Meet our featured beauty with brains Shalina Lodhia, a businesswoman based in Sydney, Australia.
Here is her story:
“I was never the smartest one in the classroom. Never the popular one in school, and by no means was I confident in myself either – it was quite the opposite when I was growing up. My school life was filled with bullying and racism which had affected me a lot. The only thing which kept me sane, was a diary and a pen. I used to write in this personal diary, which was also like a creative journal where I would write about my experiences and turn them into creative writing pieces and poetry. It was a form of self-reflection and healing. I began singing at the age of 8 and performed a few times on stage as well. I chose to keep music and writing as a hobby instead of turning it into a career. But I knew I wanted to use my voice one day to stand up for what I believed in and to make music.
Growing up and experiencing life and its challenges made me develop an avid interest in human behaviour – particularly the criminal mind. I always questioned the motives of people and what led them to commit crimes. Out of pure interest, I eventually ended up graduating from university with a bachelors in social science with my majors being criminology and criminal justice.
I always knew that I wanted to be my own boss and do my own thing, my way, one day. After years of experience in the public sector, I now have my own business as a career counsellor and business writer. It felt like the right thing to do as I enjoy guiding people to achieve their highest potential. I will always tell you everything you can do, not everything you cannot do. I love being able to give my clients options and clarity of what their future could look like – it opens up a world of opportunity where potential is limitless.
Apart from this, I am a human rights activist. I raise awareness and share my experiences about topics that need to be heard – domestic violence, mental health, sexual assault and bullying, just to name a few. I endeavour to be the voice of the voiceless and to provide people with as much insight and knowledge as I can. If I don’t know the answer, you can rest assured I will find you one. These issues are close to my heart.
I am currently also working as an independent artist under the stage name of SED8. I sing, write, produce and record my own music. I just released my fourth single called “Higher”. I stay raw and real with my work – unapologetically me. Art in its truest form is intensely beautiful. I do not expect everyone to enjoy what they hear, but my goal is to reach out to anyone who can resonate with my experiences and feel understood.
It is a common known fact that women are multitaskers. Why stop at one thing when you have the capacity to do plenty?” – Shalina
Here is an interview with her:
- What is a typical day in your life like?
I love to balance out my day with a mix of things. I exercise in the morning – brisk walk/run on the treadmill or do some boxing; I love cardio. I am trying to be vegan (was previously vegetarian), so my health is important to me – I cook fresh food almost every day and am still learning new recipes. I believe your health is your wealth. No matter how much money you accumulate, it won’t save you from health issues, so I try to take preventative measures – my diet and exercise is imperative to me.
I work remotely from home, so I will then check my emails and start working. If it is a quiet day work-wise, I will research about current events/trends on the news or social media and post my take about them, or I will research topics less talked about and write articles or posts about that. Music and writing are something I do almost every night as I feel the most creative at that time. If I am not making music, I’m still thinking of rhymes and lyrics in my head and writing them down throughout the day. Even though I work from home, balance is essential. I’m always doing something until I sleep. It keeps me going.
- Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
In 10 years, I see myself continuing with career counselling, business writing and my activism work. I want to continue to help the underprivileged by always being approachable, reliable and ‘one call away’. One day, I hope to be recognised as an Australian born Indian singer/songwriter and producer – working and collaborating with other artists would be on the list of things I’d love to accomplish. Marriage and kids are something I look forward too, I love children. But I could never give up my passions – it’s all about balance and making sure your family, partner and friends know your dreams and goals. These cannot and should not be taken away from you.
- What does women empowerment mean to you?
It means individually working towards continuously bettering ourselves and collectively working together to create a positive experience with the people around us. It’s about challenging social norms and expectations and changing the way the world sees women without belittling anyone. I think women already know, and need to always remember, that we are indestructible – we always were and always will be. Social constructs have made women believe they are not capable or worthy of certain things and that is absolutely false. Throughout history, women have endured and have also overcome A LOT. We still have a long way to go and we need to stick together and support one another to get the recognition and respect we rightfully deserve.
Feel free to check out her FB pages:
Empowered Brave Women Building Futures 