From Exhaustion to Embodiment: The Investment That Changed Everything
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
By Shadikana Makaranga
The most transformative decision I ever made as a founder was choosing to invest deeply in myself and in the people around me. Not as an afterthought, but as the foundation. In the early days of Tlou Property Group, I carried everything alone. Every decision. Every responsibility. Every expectation. I thought strength meant pushing harder. I thought balance would come once I achieved more. I was wrong. So wrong!
I came to understand that true growth begins within. The shift happened when I realized that my leadership, presence, and confidence were not luxuries, they were everything.
When I began to pour into myself, everything around me began to align in ways I had never imagined. I started leading from calm rather than chaos, from intention rather than urgency. I stopped seeking validation and started standing firm in who I was. Certain, grounded, and unapologetic. The quiet power that emerged transformed not just me, but how my team and I showed up every day.
Tlou, in our SePedi African vernacular, means elephant. To me, it has always symbolized strength, wisdom, and presence. The elephant doesn’t announce itself; it simply stands. Rooted, steady, and aware of its power.
That became my compass for how I lead, make decisions, and move through life and business. Strength doesn’t need to prove itself. It simply is. Its presence reminds me that leadership is not about noise or control. It is about grounded authority, patience, and consistency.
Investing in myself, and in the right team, created a ripple effect that expanded far beyond me. My confidence deepened. My clarity sharpened. My business began attracting clients who truly mirrored the values we stand for. I learned that boundaries are not barriers; they are acts of alignment. Saying “no” to what doesn’t serve you is often the most powerful “yes” to your purpose. It is in these moments of refusal that your vision gains clarity and your path becomes lighter.
I also discovered that no leader grows alone. Every CEO, especially women, needs a circle that holds space for their evolution. A support system doesn’t weaken your leadership but amplifies it. Community has been my mirror, my balance, and my strength. It has reminded me that while we can do much on our own, we can rise further, faster, and more confidently when aligned with the right people.
There was a time when I led from exhaustion, mistaking endurance for excellence. Now I lead from embodiment. I’ve learned that silence can be powerful, that presence can speak louder than words.
What began as a soft, uncertain whisper within me is now grounded in stillness. Allowing my presence to roar when it must, and rest when it can. Growth isn’t about doing more; it’s about being more. It’s about aligning who you are with what you build.
To anyone standing at the edge of their next chapter: trust your intuition. Take the leap, even when fear is loud. The most profound investment you can ever make is in yourself. When you grow, everything connected to you grows, your business, your team, your community.
Lead from within. Build from alignment. And, like the elephant, stand tall. Rooted, graceful, and unshakably strong.
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