Who I’ve Come To Be – My Story and My Self Reinvention

I can’t shake this feeling of wanting to reinvent myself… It’s like making yourself some nachos (one of my favs), but wishing you had sliced green onions to put on top!

A lot of times when we read online about life transitions, it is usually associated with past trauma, such as a major heartbreak, the passing of a loved one, overcoming physical illnesses, and the list goes on.

I’m grateful to be in a long-term, committed relationship and work life balance, but…
What if you have a great life and you’re just looking to reinvent yourself? That’s where I’m at today.

My Name Is Geraldine, Nice To Meet You…

For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Geraldine. And for those of you who do know me but might not know too much about me… Here’s my story:

I grew up as a shy little girl in the SF Bay Area that eventually made her way to building a name for herself in the public eye as a rapper /performing artist then becoming an entrepreneur with multiple businesses. HUGE transition right? Well let me take you to a trip down memory lane…As a kid, I was super shy when it came to social interactions with other kids around me. I was always the ‘observer’ in the family. I didn’t say much but I always observed thet conversations that took place between my parents, my extended family and my siblings (mostly by adults). I also noticed the adults in my life had no time! They lacked work life balance, so one day I made a promise to myself to have more time when I became a grown up… By owning my own business.

Where I’ve been

In 2004, I finally became an entrepreneur! I have owned several types of businesses since, so I’ve been through many struggles related to owning a business. Because of this, it’s second nature for me to consult entrepreneurs who are looking to make it happen in a big way.

All of the companies I’ve ever started were mostly self-funded and had a steady trajectory of growth. In the process, I learned the value of building teams and engaged in business partnerships along the way. I’ve owned companies selling vinyl records, operating a restaurant, developing websites, doing marketing, producing videos and eventually learned to build passive income. I still do some of this today. People talk about being a jack of all trades and being a master of none… Um. Yeah, I’ve mastered a lot of this. 😂

On the flip side…Like many people, I’ve had my low points in life…. Back in 2001 I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and I was battling depression for 2.5 years. At that time of my life my weight fluctuated like crazy, I had major body insecurities and I struggled with my self-worth. I was prescribed antidepressants and mood stabilizers, which works for some people, it just didn’t work for me. The medications numbed me out! I felt docile and lifeless, so I chose to stop taking them in 2003.

It took me so long to get out of depression. One of my major turning points happened when I was working with a business coach that asked me if I had defined my values. To be honest, when she asked I said to myself in my head (WTF is that? And what difference will that make?). Defining my personal values turned my life around! It’s the reason why I’m able to do everything that I do today. I made sure that my choices, how I spend my time and who I spend my time with were aligned with my values. By doing that I was able to shift the focus back to myself and get on the road to empowerment. I realized that my life was MY responsibility and that I could create it ANY WAY that I desire it to be. I also took a course in 2016 called the ‘Wisdom Course’ which helped boost my self-esteem and my charisma to fully express myself better. This allowed me to develop better connections with strangers.

Why do I want to reinvent myself and What does that mean?

We all have aspirations and big dreams that we often believe are out of our reach. Like many of you, I dream about who I want to become and how to reach unlimited potential. These days I am forcing myself to look at every opportunity, confrontation and challenge as open doors rather than roadblocks.

My personal commitment is that individuals and the greater society feel more empowered and less confused. And from my understanding, you have to model what it is you want to become. So to become an example of empowerment for others, I have to BECOME a force of empowerment for others. To inspire other people, I know have to dive deep and go internally to be that person. (To be honest, I’m still working on that, everyday.)

This is me unfiltered. Entrepreneur or not, I’m still a human being with personal struggles. Part of my self-discovery journey learning more and more about everything related to personal empowerment- self-awareness, communication, manifestation and reprogramming limiting beliefs. When I picture my future I see myself evolving more in what I already do – recording videos, public speaking and being my real authentic self.

I finally feel that I have the courage to share who I really am and how I got here. With that, I’ll leave you with this (as mentioned on my homepage)… I desire to be “An example that you could pursue everything you want then let your life’s journey lead you in the direction that you’re supposed to go.” – geraldine*

Have you reinvented yourself? What’s your story? Send me a message and also let me know your Instagram account if you have one. I’d love to follow you. If you found any part of this message inspirational, I’d also love to know that as well.

P.S. If you’re wondering who my business coach was that helped me discover my personal values, it was Akanke Adefunmi.