The Her VUE blog features inspiring women who share similar core values of staying true to themselves, as well as making conscious choices, from purchasing to creating and living as a whole. This week we spoke with the inspirational Linnéa Lindholm about how her Vue is what drives her to be her authentic self and inspire other women to be their authentic self as well. Empowering women to follow their dreams and live a more positive and authentic life.
When she was 18, Linnéa packed her bags and left her home country of Sweden for Los Angeles to pursue her dream of living abroad, and ended up settling down there for the past decade and a half.
Linnéa has always been committed to a healthy lifestyle and a strong, positive mindset. Her passion for social media and background in marketing led her to the path of becoming a digital creator and in 2020 she started her podcast, The Societygirl Podcast to educate others through her experiences and knowledge.
Please introduce yourself and tell us more about what you do?
My name is Linnéa Lindholm, I’m a social media influencer and podcaster. I dedicate my time sharing my passion for health and fitness, style, and female entrepreneurship through my social channels and podcast. I’m a small-town girl from Sweden who packed up all of her bags and moved to Los Angeles alone as a teenager. Today, I’m pursuing my passion for building a personal brand that is an authentic manifestation of who I am, that amplifies what I believe in, and that has a female community behind it.
My overarching goal is to inspire young women to live out their dreams of starting their own business, to overcome obstacles, and to become the most authentic versions of themselves. My podcast “The Societygirl Podcast” is an amazing channel for me to connect with other female boss babes and act both as their biggest cheerleader and toughest coach!
I wanted to use my platforms to create a positive and encouraging space for women where strength, empowerment, and inclusion is the goal. I'm so grateful for all the inspiring women I've met on social media. It has brought the biggest smile on my face and left me feeling extremely encouraged!
What’s your Vue?
I’ve been told that getting to know me is like peeling the layers of an artichoke, you go through many layers before you get to the heart of who I am. That being said, once you get to know me, you’ll see that my Vue is definitely resilience, positivity, and authenticity.
Resilience: For most people, life eventually throws us curve balls. I am no different, I have had my fair share of adversity. Moving to Los Angeles from Sweden at 18 years old, without my family, I had to grow up quickly. One month after my 20th birthday, my dad passed away from cancer. I experienced a seriously abusive relationship in my mid-twenties. As an entrepreneur, I have faced many professional and personal failures and rejections.
I had to learn the art of resiliency to survive and then thrive. I firmly believe that resilient people develop a mental capacity that allows them to adapt with ease during adversity, bending like bamboo instead of breaking. I’ve used my resilient mindset to cope during this pandemic and used it as an opportunity to really focus on my personal and professional growth.
Positivity: I learned early on from my mom, during my dad’s cancer diagnosis, that positivity is the key to getting through tough times. Through the worst times in my life, I would always look for a bright spot in any difficult situation. My mom taught me that attitude is truly a choice, and if I choose to be negative, not only will it make me totally miserable, but it will also affect those around me. She also taught me that a negative viewpoint will not change the situation, so why even go there?
Even if you have to fake a smile and pretend just to keep going, do it! Eventually, the smile will become real. If you can't do it for yourself do it for someone you love. I keep in mind what my mom always says: “Happiness and sadness are choices, choose to be happy!”
Authenticity: In the last few years, something within me has risen up; something that was buried deep inside of me for so many years. I noticed a shift when I moved to LA from Sweden, but couldn’t really pinpoint what it was. During this year, after experiencing a pandemic and really having time to dig deep and focus on self-discovery, I was finally able to give it a name: authenticity.
If someone gave me the opportunity of reliving my life and correct past “mistakes” I would go back and not change a thing. I’ve experienced a lot of pain and hardships in my life, but I wouldn’t be the person I am today or even know what authenticity or resilience really meant had I not experienced those things.
Let’s dive into your look. How would you describe your overall style?
My overall look is inspired by the cultural embrace of individuality that defines Los Angeles and the minimalism that is typical for my Scandinavian heritage. I would say my personal style is a mix of androgyny, clean lines, and unexpected details. My capsule closet consists of timeless pieces without busy patterns (black, white, and nude are my favorite colors). My go-to outfit (If I’m not in a sports bra and yoga pants, which is pretty much 99% of the time, ha!) is a vintage band tee, a good pair of jeans and combat boots, and gold jewelry. I love to throw on a faux leather moto-jacket and a hat (I LOVE hats!). Simple, classic, and LA chic!
Expressing your authenticity is at the core of VUE by SEK, how do you think you express yourself best?
Opening up on my platforms and being more vulnerable isn't exactly the easiest thing for me. In fact, opening up and being vulnerable in general is something I have always struggled with, let alone publicly.
In my opinion, being authentic is not only you are, it’s a lifestyle, a way of living, and a commitment to yourself and it requires being vulnerable. I am expressing it best through my work and through building my personal brand. As I’m growing my brand, I’m realizing I’m truly a human being expressing my true self and not someone whom I thought society wanted me to be. I am who I am, I love who I am, and that is an amazingly liberating feeling.
How do you like to waste your time?
For the longest time, I felt like I had to be doing SOMETHING even when I didn’t feel like doing ANYTHING. This led to perpetual anxiety and feeling that I was running around with my head cut off. One of the biggest lessons this year has taught me is to slow down. I’m still working on this as my entrepreneurial brain and creative spirit are always on high alert. When I have time to “waste,” I try to stop and force myself to realize that this is a blessing.
In my opinion, we shouldn’t feel like we are “wasting” time, we are simply using the time the way you want to. When I have time to do whatever I want, I go outside and lay under a tree and read a book. I walk outside with my rescue pup Peaches. I sit on the couch and watch a true-crime show. Sometimes, I’ll just sit on the couch and listen to music while enjoying coffee. Other times I’ll call my family in Sweden. Or take a nap. I’m learning to embrace leisure and a lack of obligation and see it as a good thing. I used to live a life that had no room for leisure or relaxation, and that isn’t healthy for anyone in the long run.
Where should we follow you?
Instagram: @itslinnealindholm
Website: linnealindholm.com
Podcast: The Societygirl Podcast
Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/2R6w6eC
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2GJP5tC
Thank you Linnéa for making our last Her VUE Blog of the year so memorable & don't forget to follow her on insta @itslinnealindholm and listen to her podcast The Societygirl Podcast