self development Archives

In Editor's Choice August 20, 2022 By Women of Rubies

Esther Ijewere: How To Use Mindfulness Meditation To Reduce Stress And Anxiety

Mindfulness practice is one of my favorite type of meditation, perhaps because it’s easy, even for beginners. It is the act of combining awareness and concentration.

What is meditation?

Meditation is a technique used for thousands of years to develop awareness of the present moment. It can involve practices to sharpen focus and attention, connect to the body and breath, develop acceptance of difficult emotions, and even alter consciousness. It’s been shown to offer a number of physical and psychological benefits like stress reduction and improved immunity.

It doesn’t belong to any particular religion or faith. Though ancient in origin, it’s still practiced today in cultures all over the world to create a sense of peace, calm, and inner harmony. Meditation may offer a solution to the growing need to reduce stress in the midst of busy schedules and demanding lives.

Read: How Hawking At Age 10 Made Me More Determined- Adeola Olubamiji

Although there isn’t a right or wrong way to meditate, it’s important to find a practice that meets your needs.

I start with grounding, walking barefoot and feeling the earth under my feet, then I find a comfortable place to sit, and flow into breathing exercise to release stagnant air from my body.

Breathe in for 4 seconds, and exhale through the nose for 4 seconds. I do this 5×, then close my eyes and focus on my breath, while observing my body sensations, thoughts and feelings.

You can also watch my Youtube video on how to protect your energy here; Protect Your Energy

There are 8 other types of meditation. We practice at least 3 of it naturally but people don’t even know they are types of meditation.

8 other popular types of meditation practice according to Healthline

Spiritual: It focuses on developing a deeper understanding of spiritual/religious meaning and connection with a higher power.
Focused: Involves concentration using any of the five senses. For example, you can focus on something internal, like your breath, or you can bring in external influences to help focus your attention. Example includes, staring at a candle flame or counting your breath. It may be simple in theory, but it can be difficult for beginners to hold their focus for longer than a few minutes at first. If your mind does wander, simply come back to the practice and refocus. This practice is ideal for anyone who wants to sharpen their focus and attention.
Movement: This is an active form of meditation where the movement guides you into a deeper connection with your body and the present moment. Movement meditation is good for people who find peace in action and want to develop body awareness.
Mantra: This type of meditation uses a repetitive sound to clear the mind. It can be a word, phrase, or sound, one of the most common being “om.” , This is also a good practice for people who don’t like silence and enjoy repetition.

Read: How to live an wholesome life

Transcendental: It was founded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and refers to a specific practice designed to quiet the mind and induce a state of calm and peace. It involves the use of mantra and is best taught by a certified TM practitioner.
Progressive: This form of meditation involves slowly tightening and relaxing one muscle group at a time throughout the body. In some cases, it may also encourage you to imagine a gentle wave flowing through your body to help release any tension. This form of meditation is often used to relieve stress and unwind before bedtime
Loving-kindness: It is used to strengthen feelings of compassion, kindness, and acceptance toward oneself and others. It typically involves opening the mind to receive love from others and then sending well wishes to loved ones, friends, acquaintances, and all living beings. Because this type of meditation is intended to promote compassion and kindness, it may be ideal for those holding feelings of anger or resentment.

Also read: Be Careful Not To Be The Problem You Are Trying To Solve For Others

Visualization: It is a technique focused on enhancing feelings of relaxation, peace, and calmness by visualizing positive scenes, images, or figures. This practice involves imagining a scene vividly and using all five senses to add as much detail as possible. It can also involve holding a beloved or honored figure in mind with the intention of embodying their qualities.

Incase you woke up today feeling down and weary, or you probably lost your spark or the energy to keep pushing, I encourage you to try the mindfulness meditation, just make sure you release your soul from worry and anxiety before you start. You can also practice anyother one on the list to help you stay grounded.

You can also watch this video and practice this positive affirmation; https://youtu.be/jZ815bmduEU

Do you meditate? Does it work for you and balance your energy? I will be glad to read from you in the comments.

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Subscribe to my Youtube channel; Esther Ijewere Channel

I am rooting for you to have a stress and anxiety free year.

