November 09, 2020
For his week’s Bouguessa Voice, we speak to yoga teacher, architect and artist Anoud Alzaben about dedicating time to grow, self care and how to create a striking flower arrangement at home
You are a woman of many different careers and interests, which is admirable. What is your secret to unlocking the unlimited potential within you? And, do you have bad days like us?
The world constantly tries to force you to categorize yourself, a mother, an architect, a fitness instructor or some other boundary defined by skills and job requirements. I consciously made the decision early on not to adhere to any of these definitions. It wasn’t easy as people keep asking the classic party question “what do you do?” You have to resist the pressure and continue to nurture the positive voice inside you by dedicating time to grow the different parts within yourself. Whenever you have an idea, action it as soon as possible, this way you don’t let self-doubt and preconceived notions define what you should and shouldn’t do. I definitely have bad days, but that’s not important, as long as you know that they are temporary.
Can you show us a simple but striking flower arrangement we can do at home?
This arrangement has strong visual rhythm, a repetition of elements at different scales. This creates drama and harmony all at once.
What are the benefits of incorporating yoga in to your daily routine?
I’m a fan of mixing different training philosophies and yoga complements other types of exercises that I do. It helps me with recovery and keeps me fluid. It is also a great time to think and nurture proprioception.
What do you do for selfcare?
To me, selfcare is about feeling beautiful, inside and out, and that can come through anything I do. I can feel beautiful while cooking or during my pre-sleep routine. What underpins most selfcare is a state of mindfulness which can make any activity meditative and restorative. In addition, I love to incorporate beautiful objects and tools to help make the mundane and the everyday sensory and special.
