Elegance of The Mind
"Over the years I have learned that what is important in a dress is the woman who is wearing it"
- Yves Saint Laurent
During my travels to Marrakech I had the opportunity to visit the spectacular Jardin Majorelle. Yves Saint Laurent is one of my absolute favorite designers not only for his creativity but also for his vision and love of a woman's mind and spirit. He challenged the status quo on many facets and advanced female empowerment in such an elegant way.
The proliferation of social media use has both positives and negatives. However, in general I would say (and there is research to support this) that higher social media use is associated with lower self-esteem. A more troubling finding is that the link between social media use and poor self-image was strong amongst girls but no such link showed up for boys. The reason for this was that girls were more likely to compare themselves to others versus boys. So how do we break this link?
I challenge everyone - girls and boys to focus on developing the inner self. Let this focus take priority over a focus on the exterior. There are so many ways to do this but below is what I do and what has worked for me.
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Developing The Mind
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Exercise: A healthy mind starts with a healthy body!
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Skill Development: Learn something new or further develop an existing talent. For example, have you always wanted to learn how to play an instrument? What about graphic design? A new sport? I've found that mastering a new skill is so self-satisfying and the joy of the journey cannot be underestimated.
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Surround yourself with positive people: I once read that a person is the average of the five people closest to them and although I'm not sure about the exact number or how that influence is calculated I certainly believe that there is some truth to it. Personally, I select friends who have a positive orientation to life and whose values align with my own.
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Contribute to a better world: I truly believe that each and every one of us can do things to make society better. Can you spare some time in your week to do volunteer work? What about random acts of kindness like offering to help an elderly neighbor out?
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Read: I have loved reading for as long as I can remember. Reading is a wonderful way to become educated on certain subjects. Alternatively, it can offer a wonderful escape into the narrative of a time and place different from where you are.
A healthy mind and strong sense of self should serve as a foundation to explore how we express ourselves visually. I am a fashion lover. Growing up in the fashion capital of North America influences are everywhere. From street art to high fashion, as a creative individual I love the way shapes, colors, textures interplay to create a garment.
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Yves Saint Laurent is one of my favorite designers and during my visit to Jardin Majorelle I was taken by the stunning Majorelle blue painted walls accented by the bright yellow. The play of colors, sharp linear buildings with Moorish doors and windows were such a gorgeous pairing. The gardens filled with cacti flowers and lily ponds was unbelievably beautiful. Jardin Majorelle was designed by Jacques Majorelle over 40 years beginning in 1923. The two and a half acre garden also includes a Cubist Villa which houses the Islamic Art Museum, Berber Museum, and Yves Saint Laurent Museum.
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Beauty and intelligence are not mutually exclusive. I absolutely believe that by having a strong sense of self, an elegant mind, and kindness of heart we can appreciate fashion and the appearance of others without it detracting from our own.
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