Communications strategist Yvonne Mtengwa wears many hats. In addition to her vast knowledge and experience in marketing and public relations, she is the author of a book that encourages women to address conflict within themselves and in their relationships called Reinvented: Challenging insecurity to live authentically through faith, a real estate developer, and the co-founder of Quintessential F – an online platform that aims to encourage Christian women.
Mtengwa, who is based in Abu Dhabi, started gravitating towards PR and communications when she moved back to Zimbabwe in 2007, after living in the United States since August 2000.
Among her achievements is co-authoring an anthology with 17 other women from Zimbabwe and the United States titled Dear Fear Volume 2: 18 Powerful Lessons On Living Your Best Life On The Other Side Of Fear.
The book launch was held on June 5, 2018, and within two days, the book had become an Amazon Bestseller.
Her book earned her a 2018 Best Author nomination by the Zimbabwe International Women’s Award’s (ZIWA).
“I love what I do and feel strongly about not spending time doing what you don’t love to wake up to,” she told The Weight She Carries.
Mtengwa started out in retail, but quickly realized that was not her calling despite experiencing success in the industry.
“I always had a passion for real estate, hence after my day shift, I would go to school till I obtained my license to sell real estate,” she said.
Mtengwa said God has always been a major part of my life, but she began actively seeking a relationship with him in her early 20s.
“I may not be where I would like to be, but I believe I am right where God intends me to be in this season of my life, doing life with my family, fellowshipping with friends and challenging myself to be as impactful as I can through my passion and what I believe to be my purpose,” she said.
Mtengwa shared some of the valuable lessons she has learned over the years with The Weight She Carries.
On who she is:
I am a lover of God because through Him, I have come to understand my worth and purpose. My life is less about me and more about being used as a vessel for God to share messages of hope, especially to the millennial woman.
On her inspiration:
I’m inspired by many people and many things. I consider myself a creative person, so I can draw inspiration from anything, including watching my kids play, listening to them present their ideas, intelligent conversations with my girlfriends, a perfectly displayed buffet at a good restaurant, watching ocean waves, going on safari, when I’m back on home turf or listening to the leaves rustle.
I guess I can say it depends on the setting and what I’m doing at any given time. I try to be present in the moment and seek out opportunities to get a good lesson on life.
On success:
I have managed to keep going and keep rising through tenacity, networking and continuously looking for opportunities. I just work hard at not quitting and ask questions along the way. This was always a part of what I did – I just didn’t know it.
On pursuing dreams:
- Be intentional about all your plans. Have a roadmap that bridges where you are now and where you are going.
- Have a vision board and mission for everything you do, including who you let in your life,
- Pray even in the darkest hour as there shall be a season when you will receive.
- Try different things in terms of career and entrepreneurship. This will help you know and choose what it is that you like and do not like.
On challenges:
Two of her challenges are being a mom and juggling a demanding career while living far from family, maintaining a decent balance between competing wants at any given time and tackling insecurities that often arise in the process of finding that balance.
On tackling insecurities:
Honesty with myself and introspection has been a game changer. Vulnerability for me isn’t weakness, it’s an opportunity to truthfully dissect what needs changing and putting together a roadmap to ensure that pieces are picked back up in a manner that leaves me restored and ready to keep pushing. I often turn to my loved ones for that as they each have a way of helping put things into better perspective.
Lessons learned:
- How much each of us matter to our Creator – God. I’m empowered by my faith in God and speak on it unapologetically because I know the pain of being at your lowest and having to lean on someone I cannot physically see to save me from what lies before me. Having said this, one key lesson I have learned is that whatever we go through, we are not alone.
- We are more capable than we give ourselves credit for and that even when we feel like we can’t give any more, there is always something more to give. What’s important is that through it all, we understand that life is a series of seasons, with some better than others, but all counting towards bringing meaning to our lives.
On living life to the fullest:
- Be good to you because you matter.
- Travel more – traveling has a way of reminding you that you are alive.
- Work hard on the things that you care about and give of your time or in tangible resource where you can. God sees that and will reward you.
- Don’t exhaust your energy on things that take away your peace, because peace is something you can’t buy – it’s something you have to work for.
- Lastly, own your story – You have the power to rewrite it or tear a page out of it, but own it all the same. Don’t give away your power to people who don’t value and appreciate you, because only you are left to pick up the pieces and that also takes a lot of hard work.