In Career Gems August 20, 2022 By Women of Rubies

Lagos Launches Compulsory Pre-Marital Counselling To Prevent Domestic Violence

The Lagos State Government has concluded plans to start a compulsory premarital counseling exercises for intending couples in its latest bid to prevent and eradicate domestic violence in marriage,

The plan was announced by the government during a one-day engagement program for the state’s marriage registrars, organized by the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence agency (DSVA) in conjunction with the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

Kikelomo Sanyaolu, the permanent secretary for the ministry announced this as a measure to prevent domestic violence across the state. Mrs. Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, the executive secretary of the DSVA expressed her concerns about the gap in professional pre-marital counseling in the country and how it could have prevented most of the domestic violence cases because over 60% of victims saw the signs before getting married and still went ahead no thanks to inadequate counsel.

The event which had notable facilitators like Tinuke Odukoya, the Executive Director, Center for women’s health and information, Mr. Oladele Emmanuel, Founder, Institute of marriage administrators and counselors of Nigeria also had in attendance Mr. Praise Fowowe of the Institute of Family Engineering and development who had worked closely with the state in designing the 8 module pre-marital counseling program.

Mr. Praise Fowowe shared a data driven approach to curbing domestic violence through effective pre-marital counseling sessions. He commended the Lagos State Government for this initiative and entertained questions from the registrars on the challenges they have been facing and how to resolve complex marital issues.

Mrs. Titilola Vivour- Adeniyi announced a 3 – day training for the registrars to introduce them to the curriculum and train them on how to facilitate effective pre-marital counseling.

The registers took time to express their gratitude to the State Government for this laudable initiative which will promote a healthy family life within the state and a peaceful society

In Career Gems July 19, 2022 By Esther Ijewere

Major Winnet Zharare Is The First Zimbabwean Peacekeeper To Receive The United Nations Military Gender Advocate Of the Year Award

Major Zharare becomes the first Zimbabwean to receive the prestigious United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award for her outstanding efforts to integrate gender perspectives into peacekeeping activities.

In 2006, she joined the Zimbabwe Defense Forces as a 2nd Lieutenant, determined to boost the participation of women in the predominantly male-dominated military sector. The same aim inspired her to seize the opportunity to join UN Peacekeeping in 2020. In November 2020, Major Zharare was deployed to the Bentiu field office for the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) as a Military Observer and Chief Military Information Officer.

Seeing firsthand how women are often excluded from decision-making, she immediately launched a plan to help empower them. Major Zharare promoted mixed-gender patrols to build trust, improve protection efforts, and boost community engagement.

She successfully brought together women and men from local communities to farm and build dikes together to alleviate food shortages and prevent further displacement.

She contributed to the increased production of gender-disaggregated data and advocated for gender parity within the mission. She made it a priority to ensure that local civilian and military authorities, as well as community representatives, involved both men and women in meetings with the UN.

In lifestyle July 19, 2022 By Esther Ijewere

Omobabinrin Adeola Osideko: You Chose Them, They Didn’t Choose You

Omobabinrin Adeola Osideko, a branding expert, social media influencer, and coach has taken to her Instagram page to express her displeasure on how people bully celebrities, public figures, and influencers for the kind of life they chose to live, saying they are misleading their followers.

She said “influencing is a huge responsibility because you become a role model to many of the people you influence (willingly or unwillingly). You because the lens through which many see the world, the yardstick which they use to measure right from wrong. This is something aspiring influencers should have in mind as they seek and work towards the highly coveted influencer title.

I understand and agree that public figures, influencers, and celebrities need to watch how they live their life as long as they are there in the public and have a lot of people looking up to them, but the plain truth is that we do NOT have control over how they live their lives. We only have control over how we allow them to influence us, who we choose to follow, and who we choose to make role models. We have control over a lot of other things but not HOW THEY SHOULD live their lives.

She said, “in my opinion, I think it is better we concentrate on what we have control over and leave what we do not have control over.”

Another thing she stated is that we should not expect perfection from these people because they are not angels or mini gods, nor are they semi-gods. They are like every other human out there with blood flowing in their veins.

Let them breathe, they did not choose to be your role model, you choose them. Enough of this witch-hunting going on the internet, people now subtly bully others by hiding under the guise of ‘and you call yourself a role model’. Pick what resonates with you about them and trash the rest, stop the bully “she said.

