It takes self-reflection, confidence, and talent to be a woman at her best. She is a friend, caretaker, boss, and leader. Yet, she manages to find time for self-care. It’s not an easy feat.
Speaking to Breitling’s Spotlight Squad, including American ballet dancer Misty Copeland, award-winning actress and producer Charlize Theron, and Chinese actress and philanthropist Yao Chen, here’s a look at how these successful and world-renowned artists balance the duality of life as a modern woman.
Misty Copeland
Having made history as the first African-American female principal dancer with the prestigious American Ballet Theater, Misty Copeland’s career has grown rapidly from the day she tried on her first pair of ballet shoes at the age of 13. Today, she’s considered one of the most talented ballerinas in the world.
Copeland is a classical ballet dancer who enjoys the highs and uses her platform to foster dialogues about inclusion, diversity, representation, and inclusion in the world of dance.
PHOTO BY MASHA MALTSAVA BREITLING
“I love what it is that I do. I love performing. I love the process and the journey of rehearsal and all of the ups and downs that come with that—and that come with life. It’s amazing to be able have a platform and a voice that can be heard by so many. I think that’s something that’s been my life’s work, speaking pretty openly and candidly about race and racism in ballet.
“Even through all of the obstacles and adversity throughout my career, what’s kept me believing in myself, I think, is having people believe in me and just knowing that there’s so much that simply being on the stage as a brown body can do for so many generations to come in classical dance. And that’s a pretty powerful position to be in and something that I don’t take for granted.”
Like Breitling watches, Copeland understands the importance of balancing time—in her case to get the best out of her personal and professional life. “I believe that not only being on-time, but also being aware and mindful of the value of my time means I make sure to find the time to take care both of myself and my family.
Charlize Thron
Charlize Theron is one of the world’s most well-known actresses and producers, whose talent has landed her an array of awards. Early films had a lot of humor, The Devil’s AdvocateAnd The Cider House RulesHer fame soared when she became the first South African actor ever to win an Academy Award. MonsterIn 2004, she was born. Since then, she has starred in blockbusters like Mad Max: Fury RoadAnd Atomic Blonde.
Theron believes her success is due to pushing herself beyond her comfort zone and taking on new challenges. “I think every artist thinks about the question of stepping beyond your comfort zone. And to some degree, I think it’s impossible to create anything without doing that. This is what I love most about my job.
PHOTO BY MASHA MALTSAVA BREITLING
Despite her international recognition in her first roles in 1990s, Theron still struggles with fame and balancing her personal life with her celebrity status.
“The concept of celebrity is very, very strange to me. I think a lot of this has to do with how I was raised. I was raised in a small town with very little television and no reading material. My career was always somewhat foreign to me. But I’ve definitely come to appreciate it for the things that I can do with it and I try to utilize it as much as I possibly can for those things.”
In everything she does, Theron draws from her past and current experiences. Commenting on herself and her Breitling watch, she says, “I think for me, like everything in my life, there’s a versatility to it.”
Yao Chen
PHOTO BY MASHA MALTSAVA BREITLING
An accomplished Chinese actress and philanthropist, Yao Chen’s name has landed on the Time 100 list, and she’s been listed as 83rd most powerful woman in the world by Forbes. Chen is also a social activist. She uses her platform to raise funds and support various charities.
Despite her immense successes, she isn’t without self-doubt in her career. “Right now, I’m more clear about my goals and what I want to do in the future than I was in the past. I’m more certain about my choices. As an actress, I still doubt myself. Because it is only through constant self-doubt that I can enrich myself and have the chance to create more and better roles.
Chen is always looking to improve as an artist and believes that finding the right balance between confidence in her accomplishments, and being open to new challenges, is the key to success.
PHOTO BY MASHA MALTSAVA BREITLING
“You don’t want to be defined by people’s labels, you want to try to expand your own boundaries. This experiment will lead to many failures, cynicism, disapproval, and cynicism. It’s the experience that makes you stronger. Only by going through lots of trial and error can you stand a chance of success.
Just as the modern woman balances skill and style, so do Breitling’s watches. Chen emphasizes the fact that time has been a quiet witness in her life and career. “Time has witnessed my love, my thinking and my confusion. It has also witnessed my growth—it is the most faithful witness.”
Breitling.com has the Breitling Chronomat collection.
Source: elle