Latest news with #selfAcceptance
Malay Mail
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
Of ‘marks' and ‘crowns': Petronas celebrates Gawai and Kaamatan with heartfelt tales of heritage and belonging (VIDEO)
KUCHING, May 30 — In celebrating this year's Gawai festivities, Petronas proudly presents 'Marked' or 'Tanda Kasih', a touching story that explores the power of personal resilience, the strength of family bonds, and the beauty of cultural pride. In a statement, Petronas said the film, which premiered today across their official YouTube and Facebook channels, follows Melia, a young Iban girl, as she undergoes an emotional journey of self-acceptance, confronting the challenges of growing up with a prominent birthmark on her forehead. As Gawai approaches, Melia is asked to wear the sugu tinggi, a traditional Iban woman's headdress that symbolises dignity and cultural heritage. However, doubt lingers in her heart as she wonders if she is truly worthy of bearing such a significant piece of tradition. 'Her silent struggles go largely unnoticed by her family, except for her grandmother, whose loving presence and gentle encouragement become a source of strength and guidance. 'More than a story of self-acceptance, 'Marked' celebrates the ties that unite us, family, and community, and reminds us that strength grows through connection and shared heritage,' the statement read. Petronas Vice President of Group Strategic Relations and Communications, Norafizal Mat Saad said 'Marked' is a tribute to the strength within communities in Malaysia and the richness of the Iban tradition. 'At Petronas, we believe in the power of storytelling to celebrate the diversity and beauty of our people and cultures. It also reflects the values of unity and shared purpose, reminding us that when we stand together and support one another, we create space for everyone to belong and thrive,' he was quoted as saying. Norafizal hoped that the story would encourage Malaysians to embrace their identity with pride and support each other in the journey of self-discovery. In the spirit of the harvest season, Petronas also presents 'Crown of Love' or 'Mahkota Teristimewa', a Kaamatan story that celebrates community strength and the meaning of love. 'Though from different cultures, both films share a message of embracing diversity and being true to ourselves, reflecting a Malaysia where differences connect, not divide,' the statement added. — Bernama
Forbes
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Summer Reads 2025: Best Books For Personal Growth By Women Authors
Check out these books that just might unlock a fresh perspective. Memorial Day ushers in the unofficial start of summer and gives us a little extra time to kick back with a book. Books can be great teachers, sparking insights for personal growth, offering tools on how to live better, and revealing new ways to see the world. Here is a roundup of new books by women authors to read on your day off that just might unlock a fresh perspective. "Unconditional," by Dr. Samra Zafar Unconditional: Break Through Past Limits to Transform Your Future, By Dr. Samra Zafar Sometimes you can be courageous on the outside, yet may be struggling inside with negative stories you tell yourself and limiting self beliefs. Such was the case Dr. Samar Zafar, a survivor of an abusive arranged child marriage who wrote the bestselling memoir, A Good Wife: Escaping the Life I Never Chose. In her latest book, Unconditional, she dives deep into how to unlearn the harmful beliefs that hold you back from being your most authentic self and living life on your own terms. The speaker, human rights advocate, physician, and educator weaves her brave personal story with research-backed tools for healing, paving the way for greater self acceptance and learning to love yourself unconditionally. "Your Home Is A Vision Board," by Marie Diamond Your Home Is A Vision Board: Harness The Secret Manifesting Power of Your Home, By Marie Diamond Your environment no doubt impacts how you feel and, therefore, how you show up in the world. Marie Diamond, a globally recognized Feng Shui Master, international best-selling author, and manifestation teacher who is known from The Secret, believes that your home could be holding you back from achieving your dreams—or help push you closer towards them. In Your Home Is a Vision Board, Diamond shares secrets to align your space with your goals and transform your home into a three-dimensional vision board. This book explores everything from space clearing and goal-writing to elemental work. This is the mindful motivation you need to finally finish those spring cleaning projects and level up your home. "What Matters Most," By Diane Button What Matters Most: Lessons the Dying Teach Us About Living, By Diane Button What makes life meaningful? End-of-life doula and author Diane Button shares some clues. She has sat by the deathbeds of countless people and listened to reflections about the most common life regrets as well as the things that bring true happiness in the end. Button has compiled the stories of individuals before they passed to help illustrate what matters most. A big takeaway of What Matters Most (out on September 16, 2025) is that reflecting on death can actually help you live life more intentionally, because it reminds you that your time here is finite. "Fawning," By Dr. Ingrid Clayton Fawning: Why the Need to Please Makes Us Lose Ourselves—and How to Find Our Way Back, By Dr. Ingrid Clayton When it comes to survival mechanisms and dealing with threats, you are probably familiar with the idea of fight, flight, or freeze. A fourth response known as fawning may be a trauma response that hasn't gotten as much attention. Licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Ingrid Clayton unpacks how fawning may be an adaptive strategy for staying safe in the moment, but becomes a real problem when it turns into an unconscious habit in our everyday lives. Often linked to codependency or people pleasing, fawning happens when we can't fight back or flee because we have to remain in the relationship or situation that is hurting us (such as a child can't leave their caregiver). Dr. Clayton shares how this tool of connection as a means of protection in the long-term causes a person to abandon their own needs and values—and how to break the pattern. "Eve (Adapted for Young Adults): How the Female Body Shaped Human Evolution," By Cat Bohannon Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution, By Cat Bohannon In this fascinating exploration that recenters the female body in the narrative about evolution, author Cat Bohannon answers questions about