Time to retire!

I always knew this point would come one day and I figured it'd happen when I'm past 30. Yes, I am actually 31 (my profile only shows apparent age, not the factual one, ha!) and I feel it's time to move on. 

In the 10 years of my modeling (AND acting) career I've experienced ups and downs but now, looking at it after all those years, I see mainly what was amazing about it: traveling, freedom - financial and schedule-wise, learning to get tougher in negotiations, coping with all sorts of human behaviour... There are downsides, no doubt ("how much money will I make this month?", "oh no, my booking just got cancelled!" and so forth). 

But I've also managed to put my finger on this very mysterious job - a model. 

So what's this job like? Here's what I've found and I hope it will help the next generation! 

What does a model REALLY do? 

It starts out with getting yourself onto all possible sites that have castings, jobs, etc. Make sure you know how to tell a scam from a legitimate offers! There's a section on this on MM Edu - you must know this. Get decent polaroids done and no, I don't think you need to spend hundreds on that. A good Iphone, a friend or family member who can take a good shot and that's all you need. This is how I got into my first (reputable) agency called Modelplus in Warsaw. It's true that nowadays more and more agencies will want to see professional pictures but if you're not 100% certain you can tell a good photographer from a bad one, don't do it. As much as TFP is beneficial for you to get comfortable in front of the camera and you'll be able to see improvement with each shoot, I found that it rarely got me paid work. I don't want to discourage anyone from doing it but after about 2 years of modelling I preferred hiring someone for my test shots. 

"Hiring someone for test shots? But you just said not to do it..." Yes. Now, I decided, after a couple of years, to work mostly freelance. I had worked out what was needed and wanted from me and from my shots and I knew how to tell a GWC from a pro and NOT get ripped off. This takes some observation, perhaps guidance, but as you get more experienced you'll "know". 

"What's the best way of getting jobs?" 
Personally, I've found this to be word of mouth. You have to start somewhere (casting sites, hoping perhaps an agency will take you - and don't forget: IT'S A NUMBERS GAME. Replying to 1 casting per day or contacting a couple of photographers per week won't get you anywhere). But the best stuff is when someone can recommend you. I've had innumerable jobs without even going to a casting simply because a friend said I was a good model. And I got hired. And the pay was probably better than the one offered on casting sites. Again, it doesn't happen overnight but it teaches you to always be friendly, reliable, on time - simply professional. 

And speaking of professionalism - I had made it a point to always reply to requests and emails, even if I couldn't make it. Not only is it good manners but also... this person could be interested in working with you later or might appreciate you wrote to them and... recommend you to a friend. And here goes word of mouth again! 

As far as castings are concerned, no matter how stressed you are - try not to show it. These can be stressful, especially at the beginning but the funny thing with those, and it always made me laugh, that the less I cared about landing the job the more likely I WAS going to land it. Time and time again. This doesn't mean to show up looking your worst and being rude but... it's just one of those inexplicable things that seem to be very much part of the show biz, including modelling. 

It's not an easy job, despite the apparencies. I've found it quite hard physically; like shooting a summer collection in winter. Outside. All day... Zero financial security - and on that note, make sure your financial record and taxes and all are in good order because tax inspections don't just happen to "other people" and I've heard some gruesome stories. It takes a great deal of persistence and thick skin. So if you have that - go for it. Don't forget it has its own "magic" to it. You'll find out soon enough. 

Now go and make me proud, Little Grasshoppers! 

Much, much love to you all and I wish you my very Best!! 

Magda 

My funny Valentine

Her: I forgot how falling in love worked.

Him: well, it's somewhat contained in the expression: you fall, you break.

Her: so it's better not to. 

Him: I like falling.

Her: it's a drug.

Him: a bit.

Her: but when you fall, you hurt yourself.

Him: I have knee pads.

Her: So you have to protect yourself?

Him: nah, potato head, you need to live things and be honest with yourself and your needs. See it as falling into heaven...

Her: and when you really break in two during your fall, well... do you die and go to heaven?

 Or hell?

The art of letting go

I can be a control freak. 

I hated the thought of not knowing where I was going and what the future would bring. 

The last days of 2016 come with another beautiful lesson; I consider it to figure amongst the most valuable ones: letting life do its job. 

