Latest news with #emotionalhonesty
UAE Moments
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- UAE Moments
♐ Sagittarius Daily Horoscope for July 3, 2025
Adventure's always calling, Sagittarius, but today you're being nudged to check your inner compass before sprinting off. The vibe is all about alignment—between your dreams and your reality, your goals and your habits. If something feels off, don't ignore it. Zoom out, reframe, and aim with intention. 💼 Career You're usually all about the big picture, but today calls for attention to the finer points. Someone might come to you with a fresh opportunity—stay open, but read the fine print. Financially, it's a great day to review subscriptions or random expenses draining your wallet. 💘 Love You're craving connection with depth, not just fun flings—surprise! Whether you're in a relationship or single, today's about emotional honesty. Open up, ask questions, and don't shy away from those 'real talk' moments. Vulnerability might just bring the spark you're missing. 🧠 Mental Health Mentally, you're feeling both curious and restless. Don't ignore your need for inspiration—switch up your usual content diet, explore a new topic, or journal out your wildest idea. That brain of yours needs play as much as purpose. 💪 Body Your body needs freedom, not structure—so skip the rigid routine and get moving your way. Dancing in your kitchen? Trail run? Yes and yes. Avoid overindulgence, though—your energy may be high, but your stomach might not be on the same page. 🔥 Pro tip: Wander, but with wisdom. Just because you can doesn't mean you should. Choose the adventures that align with who you're becoming. Join our FREE WhatsApp channel to dive into a world of real-time engagement! This article was previously published on qatarmoments. To see the original article, click here
UAE Moments
26-06-2025
- Business
- UAE Moments
♋ Cancer Daily Horoscope for June 25, 2025
Love & Relationships The New Moon in Cancer energizes your heart space, encouraging both reflection and emotional honesty. Share your feelings today—whether with a partner or close friend—as your vulnerability strengthens bonds. Being open brings trust and deeper emotional connection. Career & Ambitions You're in a prime position to set fresh goals. Thanks to the Cancer–Mars sextile, intuition and practical action align in your favor. If you've been mulling a work project or big professional shift, today gives you the clarity to plan it out and make steady progress. Finance & Money March with emotional insight is smart. A gut feeling about budgeting or investing could guide you right. The New Moon in your sign gives you a fresh financial lens—review old patterns and outline what you want next from your money . Health & Well‑being 'Rest is not a weakness' is your mantra for the day. If you feel depleted, take it in stride. You gain strength from quiet self-care: a soothing bath, a nature walk, or quality downtime. This supports emotional resilience. Extra Insight This one-time New Moon is a reset point. It's your annual chance to plant intentions around home, family, and personal growth. Use calm reflection now, and the steps you take today will shape your year.
Asharq Al-Awsat
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Saint Laurent Opens Paris Fashion Week at Pinault's Art Palace with Show of Force
It-designer Anthony Vaccarello on Tuesday sent out a Saint Laurent men's collection that felt both sun-drenched and haunted, set not just in the heart of Paris, but drifting somewhere between the city and the legendary queer enclave of Fire Island in New York. Staged at the Bourse de Commerce, the grand art palace and crown jewel of Kering 's Pinault family in the French capital, the show paid tribute to Yves Saint Laurent's own history of escape and reinvention. Star power in the front row, including Francis Ford Coppola, Rami Malek, Aaron and Sam Taylor-Johnson, and house icon Betty Catroux, underscored the label's magnetic pull. Oversized shorts, boxy trenches, and blazers with extended shoulders riffed on an iconic 1950s photo of Saint Laurent in Oran, but they were reframed for a new era of subtle, coded sensuality. Flashes of mustard and pool blue popped against an otherwise muted, sandy palette — little jolts of longing beneath the surface calm. Yet what truly set this collection apart was its emotional honesty. Vaccarello, often praised for his control and polish, confronted the idea of emptiness head-on, The AP news reported. The show notes spoke of a time 'when beauty served as a shield against emptiness,' a phrase that cut deep, recalling not only Saint Laurent's own battles with loneliness and addiction, but also the secret codes and guarded longing that marked the lives of many gay men of his generation. That sense of secrecy was everywhere in the clothes: ties tucked away beneath the second shirt button, as if hiding something private; sunglasses shielding the eyes, keeping the world at a careful distance. These weren't just styling tricks, they were acts of self-preservation and subtle rebellion, evoking the rituals of concealment and coded desire that defined both Fire Island and of closet-era Paris. For generations, Fire Island meant freedom for gay men, but also the risks of exposure, discrimination, and the heartbreak of the AIDS crisis. Fashion rivalry and a famous venue If the installation of artist Céleste Boursier-Mougenot's pool of drifting porcelain bowls spoke to the idea of beautiful objects colliding and drifting apart, so too did the models: together on the runway, yet worlds apart, longing and loneliness held just beneath the surface. This season's blockbuster staging felt all the more pointed as Kering faces tough quarters and slowing luxury demand. The group leveraged one of its artistic crown jewels, Saint Laurent, and a dramatic museum setting to showcase creative clout, generate buzz and reassure investors of its cultural muscle. The venue itself — home to the Pinault Collection — embodies that rivalry at the very top of French luxury. The Pinault family controls Kering, which owns Saint Laurent, while their archrival Bernard Arnault helms LVMH and its Louis Vuitton Foundation across town. This season, the stakes felt especially high as the Saint Laurent show came just hours before Louis Vuitton's own, throwing the spotlight on a Paris fashion power struggle where every show doubles as a declaration of taste, power and corporate pride. If the collection offered few surprises and leaned heavily on crowd-pleasing shapes, it was undeniably salable, proving that when a house this powerful plays to its strengths, few in Paris will complain. A collection for those who have ever wanted more, and learned to shield their hearts in style.
