How to establish your purpose in life

Find out who you are and do it on purpose. Dolly Parton

Two weeks ago we said farewell to Charlotte Dawson, a model, television presenter and passionate anti-bullying campaigner. I must say, Alex Perry’s speech at her memorial was absolutely beautiful – what a great friend! If you didn’t catch it, you can see it here. I am so happy to know that Charlotte’s campaigning against cyber bullies and trolls will continue despite her departure from the world. Where ever you are, Charlotte, you certainly left your footprint.

Unfortunately when something tragic or unsettling happens to us it’s hard to remember our purpose in life and easy to retreat to the couch in a darkened room with a bucket of ice cream. Yes, I know how it feels. What we need during these times is our own mission to keep us going and that mission will act as a bright light through the darker days. We are talking about the real reason for why you are here, the reason you actually exist. This week Happiness Weekly looks at how you can find your purpose in life which will be strong enough to keep you going through whatever painful or tragic events life throws your way.

1. See everything as an opportunity
Imagine if one day you stopped looking at challenges as problems and started looking at them as possibilities. Opportunities would present themselves, and start to unlock and open as you walk towards them, like an automatic door. Half the time, the reason we’re held back from living a life of purpose is that we don’t know what we want or what we’re looking for.

2. Clear your mind and focus
Clear your mind completely so you can really focus on this exercise. Make sure you won’t be interrupted. Scribble out any final thoughts. Practise some meditation to capture your focus if it helps you. Listen to music. Go for a walk. Everyone has their own unique way of clearing their mind. Whatever yours is, do it and then come back to this. The idea is to get rid of any pre-conceived judgements you have about what you can achieve or your self-worth or anything else which may block you from achieving everything you need to in this exercise.

3. Visualise your perfect life
Write down what your life looks and feels like once all your dreams have come true. Really be in the moment. Touch things, smell things – use all your senses. The more vivid you can be, the better. Consider where you live, how you feel, your hobbies and interests, how you make your money, the people who are you in your life etc. Take one action from this list and start today, to firmly plant your feet in the direction to head where you want to go.

4. Identify your purpose
OK, it’s time for some soul searching – get set to ask yourself a lot of questions:
What do you enjoy doing so much that you would do it without earning money for it?
What makes you feel happy? What makes you feel good about yourself?
What are your favourite leisure activities? What can make you lose track of time?
So you have no regrets, what is the one thing you want to do or accomplish before you die?
Who inspires you the most? And what is it about this person that inspires you?
What are you naturally good at doing? What do other people say you’re good at or come to you for?
If you had to teach something, what would it be?
What would you regret not doing, being or having in your life?
Visualise yourself as a 90+ year old – who matters to you most at the moment?
What challenges, difficulties and hardships have you overcome or are in the process of overcoming and how did you do it?
What causes do you identify with the most and want to make a difference to?
If you could get a message across to a large group of people – who would the people be and what would your message be?

5. Write a list of your current resources
Consider your current resources and abilities and write a list of all the tools that could help you to live a life of purpose. Once you have this list, consider how you could use your current resources to serve, help and contribute. Make some notes next to each tool, ability or resource that you listed and make notes about how each one could be used to do in order to live your life of purpose.

6. Write your personal mission statement
Consider what you want to do, what you want to change or help and what result you want. Put it into a sentence. Too hard? Need more inspiration for this one? Go here.

7. Start today!
Don’t leave it up to chance or wait for the perfect moment to start living your life of purpose – once you figure out what your purpose in life is (by completing the above exercises), start living your life of purpose today! Be intentional with the decisions you make. If you start taking action now you’ll slowly build more confidence in working towards your purpose and soon you’ll be achieving things and be living a strong, purposeful life.

