Being Colombian And Watching Narcos On Netflix

Being colombian and seeing the Narcos suggestion on Netflix, I felt it was my duty to not watch it; to not promote this kind of negative image of my country which was been widely spread for decades in ridiculous misinformed ways by the film industry like showing Bogotá as a jungle with cannons at all sides and missiles shooting, everybody being drug dealer, guerrilla, prostitute or corrupt or humble farmers and also, apparently, we Colombians also wear traditional Mexican attire (rolling eyes for the millionth time here). I was firm on my ground for the longest time, until last weekend when curiosity took the best of me. And boy! Was I wrong about Narcos.

For those of you who don't know it, Narcos is the story of drug trafficking in Colombia beginning in the 80's, told from the view of a DEA agent who moves to Colombia to aid with the conflict. I must warn you, it is sexually explicit, very violent and a lot of cursing. One of the things I like is the amount of amazing Colombian actors. I would point them out to my husband every time another one showed up and he found it funny that I was declaring them all as "one of the bests". Well, it is true. They did indeed cast the best actors of Colombia for the majority of the characters. Actors I grew up watching and admiring their acting skills which where spotless every time. And of that, we have a lot of (I should clarify that none of them are part of the main characters roles, nor you will, unfortunately, find them if you Google Narcos cast).

Despite of the warning at the beginning saying the names are mostly fictional and it would be coincidental otherwise, they are the right names, at least for the Colombian characters I remember from back in the day: Presidents' names, leaders (whereas be drug dealers, military or guerrilla) and big names in Colombia. Some characters are not accurate with the appearance of the real ones, like Valeria Velez who is actually a red haired caucasian woman and Diana Turbay who was blonde with short straight hair and Caucasian as well (she is represented with darker skin, curly and long black hair).

So far the only thing I saw that was highly wrong was the moment when the then presidential candidate Carlos Gaviria gives a speech that would define on which side he will be and it starts with "there's a story in Colombia that says God made Colombia so beautiful and rich in landscapes and biodiversity that it wasn't fair for the other countries, so he inhabited it with bad people". That's the only time I felt offended because it implies ALL Colombians are bad people which is clearly NOT. The original story about the creation of Colombia ends instead with "so he gave them bad leaders" which makes more sense and is accurate too.

But what draw me in was the historic accuracy. It is heart wrenching for me to watch it as a Colombian who grew up in the middle of this conflict. The pain, the fears, the frustrations of many of us who couldn't do anything about it but pray that we weren't in the wrong place at the wrong time. It is a sad truth but a truth indeed and I appreciate that effort in the show. Why? It gives me a better, wider understanding of why so many unbelievable things happened and how everything was connected. I appreciate the humanity placed in the show for the victims and the people who were trying to do what was right. I appreciate that it shows the world what really happened and hopefully change their thoughts towards Colombians with what is true; that no, we are not all terrorists, guerrilla, narcos or prostitutes and it is not correct to make fun of it in front of a Colombian because it hurts, a lot. We might put on a smile, but inside is a different story. Putting it simple, you wouldn't joke with a Syrian refugee about their country's conflict and what they went through, would you?

I personally had friends and relatives saving themselves from a bomb by a hair, many times, because they had a last minute change of heart about going to the location that would be bombed right after. Back in the day we didn't have cellphones so we had to be calling relatives constantly from public phones every time we were going somewhere else so we could know who was where in case a bomb exploded and we would freak out if the didn't show at the agreed time frame. I woke up one morning to the sound of police sirens because someone had been killed in front of our building by a hitman; narcos related crime. I knew people who had been kidnapped and escaped in epic, unbelievable ways and people who survived a kidnapping attempt. I was too young to go clubbing at the time but if you were old enough, you were better off going to a house party. It was safer. If you went clubbing, you were teasing your luck. In an act of rebellion, many went clubbing anyway, many became witnesses of assassinations and kidnappings. It was indeed a war zone and we were all caught in it.

So if there's a show about drug dealers you are going to watch, please make Narcos from Netflix that choice. They have done their homework indeed. 

