Be Empowered

“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make”. Jane Goodall

In my experience, the definition of empowerment is a concept circulating around the notion of an “awakening for each other.”  Every woman is indeed unique and by inspiring one another we assist in refreshing our values and become united. I believe that we all have the power to awaken to our pure potential. When you feel true empowerment, people around you can feel the vibration of your cause.

From my humble beginnings in war torn Lebanon, I learnt from an early age that it was my inner resilience which honed in on my power to create. As a child, my family and I were forced to flee Lebanon for a year and start over. My siblings and I migrated to Paris with my parents, and we were forced to make a life that was unknown to us. The only constant was our ability to remain a family. Our steadfast unity is what held us together, no matter what our outside circumstances entailed.  It was during this time that I learnt about empowering myself. 

When we moved back to Lebanon, I felt a sense of relief and understood that my situation was much better than a lot of people in our community who didn’t make it out of the war. My parents believed that we should produce a life for ourselves through education and ultimately finding a career that would sustain us even during times of turmoil. I studied at the American University of Lebanon and obtained an MBA in finance and banking. I was set, I embarked on my career as a banker for 3 years. This sustained me as I learnt about the world of finance, investment and customer service. My mission was to create a portfolio for myself in order to become a global citizen. 

My interest in fashion didn’t have a peak; I think I was already born with an instinctual love for dressing up and showing up. Doing this made me feel strong, worthy and gave me an inclination of how I was feeling on the inside. I truly believe that if we don’t make the conscious effort to look good, we will never feel good on the inside. To me, dressing up is a state of mind. It is our heart that tells us what is right and wrong and intuition that gives us the key to success.

When I moved to Thailand, I felt disempowered, because I was a stay at home mom who didn’t have work and I was living a very different life. I have to admit that I missed my life as a productive career woman. I was suddenly branded as just my husband’s pretty wife. It was one of the most crucial times of my life and after I had my third child, I knew something had to shift. Feeling disempowered was one of the greatest learning curves in my life. I knew I had to come out of this slump and enrolled in a life coaching course, which helped me unveil why I was feeling this way.

I knew that I was more than just a pretty face, and I wasn’t just content to have this label on me. I began to associate myself with people who encouraged me to be the best version of myself. These people showed interest in my life and wanted to know more about how I maintain myself, even after having three children. The secret I would tell them is making the effort to look after yourself. Going to the gym, taking care of your skin, eating healthy and dressing up were some of the techniques I used to begin to empower myself. I set goals and followed through with motivation, commitment and discipline.

As an entrepreneur and founder of Be A Starlette, it is my mission to give women the tools to empower themselves when they are feeling less, overworked, unappreciated and overwhelmed. And this is how my company was born. To date, hundreds of women have asked me for advice about how I do it all, and I reply, “with perseverance and setting reasonable as well as achievable targets for yourself.” Every day, wake up and commit to yourself first before anyone else. It is with an inner strength that we can provide for those around us. Also, a little bit of red lipstick never hurt anyone.

My blog, Be A Starlette www.beastarlette.com is an ongoing journey for my readers and viewers, where people can learn daily, weekly and monthly tips while advocating a healthy lifestyle, skincare, body care, mindfulness, motherhood tips and living life from the inside out. Fashion is something I discuss in detail, because I believe that clothes definitely give us a sense of meaning and character. I always remind my readers that it is okay to be and feel flawed, because that is what makes us unique. Imperfection is what gives us character and helps strive to make us better. My biggest quest is to tell people “that we are all unique, and I pinpoint their superpower – call it my sixth sense. And if they focus on their strengths, that makes the journey more enjoyable.” I have come across a variety of different people in my life who have inspired me to know my worth and act upon what I believe is worthy.

Be A Starlette is also a place where my viewers can relate and learn about my journey and findings, and what products and techniques I use to sustain a happy and healthy lifestyle. I provide a roadmap for people to follow a life of self-empowerment. I spend time with women while constructing a personal plan for them to follow. It starts with taking the first step, and that’s what I’m here for, to mentor people through the process of feeling beautiful and fulfilled.

As fashion editor for Expat Life, for more than 2 years, I can say that this part of my writing career has been an enjoyable process. My articles focus on fashion, trends and what is current on a global scale. You will find information about London Fashion Week, Paris Fashion Week and a host of other runway styles from Milan, Lebanon and across the world. I hope you enjoy reading my work, and please feel free to comment and let me know your thoughts.

Be A Starlette is hosting an event in March 2020 for women’s international day. My message is to tell women, that together we can rise, and when we uplift each other we exude confidence and a feeling of security towards each other. Be A Starlette, will have some professionals at the event to give women – and men – some tips to living a healthy, sustainable and empowered life.  We all deserve to shine and we are all stars; when you feel it, you just know it. Stay tuned for upcoming details of our event in March 2020.

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Talar Zambakjian
Successful fashion stylist with a Master Degree in Business Administration. Despite her Lebanese and Armenian origins, this entrepreneurial woman has extensive experience in the Thai market thanks to 10 years living in the Kingdom. She currently writes for Expat Life in Thailand under her personal brand "Be a Starlette". She is one of the most important fashion and empowerment influencers for the women of 30 years old and up in the country. For inquiries: @talarz@be_a_starlette
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