Women2Watch
September 20, 2024
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Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a force to be reckoned with, and her recent letter to President Joe Biden has left a lasting impact.Her fearless approach to correcting and influencing feminist and political ideologies is an inspiration to us all. Let’s take a closer look at the lessons we can learn from her bold and creative style of advocacy.
“You realize that there is no time for rubbish. You realize life is short, and it’s so much better to be who you are”- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
No matter what happens in your life, the only constant is you. Nobody will give you the life you want on a silver platter. You must create it for yourself. Chimamanda’s force is due to the cumulative effect of her refusal to be shy or worried about people.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie proudly embodies her culture and experiences into her writing. If you have read any of her works, you’d agree that it has an endearing and relatable effect.
Chimamanda isn’t seeking ‘diversity’ in telling her story. It is her story after all, and she relays it- what, when, and how she wants- and it is a beautiful story to tell.
That is the life we should strive for. Living without borders. Everyone you know that is successful, whether you love or hate them, got to where they are by literally following their path. This is despite people’s thoughts and words.
3. People don’t see you; they see what you present.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is not known only by her name or her family. She is known and celebrated for her work and impact across the globe.
What do you want to be known for? What legacy do you want to leave behind? How do you prefer to be addressed?
These are critical questions you need to ask yourself as you walk the path of survival. The world couldn’t care less about your life if you weren’t valuable to them. It doesn’t matter how big or small the platform is, strive to make an impact through the skills, talents, and potential that you have.
4. Beauty: Individuality is everything.
“There is no such thing as perfection. Originality is a beautiful thing…” – Chimamanda.
In her writings, she embraces natural beauty for all, not leaving our descriptions of the beauty, grace, and power of curvy and voluptuous women in Nigeria.
She questions how American beauty standards are, and how much pain we cause each other as we conform to them. She also questions how we receive less from life if we cannot recognize the incredible beauty in ourselves and those different from us. We simply shrink our world, which can be enormous and exciting.
5. It is not your job to be likable. Your job is to be your authentic self.
This is Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s most relevant piece of advice for parents raising women. It would be very helpful to reject likeability. Girls are constantly taught to make themselves likable, to care about what others think about them and it’s so dangerous.
As you journey through life, in any industry you find yourself in, always remember – that your job is not to be likable, your job is to be your fullest self.”
Easy task for you: Write these lessons in your journal and reflect on them. Apply them where necessary and share them with the women in your life.
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