Don’t forget to make a life

“The Devil Wears Prada” kørte over skærmen forleden. Det var en del år siden, jeg havde set den sidst og det var lidt en øjenåbner for mig på trods af dens humoristiske undertoner. Kort fortalt handler den om en ung kvinde, Andy Sachs, der gerne vil arbejde i magasinverdenen. Hun får job som assistent for Miranda Priestly, chefredaktør for USAs største modeblad. Miranda har sindssygt høje krav og behov, så Andy kæmper hårdt for at beholde jobbet, der kan åbne dørene til branchen.

Flere gange i filmen kunne jeg virkelig se mig selv i Andy Sachs. Som jeg også har skrevet om tidligere, arbejdede jeg i nogle år virkelig hårdt for at få en fod indenfor i modebranchen (læs hele historien HER). Faktisk så hårdt at jeg var ved at miste veninder i svinget og jeg må indrømme, at jeg også var en rimelig dårlig kæreste. Som Andy i filmen nåede jeg engang ikke hjem til Christoffers fødselsdag, før alle gæsterne var gået hjem. Jeg var model på en skydning til Days nye lookbook og selvom jeg havde lovet ham at være hjemme kl. 18, trådte jeg først ind ad døren kl. 23. Lad os bare sige det ligeud – jeg var IKKE populær den aften.

Hvad jeg vil sige med det her er, at jeg med årene er blevet klogere. Man skal ikke arbejde så hårdt på at nå et mål, hvis man ikke samtidigt kan have et liv ved siden af. Det er simpelthen ikke det værd. Set i bakspejlet ville jeg vælge mine ”kampe” mere omhyggeligt, men stadig arbejde målrettet efter det jeg brænder for. I sidste ende tror jeg ikke, det er den rigeste eller mest hårdtarbejdende mand på kirkegården, der har været den lykkeligste. Man skal arbejde for sin egen skyld og ikke for andres. Det skal være lysten, der driver værket.

Man skal huske at pleje sine relationer sideløbende. Jeg prøver ihvertfald at blive bedre til det. Jeg er stadig STOR fortaler for, at man forfølger sine drømme og kæmper for dem, så kan man komme langt, men man må ikke miste sig selv og dem man holder af undervejs. ”Don’t get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life”.

“The Devil Wears Prada” was playing in the TV the other day. It had been some years, since I watch it the last time and it was a bit of an eye opener for me despite of its’ humorous undertones. In short, it is about the young Andy Sachs who wants to work in the magazine industry. She gets the job as Miranda Priestly’s assistant, editor in chief of America’s biggest fashion magazine. Miranda has insanely high demands and needs, so Andy struggles to hold on to the job that can open up the doors to the industry.

Several times in the movie, I could really see myself in Andy Sachs. As I previously have talked about, a few years ago I worked really hard to get a foot in the fashion industry (read more HERE). In fact, I worked so much, that I almost lost some of my friends and I must admit, that I was a really bad girlfriend at that time. As Andy in the movie, one time I didn’t even come home to Christoffer birthday before all the guests had gone home. I was at a shoot with the Danish clothing brand Day, where I was the model for their lookbook and although I had promised to be home at 6pm, I first entered the door at 11pm. Let’s just say it bluntly – I was NOT popular that night.

What I want to say with this, is that I over the years have become wiser. You should not work so much on achieving a goal, if you can not have a life simultaneously. It’s simply not worth it. If I could change anything, I would still work hard for what I am passionate about, but choose my “struggles” more carefully.

In the end it is not the richest or most hardworking man in the cemetery that has been the happiest. You must remember to nurture your relations. I’m definitely still think, that you should pursue your dreams and fight for them, but you must not lose yourself and those you love along the way. “Do not get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.”