Check Out Daniela Leon’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Daniela Leon.

Hi Daniela, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
In order to understand why I started “@Welcome240something” you will have to take a little journey with me through my life experiences that brought me here. We’ll start back at my childhood in the 1970s. For as long as I can remember, I have been obsessed with the beauty of women. The clothes, the hair, the make-up, the jewelry, and the shoes…let’s not forget the shoes! My childhood consisted of watching old movies for hours during the glamour era of such actresses as Sophia Loren, Marilyn Monroe, Esther Williams and so many more. I loved how a woman could express herself in countless ways through clothing and make-up as well as taking careful notice to how these women were treated so special based on their beauty. This obsession with beauty and fashion grew into my teenage years purchasing fashion magazines where I would study the clothes and make-up combing through them for hours. I then began teaching myself how to apply make-up by practicing on myself as well as family members for years through my 20s and 30s as well as going through my mom’s closet creating outfits out of whatever I could piece together.

Fast forward to age 33 when I decided to move from my home in Arizona to New York City. I began working as a Make-Up Artist for Sephora where I received further training through numerous different brands, eventually becoming a Beauty Manager at Sephora as well as Bergdorf Goodmans and Bloomingdales. My journey as a Make-Up Artist allowed me to have personal and transparent conversations with women on a daily basis. These conversations sometimes ended in tears for some women who admitted, “I don’t even look at myself in the mirror anymore because I look so old.” They were often desperate to buy the latest miracle cream on the market in hopes that they would finally find their “fountain of youth” in a jar. The cosmetics companies are making billions every year based on the physical insecurities of both men and women who are trying to fight the aging process. Many men and women are severely depressed about the aging process and feel like they are running out of time.

The toxic teaching of this world is that “youth and beauty” rule all. We are bombarded with the mentality that we are most beautiful in our younger years before any lines start to appear. For some men and women, this fear of aging and lack of self-love can start as early as their 20’ & 30’s. Although the majority of the women who were most desperate that came to me were either entering into, or in their 40’s. They were desperate for a magic cream that would erase expression lines & wrinkles or wanted a “magic wand” make-up application that would make them look decades younger.

After work I would take the subway home at night and think about all of my clients for that day and all of the terrible and negative words they would speak about themselves regarding their wrinkles or hair that was turning grey. Then I thought about how as a woman of 47 years I too had been going through this process and how years before I had made a conscious choice to accept and enjoy the aging process to its fullest. When I began to see the change in my hair color or a new wrinkle I chose to maintain a grateful attitude that I have now lived long enough to see the grey hair and wrinkles start to come in because the reality of life is “the only alternative to growing old is to die young.” It was at this point in 2017 that I decided I would begin sharing my “aging journey” in real time. My goal was and is to “re-define” how men and women view the aging process and what aging would be to me without the surgery, Botox, or harsh chemical skincare creams and hair dyes. Since turning 40 I have maintained a grateful attitude to see every day and year that I am alive and hope to live a full life for many more years.

I have no judgment for women who use facial enhancements, surgeries, Botox, or chemical fillers, but there are enough of those pages on social media out there promoting “fighting” the aging process. What I wanted women to know is that there are many of us out here that are choosing to “accept“ the aging process with open arms and embrace it naturally through a healthy diet, consistent exercise, and meditation. I knew I wanted to create a platform that would change the poisonous mindset both men and women have succumbed to regarding the process of aging. Our society has praised the beauty of youth for so many years that men and women are literally afraid to death to age for fear that they will be discarded by society and maybe even by their significant others. Aging is not something that should be dreaded or feared, growing older is a beautiful privilege that we should all be grateful for.