I'M IN PAIN, HEARTBROKEN, AND I'VE HAD IT.

Today is Friday. 

I don't watch the news; I can't trust them anymore. They have become a twisted spectacle, the show off opportunity of evil to promote itself. The media has been corrupted for a very long time, feeding in opportunism and twisting facts (even making them up) for the gain of someone's personal agenda. 

But today is Friday and I have like everyone else, profiles on different social media platforms and tragedies lurk in. Just on this week, a 5 year old was kidnapped and killed in the city I live in, after her mother was killed in their home. We all prayed and hope for a happy ending, we all hoped that it was not going to go the same route as the previous Amber Alert. In France, another terrorist attack, cruel and raw as a sick person with twisted motives drove a truck over a crowd of families and Turkey just fell under a military coup. And that's just the surface. Honestly I don't want to know about the rest. Is not because I want to pretend everything is ok and play a blind eye on current world events. It's because I don't need a constant reminder of the cruelty that seems to be conquering our world. I don't want despair to be my mindset but hope and goodness.

I know the world feels very dark right now for all of us. I know it feels like it's being consumed by evil in one big bite, in slow motion. We are seeing it's teeth closing on us but we seem to not be able to do anything to stop it.

Everyday I pray asking what can I do? I pray to God to give me the tools and opportunities to be able to shake us out of it. But I'm just me. A voice that's shy, fearful and easily shut off by many others.

I'm not writing this as an opportunity to find my 15mins of fame (nowadays people do whatever it takes for even just 1minute of fame; it doesn't matter if it's good or bad as long as it exists. Isn't that sad?), using this world's current pain as if it's fashion, something that seems to be the trend nowadays among social media. I'm writing because I'm hurt and heartbroken for the tribulations of this world; our world, just as you are, and I can't stay silent anymore.

We hear so much pain, injustice, violence, blood shedding towards everyone and everything that we feel despair, we feel alone and consumed by it. But there's this thing; a "thing" that seems to be unimportant for the news and social media because it doesn't bring as many followers, because is not trendy enough or worthy of their time. This "thing" is that we keep forgetting we, the good people, the light of this world, are more than the people that do evil. We have more power TOGETHER than evil gathered in one spot. Basically, if we gather on one side all people of good will and on another side the people that have been consumed by their dark side, you will see that we ARE overwhelmingly more and we can win. But we are scattered. 

Divide and reign is evil's mission because it's afraid of us. It knows it can't win so it divides us constantly with lies and deceit to break us and poison us.

The sad truth is that we leave it easy for evil to achieve it. We are quick to forgive the goodness of our hearts because we have to be proud, we have to be the best, we have to be right, we have to be powerful because the opposite is wrong and shows weakness. But here is the thing: our hearts grow and flourish on the opposite, even if it doesn't make sense as I say it, but they do. Trade pride for humbleness and you find a whole range of learning to forgive because you know you have wronged too. We stop judging because our lives are as broken or more. We get closer to each other because we admit we need help instead of pretending that we can juggle all the balls on the air on our own. Trade the obsession about being the best and you'll find your own authenticity, you'll help others grow because they deserve it, not because it will benefit you; you'll find joy because you are not bound by society's standards of what success and being the best should be, but for what makes you your amazing, unique, quirky self.

Social media and the creation of enemies

I think the Internet has a lot of amazing things. One I probably like the most is how it has shortened the distance between countries in amazing ways; we can help each other, collaborate with each other, work together, learn from each other and we have access to a lot of information. I'm very tech savvy so I enjoy things that make life easier because I rather spend my time in more useful things. But I think social media is turning into internet's tumour. For those of you who have worked at an office and had an internal emailing system, might have experienced the group mails from coworkers about very stupid, time-wasting stuff. The coworker that would send humorous videos or photos, the one with the ability to find inappropriate things and send them your way, the .ppt inspirational slideshows and silly games and you will agree with me that social media is pretty much that in a world scale and I'm getting annoyed. It's trash information; we are spoon feeding one another with it and we are liking it.