Gulf Business
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Business
The case for human-centered storytelling in the digital age
Image: Supplied In an age of AI algorithms, viral TikTok clips, and virtual reality experiences, one truth remains: compelling storytelling runs on human emotion. Technology is transforming how we create and consume stories often at lightning speed but the heart of a great story still beats with a human pulse. As businesses and content creators embrace new tech, they face a critical balancing act: leveraging cutting-edge tools to enhance narratives while preserving the emotional core that makes stories meaningful. The timeless appeal of human connections Consider the enduring popularity of the TV series Friends . Thirty years after its 1994 debut, audiences around the world including a generation born long after the show ended are still laughing and crying with its cast. The premise was simple (centred around a bunch of friends in New York City), yet its impact was profound. Why? Because embedded in that simple premise was the entirety of human experience – the joys, sad moments, heartache and tragedies. The characters' relatable struggles with love, career, and friendship resonated deeply. No amount of high-tech production or flashy effects could replace the genuine camaraderie and emotional honesty that Friends delivered. This example highlights a key point: technology can enhance distribution (from VHS tapes to streaming apps) and fan engagement, but the reason we still binge-watch and quote Friends in 2025 is the human connection at its core. Short-form content: Speed versus soul Today's digital landscape is dominated by short-form content 15-second videos, bite-sized posts, fleeting Stories. Tech platforms have enabled creators to tell stories in quick, engaging bursts, reaching millions in an instant. Indeed, the rise of TikTok, Short-form video allows for creative storytelling, showcasing products or services, and building brand awareness within a few seconds. This presents a huge opportunity, and challenge. In a few scrolling seconds, a creator or brand must spark an emotional reaction or deliver a memorable message. The most successful short-form content isn't just technically clever; it feels authentic and relatable. A 10-second clip that tells a human story or makes someone feel seen will beat a polished but soulless advertisement. Technology can get your message in front of people faster than ever, but holding their attention requires a human touch. Even in 280 characters or a one-minute video, audiences respond to personal narratives, humor, empathy, and the distinctly human elements that no algorithm can generate on its own. Storytelling in professional communication Beyond entertainment, storytelling has become a prized skill in business and leadership. From marketing campaigns to internal memos, professionals are recognising that cold data and corporate jargon don't inspire people stories do. In fact, storytelling is now seen as essential for engaging all the key audiences a business cares about. In an era of information overload and rapid change, a clear narrative can cut through the noise, connecting with consumers, employees, and even investors on an emotional level. For example, tech leaders driving digital transformation often turn to storytelling to translate complex innovations into relatable visions. As observed in the market, the power of storytelling is that it creates an emotional connection to otherwise dry facts and figures. Painting a vivid picture of why a change matters and how it will impact people gives purpose to the technical details. Equally important is authenticity: audiences can sense when a message is just corporate-speak. An audience can quickly smell whether a storyteller is being genuine or not due to the 'Accessibility' of information these days and the 'Awareness' that the 'Accessibility' gives. Whether speaking to colleagues in the office or even with your friends at a coffeehouse, successful communicators blend professionalism with personal sincerity. The digital medium email, video conference, social media may be enabled by technology, but the message must come from real human insight. Especially in the Gulf's dynamic business environment, leaders who share stories of vision, challenges, and values tend to rally more trust and loyalty than those who only share spreadsheets. Immersive tools and the next chapter of storytelling (VR, AI and beyond) New technologies like virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and artificial intelligence (AI) are opening exciting frontiers for storytelling. A VR documentary can put viewers inside an experience for instance, walking in someone else's shoes in a way traditional media never could. This 'immersive' quality can blur the line between storyteller and audience. Industry research finds that VR's unique ability to merge the audience into the story can evoke emotional responses 'much more powerful than any other storytelling medium that has come before'. A well-crafted VR experience, whether a training simulation or a marketing demo, isn't powerful simply because of 360-degree video or interactivity it's powerful because it makes the audience feel part of a narrative. Meanwhile, AI is emerging as a tool to generate content, personalize experiences, and aid creators in countless ways. From algorithms that recommend stories tailored to your interests, to AI assistants that help edit videos or even draft article outlines, these tools can boost efficiency and open up creative possibilities. But here a caution is critical: AI is a supporting actor, not the star. We must remember AI and tech expert Fei- Fei Li's words: 'Artificial intelligence is not a substitute for human intelligence; it is a tool to amplify human creativity and ingenuity.' In other words, AI can crunch data and suggest patterns, but it takes human imagination to decide what story needs to be told and why it matters. The World Economic Forum predicts that advances