Like a prayer
Growing up as a working-class girl in the South of Holland, my childhood visions weren't quite as colorful as Hildegard's, but I did dream of a world where I could be anything I wanted to be: a prima ballerina, a navy SEAL or even a nun (I adored my grandmother, a strong, crafty ex-nun with a green thumb). I wasn't called crazy, but I wasn't stimulated to fulfill my potential either. Instead, I went to vocational school to become a housewife and mindlessly make 'vlaflips' - a traditional Dutch pudding - till one day, I had a vision that refused to go away. I was going to be an artist, and I was going to change the world with my art. A few years later, I graduated with honors from art school where I had discovered my passion: to empower women through my lingerie.
As a feminist, I have always believed that femininity, long seen as our weakness, is actually our superpower. To harness that power, I started making lingerie that was so supportive, flattering and sensual from a woman's point of view, that you can't help but fall in love with your reflection in the mirror. At the same time, society and its beauty standards had made women so self-critical that they often couldn't see their own beauty and power. So, I came up with a motto that is actually a 3-step plan towards self-realization, starting with a challenge to dare to dream. What is your heart's desire? What are your goals? To run a marathon, find a cure for cancer or own a global chain of juice bars? Nothing is too crazy or far-fetched! The next step: dare to grow. What is needed to make this dream reality? This is all about focus and finding the right balance between hard work and contemplation - 'Ora et Labora' as the Benedictine nuns like to say. Finally, you’ll be ready for the third part: dare to be. Congratulations, you have stepped into your power.
For the past 30 years, through projects ranging from my FEMININE/FEMINIST magazine to my 'Unlock Your Potential' journal and workshops, I have been challenging women to excel, using my motto: dare to dream, dare to grow, dare to be. And I've been blessed to see the results: women 'shining like diamonds', the way German nun Hildegard von Bingen envisioned it almost 900 years ago. Although I never became a nun, I do pray every day: for the courage to change the things I can, the grace to accept the things I cannot, and the wisdom to tell the difference. Yes, after all these years, I'm still living my own motto. And guess what? I've only just begun.
- Share
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.
- Share
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.”
- Share
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.
- Share
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.
- Share
 food "Pinterest")
