Here are a few things I learned about Ms. Bündchen:
Her dedication to her family is a driving force.
Gisele writes more about her family more than any editor, photographer, or designer she has worked with. She is extremely close to her five sisters and parents.
Her love for her family and children radiate through her words and it is clear that she takes pride in her personal relationships more than anything else.
It was also nice to read about what she considers one of her greatest relationships, the one with her dog, Vida. When Gisele was thousands of miles from her family in Brazil, Vida was her constant companion (and at sometimes co-model).
She attributes her success to discipline, more so than her appearance.
In “Lessons” Gisele writes that she was one of many beautiful girls in the fashion world. She even describes herself as being “unphotogenic.”
When she started modeling as a teenager, she was told that her eyes were too small; her nose was too big, that everything about her was “all wrong.”
The discipline that she learned from her parents allowed her to focus on her goals, more than the criticism. She worked as much and as often as possible and according to her, has never been late to a job.
When she gained success, she refrained from falling into the traps of a sudden rush of income. She even traded her first class airplane tickets for cheaper seats so she could save money to buy an apartment in New York.
Self care also requires discipline.
Gisele has much more resources than the average person, but even she has to work at maintaining her physical and mental health. There are no magic pills or detox regimens listed in this book. Exercise, a healthy diet, yoga, and meditation are part of Gisele’s holistic approach to wellness.
Her advice such as drinking lemon water in the morning and refraining from coffee and sugar are adoptable–with discipline.