Soft Days, Hard Days: Practising Gentle Mindfulness in the Middle of Real Life
Not every day feels the same on the inside.
Some days are soft. Some days are hard. Most days are a mix of both.
Not every day feels the same on the inside.
Some days are soft. Some days are hard. Most days are a mix of both.
Every year, International Women’s Day invites us to pause and reflect. It asks us to acknowledge progress, to celebrate women, and to recommit to equity and opportunity. Last year, the global theme was Accelerate Action, a call to move faster, to do more, to push harder.
At Joko Edu, we listened closely.
This year, the official International Women’s Day 2026 theme is Give To Gain, and it feels like a natural continuation of that call.
Activism has changed in the digital age, and social media, particularly Twitter, has turned into a battlefield for African women’s feminist causes. Online platforms provide a new kind of resistance in a continent where patriarchal systems are still firmly established, allowing women to express themselves without worrying about censorship or physical harm. By calling attention to abuses, demanding responsibility, and changing cultural dialogues, hashtags have turned into tools.
In the Ashanti region of Ghana, is the country’s only natural lake. Formed over a million years ago by a meteorite impact, it is approximately 49 square kilometers in size and reaches depths of about 73 meters. The lake holds deep spiritual significance for the Ashanti people, who believe it is a resting place for the souls of the dead.
When we think about the countless women writers today, it is hard not to wonder who the first woman to boldly pick up a pen, share her stories, and become known as a writer was? Who was that woman who refused to be silenced, even when society may have tried to stifle her voice?
Biases are intrinsically part of human nature. Our brains are lazy; we act on previously gathered information to make decisions rather than processing new information and making peculiar and unique choices. What we see growing up, what we hear, what is obtainable in our immediate environment;
When I think of love, this timeless and beautiful song from the popular 80s movie, ‘Coming to America’, comes to mind. It was the scene where Prince Akeem (Eddie Murphy) had just had his first dance with Lisa (Shari Headley). He wouldn’t stop singing, or should we say shouting, as he danced home, much to the annoyance of his neighbours.