Expanding the Toolbox

The day began with a captivating sunrise, soft, hopeful, and quietly powerful. My morning walk, as always, brought clarity. It’s in these early hours that my thoughts surprise me the most, unfiltered, honest, and often exactly what I need to hear.

One of the most valuable lessons I’m learning in this season is this, in the midst of uncertainty, create your own certainty. Set small, achievable goals. Take that course you’ve been putting off. Identify your skill gaps. Explore new technologies and new ways of thinking. I like to call it expanding my toolbox. Because nothing you learn is ever wasted, it’s all an investment. A return that may not be immediate, but is always meaningful. It’s all about perspective.

There’s something deeply grounding about the ocean in the morning, the rhythm of the waves, the crisp breeze, the stillness it brings. It reminds me to breathe, to be present, and to trust the process.

As I continue applying for roles, I’ve noticed how much the landscape has changed. The same job title can come with wildly different tech stacks. It makes me wonder, are we expected to be data gurus just to qualify for a single role? When I started out in data management, we were simply called Data Professionals. It was all-encompassing, Systems Analyst, BA, DBA, Developer. I’ve worn all those hats. Today, the roles feel more fragmented, more rigid. The expectations, more complex.

Why have we made it so challenging for data professionals to simply do the work?

Still, I’ve chosen not to be discouraged. Instead, I’m expanding my toolbox with intention. I’m diving into what excites me, building my portfolio, and letting my work speak for itself. Today, I explored Snowflake and AWS, and it felt good to stretch my mind, to learn something new, to feel that spark again.

This journey hasn’t been easy. But growth rarely is. I’m finding strength in the challenge, and grounding myself in faith and spirituality, trusting that what’s meant for me is already on its way.

This is my quiet affirmation, you welcome to use it too!
I am not confined by titles. I am defined by growth.

~ Nerusha

Before the Alarm

 

Lately, I’ve been waking up before my 5 a.m. alarm, even my body seems to sense it’s time to rise. These early hours have become sacred. Mornings offer me clarity, a quiet moment to catch up on admin, sip in the stillness, and take in the simple pleasures that so often get overlooked.

This morning, I was gifted something extraordinary, a shoal of dolphins dancing just beyond the Umhlanga pier. I paused, barefoot on the sand, and let the ocean’s energy ground me. The crisp sea air, the feeling of cold water around my feet, the rhythm of the waves, it all reminded me of how alive and open I can feel when I let go and just be. I took deep breaths, captured a few photos, and allowed my creativity to flow freely. It felt like a reset I didn’t know I needed.

As I walked, I noticed how many people stroll along the promenade, yet very few touch the sand or dip their feet in the water. I did. And it was soul-charging.

Later, I caught up with a friend halfway across the globe. And just like that, the distance disappeared. There’s something beautiful about friendships that don’t fade, they stretch, they bend, but the bond holds strong. It made me reflect on the community that surrounds me. Some family and friends I hadn’t spoken to in years have reached out during this season, offering encouragement and unwavering support. Their presence has been a quiet force helping me keep going.

I’ve been overwhelmed, in the best way, by the kindness, the messages, the check-ins. I often say gratitude is a pillar in my life, but lately, I’ve felt it more deeply than ever before. It’s in these small, steady reminders that I realize how truly blessed I am.

Every day in this season has held a lesson. Some soft, some startling. All of them humbling.

If you’re walking through your own period of uncertainty, I encourage you to pause and ask, what is this moment teaching me? The answers may come quietly, but they always come.

~Nerusha

Rewriting the Narrative of Limitation

This morning began with purpose. I completed a course I’d been working through, and with that final assessment ticked off, came a quiet sense of achievement. It’s amazing how one win can shift your momentum.

These days, the job search has become part of my rhythm, reviewing openings, tailoring CVs, submitting applications. Anyone walking this road knows the emotional terrain well, the hopeful pause after you click “apply,” the rush of excitement when a recruiter calls, the sting of receiving yet another “unfortunately” email. It humbles you. It tests your patience, your persistence, and your sense of identity.

But it also teaches. About resilience. About how you show up under pressure. About what truly helps you cope when the noise gets loud and progress feels slow. I’ve started asking myself:
→ How do I function when the structure falls away?
→ What grounds me when everything feels uncertain?
→ Where do I still believe in myself, even quietly?

I’m learning this is a process worth embracing, not rushing through. Because in the discomfort, there’s growth.

In a conversation with a loved one, I shared some of the mental hurdles I’ve been facing. What stayed with me was this reminder, "Sometimes, the biggest limitations are the ones we unknowingly place on ourselves". We start believing certain doors are closed, not because they are, but because we've stopped trying to open them.

So I’m taking that to heart. This moment, as uncertain as it feels, is also an invitation. To think beyond the familiar. To explore paths that align not just with what I’ve done, but with who I’m becoming.

What if the opportunity lies in what we haven’t yet imagined?
Let’s allow ourselves to believe that the possibilities ahead may just blow our minds, in the best way.

~Nerusha

Walking Through the Noise

There’s something about a morning walk that shifts the energy, it invites clarity, offers a quiet sense of accomplishment, and sets the tone for the day ahead. It’s simple, accessible, and yet deeply grounding. Today, that walk reminded me how important it is to create space to just begin, especially when the weight of the world is whispering otherwise.