the female body and evolutionary biology that scientists have long left unanswered, such as, Why do females menstruate? What's the purpose of menopause? Is 'mom brain' real? Why do women live longer on average than men? The young adult version was recently released and delves into teen-related topics such as how shifting hormones in adolescence impact the brain and why girls get higher academic scores than boys until around puberty. In her book Bohannon writes, 'From 1996 to 2006, more than 79% of animal studies published in the scientific journal Pain included only male subjects.' Cat Bohannon wrote a user's manual in part because women's bodies have long been understudied and she argues that unpacking sex differences will help us all better understand our own evolution. "Resurface," by Cassidy Krug Resurface: A Guide To Navigating Life's Biggest Transitions, by Cassidy Krug There is an old adage that the only constant in life is change. Each of us experiences transitions, whether it's moving to a new city, switching careers, getting married or divorced, having a baby, experiencing the loss of a loved one, or something else that's less tangible. Former Olympic diver and author Cassidy Krug shares her personal story of dedicating her life to the single pursuit of diving, and having to figure out what to do next after she quit. Krug also interviewed people from different experiences to find a blueprint on how to navigate life's transitions, and shares expert advice and concrete exercises to help you find your way through big transitions, such as by creating a 'Wheel of Life,' where you assign categories (think: health, friends/family, career) to eight slices and rate your satisfaction for each. She writes, 'The liminal spaces of transitions are scary and often out of our control. But that's where we stage our personal revolutions.'
Daily Mail
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Hollywood vet who worked with Angelina Jolie before battling mental health issues makes rare sighting, who is she?
This former teen star looked unrecognizable while stepping out on a rare outing in Los Angeles this week. The actress, now 47, was fresh-faced as she stepped out to pick up a refreshment at a coffee chain in Larchmont Village. She looked much more mature while sporting casual, errand-running attire, compared to back when she starred in the 1999 cult classic Girl, Interrupted alongside Angelina Jolie and Winona Ryder, when she was only 22. This comes after she publicly discussed about her mental health battle and opened up about coming out as gay. She also touched on self-acceptance. She was also pictured kissing her best friend, Poker Face star Natasha Lyonne, several years ago after they previously made out in a Sapphic romantic comedy together. She is also close friends with Kristen Stewart after they worked together in another holiday rom-com. Can you guess who she is? She is Clea DuVall. The actress and director is best known for appearing in cult classics But I'm A Cheerleader and Girl, Interrupted. The movie star — who is of no relation to Shelley Duvall — is also known for starring in a number of blockbuster hits including Argo, She's All That, The Grudge, Zodiac and Faculty. She was spotted coming out of Starbucks with an iced tea beverage and toting a black, leather crossbody bag and a brown paper bag after picking up a gift from local children's shop Flicka. Kicking off the weekend, she was spotted grabbing a little pick-me-up for her morning errands. For her day out on the town, she sported a bright blue graphic T-shirt layered with a brown, linen button-up shirt and paired with dark-wash, fitted jeans. She opted out of any makeup and showed off her fresh-faced, glowing visage, a little rosy from spending time in the sun, on Friday. DuVall — who was previously linked to Elliot Page, Camila Grey and Carla Gallo — has reportedly been married to film producer Mia Weir since 2015. Her directorial work includes the 2020 sapphic rom-com Happiest Season. The Hulu romantic comedy film was directed by DuVall, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Mary Holland. The movie, which featured an all-star ensemble cast including Kristen Stewart, Aubrey Plaza, Alison Brie and Dan Levy among many others. Her most recent projects include appearing as Lyonne's lead character Charlie's estranged sister in Poker Face. She is also a director for a special episode of season two. She also worked on 2022 Amazon series High School. DuVall was also tapped to direct the female-driven comedy adventure film, Abbi and the Eighth Wonder, last year. The actress previously opened up about working on the satirical, sapphic romantic comedy, But I'm A Cheerleader, as she opened up about a difficult time in her life. A few years ago, she opened up about her mental health while discussing the legacy of But I'm A Cheerleader and reflecting on working on the gay conversion camp rom-com with Lyonne in 1999. DuVall said it was a 'scary time' for her back then, because, at the time, she had not come out yet publicly. 'I came out at 16, but until I was in my thirties I was just kind of surviving,' she confessed. 'So many opportunities came to me because of [But I'm A Cheerleader] that I didn't take because I was afraid,' she admitted in an October 2022 interview with The Independent. 'I was very closeted and very afraid of people finding out I was gay,' she explained. 'It was the Nineties. There was no conversation about sexuality — you were just not going to talk about it.' Though she had already come out to her friends and family at the time, she was not yet ready to come out publicly while in the spotlight. 'It was dangerous for me,' she said about promoting the movie around the time of its premiere. 'It was such a scary time. Once it came out and we started the press cycle for it, I remember feeling like, "Oh s***, I need to hide. I need to stop."' A few years ago, she opened up about her mental health while discussing the legacy of But I'm A Cheerleader and reflecting on working on the gay conversion camp rom-com with Lyonne in 1999 She later came out in 2016. 'I could either try to convince people that I was not who I am, or embrace who I was and come out,' she said. 'So much pain comes from not accepting yourself for who you are.' She continued: I've seen so many people bending over backwards and tying themselves in knots. I've had friends die because they were trying so hard to be something that they weren't. Eventually you buckle under the weight of that.' She added, 'The time that it took to [come out] helped shape the person that I've become. I feel settled. I feel more at peace with myself.'
