New Years Resolutions

We are six days into the new year how many of you have made resolutions? How many have already broken them?

I’m guessing quite a few..General stats show that only 8% of people actually achieved there resolutions last year, don’t worry I didn’t manage any of them either.

Do not fret!

Another new year offers another opportunity to achieve you goals. Hopefully these tips will help you get back on track and keep them.

1. Make your goals specific. A lot of people say to “exercise more” But what does that actually mean? Do you intend to reach a certain weight? Do you want to run a 10k? Maybe be able to do 10 pull-ups? Try a set yourself a certain target

2. Measure your progress. “If you can measure it, you can change it” is a fundamental principal of psychology. These feedback loops will be a source of motivation as you reflect on where you started and where you are. They will also help you to know when you are hitting a plateau or slipping backward, so you can adjust your efforts.

3. Be patient. Some people will see rapid gains only to hit resistance later in their efforts. For others, initial progress may be painfully slow but then they suddenly achieve rapid breakthroughs. Making lasting changes takes time.

4. Share your goals with friends and family. One of the most effective things you can do is to get an “accountability partner”, someone who checks in with you daily or weekly. It’s easy to break a promise to yourself, but far harder to admit it to a friend.

5. Schedule it. Have you ever said you can’t “find the time” to do something. Nobody finds time, we make time. We all choose to spend our time the way we do—whether that’s eating junk food or going to a spin class. Make your new goals a priority and actually schedule them into your calendar. If you have a fitness goal schedule recurring time blocks for your daily workouts. Want to declutter? Schedule time to clean out your wardrobe or garage on your calendar. Treat these New Year Resolution’s as appointments just like they were scheduled doctor appointments. You rarely reschedule your doctor, you should treat your time the same way. That which is scheduled gets done.

6. Something is better than nothing. Are you guilty of “all or nothing” thinking? Do you ever think, “Well, I might as well get dessert since I already ate those French fries?” And then, “I blew my diet last night so I’ll just restart it next week.” The difference between doing something rather than nothing is huge. If you don’t have a full hour to workout at the gym, just decide to make it the best 20-minutes you can. If you stumble out of bed and don’t want to do 20-minutes on the treadmill, lace up your sneakers and do five minutes (and you just might find you do another 15 minutes once the first five are out of the way). Any effort towards your goal is better than no effort.

7. Get up, when you slip up. Legendary coach Vince Lombardi said, “It isn’t whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get back up.” Resiliency is paramount. Don’t turn temporary failures into total meltdowns or excuses for giving up. Instead, just acknowledge the mistake and recommit to the path towards the goal. Forgive yourself. Slipping is part of the process.

Achieving your goals isn’t about willpower. It’s about developing the right skills, executing strategies, and having the patience that inevitably lead to success. Will 2017 be the year you join the elite 8%? xxx

A Models Day Off..

While most models run from show to show (especially during fashion week) and most who are not supermodel status have multiple fittings, casting calls and are running around with iPhones in hand; most have some common practices when not on the runway or at a photo shoot.

Models Are Still In Style.

The key behind being a successful model is a very simple concept – marketing. Even when models or supermodels are not scheduled, their appearance and reputation is everything whether they have been in a national publication or in a local fashion show. This means not leaving the house in your sweats or without combing your hair. There are simple fashion tips most can take advantage of, as most models always look fashionable even if they are not on the runway or at a photoshoot.

Model Off-Duty Hair.

There are several ways to get model off-duty hair, but the following are insider industry secrets and not common day-to-day knowledge. These secrets are for getting perfectly imperfect fabulous model looking hair. First, a less than a perfect blowout is key – slightly messy is very sexy; which also translates into romantic and beautiful. Try an air dry. Most models want to avoid curling irons and hair dryers on their day off, so they opt for an air dry while using a subtle styling. Last, if you want model off-duty hair, you want to invest in great shampoos and conditioners. Most women have to deal with hair abuse on a minor level, if they colour their hair the bar raises a notch and when it comes to models they have to deal with their hair being abused on a daily basis.

Models On Vacation.

Models are expert travellers. Many models start off with honey and water for breakfast; but the most important tip that they share is lots of water and lots of sleep. Taking care of your skin is also a number one priority and this isn’t just sunscreen, but a healthy morning and evening skin regime. In fact, most models avoid the sun period during the summer months.

Models Day off Around The Town.