Adeola further explains that everyone should have a standard of life for themselves. “Nobody should be your standard except God, because even sometimes, our parents do not meet up with the standard of life we want, not to talk of strangers we meet on the internet”, she said.

She encouraged people to have a standard for themselves through spirituality and personal development and stop making social media influencers their standard because no human is infallible.

“Get your life together and stop looking for people to blame for your bad decisions. If good values have been instilled in you from home, then you will not be easily swept away by the glitz, glamour, fake life, or immorality of the so-called role models. There is no need to witch-hunt anyone, you choose them, they didn’t choose you, some are not even aware that you exist”, she continued.

Adeola also advised parents to train their children well.

“Instill good morals in them so that they are not easily swept off by the things on the internet,” she said.

She also mentioned people should not idolize them, “don’t make these people a mini-god, they should not be objects of worship. It’s okay to love them, appreciate them, cherish them, give them gifts (if you can), and support them, but don’t idolize them and stop digging up their past to use against them. This is simply manipulation and blackmail which is done by people with low self-esteem looking for cheap attention.”

We all have a past; we all have things we have done that we are not proud of, what makes you think these people are an exception? Don’t witch-hunt people for things they did in the past when they didn’t know better. Learn to make room for their inadequacies and don’t expect too much from them”, she said.

Adeola further debunked some myths that people have about influencers and celebrities.

“Do not think that these people are rich, and they MUST give you money. Forget the glitz and glamour, a lot are not as rich as you think and even if they are rich, nobody OWES you anything. Moreover, stop expecting them to give you free access. They owe no one free access to their inner chamber. If they have decided to keep their circle small so, be it. It’s not pride, it’s simply being wise and setting boundaries since they’re in the spotlight.

Finally, whoever you are following, you are following them at your own risk. Choose your ROLE MODELS wisely”, she continued.

At the end of the day, they will only live their lives the way it pleases them, even if we talk about it from now till tomorrow. The onus lies on us all to choose who we follow and how we allow them to influence us”, she concluded.

In Inspiration July 5, 2022 By Esther Ijewere

‘I Started Volunteering When I Was 17’- Dr. Adewoye Adedolapo Adetoun

Dr. Adetoun Is an indispensable brand Resource using her multi-potentiality and excellent tools to build and strengthen individual and corporate brands. She is a multi-preneur, the MD of Prontotherapy, an offline/online based service provider where “on the spot” therapy is being rendered to individuals/corporate organizations via talk therapy sessions and suicide rates are minimized/completely erased. Advocacy for mental health. Prontotherapy deals with “The mind’’, ‘’Self-awareness”, “personal development and relationships.

She is also the founder of ‘‘EYINJU FOUNDATION’’, an NGO borne out of passion for mentoring/motivating/sensitizing younger ones who are being referred to as the ‘‘leaders of tomorrow’’ on the importance of being relevant/thriving in the society and generation as well as running a ‘FEED THE DESTITUTE’ bi-monthly program via the foundation. She also runs a successful travels and tourism business called TUSH TRAVELS AND TOURS.

The YALI network and American Psychology Association member has certifications in different courses. She shares her inspiring story with Esther Ijewere in this interview.

Childhood Influence

Not really. I am privileged to be the second of four children and we practically went through a lot from silver spoon to abject poverty before picking up back to average. Growing up for me was just there. I hawked a lot. It was from one problem to the other, one church to the other. Though prayer works! I was literally the “GOAT” in the house and was always in the black book for doing things….lol..aka certified trouble maker. But my troubles were for good.

Inspiration behind Prontotherapy and Eyinju Foundation?

Prontotherapy is a mental health firm with specialization on “THE MIND”, “SELF AWARENESS/PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT & “RELATIONSHIPS” and what inspired it was me wanting to help people in the little way I can stay sane regardless. A lot is happening in different homes, people are daily falling into abject poverty, depression, people are tired and contemplating suicide so I decided to contribute my own quota and leave the rest for God. With self awareness comes Self Discovery and when one discovers himself/herself, you would be able to leverage on your strengths whilst you work on your weaknesses. You will be able to put your gifts and abilities to good use instead of doing nothing and whining when you have a gold mine on the inside of you wasting away. God has deposited everything we need to be great in life on the inside of us, we just have to do our part by finding it and making good use of it to his glory. At Eyinju foundation, we sensitize young adults between the ages of 7-19years on Puberty, Talent discovery, Opposite Attraction, Self Love, Abuse of all kinds, Rape Prevention, Thriving in a negative environment, Emotional Intelligence. A lot of parents focus on book -book and book but refuse to understand that every child needs to have IQ ,EQ and SQ {Intelligent Quotient, Emotional Quotient and Social Quotient}. If it’s not at par or balanced then there is already a problem somewhere which will definitely affect the society sooner or later. Also the “FEED THE DESTITUTE” is just a bonus initiative we inculcated into THE EYINJU FOUNDATION.