As month-end rolls in, so do the reminders: bills, responsibilities, the ever-present need to re-evaluate. It's easy to feel the pressure. This season demands adjustments, scrutinizing what’s essential, trimming back where we must, and being honest about what truly serves us.

What I continue to wrestle with, though, is the rigidity of routine. I try to start my mornings in the same way, but some days… the rhythm is off. Mood shifts creep in. Focus scatters. Grief or uncertainty rises quietly. And I’ve learned not to fight those moments, but to feel them.

In those pockets of emotional haze, I reach for what soothes me:
→ A walk.
→ A dance break in the kitchen.
→ A few deep breaths or gentle stretches.
→ A warm conversation with someone who gets it.

These tiny resets don’t fix everything, but they anchor me. They remind me that it’s okay to be both resilient and tender. That we’re not meant to be machines moving through to-do lists on autopilot. We are human. Complex, emotional, and beautifully breakable.

So if you find yourself swinging between motivation and stillness, energy and fatigue, you’re not alone. That’s part of the process. Part of the rise.

And when the storm feels like it might never pass, remember this:
Calm seas are not a myth, they’re on their way.

My mantra for the day 💗
"My rhythm is allowed to change. I honor where I am, and I keep moving forward."

~ Nerusha

Reclaiming Focus, Redefining Worth

 

There was a quiet hope that came with this morning’s sunrise. A gentle promise that today could be different, and that intention carried me into motion. I started my Sunday with a run, letting the rhythm of my feet on the pavement set the pace for the week ahead.

I sat down to outline my goals for the coming days: admin tasks, upskilling, job searches, refining what truly needs my attention. I want to hit the ground running, not with panic, but with purpose.

Retrenchment has a way of shifting everything. It doesn’t just impact income; it shakes the stories we tell ourselves about our worth. There’s a harmful narrative out there, one that paints those of us in transition as desperate, even diminished. As though our value suddenly disappears the moment our title does.

But I’m not subscribing to that.

Instead, I’ve chosen to conduct a life audit. I’m asking real questions, What isn’t serving me anymore? What habits, relationships, or beliefs need to be released? I'm reassessing my finances, my circle, my goals, and the kind of career that aligns with who I truly am, and who I’m becoming.

Truthfully, I almost accepted something I knew wasn’t right. I nearly settled out of fear. But I caught myself. Because just being retrenched doesn't mean you have to settle for less. Your experience is valid. Your skills are still sharp. Your essence remains intact.

Stand firm. Don’t let circumstances rewrite your worth. What is meant for you will come, and perseverance is the vehicle that will take you there.

So this week, I’m moving forward with laser focus. Grounded in purpose. Fueled by the knowing that I’m not starting from nothing, I’m starting from experience.

Let’s go get what’s ours.

~Nerusha

Crisp Air & Quiet Wisdom

 

This morning arrived with the sharp chill of winter, a fresh breeze swirling through the promenade as I laced up and set out for my walk. It would’ve been easy to stay curled up indoors, but I stuck to my rhythm. There’s something undeniably special about the early morning air, the way the crispness wakes you up from the inside out, as if each breath is a quiet reset.

Weekends are usually reserved for connection, family, friends, and that intentional pause from the weekday hustle. Today was no different. Even though I’d promised myself a break from the job hunt, my mind, true to form, wandered back to it now and then. Still, I held the line. I gave myself the grace to just be.

What truly made the day was meeting up with the team I first joined at Derivco, colleagues who, nine years later, have become dear friends. Sharing a meal with them, reminiscing about those early days, laughing over stories only we could truly appreciate… it was more than comforting. It was grounding. A reminder that time doesn’t undo real connection, it deepens it.

This week has offered a quiet but powerful lesson, sometimes the smallest act, a check-in, a shared coffee, a warm smile, can leave the biggest imprint. Never underestimate the power of your presence. Being available. Being kind. Being willing to just sit in someone else's space. Those moments often mean more than we realise.

Some friendships remain long after work emails fade. And in those moments of reconnection, we remember, we were never just building systems or shipping projects. We were building something human too.

¬Nerusha

A Strange Kind of Wealth

 

My day began as it usually does at 5 a.m., quiet streets, morning stillness. But today, something felt different. When I saw the final salary payout hit my account, the reality of it all landed with more weight than I expected. There was this strange moment where I felt both rich and poor at the same time. Funny, isn’t it, how a single notification can stir so much?

After my walk, I met up with a former colleague, now friend and we caught up over coffee. She’s a mum of two, juggling life’s chaos with unwavering strength. Her ability to keep pushing forward, even in the midst of uncertainty, was a quiet spark of inspiration that lit something in me. It reminded me just how powerful it is to have a sense of purpose, to let that inner flame keep burning, even when the wind picks up.

The day unfolded with a productive rhythm, a pleasant meeting, financial overviews, a few unexpected tasks, rather busy, but fulfilling. At every step, there was support, guidance, and a reminder that I’m not navigating this path alone. And for that, I’m deeply grateful.

One curveball though.... An interview with an AI bot. Weird. Surreal. A bit like talking into a mirror that talks back, but politely. The future is definitely digital, and we’re all going to have to get used to the Avery's, Zara's, and Alexa's of the world. It was a reminder that the landscape is shifting, and we’re shifting with it.

All in all, today was full, of change, connection, and progress. A week that started uncertainly ends on a hopeful note. And as I step into the weekend, my heart is full of gratitude. For the people, the movement, the grace, and the continued unfolding of something I may not yet fully see, but trust is on its way.

~ Nerusha