Highly recommended reading:

Helping you find your life purpose by Susan Biali M.D

Life on purpose: 15 questions to discover your personal mission by Tina Su

11 actions you can take today to discover your life purpose by Izzy Arkin

5 lies that kept me from changing my life purpose by Staton Ann Mineshima

How to find your life’s purpose and make yourself a better person by Kevin Wood

Be proactive against bullying

Some people won’t be happy until they’ve pushed you to the ground. What you have to do is have the courage to stand your ground and not give them the time of day. Hold on to your power and never give it away. Donna Schoenrock

I’ve been actually really very pleased to see how much awareness was raised around bullying, and how deeply it affects everyone. You know, you don’t have to be the loser kid in high school to be bullied. Bullying and being picked on comes in so many different forms. Lady Gaga

The words of a bully can haunt for a lifetime, but a victim’s words – describing their pain – never feels enough. Unknown

More and more suicides caused by bullying, or bullycide incidents, are occurring as the brutality takes to the internet. Amanda Todd (pictured) is the recent poster girl as her story hit international headlines following a cry for help posted on YouTube. She’s not the first to take her life because of bullying and the eerie truth is: she won’t be the last.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2012, reducing bullying in schools is one of the top social issues consistently important to students across the country. It’s hard to believe that 1 in 10 students that drops out of school, does so because of repeated bullying. Celebrities, such as country singer Taylor Swift, claim to have been bullied at school. Many, including Taylor, write popular songs about their ordeal, and while this may glamorise a very ugly subject, it also raises awareness for a highly under-rated issue.

With more and more organisations fighting to combat bullying, there is still little information and support out there for victims that are suffering in silence. The scars from bullying are rarely acknowledged – possibly because past victims don’t want to open those old wounds to discuss and revisit what happened to them. I am absolutely passionate about combatting bullying – in schools and the office. More can be done! It is National Anti-Bullying Week this week (starting today), so Happiness Weekly looks at how YOU can be proactive against bullying and what more we can do.

What does bullying do to a person long-term?
It affects their…
– Self-worth: they’re so used to hearing that they’re a failure and all the things they can’t do that they’re filled with self-doubt. This affects victims for a long time after the bullying stops. It’s exhausting trying to get the energy to find self-worth again! If nothing is done, this self-doubt becomes so ingrained in the victim’s mind that when applying for jobs or going for a promotion, they will tend not to over-extend themselves and will stick to roles they are confident they can do. Not out of laziness, but out of doubt. Doubts they only have because other people put them there.
– Commitments: They will probably avoid any situation where they feel as though they will be harassed, caged-in, anxious, bullied or defeated. This could affect things such as serious relationships and job prospects going forward – because if something that is said is taken the wrong way, that person who was once a victim of bullying will replay the tape in their mind and feel the same emotions they felt at the time of the bullying, can take it a lot more personally than originally intended and will more than likely avoid the situation by leaving the relationship or job – which could ultimately affect their career.
More symptoms published by the Herald Sun are available here or read what victims and bullies say upon reflection here.

Generally adults with power (teachers, parents and managers) will tell victims not to respond or fight back: “just ignore it” – an unproductive response that doesn’t validate their feelings or needs. We all need to start taking responsibility and empowering our youth! Children need to learn assertive communication and be given practical tips for how to overcome the feelings they have after suffering at the hands of bullies. Some more practical solutions and alternatives to the “just ignore it” response, may include:

VICTIM: What you can do before it becomes a problem
– Choose not to be the victim (avoid the bully, don’t play into their hands)
– Seek courses in leadership, conflict management, assertive communication, self-esteem
– Be proactive in shifting your focus from the suffering and feelings of self-worth and guilt
– Find a way to take advantage of the situation – look for the lessons, let it strengthen you
– Speak to the school counsellor, a teacher or year advisor: suggest an afterschool class for victims – if you’re at work, speak to your HR department recommend team building if the bully is in your team and see if you can find a common ground to relate to them
– Tell your parents or a close friend and ask them to take part in an educational program with you

Remember, bullying doesn’t stop in high school – statistics show that workplace bullying and harassment is on the rise. The fact is you can’t change the bully or make them go away, but you can change yourself (choose not to be the victim), take control and ultimately change the result.

BULLY: What you can do before it becomes a problem
– Find out what is causing them to be nasty and need the power associated with bullying
– Fill the void with a healthy alternative such as taking a class: kindness, leadership, anger management, mindfulness programs etc.
– Speak to a counsellor
– Avoid toxic friends and people who support or encourage the behaviour

Bullies need to first realise they have a problem before they can be proactive in seeking the help and guidance they need. A key area to shift the bully’s focus is to concentrating on how they can change for the better and becoming the best person possible.