Being a member of several organisations across the globe

I am really all about service to humanity, I started volunteering when I was 17 so serving humanity naturally became a part of me. It gives me a sense of Self Worth and it’s been an amazing ride all along even with challenges I encounter. I realize that we all can actually make a difference from any sphere of influence if only there’s a will. I don’t have to be the President of a club or organization before I can make a difference if truly I want to make a difference. I can always be a part of a sect that’s willing and then we get things done. It has impacted my life positively because I am someone who manages relationships well, I am very blunt to a fault. I know when to stop, and when to keep going. I have been able to define my “WHAT”, “WHY”, “WHEN”, “HOW” & “WITH WHOM” so I seldom have clashes with people or organizations.

The Journey so far

It’s not been easy, which is expected but it’s been enlightening and rewarding. When I do things for people who cannot reward me and THANK YOU is all they have, I feel like I have birthed a life…lol. God takes all the glory still because I am a sucker for Christ and I talk to him about everything and anything and he’s been the one helping me so far.

Ripple effect of training over 300,000 youths

Training that number of people in Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya is a privilege for me and I do not take it for granted. The feedback has been amazing and satisfying as it made me know that my team and I have not been working in futility. We have had people tap into their inner self to say “I am doing this because I can” and stick to it. With Eyinju, my inner caucus which consists of some destiny & purpose supporting friends, have been able to gather funds to sponsor about 36 SMEs, paid for WAEC for 63 Students and COMMON ENTRANCE EXAM of 12 Students. We have also been able to single-handedly pay for 18 people who need training on Sewing, Catering, Make-up respectively.

Challenges

Just like every other work in life, there will always be challenges. Instead of panicking, I simply take it to GOD in prayer and like the awesome GOD that he is, he always makes a way. MONEY is good and it’s a defense. When I newly started EYINJU FOUNDATION in 2017, I would practically take my salary from TUSH TRAVELS AND TOURS and use it to run projects in terms of Logistics, Accommodation, Feeding, Training Materials. I remember sometimes in 2019 when we needed money to pay for some projects we partnered with some organizations on, it was like two weeks to deadline and I began to panic so much that when I remember what’s to come, I have heart palpitations because they actually didn’t beg me to commit, I was the one who was moved by the spirit to. I kept praying and talking to people to solicit for funds. Everyone I spoke to promised to get back but help wasn’t forthcoming so I gave up when it was 48hrs to the deadline and as I was composing an email to send to them, I was shedding tears because at that moment, I felt like a failure…lol. I found myself in the situation of self loathing and went to bed only to wake up to something huge from a friend in the states and my joy could not be quantified, I was hyper all day and people noticed. lol

Another challenge I encounter in this line of work is rejection. Some people decline the help you want to render thinking we are diabolical and we will collect their destiny {the African belief syndrome} once they receive help from us. There was a time my team and I bought food and decided to share it with the community, some people rejected it and said they are not hungry…yinmu….you are not hungry in this slum? Issokay…lol. Some even think we are politicians when we go out for outreaches and we will have to explain ourselves over and over and over again till they understand we are for the people. Sometimes too we encounter language barriers but all in all, GOD has been faithful and we are grateful we are useful vessels.

Other projects and activities

We are still sticking with our: A. WAEC & COMMON ENTRANCE FEES PAYMENT for 20. B. FEED THE DESTITUTE {Bi-monthly}

A new project we recently took on is “PAD UP A GIRL” and the reason why I want to do this is because I realize that in 2022, some students still don’t have money for PAD and make use of tissue or cloth during menstruation which is so dangerous to their health. Some don’t even have an idea of what menstrual hygiene means….SAD!

I believe GOD will show up as usual because it is capital intensive and a few people I spoke to are already interested.

