How Zizi Majid Transformed Personal Challenges into a Mission to Inspire Through Writing
💙Dear Community, I am thrilled to introduce an artist and soul writer, Zizi Majid, who was awarded an Honorable Mention in our 2024 Memoir Contest. Her journey of transforming personal challenges into powerful narratives is truly inspiring. Her debut work aims to resonate deeply with those facing similar struggles, showcasing her resilience and heartfelt creativity. I appreciate your unwavering support and presence here; it means the world to us. If you’d prefer not to be tagged in future stories, please let us know. Don’t forget to follow Zizi’s profile on Medium to stay updated on her latest works — your engagement makes a significant difference! With sincere gratitude, we celebrate the gift of storytelling together. 💙🤍💜🤍💙🤍💜🤍💙🤍💜🤍💙🤍💜
Motto: Everything in life teaches us a lesson, learn to live life fully.
1. That Special Moment
One fine day, you started writing poems/stories. How did it happen exactly?
ZM: I was having tea with a friend. She knew of my challenges and suggested I start writing. I asked, “Where would I write?” I loved writing and kept a journal on and off but I had not written on any platform. She suggested Medium and I have been pouring my heart out writing since that day and I am ever grateful to her.
2. Art Is Work
What does your work as a writer consist of? What are the biggest challenges of the present?
ZM: My life changed drastically in May 2015 when my adult son suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury and again in September 2018 when my husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, as a caregiver that is a big challenge. My two daughters were both diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at ages 1 and 9 but I had somehow managed to stay afloat but now it is not the same.
My biggest challenge is keeping the raw emotions in check.
3. Without Projects, There Is No Future
What are your representative projects? What projects are you working on?
ZM: After I started writing I knew I wanted to write a book. The trauma and challenges I have faced had to be written for the benefit of those going through similar situations. Every day is a struggle for me and how I try to overcome those hurdles.
To publish my life story.
4. The Scent of Creation
Describe a scent that immediately transports you to a moment of inspiration or creativity. What emotions does it evoke, and how does it influence your creative process?
ZM: The scent of creativity doesn’t have a smell or an aroma, it is a moment or a sound, for me it’s the sound of water and the smell of fresh air that floods me with ideas and inspiration. It could also be a quiet moment, a memory flash, or a day full of challenges, or one filled with joy.
5. Ink and Intimacy
If your writing style were a tactile experience, what texture would it be? How does the act of putting pen to paper or fingers to keyboard make you feel on a deeply personal level?
ZM: When I write it reflects what I am feeling at that moment, like touching a deep wound that hurts and is painful, and at other times the softness and sweetness of music that fills my soul with peace and contentment.
The feeling is indescribable. It brings me immense joy and satisfaction and pride in my writing.
6. The Harmony of Silence
Think about a moment when silence spoke louder than words in your creative journey. What were the circumstances, and how did it shape your understanding of your craft?
ZM: Silence has always given me peace and focus. On a day when the challenges become unbearable, I go to a secluded place and sit in silence to ground myself. Once the calm descends ideas start flowing. I usually carry a notebook to jot down all that floods my mind. Silence inspires me in ways nothing else does, the quieter it is the better I write.
7. The Palette of Dreams
Imagine your creative mind as a painter’s palette. What colors dominate your artistic spectrum, and how do they represent the different facets of your imagination?
ZM: I am a painter also and what flows through me at a particular moment shows in the colors of what I paint. On a good day, the colors are soft, bright, and flowing with love and togetherness. On a vulnerable day, the colors become dark, dreary and non-cohesive. My imagination takes me anywhere from the deep dark to the bright and beautiful.
8. The Quill of Vulnerability
If your creative expression were a handwritten letter to your inner self, what truths and vulnerabilities would it unveil? How does the act of exposing your innermost thoughts contribute to your artistic identity?
ZM: If you read my stories you will see that I have been vulnerable and written with authenticity, that is the only way for me to write and connect with my readers. It is scary and I have to be careful not to hurt or upset anyone but writing from the depths of my being is the only way I know I can be a successful writer.
9. Symphony of Shadows
Consider a character or theme in your work that embodies the shadows of your own psyche. What does this shadow teach you about your fears, desires, or unexplored dimensions of your creativity?
Is that the case?
ZM: I think almost all the characters. The broken hurt me who is striving to find the light with hope, acceptance, and gratitude. I never want to give up as my love for life is greater than any trauma I am facing.
10. Echoes of Childhood Whispers
Recall a childhood memory that resonates with you as a writer. How do the echoes of your early experiences manifest in your work today?
ZM: A lot resonates with my work. I grew up mostly happy but I had a stern mother and her severe methods of discipline left scars, It was a balancing act, to balance it with the deep and unconditional love I received from my father. The dark and light that I keep writing and incorporating into whatever story about my life.
11. Melodies of Memory
If your memories were composed as a musical score, what instrument would represent your most cherished creative recollections? How does the melody of your past influence the composition of your present work?
ZM: The piano and the saxophone. The beautiful melodies created by the highs and lows of both the instruments represent my life past and present.
12. The Dance of Words
If your writing style were a dance, what would be the rhythm and tempo? How does the cadence of your sentences mirror the beating of your creative heart?
ZM: Emotional times would be the tango and peaceful times the waltz. When I write I can be waltzing and then suddenly it turns into the tango.
13. Admiration Exercises
Which writers do you admire? What are your favorite books?
ZM: My father’s love for Shakespeare had me reading Shakespeare at a young age, and I loved romantic novels growing up. I was fascinated with ‘The Diary of Anne Frank’. At that young age, I did not fully understand the emotions depicted by the characters. Today I can appreciate the emotional turmoil, the deep love, and the betrayals. Now, I read a lot about self-care as it grounds and inspires me to care for my emotional and spiritual self. I also read a lot about spirituality to find inner peace and the light no matter how rough life treats me. Caroline Myss and Marianne Williamson I find their work interesting to read.