PARENT: What you can do before it becomes a problem
– Communicate a zero-tolerance for bullying behaviour by applying negative consequences if displayed. Clear, fair and significant consequences may include grounding, repaying stolen money, restoring damage etc.
– Teach your child to control their anger productively
– Teach your child good values and behaviours, tell them that their behaviour affects others
– If you find your child bullying someone, ask them to explain their events before turning them in (this is the best way for them to take responsibility)
If your child is being bullied:
– Keep a diary of any injuries, report physical assaults to the school and police
– Monitor your child’s friendships and whereabouts.

FACTS AND STATISTICS
– One student in every four in Australian schools is affected by bullying, says recent research commissioned by the Federal Government
– An estimated 200 million children and youth around the world are being bullied by their peers, according to the 2007 Kandersteg Declaration Against Bullying in Children and Youth
– According to the Centre for Adolescent Health, kids who are bullied are three times more likely to show depressive symptoms
– Children who were bullied were up to nine times more likely to have suicidal thoughts
– Girls who were victims of bullying in their early primary school years were more likely to remain victims as they got older, according to British research
– Girls were much more likely than boys to be victims of both cyber and traditional bullying, says a recent Murdoch Children’s Research Institute study
– Young people who bully have a one in four chance of having a criminal record by the age of 30
– Bullying is the fourth most common reason young people seek help from children’s help services.
– Around the world, more than one in six children are bullied at school, every week. More than one in six employees are bullied at work, and some research suggests that more employees are bullied at work!
– Bullying causes billions of damage to everyone concerned, the target, bully, onlookers, families, school, workplace, employers and the community.
– Bullying causes accumulative layers of primary and secondary injuries. These include physical, psychological, social and identity injuries. It can affect studies, career, relationships and financial wellbeing. It can cause a severe Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, lasting many years.

BEATING THE CYBER BULLIES

What is CYBER BULLYING?
Cyber bullying chases victims onto the Internet – it involves the digital communication (text messages, emails, phone calls, internet chat rooms, instant messages and social media using sights such as Bebo, Facebook and MySpace) to support, deliberate, repeated and hostile behaviour.

While it’s fantastic that technology is evolving, unfortunately bullying is evolving with it which means you can be bullied anywhere, any time – even receiving cruel taunts in the privacy of your own bedroom. Studies show that cyber bullying is on the rise, with one third of teenagers in a recent survey having had mean, threatening or embarrassing things said about them online. Stop Cyber Bullying Day is this Wednesday, 14 November 2012.

What can you do to prevent cyber bullying happening to you?
Tell someone you trust: parent, friend, teacher, school counsellor, neighbour etc.
Block the cyber bully: delete your social media account, or simply empower yourself by blocking the cyber bully. Unsure how? Check with your phone or internet service provider or ask Google.
Report it: Report abuse on Facebook/MySpace, alternatively your ISP or phone provider may help provide a log which you can take to your school, university, place of work or even the police.
Keep the evidence: Keep any texts, emails, online conversations or voicemails as evidence which can help track down the bully. If you’re tempted to look at it, keep a log including the time and date it took place to avoid further torturing yourself.
Change your details: Get a new phone number, a new username for the internet, a new email … and ensure only your closest friends get the new information.

Happiness Weekly’s suggested solution to assist victims of cyber bullying and provide an alternative to bullycide
Now that the internet is becoming more popular, and is certainly a place that bullies turn to in order to further insult and humiliate their victims, more can be done right here – online! And I don’t mean more information and more facts…

A quick Google search retrieves information on schoolyard and workplace bullying. Sprinkled with a few stats and facts – suggesting you are not alone. The fact is anyone who is being bullied – for whatever reason – feels alone. No one can take the sting away, but someone can be there to listen and support those in need.

If Happiness Weekly had the capacity to become an anti-bullying organisation, the first thing I would suggest would be an online support group for those being bullied. That’s right – let’s take some of the people off the phones for Lifeline and sit them on a computer to share advice and help these kids (or adults) without them having to speak a word.

And I’m not talking about a lazy forum with a single moderator – I mean a full on page, where people can INDIVIDUALLY talk to a counsellor they choose in a chat session. FOR FREE! The government should support this – with trained professionals. The aim of the idea is to offer 24 hour support, seven days a week, on an international level.

Making a phone call is powerful, but how many kids refuse to talk? Saying it out loud may mean admitting the problem, it may be failure, it may mean kids won’t seek help. Having somewhere online, where kids can set up an appointment with an expert (possibly via text?), join a chat room or even meet them on MSN Messenger, Windows Live or even Skype and just chat it out for an hour or two – feel validated and then put some positive advice into practice could be what leads to a saved nation.