There's a lot of people out there with too much time on their hands, trying to give importance to their own lives by trying to feel superior and how? Pointing fingers, finding corruption and wrong doing even in the most innocent situations. Guys, we are trying to find the enemy in the wrong places. If you are of certain ethnicity, then you are the bad guy, if you are of certain gender, you are the bad guy, whatever religion or spiritual path you take, you are the bad guy. If you go left or right, up or down or whatever direction you take, you are wrong and therefore you are the bad guy. It doesn't matter what you do. You will always be wrong in someone's eyes. That much we know and it shouldn't affect us. But it makes if difficult when is a bunch of people judging every step you take and the rest stays silent and indifferent with their bags of popcorn eagerly witnessing it all for what's going to happen to you next like a reality show.

Social media has given each one of us the status of celebrity in our own world and we are open for scrutiny; constant scrutiny. We have to "sell" ourselves the proper way so that we don't get destroyed by others, so that people don't think you are a bad person or reject you because of your beliefs or the way you look. Being politically correct has become a burden because it got taken way out of context. Somehow a silent rule appeared about everything online having to be black or white. You are either on this side or that side. Why? We are all full of black and white and shades of gray. Nobody is purely evil or good, we are all imperfect in real life, then why do we have this idea that online has to be different? How about lifting each other up, understanding and respecting each other's opinions and values? I can guarantee you, it's more satisfying than the opposite. To make it easier to understand, trolling and shaming is a male orgasm; satisfying but short. Encouraging and helping each other is a female orgasm. Very satisfying and long. Which one do you prefer?

I considered myself a diplomatic person. According to my brother, I have a good emotional intelligence. I don't know about that, it's his opinion and his entitled to it (besides, it's nice that your younger sibling says things like that to you, right?). I believe in probably the only phrase I learned from my philosophy class back in high school: "in the measure you find the truth" (pardon me but my philosophy class was very crappy, definitely a teacher not trained in the subject at all). That phrase made sense to me and it stuck. So when there's a conflict, I don't only hear the loudest version but I hear both sides and come to a conclusion. To put it in an easier way, I basically try to be as Salomonic as possible when it comes to understanding what's going on. And you know what I discover? Both sides are right. It doesn't matter the subject, both sides are right. What creates the problem is which side of the coin is each person looking at. Both see the coin but from a different perspective. And then comes pride, and power seeking and screws it all up because none of the sides is capable of stopping the argument for a second, seat next to the other person and see their side of the coin. Things would make a whole lot of sense and a mutual agreement would suffice and easy to achieve. But no. We chose the quicker and blind road; kick and punch each other like two little boys fighting over a toy. Yes, is as immature as it sounds.

The root of current conflict

We blame the governments, the leaders and their personal agendas. We accuse and judge their motives and we believe they are the cause of it all. It's ok to keep our leaders accountable but we also have to keep OURSELVES accountable. We are all to blame for the way the world is right now. Because WE (that's right, I don't exclude myself because I'm no better than you) are the ones planting the seeds of all this conflict. We are being nosey and judgemental without shame. We have forgotten that while the other has dust in his eye, we have a plank in ours. We show indifference towards each other instead of compassion and kindness. We nag our leaders constantly about everything and they give in. We are so lazy to educate ourselves that we rather make conclusions based in urban myths and dust ideas that travel everywhere and nowhere at the same time (not always the loudest fact is the right one but not always the silent one is the right one either. Do your research). The mass is dangerous and ignorant and we are riding along with it without stopping to think is it's the right thing. We just assume that many people can't be wrong and we fight for it with tooth and nail because we assumed our neighbour has probably done the homework and trust him without realizing that we are all making the same assumptions. Online. Because nobody has the guts to do it in real life, but is effective and powerful. More than you think. And it's right there were evil conquers and feeds and grows from. 

We've all had our fair share of world history. We know about the battles and conflicts that made their mark and shape our current state. But we forget a little detail (we are REALLY good at forgetting what is actually important, yet we seem to be good at remembering meaningless things), wars didn't just appear out of thin air. They were just the whistle of the stove tea pot, the natural consequence of water slowly heating up to boiling point. It took years of "water heating" for wars to happen. I personally feel like we are reaching boiling point fast and it's scary. I am scared. For my son, my loved ones. I'm scared because I'm witnessing the fall of humanity and can't seem to be able to do anything about it but watch ourselves destroy each other.

