Once upon a dream

Duty makes us do things well, but love makes us do them beautifully." The words of famed motivational speaker Zig Ziglar could well have been alluding to these five ladies whose passion for life has given beauty its extra glow. I am talking about the 106 DREAM FM women: actress Dawn Zulueta-Lagdameo, columnist and supermodel Apples Aberin Sadhwani, soul siren Nina, pediatrician Liaa Cojuangco-Bautista and lawyer Rosella Puno-Mapa. These are women who are already living a dream and yet, have never stopped dreaming.

Apples Aberin Sadhwani for one, despite having been a supermodel and a fashionista, has never stopped growing and is now taking up Interior Design while being a fulltime mom to two kids. Dawn Zulueta is no different, traveling to and from Davao and Manila yet still finding time to do pilates, everyday! And if you think singing is her only hobby, think again. Soul siren Nina does her bead stitching in her leisure hours, if she’s not in a gym "hydrating" her already perfect skin. She may not be a celebrity like her sisters, but Liaa Cojuangco-Bautista is no less a mega star to the kids in her clinic. Likewise, Atty. Sella Puno-Mapa is the epitome of grace-under-pressure in spite of her never easy and always highly adversarial cases.

So what has kept these women on top and intact? Let’s ask.

What keeps you dreaming?

Apples Aberin Sadhwani: It’s the challenge of keeping up with the ever-changing world. Fashion for one thing is so interesting and exhilarating. As a fashion columnist, it’s a challenge to find out what trends suit my readers and me or what’s good for a particular body type or a personality. These things keep me motivated.

Dawn Zulueta: One of my biggest motivations in life is my creativity. I’ve learned that after I’ve semi-retired from doing movies, my creativity really hasn’t stopped. I like to paint, to draw, to use my hands in creating crafts.

Liaa Cojuangco-Bautista: I’ve always like to work with kids and I think that has a lot to do with my motivation to improve on my craft. That is because first, I am a mother, and second a pediatrician.

Nina: My fans keep me motivated. Whenever they approach me and tell me that I am their inspiration, it brightens up my day and it makes me want to work more. My fans make me wanna sing more.

Rosella Puno-Mapa: I wouldn’t have lasted 17 years as a lawyer if I didn’t find fulfillment in my work. And my fulfillment comes from being able to help my clients.

What keeps you intact?

Apples: I use music to relax me. I lead a very busy life so I use music to calm me down. At night, I turn on my radio or put on some music and in the mornings I turn on my radio again to lift me up and put me in a good mood. Music is a mood uplifter for me. I listen to mellow music because I like soothing sounds. I don’t like anything jarring.

Dawn: Music is really one of my first and greatest loves. I’ve been a lover of music, a collector ever since I was about 11 or 12 years old. When I’m at home, especially when I am in the mood for cooking, there is a certain kind of music that I like to listen to. I love jazz, Latin, Cuban, Christmas music and even the old songs of Doris Day.

Liaa: It is music that takes my mind off the stresses of every day life. Its effect is proven to be good, even in an infant’s life. Music is encouraged from the time the baby is conceived, or even while in the womb.

Nina: Sometimes when I am sad, I listen to music and it makes me happy. Sometimes when I am happy and I want to be happier I listen to music also. Music has a big role in my life, aside from it being my bread and butter. Groovy songs and R&B never fail to lift my spirits.

Sella: Stress buster? That has to be music. I find that music relaxes me a lot. Its effect on me is really something I look forward to because it just blocks my mind away from all my worries. But it has to be cool music-I don’t like noise.

Aside from keeping your calm with the help of music, how do you stay beautiful inside and out?

Apples: I think the answer is a balance life, and I balance my life by prioritizing. There are certain thing that have to be done first, and so I’ve to learn to sit back, relax and forget certain unnecessary baggage. It’s clear to me what my priority is and that is my family.

Dawn: I think it matters that you have an inner peace. It’s important for a person to have an estimation of their soul, of their state of life and to have a consciousness of it. Also to have a healthy outlook in everything not just to keep one self healthy physically, but mentally and emotionally as well. It’s important to go for your happiness.

Liaa: I lead a quite routine life- from home to clinic and back. But to keep me healthy, I play badminton with friends. I don’t really go out a lot. I prefer to stay home.

Nina: Lots of moisturizers! (laughs) And if I don’t have a gig, I don’t don makeup. No lipstick, no nothing. I also go to the gym whenever I don’t have a gig. It’s hard to maintain, but it teaches me discipline as well.

Sella: Oh boy. Well, I think what keeps me beautiful inside and out is not taking things too seriously. I realize that being too serious about my work is what will bring wrinkles to my face, or more white hair. But I know already by now how to shut off when I need to shut off and just take things as they are.

What is your message for women out there to be able to achieve their dreams beautifully?

Apples: I guess the best thing I can say to women is not to be afraid to be themselves and to realize that they can achieve whatever they want to do. There’s so many things out there that we can achieve, we shouldn’t be afraid. We should go out there and just do it. All it takes is guts and will power. And if you prepare yourself hard enough, you can do anything!

Dawn: I would advise that women really go for their dreams, go for their happiness and fulfill as much as they can while being single. I am not saying that when you’re married you can’t do that. But there is also so much more that a women can attain, so much in the world to see that maybe if you were married with children you wouldn’t be able to do or be limited in doing. For single women out there, I think they really should go for their dreams and their happiness.

Liaa: Being beautiful on the outside means eating healthy, eating everything in moderation, and getting enough sleep and exercise. Now being beautiful on the inside just means to always have a positive outlook in life, and then to find some means of relaxation in this stressed-out world that we live in. That should bring out the beauty in them.

Sella: My message for working women is not to take their work too seriously. Concentrate on the important things in life and learn how to live within their priorities. This way, I think working won’t be too much of a load to anyone.

Nina: For aspiring singers, my only message is to keep on practicing, keep on singing, and whatever it is that you wanna do, just go for it. Just work hard to achieve it, to attain it. Eventually you’ll get to it. You’ll get to your dream.