Why I love my job

I enjoy everything about everything I do from planning to execution because when I am on my own reminiscing about everything, I laugh and cry at the same time and I am just grateful that this small girl is doing good things for people.

3 women who inspire me and why

A lot of women inspire me to be honest but the striking ones are:

{i} DR KEMI DASILVA -IBRU -The founder of WOMEN AT RISK INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION. I was very much aware when WARIF started in 2016 and I instantly fell in love with all what they stand for. I have an history of rape hence the reason I could relate with what they do and how they do it and the impact it would make and is making in the society. I was happy that a woman could dedicate her life and service to other people in order to save them and that made me fall in love with her though I haven’t been privilege to meet her on on one but I have been to their facility in Yaba thrice and I have referred countless people to them for help.

{ii} RACQUEL KASHAM DANIEL: Racquel is an amazing personality is all I can say and what she’s doing for people and community is simply commendable. I met her on the day of her engagement and we have kept in touch since then.

{iii} EJIRO OSAKEDE : She was one of the people who trained me on Public speaking in Dec 2014 at Pro-Emcee Academy and I have followed her bumper to bumper…lol. Even when she did an outreach in Ghana and hosted us, she was so supportive, always pushing the narrative “YOU HAVE A VOICE, USE IT” . She is an advocate for hope, she spreads the message like butter on a bread..lol

Volunteering for several organisations and my passion for community service

I have been volunteering since I was 17yrs so it has become part of me. When I have free time, I make use of it to serve other people. Life is all about give and take. What you give, the universe multiplies it and brings it back to you in multiple folds so people need to be careful and watch what they give. Community service is what people need to commit to because if we don’t take care of what and who is around us, it will still come back to haunt us in ways we won’t envisage.

What can the Government do to support stakeholders in the GBV sector

If the government wants to be fully involved in this GBV of a thing , they should:

{A} Provide more Shelters and Care Centres for Survivors

{B} Increase the capacity of Police to deal with crimes of Gender Based Violence

{C} Challenge the normalization of violence against women and children

{D} Challenge gender stereotype and roles

{E} Challenge sexist jokes and remarks about women

{F} Support training and employment program for women

What we can do better as a society to educate women on the importance of leaving abusive marriages

A lot of women need a Mindset Paradigm. Many were raised for husband house, meaning they were raised for men and to please men so instead of acknowledging the fact that they are a person who needs to discover her womanhood and strengths and blossom as an entity, they would rather have a man be their Alpha and Omega forgetting it takes two to tangle and each person’s duty in the home can never be substituted. So when they experience DV, they find it hard to leave their abusers because most of them see their abusers as their benefactor, some also don’t leave due to “FEAR OF MISSING OUT”, “FEAR OF OPPOSITION” & “STIGMATIZATION”. When they go through Self Awareness and Personal Development training which is one of my expertise, they become more informed and can make their decision from there.

One thing you could change in the advocacy and development sector

Develop a grassroot strategy with focus on building relationships

Being a Woman of Rubies

I am a Woman of Rubies because all the times the gemstone occurred in the bible, it was associated with attributes of Wisdom and Beauty which I am damn sure I have…looooooooool. I can also boldly call myself a woman of rubies because I have a unique and specific purpose for which I was created which keeps unfolding in bits as I keep growing. It’s so amazing having to be a convener of hope and tranquility to people and I do not take that privilege for granted at all. Ruby is known to increase creativity, spirituality, confidence and wisdom and all these are what I stand for gidigba..lol

In Career Gems June 29, 2022 By Esther Ijewere

Tosin Ajibade Hosts 2022 New Media Conference School Debate

Media practitioner and author, Tosin Ajibade-Oladeinde on Friday, June 24, 2022 successfully hosted the New Media Conference School Debate at Chalcedony School, Abijo G.R.A, Ibeju-Lekki. This year’s edition is themed ‘Does Social Media Enrich Education or take away from Education?’

The event featured award-winning Nigerian dancer and choreographer Kaffy Shafau, award-winning Tiktoker Rodney Umeh, and Communications Manager for Anglophone West Africa at Meta, Sola Obagbemi.

The students between year nine and eleven in their arguments emphasized on the importance of social media and how the excessive use of it can be curbed. Some of the points argued during the debate include; cyber bullying, adult content, fake news dissemination, plagiarism, social media control mechanism among others.

