Intimen pogovor o identiteti, duševnem počutju, kolumbijskih koreninah, jogi in resničnem pomenu lepote Moda je bila vedno več kot le oblačilo. Je jezik, izraz identitete in vse bolj tudi prostor, v katerem se odpirajo vprašanja lastne vrednosti, duševnega počutja in avtentičnosti. Za Saro Baeni svetovi mode, psihologije, psihoanalize in joge niso ločene discipline, temveč povezani deli širšega razmisleka o tem, kdo smo in kako želimo živeti.

Njena mednarodna kariera jo je popeljala med različne kulture in občinstva, medtem ko ji delo avtorice in ustvarjalke podcasta Psychology Beyond Therapy omogoča, da raziskuje notranji svet z enako radovednostjo, kot jo prinaša v svet mode.

V tem pogovoru govori o tem, kako ostati zvest sebi ob soočanju z različnimi kulturami, o pomenu meja in samospoštovanja, transformativni moči joge ter o tem, kako njena kolumbijska identiteta še naprej oblikuje njeno mednarodno pot.

Predvsem pa razmišlja o definiciji lepote, ki presega popolnost – lepote, utemeljene na prisotnosti, vitalnosti in odnosu, ki ga gradimo sami s seboj.

Delate z zelo različnimi kulturami in občinstvi. Ali način, kako se predstavljate, prilagajate okoliščinam ali vedno ostajate zvesta sebi?

Mislim, da sem bila vedno zelo odprta do različnih kultur. Že od mladosti me je zanimal svet, vedno sem rada brala, se učila in se izpostavljala različnim pogledom.

To me je naučilo, da svojega načina razmišljanja ali izražanja ne omejujem na kulturo ene same države. Seveda se mi zdi pomembno razumeti in spoštovati okoliščine, v katerih se znajdeš, vendar mislim, da to ne pomeni, da moraš spremeniti to, kdo si. Zame gre predvsem za prilagajanje načina komunikacije, pri tem pa ostajanje zvesta svojim vrednotam in identiteti.

Mislim, da sta me prav ta radovednost in odprtost naučili zelo naravno vzpostavljati stik z ljudmi iz zelo različnih okolij, pri tem pa ostajati zvesta sebi.

Vaša knjiga Your Healing Is Your Success povezuje notranje delo z zunanjim uspehom. Menite, da je modna industrija pripravljena na bolj iskren pogovor o duševnem zdravju?

Verjamem, da je, in menim tudi, da je ta pogovor vse bolj potreben.

Moda je industrija, v kateri ima videz seveda pomembno vlogo, vendar živimo tudi v času nenehnega primerjanja, družbenih omrežij in ogromnega pritiska, da moramo navzven ustvarjati podobo popolnosti. To lahko zelo resnično vpliva na samozavest in na način, kako dojemamo lastno vrednost. Tudi sama sem šla skozi proces osebne rasti in zaradi njega se vse bolj zavedam pomena ljubezni do sebe, skrbi zase in razvijanja identitete, ki sega veliko globlje od videza.

Seveda bodo modne znamke vedno iskale določene fizične značilnosti – to je del industrije. Toda mislim, da cenjenje lepote in skrb za duševno dobro počutje nista nujno v nasprotju.

Prav to je nekaj, kar želim vnesti tudi v svoje delo. S svojim znanjem psihologije in psihoanalize ter prakso joge želim, da me ljudje ne vidijo le kot nekoga, povezanega z modo, temveč tudi kot osebo, ki spodbuja bolj zdrav pogovor o lastni vrednosti in duševnem počutju. Zame pravi uspeh ni samo v tem, kako te vidi svet; gre tudi za odnos, ki ga imaš do sebe.

Vaš podcast Psychology Beyond Therapy čustveno inteligenco približuje širšemu občinstvu. Kateri je tisti pogovor, za katerega menite, da se ga ljudje najbolj bojijo začeti, čeprav ga nujno potrebujejo?

Mislim, da je eden najtežjih pogovorov tisti, ki ga moramo imeti sami s seboj o mejah in samospoštovanju.

Mnogi ljudje prenašajo situacije, zaradi katerih se počutijo neprijetno, odlašajo s postavljanjem meja ali nenehno postavljajo svoje potrebe na zadnje mesto, ker se bojijo razočarati druge ali izgubiti njihovo odobravanje.

Živimo v svetu, v katerem lahko zunanja potrditev postane izjemno močna. Včasih sprejemamo odločitve na podlagi tega, kaj drugi pričakujejo od nas, kako želimo biti videti v njihovih očeh ali celo na podlagi površinskih predstav o uspehu, namesto da bi se vprašali, kaj nas v resnici izpolnjuje. Težava je, da lahko ti vzorci postanejo neskončni krogi, če jih nikoli ne zmoremo pogumno preučiti. Postavljanje meja ne pomeni, da postanemo sebični ali se odmaknemo od drugih. Pomeni razumeti, da skrb za druge ne bi smela zahtevati, da pri tem zapustimo sami sebe.

