Learning from Italian women is learning to be victorious!

Monica Bellucci is the only Bond Girl in history ever older than James Bond. How did that happen? When James Mendes called her to offer her the role of “Moneypenny” formerly played by Judy Dench in the newest 007 Movie she told him she assumed that she would be asked to be the Bond Girl and that she frankly had no interest in playing the aging secretary of Bond. Monica Bellucci is 54 that is a whole three years older than her male counterpart Daniel Craig.

Astonishing if you think of Maggie Gyllenhaal just being turned down as lead actress to accompany a 50+ male lead by Hollywood casting agents stating that her 37 years of age where too old to suit a mid-fifties male lead actor.

So what is it that sets apart Bellucci and other iconic Italian women from so many great, strong women of other Nationalities?

Pride and a naturally grown Self-Confidence!

Learning from Italian women is learning to be victorious. A former Italian Co-Worker once said this to me and she left not the hint of a doubt that she knew what she was talking about.

An Italian friend of mine, who treated his wife like a goddess –not because he was a wimp or pansy but because to him it was natural and common sense – explained to me that he grew up with a totally different view on female values than most Germans do. And that he is full of the deepest respect for his Mother. If a beautiful, intelligent woman is interested in you, you are damn sure to value that honour and show her respect because if you don’t she will lose interest pretty quick.

Many Italian women do have a very different self-image and they do in fact expect respect. We non-Italians might call it pride although it is merely a form of grown self-esteem, self-confidence fostered by a culture that does value women. And it is so demanding in a very natural way that not even the Bond Director could ignore it.

Italy is a culture known to praise female beauty and values. A glance into Art- and Movie History underlines this more than obvious. One of the most beautiful, iconic, proud Italian women, Sophia Loren said:

Beauty is how you feel inside and it reflects in your eyes. It is nothing physical.

In a culture valuing the female traits and giving women the feeling that they are blessed with natural beauty just for the fact that they are women it is almost inevitable that neither Ms. Bellucci nor Ms. Loren ever lost any of their beauty or charisma. Still being and presenting themselves as proud, beautiful, sexy and irresistible. 

We should all take this as an example for self-image and self-esteem. Next time a random wannabe bigshot tells us we are insufficient for his matters or we find ourselves comparing us to size-zero models or some idiot is incapable of showing us the proper respect, we should remember Monica Bellucci and Daniel Craig and ask ourselves, if we really need that kind of BS in our lives or if we do not deserve better?

And what we deserve and how much we value us is only determined by ourselfs and no one else. We determine what we are worth and what we want to put up with. Our surrounding will follow what we let them get away with and it is not a question of pride but a question of inner strength and of the worth, we give our self.

That being said:

Learning from Italian women is learning to be victorious!