Speaking at the event, Kaffy advised the students to always make sure they take advantage of the social media platforms in a positive way. She added that “social media is a tool and you’re the driver, adding that the good the bad will always exist but who is behind the keyboard is what matters.”

Sola Obagbemi admonished the children to be good ambassadors irrespective of the social media they use. She said children should learn to make use of social to benefit them in the area education, and self improvement.

The organizer of the event, Oluwatosin Ajibade-Oladeinde in her remarks thanked the host school, the panelists and the students for making it a success. She further assures that she would continue to do her best to sensitize and educate children about the use of new media.

Prizes were awarded to groups of student who came first and second while each student at the venue got a copy of the book ‘Olori Supergal from Social Misfit to Social Media Hero’ written by Tosin Ajibade and Alajota by Kafayat ‘Kaffy’Shafau.

NMC is an annual networking event that focuses on digital marketers, vloggers, podcasters, influencers, content creators, bloggers, tech enthusiasts, and more in the field of media and communications.

The school debate was powered by OSG MEDIA.

Facebook – New Media Conference

Tiktok – @newmediaconference

Twitter – @nmcafrica

Instagram – @newmediaconference

Youtube – New Media Conference

Website – www.newmediaconference.ng

In Interviews&profile July 26, 2022 By Women of Rubies

We Urgently Need To Bridge The Black Engineering Talent Gap -Omotoyosi Ogunbanwo

According to Gartner’s report, IT executives see the talent shortage as the most significant barrier to the adoption of emerging technologies at 64%. The ongoing push toward remote work and the acceleration of hiring plans in 2022 has exacerbated IT talent scarcity, especially as more companies adopt technology into their business operations.

In the words of Omotoyosi Ogunbanwo, co founder Techavilly:”The proportion of black people in engineering professions has actually dropped since the 1990s, despite all the awareness. More recently, while there have been improvements in black representation in IT positions across industries , a common complaint from employers is that there are not enough black people to fill the jobs “pipeline” — if only there were more candidates, companies would actually walk the walk. We urgently need to bridge the black engineering talent gap”.

“The pipeline issue is a myth,” says Matthew Davis, a communications consultant working.

Talent shortages is one of the major barriers to the growth of the economy. Companies such as Andela is already doing a good job in matching black talents with remote job opportunities in the US, but their supply is low compared to the demand. More hands have to be on deck to train blacks on technical skills and connect to global opportunities.

It is believed that the reason most young people don’t get their desired jobs is because they lack the required technical skills. Hence, the need to bridge the skill gaps.

Mariam Adeyemi founded Techavilly to bridge the engineering black talent gap and transfer on-demand tech skills and knowledge to as many black people as possible. They have trained over 10,000 people since inception, helping them to fit into today’s dynamic job market.

In Career Gems June 6, 2022 By Women of Rubies

Meet Sofía Jirau, Victoria’s Secret’s First Model With Down Syndrome

has officially made history, becoming the first Victoria’s Secret model with Down syndrome

The 24-year-old Puerto Rican model shared the news on social media, joining the fashion brand — along with 17 other women — for a new underwear line and campaign, Love Cloud Collection.

Alongside a black and white photo of herself modeling a Victoria’s secret bra, Jiaru thanked the company for seeing her as a model “without limits.”

“One day I dreamed of it, I worked for it and today it’s a dream come true. I can finally tell you my big secret,” Jirau wrote. “I am Victoria’s Secret’s first model with Down syndrome!”

“Thank you Victoria’s Secret for seeing me as a model who has #NoLimits and making me part of the inclusive Love Cloud Collection campaign,” she added. “Inside and out, there are no limits.”

“Love Cloud Collection is a major moment in the brand’s evolution,” Raúl Martinez, Victoria Secret’s chief creative director, said in a statement. “From the cast of incredible women that bring the collection to life, to the incredible inclusive spirit on set, this campaign is an important part of the new Victoria’s Secret standard we are creating.”

Jiaru kicked off her career in Puerto Rico in 2019 before making her modeling debut at New York Fashion Week back in 2020. At the time, she assured that the big milestone was just the beginning

“When I was little, I looked myself in the mirror and said, ‘I’m going to be a model and a businesswoman,’” she told PEOPLE at the time.

