Stylist and founder of Cultura.Moda, Katerina Chekan, has been viewing fashion as a communication tool for over eight years. In an interview with L&rsquo;Officiel Baltic, she shared her thoughts on self-love, acceptance, and inner harmony.

What does self-love mean to you?
Self-love is allowing yourself to pursue your goals without relying on others&rsquo; opinions. There will always be someone who says I won&rsquo;t succeed or that something isn&rsquo;t meant for me. Staying true to myself&mdash;that&rsquo;s what self-love means. It&rsquo;s about having a well-tuned inner voice.
Fortunately, people today are paying more attention to their mental well-being, learning to listen to themselves rather than conforming to societal norms. Relying on these norms is often meaningless because they differ across cultures and countries. When we move to a new place, we might escape one set of norms only to fall under the influence of another. Our task is to free ourselves from external expectations and seek answers within. In my view, this inner voice is the foundation of self-love.

How did you learn to accept yourself and your weaknesses?
We are born accepting ourselves as we are. As children, we love and wear unusual things without knowing we are supposed to conform. Only later do we learn to imitate others, striving to fit in, and that&rsquo;s when we start feeling &ldquo;wrong.&rdquo;
A major influence on me has been the approach of psychonetics, which I deeply study and integrate into my life and work with clients. This approach helps to understand that we are inherently &ldquo;right,&rdquo; perfect as we are, and there is nothing wrong with us. We need to allow ourselves and others to be who we are&mdash;to observe, to appreciate, but not to imitate someone else&rsquo;s experience.
Many people try to accept themselves through external means. Yes, fashion makes life more beautiful, but it is only an addition. If you don&rsquo;t love and accept yourself internally, new clothes will bring only temporary joy, followed by dissatisfaction. It&rsquo;s essential to acknowledge the mental aspect and learn to accept yourself without comparing to others. This requires inner discipline and effort to free yourself from envy, negativity, and constant comparison.

What small rituals help you stay in harmony with yourself?
For me, being in harmony means recognizing my needs and giving myself what I require&mdash;a pause when I feel tired or motivation when I have a busy day ahead.
One exercise I do daily while getting ready in the morning is asking myself two questions: &ldquo;How do I feel today?&rdquo; and &ldquo;What do I need?&rdquo; These questions help me understand my mood and needs for the day. For example, if I feel exhausted, I choose soft, comfortable fabrics and calming colors in my outfit. If I need inspiration and energy, I wear something bright or structured to support my inner state.
I recommend this exercise to my students and clients. It helps develop a better understanding of personal patterns, prevents ignoring inner feelings, and provides the necessary support.

How does self-love manifest in your life?
My self-love manifests through love for my close ones, clients, and students. Loving yourself means sharing that love with others. Helping people inspires me and gives me a sense of purpose.
If a friend calls asking for help, I always find time to support them. For me, self-love is about not judging others, not wasting energy on unnecessary thoughts, and not trying to decide how someone else should act. This brings freedom and inner harmony.

How do you restore your inner balance when you feel disconnected from yourself?
Spending time in nature is incredibly inspiring for me. Although I love city life, I sometimes need to escape&mdash;to rent a cabin by the sea or in the forest, go to the sauna, disconnect from social media, and fully recharge.
Modern life is overflowing with information. Sometimes, we need to pause, reassess our direction, and remind ourselves of what truly matters.
Another way I maintain balance is by minimizing time on social media. I limit my content to what inspires me, which helps me stay grounded and connected to myself.

When you realize you&rsquo;ve neglected yourself, what helps you start caring for yourself again?
One of my regular practices is disconnecting from social media on weekends. On such days, I enjoy being at home in silence, reading books, and cooking. The process becomes meditative&mdash;chopping vegetables, preparing simple meals&mdash;all of this helps me focus on the present moment and restore my inner energy.
Interestingly, I rarely cook during the week, preferring to delegate this task. But on weekends, cooking becomes an act of self-care and a way to nurture my loved ones.

How do you balance self-care with societal or external expectations?
I freed myself from external opinions and expectations long ago. For example, society assumes that a successful person must wake up at 7 AM and start working immediately. But I&rsquo;ve realized that early mornings don&rsquo;t suit me.
Now, my mornings are slow: I have breakfast, drink coffee, read, and only then start my workday. At the same time, my work schedule is intense&mdash;up to 10 hours a day. But this is a rhythm I have chosen for myself, and it brings me joy.

What do you consider an important step toward self-acceptance?
Self-acceptance is not a process but a decision we can make. But to make that decision, we must first become aware of our inner processes. You can spend a lifetime trying to accept different aspects of yourself, but the key is realizing that you are already whole.
Your environment and community play a crucial role in this. If you surround yourself with people who value themselves and their time and share your values, you naturally learn from them. This community can take many forms&mdash;friends, women&rsquo;s circles, lectures, brunches&mdash;anything that resonates with you.

What moments in your life do you consider true acts of self-love?
One of those moments was the decision to leave traditional employment. This allowed me to create my own schedule, do what I love, and work on my own terms.
Another act of self-love was how I approach travel. I used to rush to see everything and fit as much as possible into my trips. Now, I see travel as an opportunity to slow down, listen to myself, and enjoy the experience. Instead of following a checklist of &ldquo;must-visit&rdquo; places, I prefer to immerse myself in the atmosphere of a city, explore museums and local brands. This approach brings me true happiness and harmony.
@<a href="https://www.instagram.com/kate.chekan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">kate.chekan</a>

Katerina Chekan: Self-Love Is About Listening to Your Inner Voice

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