Hello, my stylish friends! Before we answer this question, we should explore the story behind OWY and follow-up with how our dubbed “wonder” fits in the context of facing self-doubt and countless naysayers. So eminently sincere and admirable a person is the founder of Own Your Wonder, who teaches me this in her weekly newsletters and mission behind her founder story. Meeting the founder back in March at the Tory Burch Foundation 2020 Embrace Ambition Summit, I immediately felt at peace from her sincerity. I naturally took an interest in her work with makeup: therapeutic processes that satisfy my need for routine and help me face (no pun intended) the world every day. More uplifting than any eyeshadow or lipstick, however, is her mission that manifests the power of self-image and encourages us to understand our “wonder”.
Time to channel my wonder for the remainder of this tempestuous year! I feel ashamed remembering the times that I felt bad for myself, or when (as my former professor says) life handed me a “bucket of suck”. During finals week, I found myself spiraling in self-doubt to later listen to the album Surfacing by Sarah McLachlan. As a child, I listened to Surfacing every night before falling asleep. I know nearly all the lyrics to the song “Building a Mystery”—the preface to this paragraph that I wrote in the wake of a reality check. McLachlan describes the “mystery” of caring for someone who presents different faces to the world. Years later, I find myself in a similar predicament; though I pride myself in my assertiveness, I have an ambivalent attitude toward confronting people to address rough patches.
Confrontation should offer peace, but I think that few people will disagree that interpersonal dynamics seldom remain the same. Fortunately, when I think back to my wonder, I remember what I feels like to connect with people who share the same excitement for life. As 2020 continues to test us, I hope for my wonder to encourage you to end this chapter with an optimistic outlook, curious mind, and passionate heart.
With style.
Sarah
