LESSONS IN LIFE, MONEY AND BUSINESS - LESSONS I LEARNT AT #WEARYOU 2019

"Immerse yourself in a life that moves you, because what you surround yourself with is what becomes your life."

-Aurelia Nxumalo, Lawyer and Influencer

The Wear You movement, by ethnic haircare brand Sta-Sof-Fro, is a meeting of the minds of women from all walks of life, with one thing in common- they are real women living in the real world. The seminar aims to celebrate #versatyle women, while imparting and sharing a wealth of knowledge about various key topics.



It took place in Durban on the 27th of July 2019 and takes place in Johannesburg on 31 August 2019 as a full day seminar consisting of masterclasses by 13 powerhouse women as well as a panel discussion, Q&A and cocktail networking session. I attended the Durban one and the whole day was filled with a wealth of knowledge and inspiration and I thought I'd share some of the lessons I learnt with you.

Lessons in Life, Money and Business

You don't have to be a "POWER BITCH", you can still be kind. Nowadays the empowered "boss' women is seen as being ruthless and savage, doing everything she can to reach the top. Having ambition doesn't have to translate to being mean. You can still show kindness and gentleness on your journey.



You need to know what you don't want even if you don't know what you want. The world is full of distractions and things that take us off the course we're supposed to be on. But we need to know when to say no to these things that aren't right for us and find things worth putting our time and energy into.



Know where you stand - your positioning is a compass that will guide you.

TELL people what you do. We put so much thought into personal branding and yet miss the most important step - we have to actually tell people and make it clear to them what we do and what we want. Don't give them room to guess and come up with their own assumptions.



Read the requirements of the next job you want. It's as easy as looking on jobs sites like indeed.com. Use those requirements as a guideline as to what you need to do to get there.



There was also a lot of practical financial advice I took from the day:



There's NO SHAME in going back home and starting over (Now this hit so close to home for me!)



Make SURE you have an emergency fund - at least 30% of your income and importantly money that is liquid and you can access in 24 hours



Be financially disciplined. If you didn't have support from your spouse/parents do you make enough money to maintain your lifestyle?



Act your wage - whether you earn R5k or R50k if you don't have a good relationship with money you'll always be broke. No matter how much you earn, it comes down to the same principles.



And to end off on a lighter note - "Girl, focus on your money. It won't wake up one morning and decide it doesn't love you."

P.S at the event we also got the cutest 2020 diaries filled with wise quotes and motivation. Here are some of my favourite quotes:



"When we truly step into our power, there is no predicting the heights we can reach."

- Dr. Nandipha Sekeleni



"Don't compare your life to others. There is no comparison between the sun and moon, they shine when it's their time."

- Nelisiwe Masango



"It doesn't matter how good or talented you are, I can promise you this, you will fail more times than you will succeed and you will need to be okay and prepared for that eventuality. Sometimes the failures will be private and other times they won't be. Be prepared."

- Nandi Dlepu