About

 I’m a Swazi-born South African living in Wellington New Zealand. I write about my life, being a mom, an expat and a woman in the world today.

I’m passionate about living authentically, being resilient in the face of adversity and fighting against the expectation to be a certain way just to fit in.

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New here and not sure where to start? Try these articles:

What does your ideal life look like? 3 steps to get you there!

Is your fear of rejection holding you back from living a life you love?

To the women who don’t want children

Don’t be so afraid of letting go, that you can’t move forward

 

 

 

Some facts about me 🙂

1. I live in Wellington, New Zealand and I am a Community Safety Coordinator!
2. I love road trips – I will literally get in a car and drive to anywhere with or without a plan for once we get there! Once I went on a road trip that somehow ended up with me going to South America! True story!
3. I am absolutely obsessed with home decor. Like weirdly so… I LOVE Industrial style houses and would live in a loft in a heart beat!
4. I grew up riding horses and I’m really good at riding like a cowboy (farm style).
5. I’ve always had a million dogs. We had eight at one point while growing up (I lived on a farm and wish I could have that many here but city life says NO). We are serious animal people though – I have four pets now. Two dogs – Jessie (Bubby) and Jax (Jaxson) and two cats – Miley (schminkles) and Mr Charles (Charlie)
6. I struggle with anxiety and depression – I get awful panic attacks but I know how to push through them so I don’t let them stop me from achieving things I want to achieve. Yay life experience!
7. I have quite a lot of tattoos – people are always surprised about how much of my body is covered! I guess I don’t look like someone who gets tattoos?
8. I have degrees in Politics, Anthropology, Diversity Studies and Social Development.
9. I’ve always worked in the Non Profit sector. – My childhood dream was to work for the UN.
10. Having another child is too risky so we are a one child family and we are okay with that! So please don’t ask me when I’m having my next child!
11. My grandparents raised me for a decade of my life. I was so spoiled – I literally had TWO bedrooms!
12. I love being by the ocean but I don’t like the beach.
13. I love wine – so much! You already knew this though didn’t you?!
14. I took a gap year after my dad died – it was something we’d talked about me doing and as soon as I finished my first honours degree I went off on my own across the world. – I loved it! I travelled four continents!
15. I’m afraid of spiders but my mom found me eating one as a baby (thanks mom!)
16. I don’t believe in having regrets but all the regrets I have about my life are about not spending more time with the people I’ve lost.
17. I don’t feel pressurised to be like everyone else. This is pretty cool – but when I was younger I always felt like an outcast. Now I embrace being unconventional.
18. My favourite bands are still the same bands from when I was 13 (Guns & Roses and Bon Jovi Forever!!)
19. I’ve sky dived and been paragliding but I would NEVER bungee jump. It’s so not for me. I’m terrified of heights!
20. My sons second name is Christopher. He’s named after my grandfather and my father <3

You can email me at jonelle@tyrannyofpink.com