By: Erika Smith
A strong foundation of personal values serves as an internal compass for women, guiding them toward a life of purpose and fulfilment. These values, whether independence, honesty, or compassion, define what truly matters and motivates them. By understanding and prioritizing these core beliefs, women can make decisions that align with their vision rather than succumbing to external pressures or societal expectations.
When fashion model and influencer Dhana Bunel felt she was losing herself to social pressure and unrealistic expectations about motherhood, she decided to reinvent herself and reignite her passion for activities she used to love.
Dhana leveraged her modelling experience and unique fashion sense, transforming her Instagram account into a platform to share her style ideas for other women to draw inspiration from. But fashion ideas weren’t the only insights Dhana’s audiences found valuable.
She used her carefully curated outfits as symbols of strength, compassion, and self-love–things that many women, especially mothers, want to achieve. Immense social pressure to raise well-rounded kids, unrealistic expectations to maintain a specific body type, look after themselves, their husbands, and their children, and have a successful career, are among the many daunting standards that women feel the need to live up to. Dhana experienced this all firsthand, making her a well-rounded influencer that the public often relates to.
Dhana’s road to becoming the woman she is now wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. Nonetheless, she saw these experiences as lessons and the ideal opportunity to practice the values she learned along the way.
One value she took to heart is resilience. Dhana felt like she lost a significant part of herself professionally when she gave up her career to look after her precious son. Even though she was happy for the opportunity to look after her child, she doubted herself and her maternal instincts because the pressures surrounding motherhood caught up to her. But when she made her Instagram account public in January 2022, she had to learn to love herself and her body again. It wasn’t easy, but knowing that there is a community that draws inspiration from her strength made it impossible to turn back.
She continuously practices resilience and promotes a similar message to her community.
“Do it anyway, especially if you are scared. That only means you are leaving your comfort zone and doing something different. And, of course, it’s not hard because it is hard. It’s hard because no one has done it before you. You are opening a new path, so continue no matter what,” Dhana said.
Another value she holds in high regard is accountability. Dhana believes that for women like her to succeed in life, they must take the necessary steps toward progress. But when things don’t go as planned, they should acknowledge that it was their choice and actions that got them there, and instead of beating themselves down, it should serve as a reminder of how far they’ve come and what mistakes they should avoid repeating.
Lastly, Dhana values compassion because it can help build connections between other people. Although she considers it sometimes as a weakness, especially in business, compassion is still something worth giving to people because it could spark a flame that would nudge them in the right direction.
Dhana hopes to continue to be an insightful influencer who leverages her platform to empower women and her community through fashion, entrepreneurship, and more.
“Never give up and believe in your dreams. Be brave and go for it! It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it,” Dhana concluded, hoping that her messages of encouragement and self-love will ignite the flame within more passionate women who want to explore life’s various opportunities.
Published By: Aize Perez