Most models would say sleep here is priority number one, and not hitting the bar scene the second they are off duty. While they still stick to a structured exercise routine and a healthy diet, their off-duty activities include what most people do. This includes visiting family if they are local, heading out to parks, movies, hitting up a spa for a relaxing massage among anything else most would consider a relaxing day-off activity xxx

Untitled

I apologise for not posting a blog last week. In all honesty I didn’t forget I seem to be experiencing the dreaded ‘writers block’. I don’t think any inspiration has even come back but I had the feeling that if I just started writing something the words will come…

Yeah that didn’t work.

So I may just ramble a bit and see what happens.

For those of you that have watched fashion shows before you know that when you watch a show we see some of the most beautiful women in the world showing off their spectacular bodies with the confidence that is the envy of many. You might think that you could never be as sure of yourself and your body as they are but many of these models are not all they appear to be. Behind their façade of confidence, many models suffer from severe insecurity.

You Need To Look Better

Imagine for a moment that throughout your life, people are telling you to be thinner, look more tanned, and generally look better. Everyday people are telling you that you can do better, you aren’t good enough. How would that make you feel? People can take the occasional criticism but constant, every day of every year; that is a lot to handle. Many models don’t handle the stress well and suffer from the constant voice in their head telling them that they don’t look good enough. Maybe now we are getting closer to understanding how these seemingly perfect looking models aren’t quite as perfect as we imagine.

Finding somewhere to Belong

The main thing every person craves is to find somewhere they fit in. Being able to relate to other people is key to any friendship. There are not a lot of people in the world with similar experiences to models which can give them difficulty finding that acceptance. When we feel like we don’t belong it can make us feel uncomfortable and eventually leads to us questioning ourselves. Understanding is hard to come by when others think that you have it all. Models are perceived as successful, beautiful and have nothing to trouble them. It is understandable that these opinions from others make them feel unsure of themselves.

Reality is any artist that doesn’t live a normal lifestyle can struggle with day to day activities, I’m not saying this for sympathy or anything like that. It’s just to make people more aware and think a bit that’s all.

Well that blog didn’t turn out too bad. Did it? xxx

Your shoot or mine

Just curious…how many of you have ever thought about dating a male model?

It’s easy to see how it can be tempting they are attractive, they understand your career, and they make excellent arm candy. If you find the right one, they are truly a female model’s best friend.

But there are some challenges to dating a male model; way beyond finding one that is heterosexual or actually interested in anyone other than himself with male models you have to be able to separate the real from the fake, because just like many things in a model’s life they aren’t always what they seem.

I once dated a male model (very briefly) before I realised what I was truly looking for in a relationship. We had met in-between shoots, I was wrapping up with a photographer and this model showed up early for the photographer’s next shoot. As the photographer was recharging cameras, changing lights etc, I got talking to this model and we developed some chemistry off-camera. It wasn’t that he was attractive; I get the luxury of dealing with attractive guys all the time it was his personality. I connected with him on a personal level, making him seem like he was real (unlike everyone else in this industry).

But that is where it ended.

Our first date consisted of him talking about all the shoots he had been on. Our second date was all about his pet peeves and favourite designers, and on our third date he invited me to be his date at a runway show party.

After a while, it felt more like a job interview than a date.

And that is the challenge of dating male models. When your job is to be attractive, you tend to look for mates that add to your career rather than hinder it. Male models cannot afford to be seen with ugly girls, and female models are an easy solution. A female model is a pre-screened mate; guaranteed not to detract from the value of your brand.

Dating a male model has its perks, but it can be challenging. You have to be able to separate the guys that are actually looking for a relationship from those that are looking for career advancement, and it can be tricky, like applying individual eyelash extensions tricky. It’s not impossible though.

Male models can be boyfriend material, but just like any other guy you have to be selective. If you can find that one guy that is actually interested in you and you are able to talk about things other than work consider it a score xxx

Just So You Know, I’m Not Posting for the Likes

I hate the term Instagram Model – as if there were such a thing. No, there are models and there are girls who post pictures on Instagram. Having photos on Instagram does not make you a model, and, if you are a model that posts pictures on Instagram, that doesn’t make you less of a model. They aren’t related. But, somehow when any girl posts pictures on the site, people think it’s all about ego and getting people to like you.

If I wanted people to like the real me, the last thing I’d show them is my picture. Looks can easily cloud other people’s better judgment. So the whole argument that models who use Instagram do so to make themselves feel better is silly. We model on Instagram for the same reason we model anywhere else – for money.

But is it even worth it? I mean every time I snap a picture of myself, I wonder who is actually looking at it. People say it is a way to gain exposure – and in this industry exposure is golden – but does the real money even pay attention to social media?

