Inspiration profile: Audrey Hepburn

Hello my lovelies! I hope you are doing very well today.
Personally, I believe that it's very important to learn from the past and take note of the mistakes of others in order not to repeat those mistakes ourselves, and a good place to start is by contemplating the lives of great and influential people in history who made great contributions to this world. And if you are anything like me and you are trying to grow into your more feminine, classy lady-like self then where better place to start than the life of Audrey Hepburn.

When most of us think of grace, poise and charm, Audrey's image almost immediately pops up in our heads. Why? Because Audrey Hepburn was the epitome of grace, elegance and poise. So much so that her name has become virtually synonymous with these traits.
Now I must warn you that this post will not be free of bias since I have had a girl-crush on Audrey for so long I can't even remember when it started.
Audrey Hepburn was not only an actress. She was also a fashion icon, mother, humanitarian and wife. She was a true lady.
To find out more about Audrey's amazing life check out this biography:

Lessons to be learned from Audrey Hepburn:

1) True beauty comes from within:
This is a concept Audrey believed in strongly, and if you don't believe me here are her own words:

       "The beauty in a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman is seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart; the place where love resides. True beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It’s the caring and that she lovingly gives the passion that she shows and the beauty of a woman only grows with passing years."

         "For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone"

           "Make-up can only make you look pretty on the outside but it doesn't help if your ugly on the inside. Unless you eat the make-up."
                                                                                                -Audrey Hepburn

2) The key to true charm: selflessness:
Now I'm not talking about the type of temporary charm that comes from a self-absorption so great that it draws other people in. I'm talking about true charm. The one that stands the test of time and nestles in people's hearts allowing it to remain and live on long after the woman who has that charm herself has passed on.
Here's what Audrey had to say on the matter:
                     "It's that wonderful old-fashioned idea that others come first and you come second. This was the whole ethic by which I was brought up. Others matter more than you do, so don't fuss, dear; get on with it. "      
             
              "Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, it's at the end of your arm, as you get older, remember you have another hand: The first is to help yourself, the second is to help others. "
                                         -Audrey Hepburn

3) Don't let hardships knock you down:
Audrey was no stranger to hardships having grown up in world war 2 Europe and suffering its effects greatly, as well as going through several abortions which left her devastated. But despite these things Audrey remained strong and did not allow circumstances to dampen or break her spirits.

               "If my world were to cave in tomorrow, I would look back on all the pleasures, excitements and worthwhilenesses I have been lucky enough to have had. Not the sadness, not my miscarriages or my father leaving home, but the joy of everything else. It will have been enough. "
                 
                “I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day, and I believe in miracles”  

                 " You can even say that I hated myself at certain periods. I was too fat, or maybe too tall, or maybe just plain too ugly ... you can say my definiteness stems from underlying feelings of insecurity and inferiority. I couldn't conquer these feelings by acting indecisive. I found the only way to get the better of them was by adopting a forceful, concentrated drive"    -Audrey Hepburn

4) Enjoy the little things:
                  "Let's face it, a nice creamy chocolate cake does a lot for a lot of people; it does for me."

                  "I'm an introvert...I love being by myself, love being outdoors, love taking a long walk with my dogs and looking at the trees,flowers,the sky"


5) Be grateful:
             " I've been lucky. Opportunities don't often come along. So, when they do, you have to grab them."

              "I decided, very early on, just to accept life unconditionally; I never expected it to do anything special for me, yet I seemed to accomplish far more than I had ever hoped. Most of the time it just happened to me without my ever seeking it."

                "Good things aren't supposed to just fall into your lap. God is very generous, but He expects you to do your part first"


6) Give back :
               "Since the world has existed, there has been injustice. But it is one world, the more so as it becomes smaller, more accessible. There is just no question that there is more obligation that those who have should give to those who have nothing"

                 "I was born with an enormous need for affection, and a terrible need to give it."

7) Family is important:
                "If I get married, I want to be very married."
             
                 "And...I think that's what life is all about, actually about children and flowers"



8) Don't take yourself too seriously:
                  "I never think about myself as an icon...I just do my thing."

                        "The most important thing is to enjoy your life—to be happy—it's all that matters"
             
                   "I don’t take my life seriously, but I do take what I do – in my life – seriously"

9) Believe in miracles:
                    "Nothing is impossible, the word itself says 'I'm possible"

                    "If I’m honest I have to tell you I still read fairy-tales and I like them best of all"
                      
                     "Anyone who does not believe in miracles is not a realist"

10) Have something you love:
Audrey had a love for many things including reading and fashion.
                    
                     "Some people dream of having a big swimming pool. With me, it’s closets"

                     "For my whole life, my favorite activity was reading. It's not the most social pastime"

And finally a summary of Audrey's life in her own words:

          How shall I sum up my life? I think I've been particularly lucky. Does that have something to do with faith also? I know my mother always used to say, 'Good things aren't supposed to just fall in your lap. God is very generous, but he expects you to do your part first.' So you have to make that effort. But at the end of a bad time or a huge effort, I've always had - how shall I say it? - the prize at the end. My whole life shows that.

For more Audrey Hepburn quotes check this link out:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/692403.Audrey_Hepburn?format=html&page=1
                                                                                             
I hope you enjoyed today's post and I will talk to you soon
lots of love
xoxo
Rue