in AI and VR will enable storytellers to craft richer, more immersive narratives than ever before provided we wield these innovations thoughtfully. Even as we venture into virtual worlds and algorithm-assisted storylines, the fundamental ingredients of a resonant story (a meaningful theme, emotional arcs, relatable characters) remain as crucial as ever. Technology may add new layers and dimensions to storytelling, but it shouldn't strip away the humanity that ultimately makes a story worth experiencing. In the fast-changing media landscape, the winners will be those who master the art of marrying technology with humanity. Gadgets and algorithms will no doubt keep improving content will be crisper, delivery will be faster, immersion will feel deeper. But the storytellers and brands that stand out will be the ones who use these advancements to amplify human voices, not silence them. The Gulf region, with its youthful demographics and high digital adoption, is poised to lead in tech-driven media innovation. Yet our cultural heritage of oral storytelling and communal experience reminds us that at its core, storytelling is about human-to-human connection. The heartwarming friendships in Friends , or the inspiring vision of a leader rallying their company, all go down to emotions and relationships. As we forge ahead into the future of storytelling blending corporate professionalism with creative inspiration let's ensure that the narrative is always guided by human wisdom, empathy, and imagination. Technology can light the path, but the human heart will always be the compass. In striking that balance, we not only tell better stories we build lasting connections that no technology can replace. The writer is the CEO of On The Way Media Agency.
Forbes
21-05-2025
- Health
- Forbes
How Marvel's Thunderbolts Film Gets Mental Health and Messaging Right
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 28: (L-R) Louis D'Esposito, Co-President, Marvel Studios, Kevin Feige, ... More President, Marvel Studios, Jake Schreier, Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, Wyatt Russell, Hannah John-Kamen, Olga Kurylenko, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Lewis Pullman and Geraldine Viswanathan appear onstage during the World Premiere of Marvel Studios' "Thunderbolts*" at Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on April 28, 2025. (Photo byfor Disney) Earlier this month, I sat in a theater with my teenage kids watching the latest Marvel film, 'Thunderbolts.' As fans of most Marvel movies, we expected action and entertainment; what we didn't expect was a masterclass in emotional honesty. The film's antiheroes find their strength not through superpowers, but through vulnerability, connection, and mutual support. The themes in 'Thunderbolts' – depression, grief, and healing through relationships –are not new. Just a few years ago, the U.S. Surgeon General issued a report titled 'Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation,' which stressed the health benefits of community and social connection. But the difference in reach between a Hollywood blockbuster and a government report is massive. And because of its cultural relevance and impactful storytelling, the movie is more likely to spark understanding and discussion – because while data informs, stories transform. Mental Health Awareness Month is a time for reflection and action. But despite increased visibility, traditional public health messaging often falls short in engaging the public and inspiring change. Reports and statistics are crucial, but they rarely move people to action. Too often, people working in scientific fields equate expertise with effectiveness. But knowing the facts is not the same as helping the public understand them. Being right is important, but it's not enough. 'Thunderbolts' offers a different approach. By portraying characters who openly grapple with their mental health challenges, the film invites audiences to empathize and reflect. This is the essence of narrative transportation – individuals become immersed in a story, leading to increased empathy and reduced resistance to new ideas. Research indicates that narratives can be more effective than factual arguments in changing attitudes and behaviors. A study published in Frontiers in Communication found that narratives are persuasive because they are easier to understand and can significantly impact an individual's attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. Public health has often lagged healthcare in leveraging storytelling. Medical dramas like 'ER' and 'Grey's Anatomy' have successfully incorporated health issues into their narratives, sometimes in collaboration with health organizations. 'ER,' which was on the air from 1994 to 2009, was a cultural touchstone for health literacy, addressing topics like HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention, mental health, domestic violence, substance use and addiction, and health disparities. A 2019 episode of 'Grey's Anatomy' that addressed sexual assault heightened public awareness and led to a significant increase in calls to the hotline for RAINN (the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network). It's easier to find examples from medicine than from public health, which is why 'Thunderbolts' (and before that, 'Inside Out') stands out as rare and impactful. Media partnerships have the potential to spark conversations about these issues, and those opportunities are not limited to Hollywood movies. Not every organization can partner with a Hollywood studio, but there are many ways to harness the power of storytelling: 'Thunderbolts' is more than entertainment; it's a blueprint for how we can improve communication and outreach about mental health. By sharing stories of struggle and resilience, we can foster a culture that values openness and support. It's time for health advocates to move beyond the status quo and embrace storytelling not as an add-on, but as a central strategy for improving mental health.