I admit that I am exceptionally passionate about this idea and that stems from having being bullied. The thing is, I didn’t call a helpline for fear someone would overhear the conversation, leading to further embarrassment – and admitting the problem out loud is also unsettling, while it may be the first step to recovery. Our counselling professionals and specialists need to band together to create a safe-haven online and produce some real-time online support – that way victims will always have someone there for them when they need them without the fear of being overheard.

If such a network existed, there would certainly be a reduction in bullicides. Start locally, if a counsellor, or five, from each state got together, we could start with Australia – with the hope of expanding the movement as a global support hub.

What is often overlooked is that bullying not only affects those who are being traumatised, but also those who are watching on. Such a support group could offer real-time advice to school counsellors out of ideas, or people watching victims who won’t defend themselves.

A lot of bullying has taken to Social Media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, and they need to stand up and take responsibility as well. Why not employ hackers to shut down access from their IP address – or no hackers, just block the IP address from accessing their site anymore. Bullies will get tired of buying new computers eventually! Nip it in the bud! Don’t block an email account, they can easily start a new one and continue their horrible mission… wipe their IP from having access to your system – ever again! People that bully online are not responsible enough to re-join social networking communities.

What do you think? Would it work? Why or why not?

Need support? You can speak to trained counsellors by phoning these 24-hour telephone counselling services:
Lifeline 13 11 14
Kids Help Line 1800 551 800

Information and support is also available from the following websites:
Beyondblue – http://www.beyondblue.org.au
Youth Beyondblue – http://www.youthbeyondblue.com
Info Line 1300 22 4636
Sane 1800 187 263

More organisations that recognise bullying as a major problem:
– Happiness Weekly (there’s more practical and beneficial things to do than bullying!)
– World Kindness Australia
– Enough is Enough
– Human Rights Anti Bullying
– Beat bullying

Please remember Bullying Awareness Week starts today and Anti Bullying Week in the UK follows the week after. Donate to the above organisations, spread word about them to friends and colleagues or be proactive this week against bullying!

Please leave your suggestions for how we could be more proactive against bullying below. Alternatively if you are interested in discussing the topic further or need more direct assistance, contact me and I’ll get back to you! Bullycide is completely preventable. Stop bullying.

Female role models: Celebrity women you SHOULD look up to

Play like anyone you care about but try to be yourself while you’re doing so. B.B.King

As I was passing the news stands this week, I got thinking about all the celebrities. Open any newspaper or magazine and if you find yourself reading about a celebrity it is generally negative or bad news … or they’ve simply done the wrong thing. This week Happiness Weekly is looking at female celebrities, and we’ll get to male celebrities over the next couple of weeks.

Just from today’s tabloids this week, you would see: Amanda Bynes gets caught drink driving … twice, Lindsey Lohan’s step-mother encourages her to drink despite her problem, Victoria Beckham drops weight while Lady Gaga gains weight, the paparazzi captures Kate Middleton’s breasts, Paris Hilton thinks most gays “probably have AIDS”, and Fiona Apple arrested for cannabis on tour… the list seems never ending!

What’s a little scary is that the people buying these magazines and reading this news are generally teenagers or young adults. Is this really who we really want them looking up to? Probably not – but the question is: who SHOULD we encourage our younger generations to look up to?

What is a role model?
According to Psychology Wiki, a role model is “a person, real or fictional, who fills his or her role as a good or bad example for others.” It goes on to define a positive role model as someone who “carries out a role demonstrating values, ways of thinking and acting, which are considered good in that role. Others will hopefully follow the example.”

Is it important to have a role model – good or bad?
According to Health Guidance, role models are extremely important to us psychologically because they help to guide us through life during our development and to make important decisions that affect the outcome of our lives. “Having the correct role model will ensure that we learn to be successful and adaptive in later life, and that we are happy when we are older having achieved that aim … a good role model should be someone hard working, creative, free thinking and moral.”

Top Role Models: Happiness Weekly’s favourite celebrity women

Oprah Winfrey
29 January 1954
America’s most-loved talk-show host and highest paid celebrity is also a crusader for human rights. Oprah inspires people to live fully and be the best they can be, encourages them to read and changes lives with her generosity. She gets respect without demanding it, she is empathetic and humble, and she asks celebrities the questions we really want to know! Better still, she has a great website, blogs, her own magazine, and has created OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network) sites and social media pages that keeps us updated with her Next Chapter. “The big secret in life is that there is no big secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there if you’re willing to work,” she said.

