“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” C. S. Lewis
I created a mantra based on the quote above to help me overcome self-doubt.
You are never too old, too young, too African, too married, too pregnant, or too broken to pursue another ambition or dream a new one.
These words resonate strongly in my head as I look at the flier featuring the top three finalists from the CyberGirls Fellowship’s Governance, Risk, and Compliance track, which includes my face.
A little background…In 2021, I applied for the Cyber Girls Fellowship for the first time, but was eliminated after Stage 2. Sure, I wasn’t disheartened, but the approaching age limit had me on edge. Fast forward to when CyberGirls 3.0’s application was announced, I applied in less than three minutes! I was resolute not to let the opportunity slip away again.
My #cybersecurity knowledge was not entirely new; I had watched YouTube videos and even attempted the CompTIA Security Plus certification. However, let’s be honest: I had so many knowledge gaps. I craved something more structured, a vibrant community, with mentors that actually cared about my development CyberSafe Foundation delivered on all of its promises.
I got accepted! Juggling employment, school, and family life wasn’t easy, but the diverse courses and journey itself were well worth it.
However, after the first half of the CyberGirls training… I suffered a huge personal loss.
I wasn’t sure what to do with myself, so I asked my Success Advisor (one of the unique support systems provided by the CyberGirls Fellowship) about taking some time off the program, and she agreed after I completed the necessary applications. All of this occurred at a critical point in the program when we were shifting from prerequisite training to our respective professional pathways, and I had stopped devoting time to studying; I had lost enthusiasm to proceed.
I’m not sure how I was able to write and scale the prerequisite assessment, but I accomplished it. I was shortlisted for the GRC career path. I couldn’t rely on my emotions to carry me through the rest of the program because I’d lost interest in most of the things that made me happy, so I had to establish very rigorous personal deadlines and timetables to get back on track with my studies.
I’m delighted I was the best graduating fellow on the GRC learning track, but I’m equally happier with the knowledge, experience, and relationships I gained along the road.
Since graduating from the CyberGirls Program, I’ve secured the position of Senior Cyber Risk and Resilience Analyst at a respected organization.
I’ll say it again: you’re never too old, too young, too African, too married, too pregnant, or even too broken to pursue another ambition or dream a new dream.
PS: What did you learn from Esther Edonkumoh’s story ?
