Samantha Walsh: Founder of The Womanish Project
Why does the word "womanish" exist? All people are different and should not be characterized by simply their gender. The Womanish Project by Samantha Walsh investigates gender and the rules and...
Why does the word "womanish" exist? All people are different and should not be characterized by simply their gender. The Womanish Project by Samantha Walsh investigates gender and the rules and conventions that are attached to the five letter word woman. Read about what inspires Samantha below.
How did you fall upon your career and makes you love what you do?
I've been acting since before I can remember. There's something about stepping into another person's life that I find really exciting. Just getting to know another human on a totally different level. That's also what eventually drew me into photography, writing, painting, and my most recent endeavor: Womanish.
What are you currently most excited about?
Meeting and getting to know new people. Last Summer I realized that I was just running from Point A to Point B. I wasn't seeing what was around me. I wasn't appreciating the moment. I certainly wasn't meeting anyone new. So I decided to shake up my routine a little. Just by doing little things. New exercise classes. Taking different subway lines. Then I started Womanish. Now, on a weekly basis, I sit down and have a long conversation with a stranger. By the end of that conversation, we're not strangers anymore. That's such a beautiful thing.
What would you tell yourself when you were younger?
Don't take yourself too seriously. You spend more time thinking about how other people perceive you than other people actually spend thinking about you. Be a little more risky. Trust yourself. Experiment. Laugh a little more. Go where life takes you. Don't resist the wave- it just makes things more challenging.
Is there something you were self-conscious about when you were younger and have learned to embrace today?
So many things! I used to engage in a lot of negative self talk. Mostly about my body. I was a major perfectionist. Every curve was a fixation for me. I dealt with some pretty bad health problems over the past five years and that journey taught me what the word gratitude meant. I don't think I had ever experienced it in a complete way before. I felt so grateful for my body because it was strong enough to fight through. Our bodies do so much for us and we treat them so poorly. That's a big thing for me now. Body love.
What do you love about lingerie?
What do you love about lingerie?
A good piece of lingerie that fits you and is comfortable can make you feel like you're the most powerful person in the room. That's a big task in NYC when that room can be a subway platform filled with hundreds of people. I think anything that can make you feel a little stronger in your day to day life is a good thing.
Where do you get your inspiration?
I get my inspiration from the world around me. From nature. From strangers walking down the street. From a conversation with a friend. From the moment I hear a great song for the first time. From a really strong breeze on a hot summer's day. I think you can find inspiration anywhere. You just have to look.
