Who is Getrude Gwenzi?
Getrude Gwenzi is a Zimbabwean- born social scientist (researcher), student advisor, blogger, and writer by profession. She is a child of God by faith; a daughter and a sister by relationship. Getrude is an all-around lover of all things education and learning. She would like to be remembered as a game-changer in her profession and as a woman who never compromised her values and beliefs for the culture.
How did Getrude get into blogging?
I love writing and expressing myself through words. I started my blog in 2012 when I was working as a social worker. Back then my blog was titled “Mind of A Social Worker” because I used to write about my work with vulnerable children and families. My job was super stressful and I needed somewhere to vent, that’s how I began to journal the joys of my profession.
I would say I have gained immensely from sharing about my life journey. I have found a tribe that relates to my stories. My first blog brought me in touch with social workers around the world and made me feel that I wasn’t alone. When I left social work to pursue my postgraduate education, I continued blogging but this time, I had evolved into a researcher. I benefited from sharing my transitions through life after reflection and it helped me stay in touch with who I am. I am a very introspective individual, so my blog represents the space in which I get to do that and that’s how I grow from one life stage to the other.
I struggle with balancing my personal life exposure with the need to share life lessons. I am super private. I only share after reflecting upon an issue and once it is no longer too personal for me. I would describe my blog as one of reflection, not real-time moments. My focus is not on the emotions but more on the lessons learned from my life experiences.
What is your creative process like?
I usually begin with a random thought which I then write down in my journal. If the thought keeps coming back to me, I start developing it into a post. I usually write straight into WordPress and if I see that a post is too raw, I keep it in the drafts until I can work on it again. I don’t like being too emotional in my blogs (I am like that in real life too, I like processing in private before sharing). However, If it’s a good post, I publish it immediately.
My most popular post is: “Three things I wish I knew before I started a Ph.D.” I think it was more appealing because I shared it more than any other post. It’s one of the posts that align with both my personal and work life and so I shared it within my workspace as well as my usual sharing sites.
Which 3 books would you recommend
If I could read any three books again then I am revisiting anything by Paulo Coelho, particularly the Zahir. I also read Women who run with the Wolves once every year without fail. My favorite cuisine hands down are Malaysian. The seafood in Penang, Malaysia tops anything I have tasted anywhere else
What keeps you motivated?
My motivations change every time. When I started, I was motivated by the need to share what I thought was an unknown subject (social work profession) and wanted to raise awareness on it. Then when I became a student, I was motivated by my struggles and wanted to motivate others through the lessons I was learning every day. At the moment, my faith motivates me more than anything because of what is happening around us. We all need hope and I share as I feel compelled by the Holy Spirit
What advice would you share with new bloggers?
Please try as much as you can to stay true to your voice. I have been tempted so many times to go with the trends and write something that’s not originally me. I am always happy when I write something authentic, even if it’s not popular, my joy comes from knowing that it represents my brand. A personal blog is hard because you can pretty much write about anything and everything, but that also means you can be ? yourself. Your tribe will find you eventually. Writing prompts are good especially when you are struggling with writer’s block, but there are some topics that don’t represent my brand and I will not write about them for the sake of writing.
Connect with Getrude Gwenzi: Twitter | LinkedIn | Blog | Research work
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