In every given situation, there is room to learn. It is with this thinking that I approach all things in life. I have long since made peace with the fact that there will always be something you do not know, a book you have not read and a philosophy you are yet to discover. It took me 24 years of my life to make peace with this, because for the longest time I always felt that I needed to be one step ahead, one too many books read and informed. Wrongfully, I believed that for as long as I kept on reading as many books as I can get my hands one, I would be able to deem myself an intellectual. However, I discovered that a true intellect understands that there is always something to learn, given any situation.
I took time out to look at life through a learning mentality, ensuring that I did not strive to always be the well versed one in a room, but rather the learner. This changed my life drastically. It took me from a place of constantly needing to prove myself to whoever I find myself meeting and instead I could comfortably sit in the learning seat. It took me from a place of constantly being hard on myself when I hear a word I do not know, and instead allowed me to be able to ask in order to learn. It made me a student of life and there has been no greater seat to be in. It takes the pressure of acting as though you have it all figured out and instead admit that in actual fact, I am on a learning journey. One that holds surprise each day I wake up and one that propels me forward in that I always am one day ahead of where I was yesterday.
When I came back from my trip to receive the Queen’s Young Leaders award, there was so much love given that it simply humbled me. It meant that people where more open to sending me messages to talk about life and what they deem I may have an input on and in most cases it will be a message that states that I inspire the said person. This made me immensely uncomfortable, because it made me feel like I needed to have it all figured out and worse yet, it made feel so pressured to have my life figured out and certain of the path I am to follow and live.
The truth is that, I felt the pressure due to the fact that it meant I would need to pretend to be many things, especially someone worthy of being an inspiration to someone. It was in that realization that I also learnt that if I am not going to be honest, then I in truth was not worthy.
So here is my truth. No, I do not have it figured out. Heck, this has been the most trying time of my life. I have had to decide which of the two careers I have at the forefront, whether media or engineering are to dominate my time and efforts. A decision I battled with immensely. I later came to the understanding that it will forever be engineering from an urban planning perspective. Now, to say that I do not have it figured out allows me to make mistakes and figure myself out at my own pace. It takes my power back and in itself allows whoever sees my journey as inspiration to understand that this journey will be a joy ride, full of falls, mistakes and great moments of success.
I am young and I have plenty to learn, in as much as I have plenty to give back to the world and especially to my country, Namibia. I have great dreams I wish to pursue and if that inspires someone, all the better.
I grew up in a home with a father who holds integrity and humility in high regard, it is no wonder that at the forefront of my thinking are these two principles at any given time. I will continue to ensure that in all I do, I do it with integrity. An integrity that ensures I stay true to my ambitions and dreams, without faltering and being side tracked and a humility that forever keeps me grounded and authentic to my true self. In those two principles I will forever find the beauty of life.
Here’s to a life of learning and lessons. A life of falling and getting up. A life so full of beauty, that I am allowed to create my journey as I deem fit, in as long as I do it in the utmost integrity and humility.
Here’s to a beautiful life.
From one Power House to another
Love, Mavis
Instagram – @maviselias
Twitter – @MavisElias_
Website – mavisbraga.com