Verjamem, da so soočanje z neprijetnimi resničnostmi, pogovor o njih in prevzem odgovornosti za spremembo tistega, kar za nas ni več zdravo, bistveni deli čustvenega razvoja. Ti pogovori so lahko težki, toda zelo pogosto so prav tisti, ki lahko spremenijo smer našega življenja.

Pogosto govorite o upočasnitvi, tišini in zavestnem načinu življenja. Je bil v vašem življenju določen trenutek, ko ste spoznali, da morate živeti drugače?

V nekem obdobju svojega življenja sem se soočala s tesnobo in občutkom, da sem nekoliko izgubila stik sama s seboj. Takrat me je naravno pritegnila joga.

Začela sem obiskovati ure, ne da bi zares vedela, kako pomembna bo ta praksa nekoč postala v mojem življenju. Kar se je začelo preprosto kot radovednost, je postopoma preraslo v veliko globlje potovanje. Z leti redne prakse je joga spremenila moj pogled na življenje in moj odnos do sebe. Naučila me je samozavedanja, sočutja do sebe, potrpežljivosti in, morda najpomembneje, spoštovanja procesa namesto nenehnega osredotočanja na rezultat.

Verjamem, da tisto, kar vadimo na blazini, sčasoma postane del našega načina življenja. Pri jogi se naučiš, da vsega ne moreš izsiliti. Nekatere stvari zahtevajo disciplino, druge potrpežljivost, včasih pa se moraš preprosto prepustiti in dovoliti procesu, da se odvije.

Enako velja za življenje. Joga ima zame tudi zelo pomembno duhovno razsežnost. Verjamem, da vsi nosimo v sebi božansko energijo in da lahko skozi prakso postanemo bolj povezani s to energijo in s svojim globljim jazom.

Ta povezanost mi je pomagala, da se številnih področij svojega življenja lotevam z več zavedanja, potrpežljivosti in namere.

Kako vaša kolumbijska identiteta vpliva na vaš pristop k mednarodni karieri?

To, da sem Kolumbijka, je pomemben del tega, kdo sem in od kod prihajam. Rodila in odraščala sem v Kolumbiji in mislim, da so toplina, odpornost ter močan občutek človeške povezanosti značilnosti naše kulture, ki jih naravno nosim s seboj, kamor koli grem. Hkrati me je svet vedno zelo zanimal. Rada se učim od različnih kultur, potujem in se povezujem z ljudmi, katerih ozadje je lahko popolnoma drugačno od mojega.

Zato svoje kolumbijske identitete ne vidim kot nekaj, kar določa meje tega, kdo sem, temveč kot temelj, iz katerega sem lahko raziskovala svet.

Zelo ponosna sem tudi, da lahko na mednarodni ravni predstavljam kolumbijsko žensko na način, ki odraža več kot le fizično lepoto. Skozi modo, psihologijo, pisanje in jogo želim pokazati žensko, ki je lahko ženstvena in ambiciozna, a hkrati premišljena, disciplinirana in povezana s svojim notranjim svetom. Zame mednarodna kariera ne pomeni, da pustim svoje korenine za seboj. Pomeni, da jih nosim s seboj, medtem ko še naprej rastem in se razvijam.

Rekli ste, da je lepota manj povezana s popolnostjo in bolj s »prisotnostjo«. Kaj vam pomeni prisotnost?

Zame se prisotnost začne z globoko povezanostjo s samim seboj.

Ko razviješ to povezanost, se naravno bolj zavedaš, kako skrbiš za svoje telo, um, navade in svojo energijo. Verjamem, da obstaja povezava med notranjim počutjem in tem, kako se pojavljamo v svetu. Zdravje ustvarja vitalnost, vitalnost pa ima svojo posebno vrsto lepote. Ko se človek počuti fizično in čustveno dobro, se pogosto pojavijo energija, samozavest in živost, ki jih preprosto ni mogoče ustvariti samo z videzom.

Zame ima prisotnost tudi duhovno razsežnost. Pomeni ostati odprt za svoj višji jaz in razvijati globljo raven zavesti.Bolj ko sem povezana s tem delom sebe, bolj zavestno živim in skrbim zase.

 Tako notranja kot zunanja lepota zahtevata nenehno delo. Bližnjic ni. To je nekaj, kar skozi čas razvijamo s svojimi navadami, mislimi, odnosom do telesa in odnosom, ki ga gradimo sami s seboj.

