Anne Helen Petersen

Bottom line: eyeliner as an act of ritual opens us up to a layered exploration of themes related to identity, empowerment, symbolism, self-care, artistic expression, and community. It encourages a deeper understanding of this pigment's profound impact on an individual's sense of self and connection to the broader world. Like ink, eyeliner delivers so many messages, so applying it with education, awareness and intentionality (and even a little prayer to the beauty gods) is crucial – at least to my mind!

How is it, at age 41, that I feel like my body can do more — and that I can take more joy in it — than ever before? I’m not faster, but I’m more resilient. I’m not doing as many overall miles, but I feel stronger. I love it more, and more feels possible. Sure, my knees are slightly more creaky, and I have to be keenly attentive to stretching and Theragunning and hydrating in a way I never was before. But exercise just generally no longer feels punitive or disciplinary. Instead, I feel something far more akin to curiosity. If part of me feels weak or tweaky, what’s struggling in other parts of my body and needs strengthening? And if I’m attentive to my body, if I’m legitimately kind to it, can it do more than I thought it could?