very ambitious woman who is driven to succeed and make a difference in the world. By writing this book, I know that it will help and guide many women on their journey to realising themselves, their purpose and mission.

My experiences of being a midwife, community champion and single mother showed me that many women who find themselves alone in bringing up children think that their lives are over. They believe they have no future and if they are a woman of colour, this is intensified because they do not have a sense of belonging. With this closed mindset, they do not push themselves and prefer to do menial jobs rather than allow themselves to be visible as a powerful woman.

I am driven and determined to show them that this is a lie and that they can be anything they choose when they put their mind to it. They must also find someone who will encourage and champion their efforts to transform their lives. You should neither do things alone as it will set you up for failure, nor should you tolerate anyone who disrespects and discourages you and your potential. Once you find like-minded people, you can tap into their experiences, and through collaboration, achieve beyond your expectations.

Each chapter is filled with stories; not just my own, but the universal evidence that we all seek to support transforming limiting beliefs to a new belief that we can adopt as truth. The human mind loves stories and I have also included some metaphors that aid understanding of human traits, such as feeding a negative or positive mindset with your thoughts. This is illustrated in the metaphor about the two wolves.

Also within each chapter is the philosophy I have developed over my lifetime based on my experience, expertise and education. Teaching the learnings of life is rooted in the insight and growing wisdom that age brings, and the voice of our elders is one that has to be listened to wholly, with a respect for accomplishments and actions that reflects my Nigerian culture. I am an Igbo woman from the east, one of the three main tribes in Nigeria, where education is paramount in the lives of its people because it provides a better future, relieves you from poverty, and offers many opportunities in life. The wisdom reveals the legacy that I wish to leave behind.

Within each chapter, you will be inspired by quotes and Aunty Kate’s Learning Points. These are the ‘how-tos’ of transforming your life. The only way you can create change is through action. Thoughts and words alone are not enough. As the cliché states, actions speak louder than words. My life demonstrates that through integrity, you must walk your talk to be the role model for those who come behind you. People are always looking to be inspired into action, but it takes more than action to sustain and fuel activity.

The essence of Time for Purpose is to illustrate the human traits necessary to succeed and find happiness and fulfilment. Traits such as a positive mindset, tenacity, resilience, determination, discipline, self-belief, proactivity, adopting responsibility for your actions, and inactions. These can be honed into a powerful set of values, principles and skills that give direction to your inner compass which is based on the awareness of and knowing your values, vision and mission. Most importantly, I have lived my life with one thing that has driven me to this point – Never give up! No excuses allowed! Never say never!

Lastly, the title of this book, Time for Purpose, envelops the notion that there is no time like the present. The past is behind us and the future is never guaranteed. I urge you to go on the most powerful journey of your life which asks you to find the courage to enter into your inner world, face who you are, embracing the good and bad, and listen to your intuitive voice, for it knows your purpose. When you accept this as your destiny, you will begin to find meaning to your life and acknowledge that it is now Time for Purpose!

Dr Kate Anolue

Chapter One:

Purpose

Inner Journey, Belief, Passion

"Find a purpose in life so big it will challenge

every capacity to be at your best."

David O. McKay

American educator and religious leader

Many people have written books on ‘Purpose’, but what does it mean? According to the Cambridge English Dictionary, purpose is defined as:

an intention or aim; a reason for doing something or for allowing something to happen

When reflecting on the meaning, I can say it confirms my understanding of what it is to live a life on purpose. I have always found myself having a solid reason for doing something. I set out each day with an intention to achieve a small goal, and when I focus on the outcome of that intention, it gives me purpose to allow it to happen.

Many people spend a lifetime trying to find their purpose, and they often give up because they are not connecting with anything of significance. People often look outside themselves to find their purpose, as their environment, culture and upbringing shape them. Their mindsets are then filled with limiting beliefs because of relationships, friendships and following traditions. You often hear statements such as, It runs in the family. This type of statement immediately shuts down possibilities, and consequently, you do not even try to create change but accept it as a truth.

One thing to ponder is that change is part of everything. Our cells change, time moves on, and we change from generation to generation. Once you understand that change happens all of the time, it is easier to stop looking outside of yourself and turn your attention to what is happening inside you. This change in perspective is a massive paradigm shift and may take some time to register before you begin to take steps to change your thoughts, words and actions.

Humans like routine, which can create ‘bad’ habits, inducing people to stay inside of their comfort zones. When you adopt this habit, you can often find yourself drifting from one thing to another without purpose. The acceptance of such behaviours prevents you from questioning them. Why am I doing this every day?, whatever ‘this’ is for you. Ask yourself is it out of habit or is it to attain something extraordinary, such as happiness or a goal, such as becoming a vet? A lack of purpose creates