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Legacy, co-founded the Active Grief<br />
Community and became an Emotional<br />
Freedom Techniques practitioner.<br />
But how did the idea for these initiatives<br />
come about?<br />
‘If I could graffiti the walls with my<br />
father’s memories I would. But you<br />
know … there is the law! I started writing<br />
them down. The fear that I would<br />
eventually forget them was a real<br />
concern. As I wrote I laughed, cried and<br />
felt better. I wanted others to see how<br />
therapeutic this could be. We sat as a<br />
family sharing the memories that truly<br />
mattered to us. I knew then I could<br />
make this bigger and better. The grief<br />
journey truly changes you. You become<br />
less triggered by the mundane<br />
and seek a deeper existence. I needed<br />
to find the things that fed my soul, and<br />
I could not find it in full-time corporate<br />
life. So, I took the plunge and started<br />
Dressed With Legacy.’<br />
Atishca has always been drawn to the<br />
stories behind the many garments<br />
and items that fill second-hand stores<br />
and charity shops. ‘I have found it<br />
interesting to learn where these things<br />
come from, what homes and families<br />
surrounded these items and what<br />
stories they saw unfolding. Dressed<br />
With Legacy (DWL) aims to help people<br />
share the memories of their loved<br />
ones by attaching those memories to<br />
the items they would like to donate<br />
to charity. We take printed cardboard<br />
clothing tags and write the memories<br />
on the back of those tags.’<br />
DWL is not a registered non-profit<br />
organisation, but there is no fee for<br />
collecting and donating the clothes. All<br />
Atishca wants is to share and grow this<br />
concept. Another amazing concept<br />
that stemmed from this initiative was<br />
the Legacy Bears. These teddy bears<br />
are ordered and then dressed in the<br />
clothes of the loved ones who have<br />
passed away. Seamstresses tailor the<br />
clothes into a perfect fit for the adorable<br />
bears, making them a keepsake<br />
for family members and friends.<br />
Her work as founder of DWL also let Atishca<br />
become a bereavement guide. ‘It<br />
happened quite organically. I managed<br />
to put my life together and this was<br />
noticed by some incredible people<br />
who thought I could help others on<br />
this journey. They then offered me a<br />
space to do that.’<br />
Adapting to the times, Atishca offers<br />
Zoom sessions on Emotional Freedom<br />
Techniques – also known at tapping<br />
– which have been a huge success. ‘It<br />
is a powerful holistic healing technique<br />
that is based on the combined<br />
principles of ancient Chinese acupressure<br />
and modern psychology. Tapping<br />
with the fingertips on specific meridian<br />
endpoints of the body, while focusing<br />
on negative emotions or physical<br />
sensations, helps to calm the nervous<br />
system, rewire the brain to respond in<br />
healthier ways, and restore the body’s<br />
balance of energy. Apart from this,<br />
Dani Donald (a counsellor and Mindset<br />
and Behavioural Coach) and I offer<br />
Active Grief Community support which<br />
is a safe, interactive platform providing<br />
a supportive and compassionate space<br />
to learn, share and connect with others<br />
True courage is<br />
asking for and<br />
allowing yourself<br />
to receive help<br />
on a similar journey. Lastly, I provide<br />
corporate-level expertise to entrepreneurs<br />
and organisations assisting<br />
with brand makeovers and website<br />
development.’<br />
Like many of us, Atishca has also<br />
experienced the wrath of Covid-19<br />
and her contract as Brand and Communications<br />
consultant for the media<br />
companies was not renewed. But she<br />
sticks to her mantra – ‘Even though the<br />
situation is not ideal, at this moment it’s<br />
okay. And at this moment, I’m okay’.<br />
‘This period in our lives right now is so<br />
unbelievably scary. Many of us have<br />
lost our jobs, had to close our businesses,<br />
learn to make a 2kg bag of rice<br />
last four to five meals – all whilst showing<br />
up on social media like we have<br />
our lives still intact. Because a ‘strong<br />
woman’ doesn’t show her weaknesses.<br />
We have to learn new technological<br />
tools, upskill ourselves on the fly, all just<br />
to be able to generate an income.<br />
WIN!<br />
‘The self-identity of the women I<br />
have been working with through<br />
my Emotional Freedom Techniques<br />
programmes has been attached to<br />
their job titles and roles to such a huge<br />
extent. Losing this has left them questioning<br />
their self-worth and their ability<br />
to be that dynamic person who has<br />
a voice simply because she is no<br />
longer in a boardroom and doing<br />
presentations.<br />
‘We need to remember that we are still<br />
the same women on the inside and<br />
that our worth is not in what we do,<br />
but in who we are. I will proudly say<br />
that I was nearly sent away to a facility<br />
for a month because of severe depression.<br />
And that is perfectly okay. We<br />
must drop the masks (not that mask!);<br />
be unapologetically honest …<br />
with yourself and with others. In<br />
doing so we permit other women to<br />
do the same.<br />
‘A while ago whilst working with my<br />
life coach, Kagiso Msimango, the one<br />
thing I felt would change my life would<br />
be finding my courage. There were<br />
things I wanted to do, a vision of who<br />
I wanted to become. Courage is underestimated<br />
... We think money gives<br />
us courage, same as alcohol does. But<br />
true courage is facing yourself every<br />
day, calling yourself out on your nonsense<br />
and ‘doing the work’. True courage<br />
is asking for and allowing yourself<br />
to receive help. It is being okay with<br />
all that is, and all that is yet to be. Am<br />
I brave enough to jump out a plane?<br />
Nah. Am I brave enough to share my<br />
flaws and story? Of course. Don’t fear<br />
courage. It’s pretty fun on the other<br />
side of fear.’<br />
What does the future hold? ‘If I had answered<br />
the greatest interview question<br />
of all time in 2015, ‘where do you see<br />
yourself in five years’, I would not have<br />
said ‘having Zoom sessions with clients<br />
while in my fluffy pyjama pants and<br />
unicorn slippers …’<br />
‘In the pipeline is a book I’m writing<br />
called Grief: A necessary discomfort.’<br />
Details: Follow them on Facebook,<br />
Dressed With Legacy, Active Grief<br />
Community or email letsmakemagic@<br />
atishca.co.za.<br />
Atishca is giving away four sessions on ‘No is a full sentence –<br />
tap into being respectful of your needs’ to one reader. These<br />
one-hour sessions to the value of R1 860 will be presented via<br />
Zoom. To enter, like our GetItJoburg<strong>West</strong> Facebook page, the competition<br />
post and you’ll be in the draw. Entries close <strong>Aug</strong>ust 31. Ts & Cs apply.<br />
[MONTH] [YEAR] <strong>Aug</strong>ust Get <strong>2020</strong> It Joburg Get It <strong>West</strong> Joburg [PAGENO] <strong>West</strong> 13
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