Redemption

But there's hope. We can all change the cycle. It might not feel like much, or maybe it will, depending where you are at in your life. It's simple but it needs effort. I know the word "effort" it's threatening for our busy lives but we must do this for the greater good. For once, I beg you to understand the power YOU have of changing the course of history by putting a little effort of your part. The best thing is that it works as a chain reaction AND, the more you put it to practice, the easier it gets until it becomes second nature.

Understand.

I once caught the ending of a podcast where they explained that love is understanding. We take so literally the phrase "love each other as you love yourself" that we assumed we have to feel butterflies for every single person that crosses our path. But that's not really it. You see, love has different shapes. The proof is in the kind of love you have for your partner, your children, your friends, your acquaintances. They are all different but they are all love. If you understand the other person, their motives and the upbringing that built their motives and beliefs, you have learned compassion, kindness, peace, honesty, tolerance, grace, generosity, goodness. But above all, you'll learn how to love your neighbour. You'll stop evil on its heels, at the root. 

No more indifference. Get to know those around you. Your neighbours (literally. Go next door), that cashier who's face has become familiar. Don't just do quick talk, get involved. No more indifference. You see someone crying, wipe their tears and be a good listener. You see a happy neighbour but hear his/her cries at night, be a listener, be present; be proactive. Someone insults you or treats you poorly, see beyond the anger and find their brokenness and heal it with patience and kindness. There's no better weapon. 

Dig inside your own broken soul to find a way to understand others. Don't say it's not broken. If you are an imperfect being, your soul has its own kind of brokenness and we are all imperfect beings. Find a way to relate to others' pain and joy from what's within you. 

I have to put this into practice too.  Believe it or not, I'm a very shy person. We've been living in our house for three years now and I still don't know my neighbours beyond a quick hello when we happen to leave our houses at the same time. Honestly, it gives me anxiety to go and knock on their doors, feeling like I won't know what to say or do, or I'll make a fool of myself. I can already hear my babbling of jibberish where I forget half of my English and Spanish vocabulary, talk so fast it becomes intelligible and my face turning red as I dig my self deeper in shame. But I Have to do it. You have to do it. We ALL have to do it. Because when we do all that, we feed each other's light and we grow stronger and braver to do what's right, and slowly but surely we will defeat and eradicate the evil of this world. Yes it is possible. If you do your part. I encourage you to DO YOUR PART, don't brush my words off. The time is NOW. In you is the key to make this happen. Just like a grain of sand is dust on its own but together with fellow grains, it becomes sand, you are small but with me, with us, with each other, we become the light this world needs. Now go and do it and share with me how it goes. Your experience, big or small will encourage others too. You are more powerful in goodness than you believe. Now go and do it.

“You are the light of the world. A city on top of a hill can’t be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they put it on top of a lampstand, and it shines on all who are in the house” (Matthew 5:14–15).

The H&M #conscious Line Is Hypocritical For A Very Simple Reason

As I mentioned on my previous post, life has it that I spent my weekdays afternoons at a mall to wait to pick up my son. This has led to a series of thoughts about shopping, marketing and consumerism habits that I'm getting, well, disgusted at and today I want to share my #1 and that's where the title comes from.

By now you must have heard of the horrible collapse of a factory in Bangladesh in 2013 where many workers died, got injured or were trapped, exposing the atrocity of slavery and/or poor work ethics of adults and children alike in the garment/fashion industry and also how many fashion names were exposed as the ones hiring these shops; H&M being one of them. 

Well, with H&M releasing it's #conscious line of clothes made with recycled fabrics from old garments, many of us thought of it as walking towards the right direction. They even offer to accept our old clothes in exchange for gift cards at their stores. And I believed that was all good. Until last week. I went to H&M to purchase a pair of basic undershirts for little L from their #counscious line. They even have as of right now a huge poster by the cashier that says they donate a portion of the revenue of their #conscious line towards UNICEF. That sounds amazing too, right?! Not so much when I saw the label at home. The shirts are made in... Wait for it... Bangladesh. 