To je zame prisotnost: ko se začnejo fizično počutje, notranji svet in energija med seboj usklajevati. Lepota takrat postane manj povezana s prizadevanjem, da bi bili videti popolni, in bolj s tem, da dovolimo, da se pokaže naša vitalnost.

Kaj z vidika psihologije način oblačenja razkriva o nas?

Verjamem, da je način oblačenja lahko zelo močna oblika neverbalne komunikacije.

Še preden spregovorimo, ljudje o nas dobijo vizualni vtis, zato oblačila neizogibno postanejo del sporočila, ki ga predstavljamo svetu. Zame dobro oblačenje ne pomeni ogromne garderobe ali nenehnega sledenja trendom.

Pravzaprav imam raje nekaj dobro izbranih kosov, ki jih lahko kombiniram na različne načine, razumem, katere barve in silhuete mi pristajajo, ter vem, kako se primerno obleči za različne situacije.

Mislim, da je v preprostosti, kadar je premišljena, nekaj zelo elegantnega. S psihološkega vidika so lahko oblačila povezana tudi z identiteto, razpoloženjem, samozavestjo in izražanjem sebe.

To, kar nosimo, lahko vpliva ne samo na to, kako nas vidijo drugi, ampak tudi na to, kako se počutimo, ko vstopimo v prostor.

Sama skrb za videz vidim kot eno od oblik skrbi zase. Ko se oblačimo premišljeno, lahko s tem sporočamo: pomembno mi je, kako se predstavljam, razumem okolje, v katerega vstopam, in želim, da zunanjost odraža nekaj tega, kar sem znotraj.

Navsezadnje mi moda postane veliko bolj zanimiva, ko preseže samo oblačila. Postane še en jezik, skozi katerega lahko izrazimo, kdo smo.

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BEYOND BEAUTY: WHERE FASHION MEETS PSYCHOLOGY, WELLNESS AND SELF-AWARENESS

An intimate conversation about identity, mental wellbeing, Colombian roots, yoga and the meaning of true beauty Fashion has always been about more than clothes. It is a language, a form of identity and, increasingly, a space in which questions of self-worth, mental wellbeing and authenticity are being explored. For Sara Baena, the worlds of fashion, psychology, psychoanalysis and yoga are not separate disciplines but interconnected parts of a much larger conversation about who we are and how we choose to live.

Her international career has taken her across cultures and audiences, while her work as an author and the creator of the podcast Psychology Beyond Therapy has allowed her to explore the inner world with the same curiosity she brings to fashion.

In this conversation, she speaks about remaining authentic while navigating different cultures, the importance of boundaries and self-respect, the transformative power of yoga, and how her Colombian identity continues to shape her international journey.

Above all, she reflects on a definition of beauty that goes beyond perfection – one rooted in presence, vitality and the relationship we build with ourselves.

You work with very different cultures and audiences. Does the way you present yourself change depending on the context, or do you always stay true to yourself?

I think I have always been very open to different cultures. Since I was young, I’ve been curious about the world, and I’ve always enjoyed reading, learning and exposing myself to different perspectives.

That has taught me not to limit the way I think or express myself to the culture of one particular country. Of course, I believe it’s important to understand and respect the context you’re in, but I don’t think that requires changing who you are. For me, it’s more about adapting the way you communicate while staying consistent with your values and your identity.

I think that curiosity and openness have made it very natural for me to connect with people from very different backgrounds while still remaining true to myself.

Your book Your Healing Is Your Success connects inner work with outer success. Do you think the fashion industry is ready to have a more honest conversation about mental health?

I believe it is, and I also think that conversation is increasingly necessary. Fashion is an industry where appearance naturally plays an important role, but we also live in a time of constant comparison, social media and enormous pressure to project perfection. That can have a very real impact on self-esteem and the way we perceive our own worth.

I’ve gone through my own process of personal growth, and it has made me increasingly aware of the importance of self-love, self-care and developing an identity that goes much deeper than appearance.

Of course, fashion brands will always look for certain physical characteristics – that is part of the industry. But I don’t think appreciating beauty and promoting mental wellbeing have to contradict each other. That is actually something I want to bring into my own work. Through my background in psychology and psychoanalysis, as well as my practice of yoga, I hope people can see me not only as someone connected to fashion, but also as someone who encourages a healthier conversation about self-worth and mental wellbeing.

To me, real success is not only about how the world sees you; it is also about the relationship you have with yourself.

Your podcast Psychology Beyond Therapy makes emotional intelligence accessible to a wider audience. What is the one conversation you feel people are most afraid to start but desperately need?

I think one of the most difficult conversations is the one we need to have with ourselves about boundaries and self-respect. Many people tolerate situations that make them uncomfortable, postpone setting boundaries, or continually put their own needs last because they are afraid of disappointing others or losing their approval.

