You can't improvise if you are tense. Or thinking too much. You have to really let it go.

You have to move to your own beat. There will be times when no one believes in you or understands what you're doing and why you are doing it. The most important thing is for you to believe in you. Following your own vision is one of the only things that will sustain you.

It feels good to know you contributed positively to another's life, to their happiness, to their survival. It gives us a sense of purpose.

I never wanted to be the person who said, "I woulda, coulda, shoulda." Life is way too short, and you may not last that long. I dropped out of Yale after two years to pursue one of the most uncertain careers - modeling. That seemed like a crazy decision, especially coming from where I came from and given what Yale is. Most people I knew told me so. But I was following what my heart was telling me I needed to do. I took the risk. It could easily have not worked out, but it did. Phew!

Acknowledgement: Understanding and compassion for others and their suffering is the next step. Put yourself in the shoes of people who don't have the luxury of being wasteful.

I hate Christmas, really. I don't really give presents away or expect any.

When you empower women and help them thrive, you help their communities thrive. Women shoulder the burden disproportionately.