Why try to please everyone when you never can? Please yourself
I’ve long been an admirer of Annie Lennox’s unique style. At 64, she is a great example of someone who stays true to herself and uses her celebrity in a positive way.
Most recently, she’s been talking about instilling confidence in older women who she says “don’t have to become invisible”. And she opened up about her childhood, growing up in an age where parents chose “stoic reserve” over affection. When it came to raising her own kids, she let them know how much they are loved.
I can relate, because I grew up in similar times and I am a great believer in making kids feel good about themselves through praise, encouragement, body language – and you can’t beat the power of a hug. It’s so important that they feel loved.
In my work with children I’ve found that it’s so much easier to influence them if they’re encouraged to open up and to show and share their feelings. If they’re anxious or insecure, it’s much harder to get them to believe in themselves.
When a huge star like Annie Lennox is willing to highlight something from their own childhood to make a positive point, it’s such a pleasant change from the usual crowd of so-called influencers lining up to endorse products that play into our insecurities, instead of using their platforms to help others.
Annie has always had her own quirky and fearless style. When I see her continuing to smash it in terms of how she looks and feels about herself and what she has to offer the world, it inspires me to continue to dress trendily without being a fashion slave.
Another famous female singer, Celine Dion, has also been showing off a unique sense of style recently looking extremely thin. She’s been through a very tough time with the deaths of her husband and brother so it’s no surprise her weight has dropped.
As you get older, being very thin isn’t necessarily a good look, but in the showbiz world she possibly feels pressure to reinvent herself. But whatever the reason, surely she’s free to do as she pleases?
Around six years ago, I first decided to change my hair colour and I started to dress a little smarter. Then I read in the press that I’d hired a style guru (as if ) to help change my image because – they said – I was concerned that no one liked me.
In actual fact, I changed my hair because for the first time in my life I had money to spend on myself and I discovered I quite enjoyed it.
It was a pretty bold move for me, but I’m always travelling and because my hair is dark, I had to keep getting my roots done.
So when I went the other way (to white hot blonde no less), it made life a lot easier – and I love it.
So while plenty of people had something to say about my new look, I learned that while you can’t please everyone, you can please yourself.