Braavhearts
#Braavheart: Justine Kegels
Meet our next braavheart Justine Kegels. Her exceptional eye for aesthetics and her classy translation of her passions: interior, art, music, beauty & brains makes her one hell of an inspiring women.
1. First of all, can you describe yourself and what you do in a few sentences as an introduction?
I’m a creative from Antwerp, active as an in interior architect.
They also call me a “centipede" as I have a lot of interest. Name a creative field and I will have probably tried to practice it.
I’m not saying I’m good in all of these fields but I’m always triggered by new ways of being creative.
I do believe strongly that there isn’t something you can not do, if you want it bad enough.
2. Do you have a life motto?
“Create an artwork to live in” are words I try to live by everyday.There’s so much beauty in every corner. Use your senses and take it all in.
3. How do you manage to maintain a healthy work/life balance?
This is a tricky one. Most of the things I do for a living are my passion.
I think it is very important to have physical boundaries. By this I mean to have a space to create and work, and a space to live and be you.
This I realized when we were in lockdown. I was so tense by knowing my laptop was only a staircase and door away, waiting for me to reply on e-mails.
I must say that I love the routine of getting up in the morning and actually go to work. I always try to go home with a good feeling. And by a good feeling I do mean that you have to tick all the boxes on your TO-DO list of that day. Otherwise you will take it home, which messes up my work-life/balance. ;-)
4. What is the ultimate relaxation for you?
I have a few:
- A good sweaty work-out followed by a hot bath with lavender oil before I go to bed.
- A good dance out and acting like a 15 year old.
- Watching the sea
5. What brings you peace after a hectic day?
A 20 min power nap and a lot of cuddles with my boyfriend. Nothing makes me feel more safe. (Cheeeeesy but so true, who can relate?)
6.What are your professional objectives for the future?
I would like to grow more in all that I do right now. There’s still a lot to learn and I’m still young. I would love to expand The Eclectic Club.
Knowing that I need this variety of jobs in my life. I said earlier that I love routine, but not meaning the content that I’m working on. This has to change as quick as possible.
It keeps you alert and inspired every time you apply to a new projects, you have this feeling to start over and find new sources of inspiration, another challenge. I adore this feeling.
What I do want to achieve with The Eclectic Club is to offer a full package of creative services. As an interior architect I know how hard it is to find and employ good ‘workers’ in construction, ones you can trust and literally build on. I have so many talented people around me who are evolving superstars. We could only bundle these forces and take over the world no? ;-)
7. How do you combine this with your private life?
I have a long distance relationship which helps us both work very hard when we are apart so we can enjoy the times we spend together even more.
8. If you could give a 1 (ultimate) tip to other ambitious women, what would it be?
I’m still learning everyday. But what my boyfriend taught me last year helped me a lot. I struggled a lot with criticism, took everything very personally. He made me realise that your work isn’t necessarily your personality. You have to try to seperate these two at all cost.
When you have a bad day or delivered work that wasn’t good enough. Then this doesn’t mean that YOU are not good enough as a person.
At the end of the day you are still you, even when you didn’t make it to a deadline (and probably had a good reason for it).
9. Which book do you think is an absolute must-read for our braavheart community?
"If our bodies could talk." If you want to understand the strange workings of the human body, and the future of medicine, you must read If our bodies could talk by James Hamblin. It’s a funny engaging book, full of crazy facts. Another one is the The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle. But I do hope everyone has read it by now!
10. Who do you think should not be missing from our #Braavhearts section?
One of my best friends Paulien Riemis.
She taught me so much.
