Tell me about yourself. What drives you? What are your goals? How do you care for yourself?
Vintage Evgeniya! It was our first meeting, and I was already feeling “where have you been all my life?” There were so many takeaways from that encounter, I could easily make this into an essay on ‘How to Hack Excelling at Work and Balancing Life by EvgeniyEvgeniya’.
There are acquired or maybe inborn character traits that have stuck with me- I always have a preference for a personal connection with people. A lot usually depends on how I feel in tune with someone I am just meeting. I believe when I can feel someone is true to their self, they present a package that would be liked by some and disliked by others. That said, those constant character traits often, in my opinion, make the best humans – in a world where most people have motives for the character they portray, not who they are.
I like to think I found that connection with Evgeniya. A caveat though- I am not unique in that sense. Everyone who I have spoken to about her have expressed similar views. A common word everyone of those people used to describe her is “authentic”. I drove late in the night to London so I could meet her in person and boy was that a very important decision! A much rewarding drive than many other less productive trips I tend to take (LOL).
I try to draw similarities in our personalities (easy to tag team with a successful woman, right? LOL). Speaking of personalities, I am still on a journey to rediscovering who I have always been and proving I can push myself to success. I believe very much in myself, even if I have tended to become reticent of late, because I don’t think life is worth it a lot of times.
As I mentioned to Angie (another impressive woman, who Evgeniya introduced me to), that my first piece after a long absence from writing would be my ‘love letter’ to Evgeniya. It was during our second meeting that she got me to commit to writing again- a key part of being me that I have let go for years. Writing has always been my outlet for a bubble of interwoven emotions.
I discussed commitment with Evgeniya- doing what you promise should be a foundation for anyone’s fidelity. So, baby steps – I have bought a ten-year lease of my domain name, which I let go of previously. I very much intend this to be a private space, an outlet for my thoughts on life, politics, and every other thing I feel passionate about. Adediranmughni.com, here we go!
I owe this to the beautiful woman from Novgorod, who even though is now very ‘American’ (nothing bad, just the discernible drive for success and excellence), has managed to blend life experiences into a force for good that she uses to uplift others. What greater fulfilment can beat looking back at an army of people who would say “thank you for lighting my path”? For me, that would be raising a child (s) with those same values- creating generations of top humans. I think she is excelling at both (not an easy feat for women). Superwoman? I’d agree without blinking.
Now I have my idea for my next topic: Does “superwoman” really celebrate women?
That said, everyone needs an Evgeniya in their corner. Someone who isn’t afraid to use their hard-earned social currency to uplift others, whilst being graceful at it. More importantly, someone who isn’t afraid to tell you the truth that helps you grow. As she told me, YOU ARE ENOUGH! I have pondered over those words and felt connected to the intended meaning. If we pause to look at who we are and every intervening factor in life moments, we may all feel some connection to those precious words.
To Evgeniya – for all the good you have done, are doing and will continue to do. May the light you give others brighten your path. Спасибо, Евгения!
I can’t promise this will be the last I will write about her! There’s too much learning that should be shared with others.
PS: The picture heading is Chrysanthemum. In Japanese culture, the flower is the emblem of the Imperial Family. It represents longevity, as well as the ability to withstand adversity and emerge victorious. In China, it is often used as a symbol of longevity, endurance, loyalty and friendship- traits that I associate with Evgeniya.