Artist Toya Delazy has opened up about the pitfalls of beliefs which can sometimes be limiting and says, in her case, it was shying away from embracing all of her. Taking to Instagram, the songstress shared a snap of her in a bikini and reflected on some of the regrets she had about not fully embracing her inner feminine goddess. “I grew up the type of tomboy that would beat the boys at marbles, I was a real toughie and it worked for me. I didn’t like anything femme about my body and I thought being boy-like was way better.”

The singer said that she embraced masculinity a lot easier because in her society, men have more freedom and respect. Reflecting on her past, Toya said she needed to heal from the limits she set for herself.

“Limitations become permanent when we believe we are powerless against them. Fear of expression is failure to breathe – don’t suffocate your essence,” she said.“Limitations become permanent when we believe we are powerless against them. Fear of expression is failure to breathe – don’t suffocate your essence,” she said.

“My biggest fear has always been rejection and abandonment. I would try my best to be in the ‘right’ to the point of muting myself. I still slip in and out of these emotions,” said Toya.