The courage behind Women and Wealth Workshop
A poem I wrote on 5th November
Today is a special day,
It’s my 3♡ birthday.
I sat down with my inner child yesterday,
I assured her that we were doing okay.
“It’s safe to come out & play now”,
“You are allowed to play now”.
The impossible has been made possible,
Cos Allah SWT is my enabler.
Our work is finally blooming,
Our students & audience are growing,
We are pressing on & accelerating,
For a vision that’s worth keeping.
The grown-up-me says she’s ready to fight,
On this uncharted path, to honour my light,
I will shine so bright, with all of my might,
So that when I meet my Creator, He will say: not too bad kid, you did alright.
A lot happened this year. As a result, I changed. Things or dreams that I thought used to matter, like wanting to achieve financial freedom as soon as possible suddenly disappeared. I started to find meaning, purpose and fun in all that my team and I were executing. Our becoming is no longer just about us, we have now built a community of like-minded alpha women who cheer and support each other.
Hitting lower lows were constant, but there were two key rock bottoms that I could recall in 2023 alone. One of it, I remembered wanting to give up all that we’ve created, money spent, but Allah SWT cradled me like a baby, held me tight, whispered to me that things will get better.. that there would be light at the end of the tunnel.
See, til this very day, my weakness is to ask for help. Through the talk therapies I had invested in over the years and especially this year, I realised this is a trauma in itself. Being too self-reliant can sabotage me and my health. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness (yes, duh, right?) and the first step is to figure out why I need help in the first place.
The how will fall into place naturally. This is an area that I am having the most difficulty, but again Allah SWT came to the rescue.. sending the right souls that I can trust wholeheartedly to help me with my big dreams. Thank you to the women (and men) who stepped up and for flipping my sorrows to small AND big wins.
Women and Wealth Workshop
In late 2022, I remembered informing my team of my dream to host a workshop. Coming from communications and marketing background, I wanted to call the programme with a nick that rhymed, or acronyms that were cool. That was how Women and Wealth Workshop was formulated. I remembered spending some alone time on my birthday in 2022 (which fell on a Saturday!) in the office, pouring out ideas, experiences, thoughts, traumas, and rearranging all of these into our workshop modules.
I knew the pain Allah SWT had bestowed me with since young, being raised in a broken family and absent parent, surviving bankruptcy in my marriage, investments’ highs and lows due to market being bullish (and suddenly dipping like there’s no tomorrow due to pandemic/market cycles), entrepreneurial struggles, leadership and such were designed intentionally.
Was I gonna let all these go to waste? NO. These are priceless, you can’t get these from personal finance books. I incorporated all of these wisdoms into our Women and Wealth Workshop so that our programme won’t be just another budgeting class or investing class. No freaking way. I’m a complex individual and I will not let my pain go to waste. Being authentic is one of our startup values and we scream exactly this in all that we pursue.
Just reflecting back on this year alone, we have spoken to hundreds of women in multiple platforms, being the key speaker, trainer or panelist with bigger renowned brands like ASB, AKPK, PIDM, KWSP, BFM, Microsoft, MBSB Bank, SME Bank and more… all in 2023 alone?! MasyaAllah I truly have nothing to complain about. Just two years ago these were all dreams that I had when I started our training company out of my home during the second lockdown in 2021. I’m now very careful with all the things that I say and think about because it looks like they are all coming true, slowly but surely. All I need is time (because alphas usually want everything NOW, right? LOL).
One of the recent breakthrough I had was the ability to reframe my trauma, thanks to my late therapist, Amanda.. may her soul rest in peace. She passed away on my birthday, I’ll make it a point to celebrate her passing and my rebirth from this point onwards.. 💜
I used to see myself as a butterfly, but recently I found out that butterflies can’t see its wings (or beauty). This analogy of not being able to see one’s beauty was exactly how I felt about myself. Leading to my birthday, when Amanda took me through the brain spotting process, I was finally able to see my beauty because I’m now an upgraded butterfly who has morphed into becoming a powerful horse.
The image below which was a poster hung on Amanda’s therapy room, was her parting gift to me apart from spending two hours with me just hours before her passing. Without me realising, as I went through the process to heal myself while building a business that empowers similar women like me, what I was truly doing and becoming was to form my herd of horses… more coming, InsyaAllah.
Never belittle our pain, for they can become our strength. Shame and fear intertwine with courage, so embrace them all.
I am clearer now with who I know I can be. I hope you can also see the same for yourself. May Allah SWT allow your path and mine to cross.. if you’re looking for one, come and witness our first women-only largest seminar happening on 2 Dec 2023. On that day, I’ll be sharing powerful key points about why you should empower yourself, from here to the hereafter. Bring your besties, sisters, and tribe.. tickets are running low, get them here: womenwealthworkshop.com.my.
May 2024 onwards be the year we connect with the most important person in our lives, that is: ourselves. Honour your becoming. It’s time that you take centre stage.
