Where it all began....

So, I’ve recently gone back to work after a year of maternity leave. I found second time round I was so much more chilled and confident in having a new born...my 3 year old (now 4 year old...eek!) had a few days a week in nursery so i actually had time and the mental capacity to not just be with my beautiful baby but to also think about myself and what I wanted out of life in a way that was necessary and timely. I was so blessed over that year to meet some amazing women.  I also was able to see perhaps more than I had done before how amazing the women I have known for some time were too.  What I was struck by in spending time with and talking to them all was how life can get so busy and full, (especially when children are added to the mix!) that when you’re on a particular path it is really difficult to find the time and space to think about other things that might be of interest, other interests that ignite some sort of fire, passion, excitement.  

What I encountered and became aware of were women who had established careers/jobs, but had passions, interests, amazing skills that were outside their jobs and careers. Women who wanted something more but did not quite know how to pursue their interests or even hadn’t considered it a possibility to do something else other than what they did for a living. I think I saw it because it was something in me that I had been pondering on for some time.

To cut a long story short, one afternoon of prosecco led to the coming together of five of us to create this blog...we’ve been on a journey over these last few months, keeping the vision alive, pushing through mental resistance, finding time in the midst of our busy and at times chaotic and demanding lives to make this happen...I’m so excited to introduce them to you!

So here's little intro to the other women of Dare to Arise!...

....Mrs On-point is what I call her 😂 - Linda! She says she really doesn’t give that much thought to what she wears and tends to wear dresses because it’s only one item to iron 😂. Well…what I see is that she has a passion for fashion, I always look forward to seeing what she and her beautiful daughters are wearing...I admire her ability to look effortlessly put together and she’s so ladylike and oh so stylish!  She’s also super smart, has such a mellow and calm temperament, such a graceful and articulate woman. She’s going to share with us a bit about what’s on her mind, what makes her tick…maybe give some style tips too and share her love for African print fashion!

.... and then we have Lisha - such a clever, talented, humble and understated soul. We share a love for interior design, dreaming about how our houses could look, trying to convince our husbands to let us change our current window blinds to plantation shutters 😂. She was my go to when I wanted some advice and opinion on designing my children’s bedrooms. If you’re looking for a creative idea for a present, a way to engage your children in an activity, the must have baby/child accessory/toy/gadget that will ensure your child becomes the genius they are destined to be then Ailisha is your woman! 

Then we have our inspirational writer - a case of the “stars aligning”…humble, wise and arising Charleen - Lisha’s “bestie for years”.  She has been writing inspirational posts for some time and wanting to find a way to share and inspire others. I’m so pleased that she is joining us…she is taking us on a journey to have perspective on challenges in life to change our mindset in order to become the people we are destined to be. I personally think that there is something quite therapeutic about inspirational writing.  It’s power isn’t just for the people it is intended to touch but also for the person writing. I can’t wait to see what impact her posts will have on others but also where they will take her.

Then….the last but not least Dare to Arise woman is….drumroll…Nana! So Nana and I have lived parallel lives for years, growing up very near each other in Birmingham, knowing the same people(one of my best friend's family friend!) and then ending up living 2 minutes away from each other here in London.  Nana is not actually a writer on the blog (yet!!) but has been pivotal to this blog coming together, she has helped us actually get going and is our advisor on how to ensure this blog looks and communicates what we intend for it to. She also has some stuff in the pipeline that the blog can hopefully be a platform for. She is on a journey with all of us and we’re believing that she is moving forward and moving towards levels in life that surpass her dreams!

So there you have it...for now at least...the DaretoArise women...we hope in time to recruit more DaretoArise women (maybe you?!!), maybe just maybe we could start a movement...an army of women, daring to rise up, to pursue, explore and push through with those dreams and ideas...women who will share with us and others…feeling inspired and inspiring others!