I’ve heard some stories about amateur models that had some success on Instagram. There they were, posting picture of things they love to do, and the next thing you know, some designer is sending them clothes and flying them to shoots. But I think they were so successful because they were amateurs, fresh faces. The designer wanted someone that hasn’t been seen before, someone that they already knew people would admire. Is it such a surprise they looked to Instagram?

That’s what I would do if I didn’t want to spend money on models with professional experience.

But for some reason, everyone believes Instagram would work for models.. that my posting would convince people that I’m just the ordinary girl, and that I’m beautiful even when I’m being ordinary.

I don’t mind that much. Being camera-ready, even in snapshots, is not hard when you spend so much time in front of a camera.

So, if Instagram did lead to money what would happen after my popularity attracted a client’s attention? The impressed designer would contact my agent and be told the real cost of professional beauty. I guess that works for some girls, but I don’t get why they didn’t just call a modelling agency in the first place, instead of scouring the internet for a girl that can look cute in the bathroom xxx

Bitch? No, Model

You can always recognize a model. It’s not because of the high cheek bones, or the long legs. It’s not about straight teeth and shiny hair. Do you realize how much of that stuff can be bought, or imitated with creative wardrobe? No, being a model is something way more than that- it’s not a look- it’s an attitude.

See, models are sort of like divas except they don’t need to do crazy things to draw attention. They simply draw attention. When I walk in the room, you better believe people stop and look. It’s part of the job description.

So maybe that’s why the world is so quick to judge; because they draw attention? For some of us, that attention is not always so flattering.

So the term ‘bad-girl model’ starts to float around. Let me explain something: models are not an over-dramatic reality show hoping for syndication. The bad stuff we do doesn’t involve stealing each other’s men or booby-trapping our friends makeup.

Models are seen as bad girls because they have so much power, and some of us choose to use that power for our own interest. Why wouldn’t you voice your opinion if you had one? Oh, right, because if you are a supermodel like Naomi, you are supposed to be the world’s pile of clay that is moulded to fit the designer’s wishes...

That’s on the runway, not in life. Unfortunately, the more successful a model gets, the more she is expected to be compliant.

But models are canvases of beauty and fashion – not opinions. If they were canvases of opinion they’d be politicians, like the beauty queen- turned public official Sarah Palin. So, they should have their own opinion, just like any other free thinking person. Except, how could something so pretty be so mean?

That is the problem society is having. They are paying to see something soft, nice, and attractive, and bad girl models give them that, but turn around and do things they don’t necessarily like.

I will give you my body, I will give you my smile… but the attitude that thing you truly love that is all mine.

The Waiting Game

So this week’s blog….it’s kinda work related kinda not, let me explain.

I’ve been off work ill again for the past couple of weeks hoping to return to work this Sunday. Again most people would love a couple weeks off to chill, it’s not exactly relaxing when you’re in excruciating pain.

But for the couple of hours a day I feel more like a human being I am as productive as I can be (I should probably continue resting, but I hate sitting around). So I’ve have some food, a shower, read and then I come on my laptop.

I’ve spent the past couple of weeks updating my portfolio, signing to new casting websites, contacting agents and creating my showreel.

Now I would have be able to complete all these tasks if I wasn’t playing ‘The Waiting Game’.

‘The Waiting Game’, is the state of limbo that I am currently in as I am ‘waiting’ on properties from previous jobs such as; footage from a short film – which I know has been completed, editing from a music video, my voiceover clips from a job, images from a couple of different photoshoots, (One of them the count is currently at 4 months approx., and that’s nothing I once had to wait over a year).

These people are other professionals in the industry and colleagues that I have worked with. I know some things take time and some things are out of the control of my colleagues, like health problems, not being able to finish shooting due to issues with the band, or if I was a TFP job and someone has to prioritize a paid job over me, that’s fine, I do get it and I’m genuinely an understanding person and I don’t usually let things like this bother me but now it’s got to the points where I now need some of these to apply for certain jobs.

Two of what I mentioned above I know I am getting back my work because the people have explained the situations and kept up to date and informed. Unfortunately the rest of what I mentioned I think is a lost cause…

So how much to I continue to pester, or do I give up? Trouble is the longer it takes, the lazier it makes me seem.

This is why I said this is kinda work related and not, because I realized I am playing this game constantly! I am constantly waiting for something or on someone to allow me to do the next thing. Basically I need to change things up a bit, change the plan but not the goal (pretty sure that’s a quote I saw on Instagram). I need to become more reliant on myself, if I can’t update my modelling portfolio edit my showreel, if I can’t do that write some blogs, if I can’t do that I should work, spend time with my family, go the gym, have a social life, travel and live a little.

Life certainly won’t wait around for me, so I’m not going to spend it waiting on anyone or anything xxx