Eden Sassoon certainly is a chip off the old block. A member of hairstyling royalty, this daughter of Vidal Sassoon isn’t just following in her father’s footsteps with the opening of her namesake salon in Southern California (see page 56). She’s also inherited two of his most admirable traits: benevolence and a strong sense of spirituality. On a recent visit, she shared with me the top 10 words that she lives by—perfect timing for starting off 2013.
• Positivity: The things you think about, focus on and surround yourself with ultimately shape who you become. Choose to live with gratitude for the love that fills your heart, the peace that rests deep within your spirit, and the voice of hope that whispers, “All things are possible.”
• Patience: Using time, pressure and patience, the universe gradually changes caterpillars into butterflies, sand into pearls and coal into diamonds. You’re being worked on too, so hang in there. Just because something isn’t happening for you right now doesn’t mean it will never happen.
• Courage: It’s impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you aren’t really living at all—you’re merely existing. You can’t always wait for the perfect time; sometimes you must dare to jump.
• Love: When love is your guiding light, you can break through barriers to be of loving service to the world. Gaining the courage and confidence to stand up for what you believe in isn’t always easy, but it’s fully within your reach.
• Truth: Tell the truth, or eventually someone will tell it for you. Living a life of honesty creates peace of mind—something that’s priceless.
• Confession: Don’t criticize others for their flaws if you’re not willing to confess your own. Whatever we refuse to confess about ourselves has a way of rearing its head and making itself known when we least expect it.
• Appreciation: Sometimes we end up cheating others and ourselves simply because we pay more attention to what we’re missing rather than what we have. Instead of thinking about what you’re missing, think about what you have that everyone else is missing.
• Responsibility: In every situation you’ve been in—positive or negative—the common thread is you. Responsibility means recognizing that regardless of what’s happened in your life, you’re capable of making choices to change your situation.
• Growth: You can choose to let your past define you and confine you, or you can choose to learn, grow and leave it behind you.
• Persistence: All things are difficult before they’re easy. It’s not about falling; it’s about getting back up. ✂ —Kelley Donahue, editor in chief/beauty director, [email protected]