For Linda Ikeji and our Collective Lessons in Vulnerability

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# 2 weeks, 2 days ago

<br>Let me very first begin this short article by stating that I do not understand Linda Ikeji personally, we aren’t friends, and I have actually “met” her just 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 respect for her. Is that paradoxical? Perhaps. But I’ve concerned understand that you can disagree with someone on something and still respect them. Whether you accept it or not, Linda has revealed through her exceptional journey of being a blogger and opinion influencer, that she is a motivation to many individuals all over the world. She has boot strapped her way to success utilizing a design that was as soon as out of favor and scoffed at. She’s an Outlier, and handles to motivate, prompt and baffle lots of all at once, and with fervour.<br>
<br>I can’t think about a great deal of people who have actually run a modelling agency, an occasions business, a publication and a lot of other organizations, failed at them, and still kept pressing forward. I likewise don’t understand of anyone else (at least not on this side of the planet), who is lawfully making lots of cash by blogging.
[advertisement] I imply, before Linda, whoever thought it was possible to buy a home in Banana Island, and open a string of media-related companies acquired from the earnings of running a chatter blog site? If the United States of America has the “American dream,” then Linda Ifeoma Ikeji has the “Naija Dream.” Strong, ruthless in its pursuit of happiness and hope, and eventually, successful. Here’s a woman who struck ground no at some point in her life, and is back to level 100. You have to respect such grit and determination, because as my Sapele people will state “E nor simple.”<br>
<br>Linda or “Lin-Lin” as she’s fondly called by those who are close to her turned 36 years old a few days earlier; and to mark her special day, she published a 14-minute long video on her blog site. Within hours of her publishing this video, social media was buzzing with all sort of remarks 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 somewhat insincere and scripted; plus Linda looked a little unpleasant dealing with the cam. However, something changed shortly after – I’m not even sure what. But the veneer of coolness broke, and something more warm, earthy, genuine and vulnerable spilled out.
[ad] And as Linda started to speak about her failures, her desires, her relationship with God, her belief in the validity of her dreams, her utter amazement at how her life turned out, and the affirmation that she still “strategies to be around for a long period of time,” something in me also gave way to the hope and inspiration that she was sharing.<br>
<br>And perhaps it was a psychological minute, perhaps that thing was short lived, but I acknowledged it, and I felt it highly. Because it was sincere, effective and sincere. And in that one unique moment, I forgot about all the times I disliked Linda, or all the irritating things she had actually done, and because suspended space, in between my laptop screen and her video, I celebrated with her. I cheered her on, and I desperately desired her to succeed.<br>
<br>So you can imagine my irritation when people took simply a couple of seconds of that video – of her preferring a remarkable guy for a hubby – and turned it into an event for awful banter, senseless rhetoric and hurtful 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 honestly I might add), discussed what she desires? Is her desire for a partner somehow less valid or shameful due to the fact that she discussed it in the open? If she had spoken about further growing her or buying another home – would those declarations be met derisive comments? Exists not a quiet strength and dignity in such a guileless program of vulnerability? When individuals truthfully and honestly open up themselves, the least we can do, the least we must do as people is to accord them the regard and self-respect that they deserve.<br>