For Linda Ikeji and our Collective Lessons in Vulnerability

[williemaetorrenc]

<br>Let me first begin this short article by stating that I don’t know Linda Ikeji personally, we aren’t buddies, and I’ve “met” her only a couple of times at celebrations …<br>
<br>Written By:
Francesca Uriri<br>
<br>Published On:
24 Sep 2016<br>
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<br>However with all of that being said, I likewise have a deep and abiding regard for her. Is that paradoxical? Perhaps. But I’ve pertained to understand that you can disagree with somebody on something and still respect them. Whether you accept it or not, Linda has revealed through her exceptional journey of being a blog writer and opinion influencer, that she is an inspiration to countless individuals all over the world. She has boot strapped her method to success utilizing a model that was as soon as unpopular and scoffed at. She’s an Outlier, and handles to influence, incite and baffle lots of at one time, and with fervour.<br>
<br>I can’t consider a great deal of people who have actually run a modelling company, an occasions business, a magazine and a lot of other organizations, failed at them, and still kept pressing forward. I likewise don’t know of anybody else (a minimum of not on this side of the world), who is lawfully making lots of cash by blogging.
[ad] I indicate, before Linda, whoever believed it was possible to buy a house in Banana Island, and open a string of media-related organizations acquired from the proceeds of running a gossip blog? If the United States of America has the “American dream,” then Linda Ifeoma Ikeji has the “Naija Dream.” Strong, unrelenting in its pursuit of joy and hope, and ultimately, successful. Here’s a lady who hit ground zero at some point in her life, and is back to level 100. You have to respect such grit and decision, due to the fact that as my Sapele individuals will say “E nor simple.”<br>
<br>Linda or “Lin-Lin” as she’s fondly called by those who are close to her turned 36 years of ages a few days earlier; and to mark her wedding, she posted a 14-minute long video on her blog. Within hours of her posting this video, social networks was buzzing with all sort of comments and remarks about it – and I understood that I needed to see it for myself. 3 minutes into the video, I wasn’t rather sure whether I liked it or not, due to the fact that it came off as a little insincere and scripted; plus Linda looked a little uncomfortable facing the video camera. However, something changed quickly after – I’m not even sure what. But the veneer of coolness cracked, and something more warm, earthy, authentic and vulnerable spilled out.
[ad] And as Linda began to discuss her failures, her desires, her relationship with God, her belief in the credibility of her dreams, her utter awe at how her life ended up, and the affirmation that she still “strategies to be around for a very long time,” something in me likewise paved the way to the hope and inspiration that she was sharing.<br>
<br>And possibly it was an emotional moment, possibly that thing was fleeting, however I recognized it, and I felt it strongly. Because it was genuine, effective and wholehearted. And in that one special moment, I ignored all the times I disliked Linda, or all the frustrating things she had done, and in that suspended space, in between my laptop screen and her video, I commemorated with her. I cheered her on, and I frantically desired her to prosper.<br>
<br>So you can imagine my irritation when individuals took just a couple of seconds of that video – of her desiring a fantastic male for a husband – and turned it into a celebration for ugly banter, senseless rhetoric and upsetting remarks. How do you condense ALL she said, and narrow that down to simply one section of her video? What is wrong if she honestly (and extremely truthfully I might include), discussed what she wants? Is her desire for an other half in some way less legitimate or due to the fact that she discussed it in the open? If she had discussed additional growing her service or buying another house – would those declarations be met derisive comments? Exists not a peaceful strength and dignity in such a guileless show of vulnerability? When individuals honestly and truthfully open themselves, the least we can do, the least we ought to do as humans is to accord them the respect and dignity that they deserve.<br>

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