In my last entry (click here) I mentioned that we gain understanding about our paths mostly through retrospective. I used the image of connecting dots to see the resulting picture. Wanting to control will make the lines look forced; insouciance and confidence however will render the plainest picture interesting. "It's a dull image but look at those nonchalant contours".

Either way, we're undertaking a journey being blindfolded. The question is, are we courageous enough to hit the fast lane anyways or do we take tiny steps apprehending danger at every corner? 

On a side note, I discovered one has to truly learn to give and expect nothing in return. Nothing in return. At all. Really. And that is, it seems, the only way you can be above the obsession of control. Because no matter what comes your way, when you have no expectations you will welcome just about ANYTHING with an open mind. 

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I wrote this two days ago and I'm reading it again now. I'm really good at giving advice, perhaps I should follow it from time to time? But joking aside. I realise that getting rid of old habits doesn't happen over night; it's a discipline. It's reminding myself constantly that I want to change something. It's making the same mistake again and correcting it. Again and again. Until one day it becomes part of me.

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Life is what happens while we try to make plans. And in all honesty, I'm not sure I could have written a better scenario for mine than it did for itself.

Obszar załączników

What a coincidence...! Or is it?

"Whatever Lola wants,
Lola gets...."



About a week ago I posted about coincidences on my Instagram (click here) and about people that you have a special connection with (click here) In my last note I also wrote about how my phone got stolen.

Ever since I must have entered some sort of curvature in time and space that not only got me into some of the most improbable happenstances but it seems to be looping also; my brand new phone (which I bought to replace the one that got stolen on Tuesday) was stolen from me.... yesterday. This time I was lucky however and the thief still had it on him when he got caught by my guardian angel!

At the same time I feel I'm daring more and more to be myself and I have experienced both personal and professional growth which is most satisfying. Apparently nothing is free in life so perhaps this is the price I'm paying for success...? So be it! I'm not intimidated and I'm not backing off.

As a matter of fact, I want to get into more trouble and I want more signs of success. Life without the courage to live is merely "existing"!! You might as well skip it, you know.

I like to think that the coincidences and connections that occurred (ever since the aforementioned publications) were self-fulfilled prophecies. There was a post in September (hclick here ) asking the universe for what you wish to occur. I guess I shouldn't be surprised; some time ago I concluded that the course of our lives can only be understood through retrospection - never in the spur of the moment. Each day is a dot and the they only connect into lines once you're able to look at the past from a distance.

Ninja model - why it's better to NOT steal my phone

As some of you might have seen in my statuses, I got mugged on the 12th of December at 1:00am.

A lot of folks here asked what happened (others also exhibited a plain lack of concern - which is a great way of telling true friends from fake ones).

I didn't know I had ninja powers. But I have no other explanation.

The perpetrator sneaked up on me from behind as I was calling a friend. He got hold of my phone, and probably didn't expect I was going to hold on to it for as long as I did - as he eventually managed to take it I turned around, grabbed his scarf and started.... strangling the guy. I strangled him so hard I had blood all over my hand. NOT a joke. It's what when nails break at the wrong place.

Anyhow.

He managed to run eventually and me after him with my high-heeled boots and a heavy - but fancy -handbag (this deserves a note to self: next time you get attacked carry less useless, only-females-know-why-they-have-this-on-them-anyways articles). At that point I decided I was going to use my secret weapon - opera trained lungs. 

Balenciaga in my hand and working on my high C, I managed to attract enough attention to get people to join me in my late night marathon. I'd lost sight of him for a short moment but there he was. Panting and looking rather exasperated the aggressor has found himself in the firm clutch of a strong pair of male arms. 

He said he'd bring us to where the phone was. He lied.

He managed to escape again which was another occasion to do my opera-marathon with new people. We must have been around 10... 

This time we wouldn't let hold of him.   I've rarely seen that much "who the living hell is this chick?!" on somebody's face when I politely (fact!) asked him to render the loot. As a matter of fact, I was surprised by myself as much as he was but surely I wasn't going to admit. The timing seemed perfect to also make use of my acting chops.

As badass as I managed to make this sound and as much as I'd like to give it a happy ending, there isn't one. The police didn't find the phone and had to release him after 24h.

