All the World's A Stage

30 October 2026

"And one man in his time plays many parts." “As You Like It” at Shakespeare’s Globe 2023. Photo by Ellie Kurttz. “All the world’s a stage,

And all the men and women merely players;

They have their exits and their entrances;

And one man in his time plays many parts,

His acts being seven ages.”

- Jaques, As You Like It by William Shakespeare Shakespeare’s words, written around 1599, are so damn true, even today. How? How did he know so much about the universal human experience and capture it well enough to still be relevant hundreds of years later? In the rest of monologue, Jaques describes each act as a decade of age, and in each we are different roles. This acutely captures something I’m experiencing day to day since arriving in Switzerland — my new act. This act, Noma Act IV we’ll call it, looks vastly different from Noma Act III. I previously wrote about this in “When Getting What You Want Changes You,” and I’m back for more. As of late, I’m exploring other perspectives on the concept of personal change. I’m reading “Atomic Habits” by James Clear. I’m learning from other women in transition, including the fabulous Tabitha Brown’s reflection about how changing and growing as an individual affects friendships. Then there’s news reporter turned social media maven Jeannette Reyes’ piece “Unsubscribing from Who You Used to Be,” where she shared, “evolution is not betrayal, it’s growth.” For me, both Tabitha and Jeanette’s points echo the line, “one man in his time plays many parts.” That’s where I am these days, transitioning from the parts I played in Noma Act III to my new part(s) in Noma Act IV. For context, I would say Act III ended when I left the U.S. in June, and Act IV started when I landed in Zürich. Sitting in this transition (it’s only been five months), I see my past parts so clearly with hindsight and new part(s) so hazily, although with hope. Thoughts on Act III A few reflections on the many parts of Noma Act III — Learning to listen. Beginning in my mid-30s, I spent more time alone than ever. Precipitated by part by the COVID-19 pandemic, and then cultivated by my first solo trip, hiking through California, the time alone allowed me to hear my own voice, but more importantly, to seek it. In difficult times, I learned to sit in silence, listen for hum of my soul and wait for the melody and the inner knowing to push and pull me forward. The people pleasing. For far too long, I made decisions based on other people’s needs or wants. As the first born daughter, a triple Virgo, and aspiring (now recovering) perfectionist, I relied too much on advice, and not enough on intuition. That’s where the alone time came in. The knowing became louder than the advice, and I stopped seeking to please people to feel good, or avoid conflict. Playing invisible or a fear of being seen. Ugh this is a big one. Especially in the world we live in today, where it feels like everyone is playing some role they think they should be, rather than being authentically themselves. That fear of being seen means GenZ doesn’t even dance at clubs because they’re worried about being watched and judged. I know the feeling and as a result, for the last few years, I kept myself small in some spaces where I should have been big. No more. Potential Parts in Act IV The Creative. Whether it’s publicly journaling all my inner thoughts (thanks for reading), creating content for social media, or curating a platform for African luxury fashion, the creative barrelled onto the scene and dropped her bags. She’s had most of the lines in this act so far, and it looks like she’s here to stay. The hope is, in this part, she figure out how to create more than she consumes, shares knowledge and aesthetics for a better world. Conquer the fear of being seen! The Improv Actor. Only five months in, but so far, Act IV calls for big improv energy. After years of being told to seek stability, and therefore seeking stability, the improv actor is leaning heavily into intuition and moments of “Yes, and…” So far, this approach has led to a Paris Fashion Week trip, jumping into the Aare River on several occasions, and a spontaneous trip to a naked sauna (a story for another day). The hope is, in this part, the improv actor, leads to heaps of audacity. Life meets you at your level of audacity, after all. Conquer the people pleasing! The Dancer. Coming for Acts I through the end, this one part is a constant. Whether it’s 7:00am or 11:00pm, this part busts onto the scene to blast some music and dance out the tension, the joy, the angst, the gratitude. None of the moves are practiced, but they’re intuitive and familiar. As creatures of habit, we all get into specific and comfortable versions of ourselves, and practices within those versions that can begin to feel stale. Even when we feel the staleness, few of us think “how can breaking the staleness improve my life?” I would encourage us all to remember that “evolution is not [a] betrayal” of anything your parents or your community taught you. Lean into curiosities, be playful with partners and friends, and most importantly, be playful and take risks with yourself. Is there a part you’ve always wanted to play? Try it out! You never know what parts of yourself and what new acts could reveal. As always, I encourage you to do the scary, uncomfortable thing. The best part of life is on the other side. What are the different parts you play in your life? Have they changed over the years? Did you meet a new version of yourself in a new act of life? Share your story below! Originally published on Substack on December 8, 2025.