YVALIKS

I haven’t written here in more than four years.  I have to come clean and say that this past four years have been very challenging for me. I even found it difficult to come back here and let my words flow like they used to do. But when I launched this blog in 2013, I did it because I had not managed to get on the property ladder and my legal career hit a bump road. I then decided to own a little space for myself on the internet, something that people could not take away from me.

Now it can be argued that blogging may not be as popular as it was ten years ago. Currently, there are more trending content platforms performing ‘better’ than blogs. But these are more subject to changing algorithms and rules that I am not always fond of. My blog feels more like it is mine.

And truly, I enjoyed writing in long forms, so this is the best way for me.

I have been feeling inspired at the beginning of the year, to give it another go. I hesitated but I am more convinced than ever that I meant to write more this year.

I have to explain that I recently decided to go back to my country of origin: The Democratic Republic of Congo. I had a discussion with a friend in late 2021, and after reflection and a small trip back in March 2022, I booked a one-way ticket to Kinshasa in September 2022.

Honestly things in the UK did not turn out the way I thought they will be four years ago. I moved to London in 2019 and when Covid hit, I realised that I could not stay in the city for too long. I had to think of another possibility.  Since turning 35, I have been very open in trying new things and taking risks to build the life I want for me.

I understand that growth usually happens outside of comfort zones and that sometimes in facing our fears we discover our greatest strengths. Changes can lead to wonderful adventures.

So, Kinshasa felt like the next adventure for me. It has now been six months and I think I have started to be at ease with living here.

So far there has been ups and downs, but I realise that I need a lot of patience and perseverance to really find my foot here. But I can definitely see that there are possibilities here where I can thrive in different ways. It feels that I have to write down my thoughts in this new chapter of my life and share it with others.

I am re-starting this blog with more discipline and the desire to express myself more. I am making a commitment and keeping some of the promises I am made to myself years ago. I want to allow myself to become the writer that I have always wanted to be.

People these days refer to life period as ‘eras’ now. So, for more context I have decided to define this era.

This is my softness era, where I welcome support and ease.

This is my gratitude era, where I accept my past, live in the present and show up for my future.

This is my more love era, where I will connect with people in an authentic manner.

This is my better mindset era, where I am more positive and where I will not let things steal my joy.

This is a relaunch; another try.

But this one is different. It is one is laced with hope.

Hope for better things to come…and they will come.