Are style and beauty the domain of the young?

I recently spent several months traveling from Mexico to the USA, France, India, Israel, Thailand and have settled in Turkey. I finally said ‘enough’ to the 9–5 career to focus on writing full time — and to focus on me. After all, in 2008 I had a health scare and in 2009 I was given 6 months to live! (LOVE The Beat Goes On is my memoir on healing.)

The first thing I did was sell everything so I wouldn’t necessarily feel an obligation to return to a particular destination. I thought I’d settle in Bali after living in Puerto Vallarta Mexico for so many years. I’m a Canadian girl but once you get a taste of Mexico, it’s hard to go back to the Canadian winters. But it seems I was destined to discover Istanbul. And here I am.

Now about style and beauty. First, I do believe that beauty comes from inside. If you carry your garbage, disappointments, disillusionments, past lovers who hurt you, and on and on, then it shows on your outward appearance. So the first thing I’ve always done (after 3 divorces, I’m an expert on moving on and letting that shit go) is purge my head and heart of negative, hurtful thoughts.

We all have something about us that’s beautiful. It might be your smile, your kindness, your eyes, your love, your gentleness, your talent, your sharp wit. I’ve lived long enough to know it’s my smile and my eyes. I consciously smile all the time, even when I’m alone. It makes me feel happy on the inside and pretty on the outside.