We live in a world where external validation can become incredibly powerful. Sometimes we make decisions based on what other people expect from us, how we want to be perceived, or even superficial ideas of success, rather than asking ourselves what genuinely makes us feel fulfilled.

The problem is that these patterns can become endless cycles if we never have the courage to examine them. Setting boundaries is not about becoming selfish or disconnected from others; it is about understanding that caring for other people should not require abandoning yourself. I believe facing uncomfortable realities, talking about them and taking responsibility for changing what is no longer healthy for us are essential parts of emotional growth.

Those conversations may be difficult, but very often they are precisely the conversations that can change the direction of our lives.

You often talk about slowing down, silence and intentional living. Was there a specific moment when you realized you needed to live differently?

There was a period in my life when I was dealing with anxiety and feeling somewhat disconnected from myself. Around that time, I felt naturally drawn to yoga.

I started taking classes without really knowing how important the practice would eventually become in my life.

What began simply as curiosity gradually became a much deeper journey. Through consistent practice over the years, yoga changed the way I see life and the way I relate to myself. It has taught me self-awareness, self-compassion, patience and, perhaps most importantly, how to respect the process instead of constantly focusing on the result. I believe what we practice on the mat eventually becomes part of how we live.

In yoga, you learn that you cannot force everything; some things require discipline, others require patience, and sometimes you simply have to surrender and allow the process to unfold.

The same is true in life. There is also a spiritual dimension to yoga that is very important to me. I believe we all carry a divine energy within us, and through the practice I feel that we can become more connected to that energy and to our deeper selves. That connection has helped me approach many areas of my life with greater awareness, patience and intention.

How does your Colombian identity influence the way you approach your international career?

Being Colombian is an important part of who I am and where I come from.

I was born and raised in Colombia, and I think there is a warmth, resilience and strong sense of human connection in our culture that I naturally carry with me wherever I go.

At the same time, I have always been very curious about the world. I love learning from different cultures, traveling and connecting with people whose backgrounds may be completely different from mine. So I don’t see my Colombian identity as something that defines the limits of who I am, but rather as the foundation from which I have been able to explore the world. I’m also very proud to represent a Colombian woman internationally in a way that reflects more than physical beauty.

Through fashion, psychology, writing and yoga, I want to show a woman who can be feminine and ambitious, but also thoughtful, disciplined and connected to her inner world. For me, having an international career doesn’t mean leaving my roots behind. It means carrying them with me while continuing to evolve.

You’ve said that beauty is less about perfection and more about “presence.” What does presence mean to you?

To me, presence begins with being deeply connected to yourself.

When you develop that connection, you naturally become more conscious of how you care for your body, your mind, your habits and your energy.

I believe there is a relationship between inner wellbeing and the way we appear in the world. Health creates vitality, and vitality has its own kind of beauty. When someone feels physically and emotionally well, there is often an energy, confidence and aliveness that cannot simply be created through appearance alone. For me, there is also a spiritual dimension to presence. It means remaining open to your higher self and cultivating a deeper level of consciousness.

The more connected I feel to that part of myself, the more intentional I become about the way I live and take care of myself.

Both inner and outer beauty require consistent work. There is no shortcut. It is something we cultivate over time through our habits, our thoughts, the way we treat our bodies and the relationship we build with ourselves. That is what presence means to me: when your physical wellbeing, your inner world and your energy begin to feel aligned.

Beauty then becomes less about trying to look perfect and more about allowing your vitality to be seen.

From a psychological perspective, what does the way we dress reveal about us?

I believe the way we dress can be a very powerful form of nonverbal communication.

Before we even speak, people receive a visual impression of us, so clothing inevitably becomes part of the message we present to the world. For me, dressing well is not about having an enormous wardrobe or constantly following trends.

I actually prefer having well-chosen pieces that I can combine in different ways, understanding which colours and silhouettes work for me, and knowing how to dress appropriately for different situations. I think there is something very elegant about simplicity when it is intentional.

From a psychological perspective, clothing can also be connected to identity, mood, confidence and self-expression.

What we wear can influence not only how others perceive us, but also how we feel when we enter a room. I personally see taking care of my appearance as one expression of self-care.

Choosing what you wear with intention can be a way of saying: I care about how I present myself, I understand the environment I am entering, and I want the outside to reflect something of who I am on the inside. Ultimately, fashion becomes much more interesting to me when it goes beyond clothing.

It becomes another language through which we can express who we are.

Model: Sara Baena @sarafashionmodel
Fotografije: Jaime Hernandez @jahdesigner in Cristina Jaramillo @crissjaramillo_photography
Ličenje: Dora Nunes @doranunesbeauty
Produkcija: Olga Ivanova @olgaivvanovva