PUBLISHER'S NOTE
WORK IS FUN!
I
f you had told me a decade ago
that after years of searching and
reflecting, I would finally find my
passion and have a profession
that didn’t feel like work, I would
have probably rolled my eyes.
Ten years ago, I was in transition,
newly divorced with two children, six
months into running my own public
relations business. And yes, I was on
the struggle bus - physically, mentally,
emotionally and financially - that
perpetual spot in life when you feel a
deep sense of frustration, knowing that
you are destined for something great, but
unsure about what it is, and certainly no
clue as to how it was going to happen.
Well, I found that sweet spot, the
space and place in life when I finally feel
in harmony with my life’s destiny. How
did that happen? To be honest, I just let
life lead the way, and I did my part to
make the way easier, with lots of luck in
the process. Oprah calls it “preparation
meets opportunity.”
We are at that mid-point of the year
when we wonder as we enjoy the last
weeks of summer if the first half has been
meaningful. Let me recap the first half of
this year of my life and work with a few
highlights: I moved into a new home that
was still stuck in the 1970s, but what
an opportunity to create something special. I joined several amazing
women on the cover of Gazelle’s March edition to share our #MeToo
stories and help make a difference, and as a result, Webster University
hosted a screening of the #MeToo film produced by our video sector,
Gazelle Life TV. I spoke about my experience, along with three other
ladies, at the nonprofit Safe Connections’ annual brunch at The Ritz-
Carlton, St. Louis; I met with Marian Middle School to chat about ways
to create something special surrounding girl empowerment; I met with
the nonprofit, Angel Band Project, to hear about how they are working
with survivors of sexual violence. And that is just the beginning.
In May, talk show host and national
commentator Areva Martin stopped by
the Gazelle office for a candid interview
that will air in the coming months; I
was offered a walk-on role in the July 20
production of “Girls Night the Musical”
at Westport Playhouse; I was asked to
be a celebrity waiter for Crisis Nursery’s
Celebrity Waiter Night in August, and
I signed up to be a contestant for the
nonprofit Springboard to Learning’s
2nd Annual Lip Sync Battle, taking place
on Oct. 5.
In the realm of fashion, I loved
attending luxury designer Marco Bicego’s
personal appearance event at Simons
Jewelers. That was special! He was so
cordial, and signed the necklace I bought.
To top off the first half of the year, I was
delighted to have an opportunity to
feature NHL wife Yana Tarasenko in the
pages of Gazelle magazine. We arrived
with a photography and video crew, a bit
of an intrusion for the low-key celebrity
family, but they were so gracious! It is
not every day that you are served water
by Vladimir Tarasenko, one of the top
hockey players of all time.
Suffice to say, this year’s first six
Cillah Hall
and Yana
months have been amazing and
Tarasenko
incredibly busy. But you know what?
None of this feels like work. It feels like
life lived under one’s own terms. Everything of significance I do today
is because I want to do it. I did the prep work, and now, surrounded and
supported by an amazingly talented and experienced team, I am taking
the opportunities and this amazing lifestyle brand called Gazelle along
with me. Or is it the other way around? Either way, this is one venture
I am proud and excited to be a part of. I hope you stay with us for the
long adventure-filled ride.
Cillah Hall
Founder and Publisher
[email protected]
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GAZELLE