Treasure Yourself (3 page)

being rejected on the basis of how I looked was something I needed to come to terms with if I was to

succeed in the modelling industry. I could either internalise it as meaning that something was wrong with

me or simply accept that at that moment in time I was not suited for the needs of that particular campaign

or shoot. This experience really helped me realise that I can’t please everyone all of the time. I decided

then to stay true to myself and my principles. As I surrendered to this my world opened up with many new

and exciting possibilities.

Staying grounded… Coming from a small country town and being so connected to the earth helps to keep

my feet on the ground. At first I couldn’t imagine earning my living from modelling and in those first few

years I felt uncertain about modelling as a career. So in the early days of working I also studied

psychology and nutrition. This helped me form my own ideas about health and wellness, which are so

important to me today and have really helped to keep me grounded, healthy and balanced.

Moving on… Essentially, I am an adventurous and driven person. I wanted a bigger challenge than I

could find in Australia, so in 2005 at 22 years of age when the opportunity presented itself to me, I moved

to New York. This journey has changed my life in many ways and helped me discover more about myself;

a continual process.

New York is a big city and at first I lived in a house with other models, thinking this would be the most

secure way to live. After a while I felt I needed more freedom and space, so I rented my own apartment

and more recently purchased an apartment in Manhattan. I love having my own home.

It’s a sanctuary for me when I need some peace and time to recharge my batteries.

Being grounded and taking care of myself physically and spiritually is really important to me. I work

hard so I try to balance my life with meditation, chanting and yoga. Being balanced also means spending

time with great friends. I am so thankful for the friends I have; their constant love and support is something

I appreciate. I love hanging out with them, my family and of course Frankie, my little Yorkshire terrier.

I also find it wonderful to meet new people. Getting to know others is invaluable as they can enrich and

expand your view on life. This particular affirmation really sustains me: ‘I experience love wherever I

go’. It reminds me to seek balance and to try my best to live in the moment, enjoy every minute of life and

hope to somehow make a positive difference in the world.

A world of opportunities… I believe I have been given an opportunity to do something useful and

positive in the world. I had a great childhood filled with love and support for which I am deeply grateful.

I am very fortunate and life has been generous. However, like anyone, I have been through some

challenging times and experiences that have tested my strength and resolve. Without these dark moments I

wouldn’t be the person I am today.

Success can easily transform you into someone you never intended to become and that’s why it’s

important to always take time out from life and think about what you are doing and your reasons for doing

so. Challenges remind me of what is most important to me, such as my family and my friends. When I face

a difficult decision I find that quiet space within and, rather than immediately tearing open the cocoon like

the girl in the butterfly story, I reflect on what is important to me and what I’m here to do.

Overall, I believe wholeheartedly that gratitude is the key to success and to life in general. I try my best

not to take all I’ve got for granted and greatly appreciate the opportunities that I have been given. I also

appreciate the opportunity to reach you with this book … hopefully touching your life in some small way.

Loving yourself… Oscar Wilde said, ‘To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance’. I believe

that loving and treasuring yourself is essential for happiness. It’s about treasuring who you are as a person

and accepting, respecting and honouring yourself.

This is something I have struggled with personally. Loving yourself stems from the belief that ‘Who I

am is enough’, and that the qualities you possess are unique, worthwhile and special. It is about being

grateful for what you have been given, accepting who you are and being compassionate towards yourself.

It’s like a beautiful reflection. What you see in yourself is what you see in everyone else around you.

In my eyes we are all equal. No one person is more special than another. In order to love others fully

you need to first love and accept yourself. You could spend your whole life wishing you were someone

else and never really appreciate the person you actually are and the things that you have to offer. When

you see yourself as a unique individual and understand that you are truly irreplaceable and that everyone

is different and special just the way they are, you get the opportunity to really accept who you are and

fully embrace yourself. That’s when the magic of the universe radiates within us and automatically

without us even knowing, our inner joy, enthusiasm and happiness is transferred to others.

One of the most important things I’ve realised is that we can all choose how to live our lives, no matter

what the circumstances. You can choose how you feel when you get up in the morning. You can think,

‘Today is going to be pretty much the same as yesterday. I wish I could go back to sleep’ or alternatively,

‘Today is going to be a wonderful day full of new and exciting experiences’. Once you realise you can

choose how you experience yourself, you start to open your world to unlimited possibilities and

opportunities and people are automatically drawn towards you and your enthusiasm.

Embracing challenges… Life in the world we live in can be pretty intense; we are constantly

bombarded with information and noise. You could be in a busy city with all the hustle and bustle of

millions of people, or in front of a computer screen, bombarded with trillions of different messages and

opinions. It can be easy to become so caught up in just getting through the day that you forget to switch

everything off sometimes, and just listen to yourself. However, this is the way you stay strong and clear

about who you are and what you really want in life.

I like to think that we are all unique flowers in the amazing garden we call Earth. No two of us are the

same and nor should we ever want to be. We all have a place here. A daisy is as beautiful as a sunflower.

We all face challenges in different ways and we all have different strengths to help us through life. To

find your strength, my advice would be to get to know who you are and listen to yourself before doing

anything else. Think about your options and the consequences of each action you might take. Strive to be

the best you can be and focus on who you are in each moment.

I believe the only way to handle a challenge is to face it head on with an open mind and heart. Like the

butterfly in the story at the beginning of this book, challenges are what life gives us to make us stronger.

Welcome challenges and you will open the doors to opportunity and growth. We might have huge hurdles

that pop up now and then, but after we scale those heights and come back down on the other side there is

always a great sense of achievement. Your own strength will be reflected back to you as you realise what

you can accomplish. If you face those rocks in the stream with a positive attitude things may not be as hard

as you first thought. The rocks can become places to stop and take a breath, giving you the chance to really

assess where you are. It’s important during these challenging times to go within yourself and listen to your

intuition.

When things seem at their worst or don’t seem to be going to plan, instead of feeling down, start each

day by saying to yourself: ‘How amazing it is to be alive! What a wondrous feeling I have inside! I am

awake, healthy and full of joy!’ Visualise every cell in your body being filled with vitality, health and

love.

Growth and change… I try to remind myself that with every hard time, whether it is a challenge that

turns your life upside down or a simple occurrence that gets in the way of where you want to go,

afterwards there is always an act of creation. Like a forest that grows back after a fire, there are always

new developments taking place. Life happens in cycles; most challenging moments in your life will pass

and a new phase of adventure will emerge.

The first part of change is generally the most confronting. More often than not we don’t expect it and

that’s when our sense of self gets tested. When this happens to me, instead of trying to immediately change

my emotions, which can be jarring, I cocoon myself with things that make me feel better and try my best to

sit with and accept how I feel. This doesn’t mean that I dwell on things and immerse myself in misery …

it just means that I give myself time to acknowledge how I am truly feeling.