So why do I find this hypocritical, you might ask. I'll gladly answer that for you.

Because they are voicing out a change towards humane approaches in their industry and yes, their are supporting UNICEF towards children's rights while doing the absolute opposite on the other side. It's like saying: " hey, we are approving of poor work conditions at the factories we hire, which also happens to have children working but it's ok! Because we are saving other children over here..."

Sorry H&M but that's not how it works. If you want to make a change, start by being sure that ethical practices are been done at your factories. Hiring the factories and saying you didn't know is not an excuse. If sustainable small businesses like are capable of checking this before hiring a factory, you H&M who happens to make a lot of money and a big name can do much better than that. I also know you are going to justify this as an excuse stating that assuring the workers have a fair compensation and fair health care will be reflected on the final cost of the garment for the consumer. That is wrong as well because we all know each garment's cost to make for you is well between the 5-10% of the cost the consumer pays. So what about this: 

- revise and ensure the safety of ALL your workers, even those subcontracted through the factories.

- Inspect these factories before hiring them.

- pay them fairly

- stop trying to make the factories reduce the cost of each garment so they are not tempted to cut on workers salaries (that's how they can reduce the costs)

- stop being so greedy and keep the same price for the final consumer by decreasing your own revenue from each garment. I'm sure it won't hurt you as much and it creates more impact than a couple of donations here and there every opnow and then.

THAT is the way to make a positive impact in the world if it's really what you want to do. Unfortunately we know that is not what drives you H&M, but I sure hope someday soon you prove me wrong. 

My Temporary Life In The Shadows

If you are always in tune with my social media and have been following me for a while, you might have noticed I have been disappearing lately and show up a little bit here and then. You might have wondered where are all the photos you have grown accustomed to enjoy or all the blog posts about Reveal Your True Beauty and the experiences.

Well, sometimes life throws you punches. You can only get up and keep going. Sometimes life knocks you down and just when you are getting up again, it throws you another punch. Life can be a bully sometimes, just as it can easily be a dream. Life is bipolar.

Well, right now and for the last 3-4 months, I've been receiving punch after punch and I have to attend to those punches. They are my urgency right now so I have found myself with no time to attend to my social media, which from a small business owner point of view who relays on it as the sole marketing tool it, well, sucks.

To be honest and open about it, as is always my intent with everything I do, what's causing all this is that my son has been recently diagnosed with Autism and Severe Communication Delay. The punches, as you have imagined, are related to his diagnosis; parenting, my health (both physical and mental) and what this means on an every day basis, plus the normal day to day things that are part of being a parent, a wife, a professional and being me (you know, the things that won't stop and wait just because you are having a bad time). Decisions for the sake of my son had to be made that mean making sacrifices, for at least this school year. Right now for example, I'm writing to you from a Starbucks near his Preschool. It's a specialized school for special needs but it has integration with typically developed children as well (you'll hear more from me about this later). It's quite far from home and that means I have to stay around the area every day until he is transferred to the branch close to home for the next school year. In 3 months (to you it feels less because all the post you've been seeing had been scheduled), it has been the first time I've been able to sit and write. It's all happening from my iPad so it can be quite limiting for some things, hence the lack of my photography work lately (no, I don't own a laptop and honestly right now, If I had the money for it, I would spend it on private therapy sessions for my little L instead). I still have lots of material to show you including videos, photos, announcements, etc. that I have not released yet, but is a bit complicated to do right now. I'm still learning how to manage this juggling game.

What does it mean to Fela Photography and Reveal Your True Beauty? 

I'm still doing my business of course! Fela Photography and Reveal Your True Beauty is my happy place and for my sanity, I need that now more than ever. But it will continue at a slower pace than before. I can't overload myself.

What does this mean to you? 

