Magnificent May – The Crazy South African Girl Who Dared to Chase Her Dream

First things first — Happy birthday to me, and more importantly, happy birthday to my favourite human — 888 weeks of loving the most magical little boy in my world.

May.

Wow.

This month wasn’t just another page in the calendar. It felt big. Heavy. Loud. Quiet.

It cracked me open in ways I didn’t even know I needed.

I learnt a new word this month — “mettle.”

Not the shiny kind. The kind that lives deep in your gut when you’re tired, scared, doubting yourself… and you keep going anyway.

And that’s exactly what this trip was.

From the moment I put pen to paper to dream it, to standing in a room full of global artists — somehow, I got there. I really did that.

Visa stress, stretched rands, long-haul flights, mom guilt, and a whole lot of overthinking — I carried all of that with me... and still showed up.

And I’m so glad I did.

From Paper to Reality

The past few days, I’ve been in this weird mix of “Did that really just happen?” and “Damn girl, you did that.”

Did I really meet Danessa Myricks?

Did I really get to learn, laugh, cry, and connect in rooms I once only dreamed of being in?And did I really burst into tears when James Vincent opened the event with:

“There’s so much going on in the world… and I’m talking about eyeliner.”

Because SAME. I flew halfway across the planet to chase this thing I love, and somehow, that one line made it all feel so valid.

We’re all carrying stuff. Big stuff.

And sometimes joy — pure, creative, human joy — is the thing that reminds us we’re still here. That we still matter.

Being at The Makeup Show NYC wasn’t just about makeup. It was about meaning. Connection. Culture. Identity.

And the unspoken language that we all share as creatives, no matter where we come from.

People Who Inspire Me

Can we just talk about how kind the most influential people are?

Erin Parsons and her glorious ADHD tangent had us all giggling, but her passion? Wow. It made me feel less alone in my chaos.

Mei Pang — are you even real? She introduced herself to me like we were already friends. My daughter and I literally binge your TikToks together.

And then there’s Danessa — my queen. Watching her work in real time? It was like witnessing magic and medicine at the same time.

(Also yes, I absolutely froze the first time we spoke. If I could go back, I’d say:

“Hi, I’m Zakiyya. I come from Johannesburg. I empower people to see their true beauty… and your products are part of my mission.”)

The Mental Game

Behind the glow and glam was… strategy.

I scheduled everything.

Learning sessions. Meals. Toilet breaks. Water reminders. Rest.

Because it’s one thing to chase your dream — it’s another thing to make it sustainable.

Especially when you’re a mom, a business owner, a dreamer and a doer all rolled into one.

And that’s really what I’m sitting with right now.

Let’s Talk. For Real.

If you’ve ever:

• Dimmed your light because you were “too much”

• Felt selfish for dreaming big

• Put your needs last for the sake of keeping peace

I see you.

I am you.

But I need you to hear this:

You’re allowed to take up space.

You’re allowed to go after the things that light you up.

And you don’t owe anyone smallness to prove you’re worthy.

This space I’m building — with my brushes, my words, my voice — it’s for us.

Mothers. Artists. Women. Humans.

So let’s talk.

Let’s have the uncomfortable convos. The big, dreamy ones too.

Let’s cry about the guilt and then do the thing anyway.

Tell Me This:

What’s a dream you’ve been too scared to say out loud?

Comment below. DM me. Email me. Whisper it to yourself in the mirror tonight.

I just want you to start somewhere.

I’ve got more to share — what I learned, what I loved, what I’m still processing.

But right now… I’m breathing in this May magic.

Letting it sink into my skin.

And reminding myself (and maybe you too)…

Even the “crazy South African girl” can fly. 💫

With love and mettle,

Zakiyya