Lessons from the School of Hard Knocks!

A must read for any woman who is serious about making a success of her career
And for the man who desires to understand and support her on her journey.

"It is always a pleasure to have someone or something to lean on. I certainly found that something in this book.

There I was, back home after a thirteen hour day. I was tired, irritable and in no mood for the yelling and screaming I got from my three little ones.

For a moment, I felt like succumbing to the mayhem around me, but I resisted. Something drew me to this book. I flipped the pages, and was drawn to the article entitled, "Faster and Faster we go". It took me ten minutes to read, and I got it.

I did not expect it to be balm for my soul, but it was, I did not expect a miracle to fall from the sky, but in a way it did, I did not expect things to be just perfect because they never will be, but there I was reading and thinking "YES!".

What I got was what I needed at that time – someone or something to lean on. As we grow up in age, in career, social standing and so on, we often believe that we can do it alone. I learnt a long time ago, that that is impossible. We can't do it alone. I rely a lot on women who have stood the test of time, women, as well as men, who have the experience and have run the race.

Who am I to argue with Dr Volpe when she ends her article "Faster and faster we go", by saying: "So go out there and ride those waves of change with an enhanced understanding of what is going on and, most of all, know that what you are experiencing is common to all "human beans".

Having gone through the whole book, bit-by-bit, I found myself asking many questions and re looking at the way I do and see things. That for me was the advantage of having someone or something to lean on. A book that makes you think and challenges all the stereotypical thought patterns that sometimes hold us hostage and prevent us from truly exploring the real meaning of who we are as women, where we are going, and why we are stuck in a perpetual cycle of blame and unhappiness in all areas of our lives.

Noeleen Maholwana–Sangqu
Host of the popular SABC television show - "3 Talk"