Did you know yesterday was the first wednesday of the month of August?  Which also means that it was Woman at Work   Let me tell you monthly events like this makes me realize just how fast time is flying and I’m sure all the other ladies will agree.  It feels like you go to an event, then go to work the next day and the next and you get so caught up in the fast pace of life that all of a sudden it’s time for Woman at Work again. 

Anyways, I’ve been involved with Woman at Work from the very first function in December which was held at Rietvlei Zoo Farm till last night’s function at The Oppenheimer at Gold Reef City Casino & Theme Park.  It started out as a normal work assignment, going to a function and creatively capturing everything till now where I’ve got to the point where I really enjoy it so much and spend a lot of time meeting and networking with lots of other business women from The South   Every month these networking events are even bigger and better.  Women today don’t make time for themselves, they spend everyday getting their kids ready for school (not to mention all their extra mural activities) and then going to work and Working themselves over the wall. Where they then return home to look after and care for their family.  Bring your girlfriends with you to this event and just spend some quality time with yourself and other women….  On to the event, I can’t find the right words to describe how wonderfully the Oppenheimer hall was decorated.  I walked inside with all my display items and literally stopped right in the doorway to admire the gorgeous pink and white drapings (with fairylights and all) on the ceiling and walls…. Absolutely amazing!!  Thank you Zefnie, you got some true talent   The theme for the evening was pretty in pink (as we are celebrating womens day this month) so the whole room was filled with ladies wearing every other shade of pink  (I’m not really a fan of pink, and I even wore a bit of pink   

Woman at Work basically creates a platform for ladies in the South of Johannesburg to network with other like-minded business women.  This network of women then support other Woman at work members and so we build up everyone’s company by using ladies within this network to support and provide different services. 

The charity for this month was once again TLC (The Love of Christ Ministries)  They take in and look after orphaned and abandoned kids.  They have little ones ranging from newborn to 16 years old.  They house 75 children and have 25 volunteers.  That’s one hundred meals 3 times a day (a few more for the smaller babies)  Can you imagine to cook for a 100 every time you prepare something to eat?  They do truly amazing work and they always need help  

 ”I… am a Fairy Godmother”  This is how Donna Mccallum started her talk last night. She is such a passionate and lighthearted lady.  Don’t mistake her for the kind of godmother who just swishes her wand and viola all your problems are solved, no no no.  Sorry to break it to you but there is no such a thing as a quick fix.   Donna is the kind of godmother who is passionate about helping you find direction in your life and then manifesting your goals.  Every lady attending this function got a magic wand and had to interactively listen to Donna and share their dreams and “things that make your soul blossom” with the person sitting next to you.  She guided us through this whole process and just by doing a few simple exercises got everyone’s passions reignited.  Let me share an example of Donna’s with you.  “I want to go on an overseas trip and have finally saved up enough money.  I now go to Toni my travel agent and tell her that I want to go on an overseas holiday and I want her to book it for me.  Toni now say that that’s great, where would you like to go?  And I reply:’  You are the expert and I want you to book my trip for me.  Toni replies:” But where would you like to go”  And I reply:’ Anywhere, you tell me.  You are the expert and I trust you’  So Toni goes ahead and book’s my holiday for me.  On the first day of my overseas holiday I am super excited as I board the plane   After I get off the plane I realize that my holiday destination is…. Kazaksthan  (yip, you heard right.  Toni has a wicked sense of humour)  Now if I imagined my holiday with white sandy beaches, warm lightblue seawater lapping at my feet and gorgeous bronzed men playing volleyball next to me I am definitely not impressed  with… Kazaksthan.  So immediately I start looking for someone to blame and who comes to mind… Toni.  This might be a funny little story but there is a lot of truth behind it.  What Donna was trying to say that YOU and ONLY YOU are responsible for the way your life turns out.  Your life is like a storybook and you are the author.  Only you can decide what will happen to the main character (makes sense doesn’t it?)  So take charge rather than staying in the same old rut of being the poor little victim of your circumstances.  Lastly, ALWAYS be grateful for everything you have.  A house, a job, food on the table, your family, your good health etc etc etc.  Ladies, Toni, Tanya, Donna, this was a very enlightening evening which I (and I’m sure many others) truly enjoyed!

Riani