Not much really. If you are a social media follower, It means that you won't see me around as often as I was showing up before. As a client it means my availability will be a bit more tight but it is still realistically doable (studio is closer to me now, actually!) otherwise (believe me) I wouldn't do it. I'm already holding too many things on my hands and I am being very conscious of not trying to hold more than I can. It also means that my delivery times will be longer than before because I won't be able to hold my record of 1-2 weeks delivery.

If you are reading this and you feel you don't want to bother me right now because you believe it's the best approach, because you feel bad for me and believe it wouldn't be fair to "bother" me with your needs, I'll tell you this: If you want to help me, give me photography projects to do. It'll make me feel useful and take my mind off my current everyday. Hiring me will be my therapy. Me being able to help you discover your amazing self will remind me of mine when I need it most. 

In the meantime, I'll work with the tools I have right now. I'll keep blogging as much as I can but it'll be a bit of everything. It'll do me good. Some thoughts I've had in my mind for a while have been screaming lately for me to let them out and things related to my journey as a mother of a special needs child that I hope others relate to and might be of help for someone out there. If you want to keep up with my blog in there's an option on the right side of your screen (if on a PC) or at the bottom (device) where you can sign up so Blogger lets you know of new posts.

Allow us both - you and me  - to punch life back on the face with a huge smile and sense of joy because we are strong, courageous and resilient. Allow us both to get back on our feet, look at life and say "keep it coming". 

My biggest joy will be able to help you in the way I know how and believe me, your biggest joy will be taking that step.

Revealing Charlene: What Sweetness Is About

Hair & Makeup by Kada Issa from Bombay Beauty Loft. Clothes from Studio Intent Boutique

Charlene appeared out of the blue. She was the first person to hire me by looking at my website. All my clients prior to her were referrals, friends or family. She was looking to get headshot done for her and her daughter. Part of her email said: "We both need headshots and were dreading it...until I stumbled across your site!". That made my day.

Charlene is the lady behind Real Food Freak, a holistic nutrition small business that offers educational services towards healthier eating habits; check it out!

Charlene is very sweet, kind and gentle; the way she moves, communicates and even laughs is an elegant gentleness you want to be surrounded by. You feel safe with her and free to be yourself; a motherly energy that seems to extend to everyone, not only her daughter.

I love it when my clients bring their families to the reveals. Charlene was no exception. With daughter and husband tagging along, the reveal could be summarize in two words: big smiles! Her husband was standing taller, proud of his beautiful wife. 

In her own words:

"Fela made something that I was dreading doing (getting business headshots) into a truly special experience. I was drawn to Fela's concept that she could help me see that I am beautiful, I was hopeful but not overly convinced that I would like the photos as I never like photos of myself. She did it!!!!! The photos are STUNNING! The photo shoot was fun, I was laughing and relaxed the whole time, Fela was amazing to work with. I am so happy with my photos!"

Indeed, one is never too old or too young to learn to see one's beauty. It's so rewarding to be able to help more and more ladies to see it themselves!

Thank you Charlene for letting me photograph you and your wonderful daughter. Thank you for trusting me to do so and hope we get to see each other many more times. Best wishes for you, your family and your business!

Being Different: You Are Not Alone

Despite that we are being told constantly that we shouldn't care about what people say, the truth is that it DOES affect in one way or the other. It affects because it is human nature to feel approved. Approval make us feel included and feeling included make us belong. We aren't made to be isolated individuals but individuals inside a community.

Now, you might be thinking about those who go against it all and think my words are incorrect. Even though these people seem to go on their own, the truth is they are not alone in the journey the chose; they just haven't found their way to their community.

When I was in school, I felt like I didn't belong. I was a "law abiding teenager" (which is uncommon); I wouldn't do things I believed were stupid choices, always measuring the consequences of those choices. I was called dumb for not joining. Passionate about learning, with a huge imagination, always dreaming high, full of ideas, but they were called silly by others. I studied hard because I wanted scholarships so my mom wouldn't worry about not being able to pay my school- a hunting worry. I was hated quite a lot because of that; my peers simply didn't understand the reasons behind my "nerdiness".  I wouldn't help my classmates cheat during an exam and I knew it would be uncomfortable to deal with them after class being called names, getting shoes thrown my way and even not letting me out of the classroom. Many of my ideas were thrown to the curb as one makes a paper ball and throws it to the trash. It was frustrating and confusing. I thought maybe I was doing something wrong because everything seemed to be against me but it was in my nature; I couldn't rub it off or perhaps I was very strong willed without meaning it. I know of people who are amazing, talented and choose to lower all of their selves just to belong. People who choose to dumb themselves before being rejected.