I don't know why one would get into the trouble of stealing a telephone that will be blocked instantly anyways. Is the 40€ you'll sell its pieces for on Ebay really worth the hassle? I mean, you could have actually done something with your life in those 24h. Read my blog for example. You'd have known I don't let people f-word with me much. 

Good luck to you and I hope you'll find a better reason to be treading this Earth. 

Find the one who hears your music the same way you do - T. Kearby

Looking back at 2016, and even earlier than that, I've come to a grim conclusion - I know this might seem like an odd thing to say because "Magda is such an optimist".

First of all, fuck this. It's been a long time since I've wanted to say "fuck". I never use swear words when writing - not very ladylike, is it! "Magda is so classy". Well, fuck this. I've had it. I'm DONE! I'm done pretending. 

Why is it that we think we have to prove something to the world by living our life? Seriously!! Career, looks, the area our apartment is in.... I reminisce 2016, and I'm asking myself "What the living fuck have you been doing since the turn of the millennium, Magda??"

Can I honestly look back and say I created the life I wanted? It might look like that on the outside but there are cracks starting to show, undeniably and more and more. You can live in denial of who and what you are only for that long before going mental.

Fuck!!!!

Here's the thing, I'm done. There comes a point where you either look the tiger in the eye and grab it by its horns (well, not exactly but you get my point) OR you sort of peek at it and then pee yourself and get eaten.

The first slap to wake me up came from my dear @lutz_huelle who said "It's quite astonishing, you're witty and smart which stands in complete opposition to the image you convey in social media". Why, thank you, no one's ever told me I looked like a stupid bimbo in a more sophisticated way than you  did, my friend. Chapeau.

Joking aside, suddenly I realised I couldn't blame "karma" or the universe for the kind of guys I was attracting - I alone was the culprit! Putting there an image of me that... wasn't me; thinking in terms of quantity of likes rather than their quality. Interestingly enough, some of my favourite images (to keep Instagram as an example) get the lowest number of likes BUT the people who give them are the people whose friendship and opinion I value most. 

I think they might hear my music the same way I do.

By doing the right things according to your personal truth you invite rightness into your life. By doing anything that violates your integrity you invite chaos and frustration.

In 2017 I'm... letting go. There are things and people I don't need. It is possible to live without anybody's approval to be the way I want to. Amen.

What are you waiting for?

I had a tendency to postpone my goals "until later" only to wind up discovering I waited too long. I'd consider my goals weren't as important as those of the people around me - or my talent even sufficient. 

Well, I've made a shocking discovery recently: I was wrong. I had wasted precious time questioning my ability to do what I wanted and waiting until I'm "ready".

What changed? I decided to do things NOW. Waiting, postponing, doubting - these were things that were banned from that moment on. I even went so far as to exclude those people that made me feel "worth less". 

It didn't happen overnight. It started with a decision however, and as I saw the changes it brought about I knew I'd found the right path. The truth of the matter is, you KNOW. You might not have the courage to do it immediately but you KNOW what you should be doing. 

When you postpone achieving your goals you not only take time for granted ("I'll do it later" - you might not even be here "later"...!) but you're actually purposely choosing to not live the life you want. Sounds harsh? Absolutely. But think about it this way - what could be possibly more important than YOUR purpose? Yes, there's a ton of things that stand in our way. No one said it's going to be easy. But how much harder is a purposeless life, devoid of dreams?

My certainty in this matter grew day by day. I started by just doing a little bit, one step at a time. Within just a couple months - a few weeks, in fact - I had the most life changing events occur. Better and faster than what I could have wished for and... it's just the beginning.

About three weeks ago I was modeling for a designer friend of mine, Lutz Huelle. He has a t-shirt that says "World Peace Now". It got me thinking; I realised there were a lot of things that should be happening NOW. I wanted a t-shirt that would remind me that I needed to act. Fast. Putting aside everything that wasn't conducive to my goals. 

Within the minute I contacted my friend Alexander who has a t-shirt line in the U.S. He loved the idea and decided NOW deserved to be a movement. As I'm writing this article I'm wearing my very own NOW t-shirt.

It's up to you to live the life you want.

Launching tomorrow:

HTTP://www.now-movement.com