August 2016
SOUL&STORY ft. Aida
SOUL&STORY
est. 2011 Soul&Story is about letting women know that their natural beauty is worth a photoshoot. Their story makes them unique and sharing it in this way brings encouragment to others. In a world of comparison, Soul&Story exists to inspire and lift each other up. contact us: soulandstory@gmail.com instagram @soulandstory
Tell us a little about yourself !
I
’m a social entrepreneur, motivational speaker, artist and work in workforce development at a non-profit called FHI 360.
I M
’m a woman who refuses to be boxed and am constantly looking for ways to keep myself out of my comfort zone.
y passion in life is to find crazy passionate people pursuing their dream and helping them in achieving it by connecting them to the resources they need, challenging their strategy and expanding their own leadership abilities to succeed in this adventure of life. I especially love it when these people are women (I’m a bit biased).
What’s been your journey to understanding beauty & self-worth?
I
wasn’t always confident, I was the girl who was too shy to speak and with little self-confidence. Then I realized that life is too short to be lived that way and no one can give you confidence but yourself.
I
first found my self-worth in God, knowing that He has created us all perfectly and uniquely – like no other. With that mindset I focus on my inner beauty which is reflected somehow on the outer beauty. I take care of my outer beauty because I find it to be such a blessing to be alive every single day and I want to live to the fullest in every possible way including celebrating my beauty.
T
he person who has influenced me most is my mother. She’s a woman who can stop you in your tracks with her natural beauty, no makeup just her natural self. I always looked up to her and at times found myself intimidated by her beauty but she taught me how my beauty is unique and how we as women are more beautiful when we celebrate our individual selves while being comfortable in our own skin.
What is your ethnicity and what is considered beautiful in your culture?
B
eing originally Palestinian and growing up in Jordan, I’ve been surrounded by various perceptions of beauty. For some beauty was something frowned upon for women – making them cover their face, wear unflattering clothes; while for others it was necessary for a woman to enter a room looking her best for most likely appearances.
T
he third perception of beauty in Islamic culture that I’ve seen is the celebration of beauty because it’s a reminder and symbol of Gods beauty. This kind of beauty is celebrated in women with the themes of nobility and grace.
How did it feel to not wear makeup during the shoot? Refreshing, freeing and empowering!
What makes you feel beautiful?
B A
eing in a good mood and genuinely happy always makes me feel beautiful. lso I enjoy expressing my creativity through fashion which is always fun!
What makes you feel self-conscious?
W
earing something that does not fit my body type. Such as hot pants, not a good look for me!
What was the last meaningful compliment you received?
S
omeone said I had beautiful hands and it melted my heart because for the past three years I have hidden my hands because of my arthritis condition which causes inflammation in different places in my hands.
I
just looked at the person and thanked them for helping me see beauty in my pain points and what I categorized as ugly. I haven’t looked at my hands the same since.
What is your favorite part of your body?
M
y waist. Always enjoy highlighting it with high waisted pants or skirts.
How do you build your own self-confidence?
1. Not comparing myself to others because there will always be someone more beautiful. 2. Not being attached to my physical looks 3. Being happy 4. Honoring my body through exercise 5. Celebrating myself and pampering myself any chance I get (especially with awesome vintage clothes)
Aida’s Last Comments
A
lways live for something greater than yourself. Why? Because life is so unpredictable and things will come and go in the blink of an eye. You could one day have good health and the next bad health..same goes with love, money, family..etc. So living for something greater than yourself gives you the strength to not give up when things get tough.
T
ry to live life with no attachments to things, keep your faith in life so strong because with all its ups and downs it really is a beautiful journey we just have to be thirsty enough to understand it. Invest in amazing people to share this journey with because on the days that you forget that this journey is awesome they will be there to remind you.
L
astly, go enjoy your day. I am sure it is beautiful wherever you are!
Editor’s Note
I
’ve only known Aida for a few weeks but I knew from the moment that I met her that she would be perfect for Soul&Story. We bonded over our love for the TV show Suits (mainly our love for Harvey Spector) and our fascination with the boss women in the show. Insider Story: Most of the fierce pictures in this edition of Soul&Story are the result of me saying, “Channel your inner Jessica” (the main boss on Suits).
A
ida is a woman who shines. There are few women that I’ve met who truly challenge me to live with an audaciously joy as she does. When she speaks - and even when she listens - she instantly makes you feel important which I believe is a gift. There are a lot of accomplishments that she didn’t share which I suspect is due to the fact that she believes she is just doing her. She is the type that sees an opportunity to make a difference and takes it head on. My favorite section of the interview was hearing about how her family influenced her because that is something I can relate to. I hope you found her story as inspiring as I did. Much love Aida and God bless!
Photography by Megan Won