Peju Abuchi is a Poet, Inspirational Speaker & Educator. She recently published her debut book, A Poetic Odyssey of Proclamations: 31 ways to sow, grow and flow goodness into your life, and joined the Routes2Success programme as a role-model and mentor. She works closely with ARE as a consultant on our other programmes supporting Black, Asian and minority ethnic leaders. We interviewed her in March 2024, in honour of International Women’s Day being celebrated globally to put the spotlight on inspirational women paving the way for others.
What motivated you to become a coach?
I was motivated to go into coaching because I had personally experienced it and had made some significant shifts in my life which inspired me to want to provide that for others. For example, I had always wanted to write and publish a book that was a collaboration of my passion, purpose and poetic voice but it was the thing that I kept procrastinating due to some internal mind blocks and limiting beliefs. Coaching confronted both of these and enabled me to get writing, keep writing and then finally publish my book at the end of last year. It was an exhilarating feeling.
What’s the most interesting thing about the work that you do?
The work that I do resonates with my life values and that is so important. I believe that human beings are full of immense worth, and value and I get to speak into that as I perform poetry, write content or when I am coaching. I believe in the power of curiosity to connect people and communities and that is always ignited when I meet people for the first time or facilitate a workshop to bring a certain theme to life. Human beings are like a beautiful kaleidoscope and if you look for beauty in them, you will find it.
You recently self-published a book called A Poetic Odyssey of Proclamations: 31 ways to sow, grow and flow goodness into your life.
Congratulations! Could you tell us a bit about your journey putting that together, and any advice you would give to those trying to find their own voice?
Finding your voice is a very special and unique journey. It is one that we all need to go on and persevere with. My journey to finding, owning, and celebrating my voice has been filled with twists and turns and roundabouts.
Publishing A Poetic Odyssey of Proclamations was a real labour of love that took blood, sweat and tears to complete. Sacrifices, in terms of my time and energy, needed to be made. What kept me going was knowing the impact it was going to have in the lives of so many people. That was a great motivator. As I mentioned earlier, there were quite a few limiting beliefs that I had to overcome and with each mental block that broke down, I moved up a step of faith believing I could do it.
A few of those barriers were external, such as the time constraints I had with balancing my other responsibilities within the home and in my work as an educator. There was also the sense I got from certain people who saw writing a book as more of a hobby than real work, so they didn’t take what I was doing seriously and perhaps didn’t think it would amount to much.
However, most of the blocks were internal, big boulders in my mind telling me I couldn’t do it, or that I could do it, but I would fail, and it would flop, or who was I to think I could become an author. At the same time, the fear of success was also a real contender in the sense of “Was I ready to succeed, and what would I do if the book had the impact, it could? Was I prepared for that level of exposure?”
These were the giants I needed to overcome constantly as I put pen to paper.
How do you take an intersectional approach, or consider race inequality in your work?
When it comes to race and intersecting identities I always try to remember: everyone wants to be seen, heard, valued and respected. It’s a deep human desire and need.
Part of the work that I do in consultancy and coaching is to meet people where they are at; not where I want them to be or where they would like to be, but exactly where they are, at present.
The power of this space is that more of the truth is given permission to emerge which allows the individual to begin to take full responsibility for where they really are.
“You own what you discover” is a powerful phrase I encountered in my coaching training and this is pivotal in my work because by asking the right questions, people start to discover the answers for themselves. The answers were always within them, they just needed a helping hand to draw them out.
So, if people can start to believe and live as though they are seen, heard, valued and respected, the shift in their perspective will directly impact how they see themselves and carry themselves. They will show up differently and more confidently.
Empowering the individual in the first instance, whether their immediate circumstances change or not, is what I lean into.
You recently joined Routes2Success as a role-model and mentor. Why?
Joining Routes2Success as a role model and mentor was a key moment in my journey to giving back. Whether coaching, mentoring, writing or performing, life for me is about positively impacting the people in my sphere of influence. I have been given some brilliant opportunities and chances in life and I am excited to share what I am learning and by doing that, to ignite the flame of greatness in each person I encounter.
Isn’t this what the world is hungry for?
Guest Author: Peju Abuchi
Interviewed by: Payal Bhavsar (Senior Communications and Engagement Officer)
If you’re interested in becoming a role-model or mentor, read our FAQs and register your interest here.