Jennifer Hawkins
22 December 1983
This Australian beauty was overnight sensation when crowned Miss Universe back in 2004, but Jennifer Hawkins certainly didn’t exit as quickly as she appeared – she is now one of Australia’s hottest exports! It may have started with a few unflattering slips and losing a skirt on the runway, but she has always maintained her dignity. Her achievements include presenting on The Great Outdoors, being the face of Myer and Loveable, and having her own swimwear line, Cozi, and shoe range. A great success, yet she remains realistic and grounded: “I hate the whole tall-poppy syndrome. I don’t want people to think it’s all gone to my head, because it isn’t. That’s why I’m a little bit stressed, because in the back of my head I’m like, ‘When, when, when?’”

Goldie Hawn
21 November 1945
Known for her acting career, Goldie is currently promoting her international best seller and meditation manual: 10 Mindful Minutes. She’s won an Oscar Award, a People’s Choice Award and a Golden Grammy Award and raised two children (one being actress Kate Hudson), and with her experience, Goldie brings a cool feminist attitude and a wealth of inspiring knowledge: “Once you can laugh at your own weaknesses, you can move forward. Comedy breaks down walls. It opens up people. If you’re good, you can fill up those openings with something positive,” she said. “The only thing that will make you happy is being happy with who you are, and not who people think you are.”

Tyra Banks
4 December 1973
From the runway to the stage as a talk-show host, Tyra has become an ambassador for self-esteem and body image. There is no doubt this supermodel is successful with a big list of achievements: she was the first black model on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit at the age of 23, she then made a transition into television and film, published a book: Tyra’s Beauty Inside and Out and eventually had her own successful talk show – the Tyra Banks Show – which she used as a forum to discuss body image, bullying and self-esteem. Her success is owed to being in a league of her own: “I’m competitive with myself. I always try to push past my own borders,” she said.

Miranda Kerr
20 April 1983
Not just a pretty face, this top Victoria’s Secret Angel model studied nutrition and psychology before putting her full focus into modelling. Another Australian stunner, Miranda won a model competition in Dolly Magazine in 1997 when her career began. She was one of the first models to promote proper nutrition and exercise as a way of maintaining her beauty: following an organic diet and practising yoga daily. Miranda also promotes happiness, often talking about the importance of a healthy diet, regular exercise and a positive attitude contributing to being a successful person. “When you are healthy you look your best, and in modelling when you look and feel your best, you get the best results,” she said.

Martha Stewart
3 August 1941
An ambassador for change, Martha has appeared successful in every career move she’s made. She started out in television and modelling, then worked as a stockbroker (one of the first women to enter this field), then she began a catering business which inspired her to write a cookbook, followed by writing starting a magazine: Martha Stewart Living, starting a television show based on the magazine… “My new motto is: When you’re through changing, you’re through,” she said. Although there have been a few ups and downs, Martha said her success was driven by her winning attitude: “Without an open-minded mind, you can never be a great success,” she said.

Taylor Swift
13 December 1989
Beautiful, fresh-as-a-daisy, dignified and vintage-loving – there is no doubt that Taylor Swift is a great role model for the younger generation. Despite earning multi-millions of dollars, this polite country singer is known for her polite, respectful manner and good-girl image – and best of all she has stayed true to herself. Taylor has been nominated for 162 awards and won 113 of them, she was the youngest musician to win the Entertainer of the Year award at the 43rd Annual Country Music Association Awards. Here’s Taylor’s thoughts on being a role model: “I think it’s my responsibility to know it and to be conscious of it … The truth of it is that every singer out there with songs on the radio is raising the next generation”.

Dame Judi Dench
9 December 1934
They say Hollywood has an age limit for success, particularly for its actresses, but Judi is still going strong, in November 2011 she was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by Harper’s Bazaar Magazine. She started acting in a television series Hilda Lessways in 1959 – at 25 years old – and according to IMDB, still has some appearances scheduled ahead of her in 2013, Judi made her debut as a director in 1988 for several stage shows. At 78 years old, she suffers from macular degeneration, an eye disease that is treated with injections into the eye. Although her vision is impaired, she gets someone to read scripts to her and continues memorising her lines and working. “I think you should take your job seriously, but not yourself – that is the best combination,” she said.

