Author profile: Vijay Moodley

Vijay’s story and inspiration
I was born in Durban and lost my Dad when I was 4 years old. I was raised in a working class family by a single mum and my dad’s two unmarried sisters. I was fortunate to have been born at a time when the phrase ‘it takes a community to raise a child’ was not just a catch phrase, but a lived culture. My two aunts unselfishly dedicated their lives to the well-being of my older brother and I, and I owe much of what I am due to their sacrifices. These are the three strong women whom I look up to, who despite multiple tragedies in their early life remained positive, compassionate and resilient. Unwittingly, these are the values I subconsciously apply to my journey in life.
As during my early years I thrived under the protection of these three noble women, it was only in my post university years, after moving to Pretoria, that I encountered the dark side of people. This is when my second phase of growth began, both in my career and as an adult. As a woman in a technical field, in pre- democracy, I was faced with a mixed bag of experiences in my work life. While there was praise and admiration for my work, it was not accompanied by early opportunities for growth. Later, in a young democracy, while on an upward career trajectory, I would like to say all was glorious at all times, but it was not always so. Not everyone is happy for your success or competence, be it stemming from female envy, gender/tribal/inter-racial beliefs or their own damaged psyche. A lot is said about abusive life partners, but very little is written about vindictive personalities in the workplace who have the similar ability to wreak havoc on a woman’s mental health.
Vijay’s message
The one constant is to be true to oneself. I learnt and try to apply that. While I can’t control what others do to me, I can control how I respond to it. I also learnt that my self-fulfilment does not come from an increased earning power, or constantly chasing after a life of not wanting to miss out. It came from living in the present and consciously trying to be grateful that my upbringing taught me an appreciation for simple things. Things like resilience and that when life gives you lemons get up, dress up and show up on your terms – don’t indulge in energy-depleting emotions of regret, vengeance and anger. Don’t give the responsibility to someone else to complete you, because if they fail to deliver, you may end up self-sabotaging for the rest of your life. Own that responsibility. And remember a flashy life is not always a fulfilled life. Hang on dearly to showing compassion in a not so compassionate world.
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To get in touch or to pre-order the quiz book, contact Vijay at vjmoodley14@gmail.com
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