Gaga.
Someone just has to say the name and your head explodes with a 360-degree view of her unique brand. Gaga is one-of-a-kind, her distinctive style going beyond the ridiculous and into the sublime. Not only is she a worldwide fashion and music icon, Gaga has been a huge role model to young women, and I truly believe we could all incorporate a bit more ‘Gaga’ into our lives.
Here’s how:
Empower yourself
There’s something we can all learn from Gaga’s wild dress sense and stage presence. She only dresses and performs for one person – herself. No boundaries, opinions or trends could ever get in the way of what our lady pop-star wears on her body or sings through the mic. Her latest release, Chromatica exists for that exact agenda, doing things for yourself, being completely yourself, and being honest about who you are to others. The album deep dives into the struggle Stefanie faces behind the fame of the glitzy stage-name, the tracks evoking the idea we should all just live, dress and act and speak exactly in the way that makes us happy. Your success is yours to make, and your battles shall only make you stronger.
Know you’re good enough
Make your own decisions for your own wellbeing. Take your art seriously. You were born this way. In a world where girls pose questions as opposed to declaring statements and have further troubles admitting what they’re actually really good at, it’s refreshing to see a celebrity of status be so authentic with her talents. “Live for what you create and die protecting it” says Gaga. Despite not fitting the bill of the ‘conventional’ type of beauty in our society, Gaga 110% shows up and rocks exactly who she is, not afraid to challenge the status quo. She recently spoke at the ‘Emotion Revolution’, exposing the pressures behind maintaining her image how she almost left the music industry for this reason just a couple of years back. The story behind her survival both as a person and as a musician is incredible.
Get an amazing team of people behind you
Gaga is NEVER seen without an amazing team of people behind her every step of the way. Seen more in her Netflix documentary is this group of friends and co-workers that truly know her inside out and lift her up to be the best version of herself. ‘The Gaga: Five Foot Two’ documentary shows Gaga truly held up by her support network at times. Encouraged, inspired, and listened to, she’s able to go on. They say you’re the product of the 5 people you spend the most time with. Make sure you’re proud of them!
Be bold and be brave
Lady Gaga has always spoken honestly and frankly about her anxiety, depression and past trauma. “I have a mental illness, and I struggle with that mental illness every single day”. She’s further spoken about the sexual assault she experienced as a young adult and how that lives on with her through her current days. If you haven’t already seen it, you need to watch this performance of ‘Til It Happens To You’ at the Oscars where she’s joined by a group of sexual assault survivors on stage. It’s absolutely breathtaking. Gaga encourages us all to be brave in moving forward with our scars and the hidden parts of ourselves, emphasising there’s no shame in speaking about them. “I want women and men to feel empowered by a deeper part of themselves. The part they’re always trying desperately to hide. I want that to become something that they cherish.”
Be a little crazy
I feel like Gaga can all teach us to let our damn hair down every once in a while. Too often we get bogged up in trying to be the perfect citizens of our society, have a great job, taste, routine, car, future, plan, partner/s etc and it can truly all get a bit much too handle for the brain sometimes. Letting loose and dancing on a table, accepting that last-minute invite, wearing a crazy outfit that makes you feel lost for a second and diving head-first into something new and wildly different is exactly what we need in this modern-day rat-race.
Be versatile
Grow with the times. The you that you now know shall not be the you in 5 years’ time. External experiences change internal experiences and vice versa. Gaga is the epitome of a lady that’s consistently evolving, wanting to be a better human with each day that goes by. ‘Stagnance will kill you’, and that’s something we should always apply to ourselves and our relationships. Vow to never be boring and to always make the most of what’s right in front of you! Being flexible isn’t always easy for our linear thinkers of the world but trust me, (and Gaga), the best things in life are spontaneous.
Be generous
Gaga as we know, is more than generous with the monetary success she’s gained from her talents. Her extensive list of charity work includes partnering with Virgin Mobil on her Monster Ball tour offering premium VIP tickets to fans who volunteered time to the homeless, setting up the ‘Born This Way’ Foundation, which works to support the needs, wellness and voices of young people, promoting support around the issue of mental health that’s incredibly prevalent with today’s youth. So, if you’d like to add the final touch of Gaga to your day-to-day, reach your hand out to those in need if you’re in a position to do so.
SEE MORE: Lady Gaga Welcomes You To ‘Chromatica’