14. An Indiscreet Question
With which influential author or inspirational figure from life, past or present, would you most like to share a cup of tea and a captivating conversation?
ZM: That is a tough question to answer but today if I had to sit down and have a heart-to-heart I would choose Marianne Williamson. I can resonate with her writing it helps me cope with the challenges and paves the way to move on with acceptance, gratitude, and courage. I have to mention Oprah she inspires me in many ways, such a dynamic personality.
15. A Story in Ten Words
Life would be music if she could bring him back
16. A Favorite Fragment from Your Works
ZM: This quote is from my story, “The Rest Of Our Lives Together.”
Add a pinch of salt and a tablespoon of sugar to each day. The sweetness will dissolve the salty taste.
Use a new ingredient and a new look often to keep things tasty and desirable
Be patient when the dish burns or the dough turns sour; that’s part of cooking. Dishes will not come out the same always.
Remember the importance of bringing it together like the ingredient that binds the food.
The depth and the height of love are irrelevant as one has to put in daily the effort to make a tasteful and memorable dish.
17. Contact Information
How can you be contacted?
18. Blog/Author Page/Social Media Profile
Where can we read your stories?
ZM: Medium is the only platform. Instagram and Linkedin.
19. What exactly would you like to convey to a fellow writer/editor/screenwriter/film producer?
Present your writings in a few words.
ZM: I have had a great life. The good times and the challenges have taught me lessons no school could teach. I gained independence, confidence, and a sense of self-love through all I endured, the pains and joys. I accepted, was grateful, and learned from my mistakes and failures. It made me sensitive yet strong and gave me the courage to face even the most difficult days I was to encounter.
I have made it my mission to convey the message through my writing to help those facing challenges and trauma. Helping others gives me contentment and fulfillment. My writing is my savior.
20. Embers of Endings
Envision the conclusion of a significant project. How do you feel as you pen the final words or brush the last strokes? What is the emotional resonance of completion, and how does it influence your anticipation for the next artistic endeavor?
ZM: My significant project would be a book, a story that makes headlines. To have accomplished that would make me feel complete, successful, and alive. And there would be no stopping me after that.
💙🤍💜🤍💙🤍💜🤍💙🤍💜🤍💙🤍💜🤍💙🤍💜🤍💙🤍💜🤍
Dear Cherished Writers and Friends, please, clap, engage, and… stay tuned for the next story… the next interview, and… the next contest! But, most importantly, a profound thank you to each one of you. Your unwavering support has been invaluable. Don’t forget to follow our publication if you haven’t already. And if you’d prefer not to be tagged in future stories, please let us know. Warm regards.
Dr. Cynthia J. Hickman , Brenda Hukel, MBA , MyThoo // , Justiss Goode | F😄M , MindLake.co.uk (Alex) , Melissa Gray , Mike Butler , Freia Skogstad , Ronny Khrisna , Susana The Starholder⭐ , Kingsley Asuamah , Michael Koetsier , Loren Kantor , Lee Byrd , Dawn Ulmer , Daniel Williams , Just Jake , Paul – Entrepreneurial Voyager/Founder-4 startups , Bronius Sniuksta , Frankie Hau , Darrin Atkins , Jeffery Moore , Ute Luppertz ✨ , Filza Chaudhry , Gleenobly , ALEX KIRKLAND , Kim Kelly Stamp , Dr John Frederick Rose , John Pearce 🌻 , Chantal Weiss , Steven L , Lorelei , Trisna Sunawar , Stephan Pinkwart , Danielle Herring , Khorge Boro , Robert G. Longpré [he / him] , Jacqueline Lay , sea-at-sunrise , Derek Morgan , 💛 Jane Grismer , MCristina Content by Maria Cristina DeBriyn , Elizabeth Sobieski , Maximilian Schneider , Gael MacLean , Erica L Soerensen , Constance Williams , Edward Swafford , Ivannan Pandian , Anne Bellamy , Victoria Marty , Annelise Lords , Celeste Wilson , Marc White , Dr James
Smith , Aminlogic , Michael Burg, MD (Satire Sommelier) 😬 , Bebe Nicholson , NRWillick , Frank Racioppi , Quentin Septer , Franco Amati , Suzy Jacobson Cherry , Mark Baquiran , Don Martin, real-life writer, model, & influencer , Christina McDonald , Writes By Tiffany , Leslie Flemons , David Bryson , Dr. Seema Patel (PhD) , Robin Ghosh , David Loewen , Mandy Goodall – Pre-birth memory experiencer , Libby Shively McAvoy , Stephanie Mccabe , Carolyn F. Chryst, Ph.D. , Dr. Cüneyt Yardımcı , Stephanie Ann Grant , Religion and Politics at The Dinner Table , Marcia Abboud , Lee Ann Farmer , JoEllen Claypool , Otba , Ryan Canady , Raechel “Rael Thymes” , Kristoffer Becker , Douglas Lim , Diana C. , Dawn D , Chris Compton – @twainingwheels , Luna@Latinx Bridges , Dixxiee , Darlene López , Melissa Herzog , Rajesh Poovathum Kadavil , Jason Olofsen (The Happy Psychologist) , Gabriela Trofin-Tatár , Gary Buzzard , Kemal M. Lepschoque, LL.M. , Derek Reinhard , Jeannie.Chambers ,
💙🤍💜🤍💙🤍💜🤍💙🤍💜🤍💙🤍💜🤍💙🤍💜🤍💙🤍💜🤍
Julia Kalman 