At NYFW, she was able to showcase her talents on an international stage, modeling for Marisa Santiago at the dress designer’s runway show. She later told her Instagram followers, “I was born for this and I want to show the world that I have everything a model needs to shine.”

Not only is her modeling career taking off, but Jirau is also living her businesswoman dreams with her own line, Alavett. The brand’s name is how Jirau spelled out her favorite words to say, “I love it.”

According to her official website, Jirau made her debut as a model in March 2019, on her 23rd birthday. In February 2020, she modelled at New York Fashion Week for the first time.

Her career has also expanded outside of modelling, as she launched her , “Alavett,” based on the phrase “I love it,” in 2019. Some of the products on this site include phone cases, mugs, hats, and shirts.

In Career Gems June 6, 2022 By Women of Rubies

Sheryl Sandberg Steps Down As Chief Operating Officer Of Facebook Parent Company Meta

Sheryl Sandberg, the chief operating officer of Facebook and its parent company Meta, has announced she will step down from her role, ending 14 years in the job that made her one of the most powerful figures in the tech world and saw the company weather a meteoric rise and multiple controversies.

Sandberg announced the move in a post on her own Facebook page on Wednesday, adding that she was not sure of what the future holds for her but plans to focus on her foundation and philanthropic work going forward.

She said she will leave the company this fall, but will continue to be on Meta’s board and thanked Meta founder and chief executive officer Mark Zuckerberg for his support, saying “sitting by Mark’s side for these 14 years has been the honor and privilege of a lifetime”.

“When I took this job in 2008, I hoped I would be in this role for five years,” she wrote. “Fourteen years later, it is time for me to write the next chapter of my life.”

The billionaire executive has been one of Facebook’s most prominent public faces since joining in 2008, shaping its policies and overseeing responses to the myriad public controversies the company has battled.

Her departure comes as Meta continues to weather a financial storm and shifts away from social media into virtual reality.

Facebook rebranded in 2021 to Meta, attempting to move its primary business away from social media and into virtual reality after a series of difficult years.

Zuckerberg has bet big on his hopes for the “metaverse”, an augmented and virtual reality space where people can interact through avatars in a shared world.

In a comment on Sandberg’s post announcing her leave, Zuckerberg said she had “architected our ads business, hired great people, forged our management culture, and taught me how to run a company”. He said in a post on his own page that Sandberg’s position would not be filled, and announced restructuring of existing roles at the company.

Sandberg’s departure also comes after billionaire tech investor Peter Thiel stepped down from Meta’s board, following the company’s worst-ever earnings report, suggesting some power players may be jumping ship as the company flounders.

Most recently Sandberg and Facebook had faced increased scrutiny after documents leaked by the whistleblower Frances Haugen were turned over to Congress and published by a number of news outlets.

Source: Feminine

In Career Gems June 6, 2022 By Esther Ijewere

Eva Mendes Highlights The Importance Of Eliminating Gender Roles In Her Household

Eva Mendes just gave fans another rare glimpse into her home life, telling the world that gender roles don’t exist in her and Ryan Gosling’s household.

In a recent and rare interview with Forbes, Mendes talked about how her partner Gosling of the household, admitting she’s “not an amazing cook.” However, she sees this dynamic as a valuable lesson for their daughters Esmerelda and Amada.

“Hopefully it’s showing my girls that there are no gender specific roles that one must take on and that we are partners in this and that we’re all partners in this, not just Ryan and I, but our children as well,” she said.

The 2 Fast 2 Furious star added, “It’s a team effort every day, so if they see him and I switching off doing certain things that again aren’t specific to stereotypical gender things, I think that just creates balance and harmony.”

Many stars have been raising their children in a gender-fluid household, teaching their growing kids that they don’t need to be limited by gender roles if they don’t want to be.

Mendes and Gosling originally met while co starring in the film The Place Beyond the Pines, dating soon after in 2011. They share two daughters together named Esmerelda, 7, and Amada, 6.

After giving birth to them, she decided to take a step back from acting to focus on her little family. She addressed it in response to an Instagram comment, saying, “As a mother now, there are many roles I won’t do. There are many subject matters that I don’t want to be involved with, so it limits my choices and I’m fine with that. I have to set an example for my girls now.”

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