Times
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Jamie Lee Curtis: I had plastic surgery at 25 after comment on set
Jamie Lee Curtis, the Oscar-winning actress, has revealed that she had plastic surgery at the age of 25 after being told on set that her eyes were 'baggy'. The comment was made by a cinematographer during filming for the 1985 romantic drama Perfect, Curtis said. 'He was like, 'Yeah, I'm not shooting her today. Her eyes are baggy'. It was very embarrassing,' she told 60 Minutes. 'So as soon as the movie finished, I ended up having some plastic surgery.' The surgery did not go well, according to Curtis, who is now 66. 'I regretted it immediately and have kind of regretted it since,' she said. 'I've become a really public advocate to say to women: 'You're gorgeous and you're perfect the way
The Guardian
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Jamie Lee Curtis reveals she had plastic surgery at 25 after comment on set: ‘It was not a good thing'
Jamie Lee Curtis has revealed that she had plastic surgery at the age of 25 because of a comment made to her on the set of a movie. In a 60 Minutes interview, the Oscar-winning actor said that a cinematographer wouldn't film her one day because, he said, 'her eyes are baggy'. The film was aerobics drama Perfect which also starred John Travolta. 'For him to say that was very embarrassing,' she said. 'As soon as the movie finished, I ended up having some plastic surgery.' Curtis said the surgery did not go well and it was something she 'regretted immediately' and has regretted it ever since. 'I've become a really public advocate to say to women 'You're gorgeous and you're perfect the way you are.'' she said. 'It was not a good thing for me to do.' She said it was when she started to take painkillers. 'Well they give them to you!' she said. 'I became very enamored with the warm bath of an opiate. You know, drank a little bit, never to excess, never any big public demonstrations. I was very quiet and private about it. But it became a dependency for sure.' In 2018, she told People: 'I was ahead of the curve of the opiate epidemic. I had a 10-year run, stealing, conniving. No one knew. No one.' Curtis has now been sober for 26 years and in 2023 spoke about her journey. 'I'm lucky. I didn't make terrible decisions high or under the influence that then, for the rest of my life, I regret,' she said. 'There are women in prison whose lives have been shattered by drugs and alcohol, not because they were violent felons, not because they were horrible people, but because they were addicts.' The star has previously expressed concern about the rise of cosmetic procedures. 'The current trend of fillers and procedures, and this obsession with filtering, and the things that we do to adjust our appearance on Zoom are wiping out generations of beauty,' Curtis said in 2021. 'Once you mess with your face, you can't get it back.' This week the actor also spoke out on social media about a 'totally AI fake commercial' which uses her likeness. She implored Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg to help in taking it down. 'If I have a brand, besides being an actor and author and advocate, it is that I am known for telling the truth and saying it like it is and for having integrity,' she wrote. 'This (MIS)use of my images … with new, fake words put in my mouth diminishes my opportunities to speak my truth. I've been told that if I ask you directly, maybe you will encourage your team to police it and remove it. I long ago deleted Twitter, so this is the only way I can think of reaching you.' Later in the day she added: 'IT WORKED! YAY INTERNET! SHAME HAS IT'S VALUE! THANKS ALL WHO CHIMED IN AND HELPED RECTIFY!' The 66-year-old won her first Oscar in 2023 for her role in Everything Everywhere All at Once. She has since starred in acclaimed drama series The Bear and alongside Pamela Anderson in The Last Showgirl. She will next be seen in comedy sequel Freakier Friday with Lindsay Lohan as well as crime thriller series Scarpetta with Nicole Kidman.
