Happy feminist birthday
The older, the better!
Society tells women, in subtle and not so subtle ways, that the older they get, the less valuable they are. Just look at the aisle with anti-aging skincare products at your local drugstore… Well, time to defy that notion. Aging is a wonderful thing! Each year, you create more memories and gather more experiences. Each year, you discover more layers of your personality, like a tree accumulates rings that hold its wisdom and growth. Each year, you get closer to becoming your most powerful self. Now that’s worth celebrating.
Your own, personal Women’s Day
As if society doesn’t criticize us enough, we are our own worst critics. We are too quiet, too loud, too curvy, too thin, too … (fill in your personal hang-ups). International Women’s Day is a day to celebrate women’s achievements, and your birthday is your own, personal women’s day. Celebrating yourself is always a feminist act, and one you should perform proudly every day. But even more on your special day.
A fresh start
Do you know about the fresh start effect? We are more likely to take action on our goals on days that mark the start of a new time period and represent new beginnings, like birthdays. Check-in with yourself before every birthday: am I who I want to be? It’s easy to get caught up in your day-to-day life or in someone else’s expectations, but remember, you are the master of your own destiny. Start that new habit, get that bold haircut, sign up for dance classes, plan that trip. Dare to reinvent yourself and your life. And then… you dare to dream, dare to grow, and dare to be. You go, girl!
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MD Friends
Building bridges
From the Erasmus Bridge and the Mercedes-Benz Museum to Qatar’s metro network; Ben van Berkel’s iconic landmarks bring people together in rapturous beauty, again and again. I talked with the Dutch architect and educator about sensuality, ‘healthy’ buildings and the remarkable parallels between our designs.
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MD Friends
More than a feeling
Don’t ignore your emotions; they are much more powerful than you can imagine. By linking the magical world of emotions with hard science, Dutch scientist Pierre Capel, professor emeritus in experimental immunology, shows us the consequences of our feelings and the power of our minds. The message: we can do much more than we think. “Meditate. It’s the single best thing you can do for your health.”
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Marlies Says
Keto curious?
The fact that I feel bikini-confident all year round is, of course, a nice bonus. But for me, the biggest payoff of following the keto diet is the way it optimizes my health and gives me tons of energy.
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Marlies Says
Super (skin) food
‘If you can’t eat it, why put it on your skin?’. I pretty much live by this beauty adage. After all, with your skin being one of your body’s largest organs, anything – and I mean anything! – you put onto your skin will end up in your bloodstream.
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