What makes you you?
This happened to be the toughest question of them all, I think… :) First and foremost I would say that my friends and family mean the world to me. They have shown me nothing but support in everything I have done and without them, I wouldn’t be where I am or who I am today.
And then I thought about the question again and I thought to myself: I do live my life in constant interaction between a lot of paradoxes and I am a very complex person. I think all people are complex, and I believe that the sooner we embrace all sides of ourselves the better we will feel about ourselves.
I love feeling healthy through exercise, a varied diet, and fresh air and nature - but I also love chips with dip, my couch, and a good glass of red wine. I'm a very social person who loves to hang out with people and part of me also loves attention - and on the other hand, I have a great need for peace, quiet and alone time. I enjoy great art in the form of movies and theater - and at the same time, I'm a sucker for reality TV! I appreciate loyalty but sometimes I lie. All of this is me! The paradoxes, the imperfections…
And I’m finally so confident in myself that I don't really care what other people think about me :) <3
Fotograf Zuhal Kocan
What inspires you?
I am inspired by people. People close to me. People I know. People I meet on my way through life. Especially people who are dedicated to something in their lives. People with passion! I am inspired by their drive and determination - and their dedication and passion remind me to pursue my dreams and goals with the same level of enthusiasm and commitment. Their passion fuels my fire and pushes me to strive for greatness and to do my very best in everything I do. To be the best version of myself. I love people with passion! <3
What are your passions?
I'm passionate about most of what life offers me. I grew up believing that to achieve what you want, you have to work for it. I am passionate about the people and relationships I have in my life. Because they mean everything to me. I'm passionate about my work, which allows me to continue growing and evolving as a professional actress and a human being. I'm passionate about my free time. Taking time off, recharging, and doing other things in life that bring me happiness and balance, are just as important to me as working and growing with the tasks I get as an actress.
What is a lesson that you have learnt and you wish you knew before?
One lesson I wish I had learned earlier is talking to people about the difficult stuff in life, the stuff that truly hurts and just having honest and authentic conversations with people close to me. I believe it’s possible to prevent bad things from happening if we learn how to share our feelings and concerns in a healthy way. Instead, we often choose to avoid uncomfortable conversations, leading to unresolved issues that can cause harm in the long run. I believe that it’s important for us to break this cycle of avoidance and learn how to have open and honest discussions about our emotions and experiences.
Opening up to others and talking about my struggles has helped me feel supported and validated, and has brought me closer to the people in my life. I now know that it's okay to not be okay - but I wish I had learned this lesson sooner.
When do you feel the most confident?
When I was a kid and through my early teenage years I loved to dance and dancing was a big part of my life. It started as something I loved to do in my free time after school but then the competition got heavy. We attended dance competitions such as The World Championship in hip-hop and disco and we worked very hard to achieve our goal as a team: To win. We practiced 6 times a week and suddenly it was all about being the best all the time. I stopped enjoying it. And then one day when I was 16 I decided to quit dancing. And now looking back I think that was an empowering moment for me, and something that I’m still learning from today. You should never do something you don’t enjoy. Life is too short to spend on things that don’t bring you fulfillment. It's important to prioritize your happiness and well-being above everything else. Just because you've invested time and effort into something doesn't mean you have to stick with it if it's not bringing you joy anymore. It takes courage to walk away from something that no longer serves you, but the empowerment and freedom that come with it are priceless.
When I say NO to things in life that I no longer enjoy or don’t find giving in any possible way, is when I feel the most confident! Standing up for myself in any kind of situation is the greatest feeling ever!!! :)
RIKKE WESTI / @rikkewesti