When I started University everything changed. My classmates were like me. I was still the more nerdy of the class but I was not made fun. Instead, I was being seek for advice, for help, people wanted to hear my ideas and be part of them and I grew more in that time than I did in so many years with my school peers. The difference? I found my community. I wasn't flying solo anymore.

After many years and circumstances that shaped my life into a muddy situation in which I was stuck, I knew I needed to leave my birth country. Who I was just didn't fit well anymore so I end up in Canada. After a week of living here I knew this was my place. That was 8 years ago. During these 8 years I have still feel strongly about that thought and this week I finally became a canadian citizen. It hasn't been easy but it has been gratifying and I have been blessed in many many ways, big and small. I'm flourishing as a person and as an artist. My skills have found their way to help others through Reveal Your True Beauty. I'm blessed but I know I'm still growing and the path is long with bumps on the way. I'm not scared about that. Sometimes overwhelmed, sometimes stressed, sometimes completely ecstatic but not afraid.

Take a deep breath, close your eyes and listen to your soul. But really listen to it, in humility and honest truth with yourself. What does it say? Ask questions: What do I truly believe in and why?

It's easy to feel like you don't belong in your own little world, city or even country. Your views of life clash against those of your peers and you feel rejection. You might feel that perhaps you are wrong because everything and everyone around you tells you that. Take a deep breath, close your eyes and listen to your soul. But really listen to it, in humility and honest truth with yourself. What does it say? Ask questions: What do I truly believe in and why?

Now here's the thing: if it's something you truly believe, educate yourself. Learn about what you believe and learn about the opposite too, because being blinded to other points of view make you a foolish person; but learning other perspectives brings wisdom and understanding.

Being blinded to other points of view make you a foolish person; but learning other perspectives brings wisdom and understanding.

Now seek. Seek like-minded people. Find your community. The beauty of living with internet is that you can do it from your own home but don't forget to take the trip and talk too. Living it is another thing and you learn more from the experience. 

You are not alone; just in the wrong place. If everything and everyone around you works against you, break free, find your solace- Find your happiness. Find your True Beauty.

Revealing Jaimie: Finding Discipline And Beauty In What You Love

Hair & Makeup by Kada from Bombay Beauty Loft. Styling by Ette Boutique

I met Jaimie through Courtney, owner of Ette Boutique. When I was just starting with the Reveal Your True Beauty experience, I was reaching local boutiques who would be interested on giving this experience to some of their customers. Ette Boutique found the idea very interesting so I offered them a session to try it out; it was Jaimie who happily volunteered to it.

Jaimie is a very sweet lady who impressed me the day of our shoot. Why? First, even though her session was early in the morning just before going to work, she had woken up even earlier to drive across town to get to see her horse and ride it. Then drove across town again to meet with us. In my opinion, discipline defines someone's passion. Her love and dedication to horses could be felt through each of her words and gestures; it was absolutely lovely. She could have easily skipped visiting her horse and nobody would have put any thought into it but she chose the opposite and that impressed me.

Second, she is absolutely, naturally elegant. I don't say this because she was wearing beautiful gowns from the boutique she works at but because of her body language and even the way she talks. I love the harmony of it all: paced, without rush and eloquent, always with a smile and kindness. It was something I noticed when she arrived, during her session (which despite her denying it, I believe she has model experience because she rocked it, don't you agree?) and afterwards when we met to do her reveal.

As someone close to her described her:

"Jaimie lights up any room she walks into, and people are drawn to her love and laughter. She balances the work she loves with the people she loves."

If you know Jaimie, I invite you to write on the comments what you think makes her truly beautiful. Words of encouragement go a long way and we all can use them so, let's brighten her day with some of them!