Hold My Hand



“Sometimes reaching out and taking someone’s hand is the beginning of a journey. At other times, it is allowing another to take yours.”

Vera Nazarian

Have you found courage and strength in a simple act of letting someone hold your hand and walking you through a season of life? It could be a season of a win, a season of loss, or even just everyday life.

Not too long ago, I embarked on a journey into the pageantry world. This was my second time after a few years of having done it. I’m all about programs that promote women’s empowerment, and what a good excuse to look cute while at it!

Being the kind of person who likes to work things out by myself first before sharing it with others, I decided to keep it a secret until I had everything figured out.

I have to admit that this did not turn out as planned. I found there were a lot of things to do, that required me reaching out and asking for help!

As usual, the first person I reached out to was my mother. I explained what I planned to do, and the steps required to do it. My mother, in her great wisdom, encouraged me that for any dream, big or small, I needed to take fear or pride out of the equation and reach out to my tribe.

At first, it was a hard thing to do, as the fear of letting people down was what held me back. What if I could not make it to the end due to the financial hurdles that seemed to stand in my way? What if people did not believe in my cause?

I decided to follow my mother’s advice and to my surprise, my mentors and friends came on board and supported me fully! From sharing my online voting links on their social media platforms; encouraging me; assisting with my financial costs; helping perfect my walk and even to designing my dresses. I surely got more than I asked for!

Fast forward, with the title of Ms. Galaxy Australia in my pocket and a whole bunch of Queen sisters who are making a positive change in their community, I couldn’t have done any of this without my tribe holding my hand!

Life is not meant to be walked alone. In the moments of happiness, sadness, seasons where we are unsure, and even when we seem to have it all together, it makes it all worthwhile when shared.

In a world of consumerism and social media where we are constantly led to falsely believe that we are in touch with the world, decide to take a step forward and actually reach out to real people. Have the courage to take the first step and ask, you never know what could come out of that simple act of asking.

Get rid of the negative self-talk or negative life experiences that lead you to fear of rejection or pride. If you are passionate enough about a worthwhile cause, the right people will come on board and help you achieve it.

Believe in yourself, get passionate about achieving something that sets your soul on fire, and then build trust in relationships with people who believe in you. Ignite the flame and watch your tribe hold your hands to make it burn!

You got this,
Shiko


About Shiko Kariuki

Shiko Kariuki grew up in a small country town in Kenya and relocated to Australia to pursue a bachelor of science in nursing. After graduating from her studies, Shiko saw the gap in underrepresentation for women of colour. In order to share her story and make an impact, she pursued Miss Africa Perth, using the platform to advocate for African youth by championing community events and charity fundraisers. In 2019, Shiko was crowned Ms. Galaxy Australia 2019, a title which saw her competing in the U.S. and becoming 3rd runner up on the Galaxy international platform. She has used the platform to run quarterly confidence workshops for teenage girls from culturally diverse backgrounds in her quest for women's empowerment. Shiko blogs about her life experiences and culture. When not working as a registered nurse in the mental health sector, you will find her planning her next adventure in a bid to satisfy her wanderlust.