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What Kenya taught me about belonging

My alarm clock has just gone off at 4am. I’m in Kenya on holidays with my family visiting our wider family. I love this time of the morning because of how quiet it is and I get to have my treasured alone time while everyone else is still fast asleep.

I wash my eyes, brush my teeth and lightly moisturise my face. I grab my bible and my laptop and head to the living room for some time of prayer. There’s something about being home, being in a place where I truly feel at ease and comfortable in my skin and body.

I open the blinds slightly to catch a glimpse of the sleeping neighbourhood. It’s dark, it’s peaceful and I love it. After prayer, reading the word and watching a short sermon I’m ready to dive into some work.

What I’ve loved most about being home is the ability to shut down most of the “noise” and influences around me particularly as it pertains to social media. Please tell me I’m not the only one who goes down the rabbit hole of social media only to come out totally and completely overstimulated, mindless scrolling, no information retained, just a lot of valuable time wasted which I could have used to rest meaningfully or apply intentionally for my own personal growth.

Being here in Kenya… still and intentional has been a gift. It’s reminding me of how much I have to offer in the online coaching industry as a racial equity coach. Being here in Kenya… where I see myself represented everywhere I turn is incredibly soul nourishing and affirming. No more being the “only” but rather being part of and most importantly belonging.

I recall Brene Brown saying belonging is an essential part of human existence and whilst that statement resonated strongly with me, it wasn’t until I was on Kenyan soil that it sunk in deeper. The quality of my time here has been so rich knowing that I am among my people. A sense of both pride and peace has emerged because I belong.

And here’s what I’m trying to get at, as you build your business regardless of who you are currently serving or hope to serve, belonging is an imperative part of the success of your business. And it’s not something that can simply be acquired by having diversity, equity and inclusion… if it was that simple then quite a number of businesses would be “winning”. No!!! It’s so much more than that. It’s about how you make your clients, team and contractors feel. It’s not something you are offering to a select few who might look, sound and have things in common with.

If you can incorporate belonging into your business, I promise it will transform the experience everyone has with you and your business. It will continually set you apart in a way that cannot be replicated and your clients will have found a “home” in the service you provide. You will be living and breathing racial equity.

I’d love to hear from you. Comment below and let me know what belonging means to you and where you most feel at home being your true authentic self (warts and all).

With Love,
Annie


How I can support you:

1) Wondering the best place to begin or continue your racial awareness journey? Discover your next step so you can take consistent and sustainable action. Take the Next Step Quiz

2) Want to build a racially equitable online business? Join the waitlist and be the first to find out when doors to my 10 week signature program REPRESENTED open in March 2023. Join REPRESENTED waitlist

3) Are you an emerging woman of colour coach ready to build a profitable and sustainable online coaching business? Get all the details and join the interest list

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