I decided to call my brand/IG page @Welcome240something because age forty is the point in which I felt most women shared with me that they became confused as to how they are “supposed” to dress or who they are. Age 40 for women can be a difficult time. Some women have described it to me as “I’m not young, but I’m not old either.” So how much make-up is a 40 years old woman supposed to wear? How is she “supposed” to dress? The answer to that question is…there are no rules to aging and that all women age differently, both mentally and physically. I know some women in their 50s and 60s who are more fit and active that some women in their 20s and their 30s and vice versa. The entire purpose of @Welcome240something is to inspire both men and women mentally, physically and spiritually to lovingly embrace the aging process and live their best life at every age and at every stage. Life does not end at 40, or at 50, or at 60 and above…only you can decide how you will age. I aspire to inspire my followers to maintain a positive and grateful mindset through every age and every stage of the aging process.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Becoming what I now call an “age ambassador” has been a beautiful journey thus far! Since beginning @Welcome240something, I have had the opportunity to engage with numerous men and women in deep and transparent conversations about how they view the aging process. We speak on societal pressures to maintain a youthful appearance at all costs and how we can undo the damage our society has created regarding how “youth” is praised overall and at any financial cost. The biggest struggle I face is that so many men and women have a very hard time looking at aging as something beautiful. It is very hard to undo decades of marketing and a mindset that praises youth and shines such a negative light on aging.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do? What are you most proud of?
At age 52, I have chosen a very unique and multifaceted life. I now work part time as a Flight Attendant travelling the world which allows me the freedom and flexibility to live in my purpose. When I’m not flying I am working as a Freelance Photographer/Fashion Stylist/Make-Up Artist, Philanthropist, Motivational Speaking, Jumprope Coach, and Content Creator. In 2017, I took up “jump rope” as my primary choice of fitness and now teach and share my Jump rope workouts on my IG and YouTube page. Photography has been a huge love and part of my life for many many years now and I am now expanding my professional growth in this area. My goal moving forward is to expand my social media content to include having transparent conversations about aging. I would like to dive deeper into my lifestyle brand by continuing to create useful content in which my followers will be inspired to live their best life at every age and every stage mentally, physically, spiritually and fashionably. I would like to continue building @Welcome240someting into a safe place where transparent conversations can take place regarding aging. I will continue to create unapologetic and thought-provoking content that will promote a healthy and positive mindset inspiring women over the age of forty in the area of fashion, fitness, and beauty.

I am most proud of sharing my story as a motivational speaking where I have worked closely with nonprofit organizations such as “@beautyforfreedom” who works with survivors of human trafficking and domestic violence. Meeting these women and going into shelters sharing our life stories as well as teaching them how to apply make-up for job interviews as well as self-love and acceptance.

I believe what sets me apart from others is that I am living in real time what I am hoping to inspire in others…”I AM forty something!” I am a mother of four of the most beautiful human beings on this planet and a blessed grandmother of five! I am growing older in front of the world and experience everyday what it takes to look in the mirror and love who and what I see. I also have to do the inner and outer work on my mindset dispelling all the toxicity of the world regarding aging. I have to choose every day to fully and “lovingly” accept the grey hair, expression lines, and all the changes that come with aging.

So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why? What do you believe sets you apart from others.
What matters most to me is that every human being in this world discover sooner than later full and unapologetic “self love and acceptance” of who they are at every age and every stage of their life. Before I leave this life I hope to have made a positive impact in “re-defining” how human beings view aging. I want to use my life to positively impact the life of another. I do believe that our sole purpose on this earth is to use our gifts and strengths to ease the suffering and strengthen others however, wherever, and whenever we can. Some of the truest words I’ve ever read were “what we do for ourselves dies with us, but what we do for others will live on forever.” Our impact on others will be the only thing that lives on long after we are gone.

Services/Pricing Info:

• Fashion Consultation – contact welcome240something@outlook.com
• Photography Consultation – contact welcome240something@outlook.com
• Jumprope Coaching – contact welcome240something@outlook.com
• Motivational Speaking – contact welcome240something@outlook.com

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @welcome240something
• Youtube: @welcome240something