Five Years Ago
Five years ago, around this time, I started a new role as an Executive Director for an organization I was extremely excited to champion. An organization in my backyard, committed to empowering young women.
Five years ago, the person I had become was excited to take on a role of such magnitude. I had spent the previous nine years working in various roles in community development, from managing a youth centre in one of the most densely populated neighbourhoods in Toronto: Thorncliffe Park; to fundraising for one of the most well known funders: United Way. I was excited to take on this new role; I thought I was ready. I was ready to bring the skills I developed and lead an organization committed to empowering young women. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy but I was excited to take on the work, especially if it meant championing the empowerment of young women. It was a dream come true.
Five years ago, I started to feel lost, I did not know how to navigate the world I entered. Everything I had learned, every relationship I had developed, every skill set I had honed, felt like it was slipping through my fingers. I felt like I was in one of those dreams where you are speaking but no one hears you. My voice was silenced, my faith in myself started to slip away.
Five years ago, I still saw the world in vibrant colours. I had a strong network of family, friends, and colleagues. I had a support system. But what I did not have was the resilience to manage a situation that eventually led to what I call, ‘the grey years.’
Five years ago, I entered the most challenging time of my life. It was challenging in large part, because I gave away my power.
Five years later, I decided to write a series of posts, sharing some of my journey over these last five years. I don’t know how many entries there will be and I don’t know how each entry will look. What I do know is that when this series of posts is done, the story I share here will serve as a reminder of how far I’ve come in taking back my power.