Dakota Fanning
23 February 1994
Although young, this gorgeous teen has already acted with Hollywood’s hottest A-list celebrities including Tom Cruise, Brittany Murphy, Sean Penn and Denzil Washington. She learned to read at age two, began acting at age five, and she ranked number 14 on the Forbes List of The 20 Top-Earning Young Superstars in 2007 but still went on to graduate high school in June 2011 and go on to study at New York University. “I think that when you’re in the public eye, you automatically become a role model, because people are reading about you and looking at pictures of stuff you’ve done. But, you know, no one’s perfect, everyone makes mistakes. I have made mistakes and I will make mistakes. I’m only human,” she said.

Meryl Streep
22 June 1949
Known to be one of the most talented actors of all time, she has been nominated 17 times for Academy Awards and won three. The perfectionist says her success is owed to preparation for her roles, she is known for her ability to master almost any accent. Meryl has been married to Don Gummer for 34 years and raised four down-to-earth children. At 62 years old, she modelled for her first Vogue cover making her the oldest cover girl in the magazine’s history! “It is not a simple job to be a role model. It is not just being endlessly compassionate, polite, and well groomed. It’s equal parts being who you actually are, and what people hope you will be. It’s representing for all women to be our best selves,” she said.

Jessica Alba
28 April 1981
There’s no doubt this sporty health-freak is a great role model for all women. Jessica admits to cooking for herself from the age of 12 because she didn’t want to end up as overweight as her family. In 2001, Alba was ranked No. 1 on Maxim magazine’s Hot 100 list. She married Cash Warren in 2008 and has two children: Honor Marie and Haven Garner. In August 2005, Jessica hosted the BeMoreYou.com retreat in Los Angeles, which aimed to empower and improve the self-image of teenage girls. “It’s not about being skinny by any means. It’s about being healthy, loving yourself. It’s about being proud of who you are and proud of how God put you together,” she said.

Ellen DeGeneres
26 January 1958
Ellen is the world’s most famous lesbian (she came out about her sexual orientation in 1997) and inspirational for her persistence. Initially the Ellen Show failed with poor ratings! Now Ellen is a talk show host (same show, different time-slot) and is a strong campaigner for equal rights and anti-bullying with her “Be Kind” campaign. In 1982 she was voted the funniest person in America, and in 1991 she won the Best Female Club Stand-Up at the Comedy Awards. In August 2008, Ellen married successful Australian actress Portia De Rossi. “Follow your passion. Stay true to yourself. Never follow someone else’s path unless you’re in the woods and you’re lost and you see a path. By all means, you should follow that,” Ellen said during her Tulane Commencement Speech in 2009.

Rachel McAdams
17 November 1978
We all fell in love with Rachel after her stunning performance in The Notebook: her smile is confident but not cocky, she’s classy, dignified and easy to identify with. In 2005, Rachel ranked #14 on the Maxim magazine Hot 100 Women list. While she knows how to drive (learning after a bike accident), in a bid to conserve energy she refuses to own a car opting to ride a bicycle or take public transport instead – further to this, she was a co-founder of http://www.greenissexy.org, a website which helps raise awareness about the environment. “I’ve sort of heard that “it” girl thing, but not really. Hearing it from a few people doesn’t solidify it in my mind and I wouldn’t know how to solidify that title. It’s so elusive and what does it mean, I don’t know?”

Jennifer Connelly
12 December 1970
This natural beauty began modelling for print advertisements when she was 10 years old before moving into television commericals. She has since played a variety of roles in successful movies, including A Beautiful Mind which she won an Oscar Award for Best Supporting Actress. Jennifer attended Yale University to study English for a couple of years before moving to Stanford University to study drama and classical theatre. Multilingual, she can speak French and Italian. In November 2005, she became an Amnesty International Ambassador for Human Rights Education, stressing the need for clean water and participating in drilling projects in Africa, India and Central America. “I try to stay focused on my life and do try not to be brought into the Hollywood fantasy.”

There are still many more female role models that deserve to be in this blog including Gwenyth Paltrow, Beyonce Knowles, Meg Ryan, Anne Hathaway, Kate Winslet, Alexis Bledel… this list continues – but I wanted to leave room for discussion. Who are your favourite female celebrity role models and why?