A Lady Of Style and Substance – Interview by Diva

I was about to write my blog today, then someone smsed me and told me that I was featured inside the www.divaasia.com (http://www.divaasia.com/article/6241)  

What a good news! I did the interview with Diva not long ago and was looking forward for the article. Therefore when I received the sms, first thing that I did was to read the article ! It is a very well-written article. Thank you DIVA =) and thank you FEMALE for this opportunity.  

Tue, Nov 24, 2009 Diva

A LADY OF STYLE AND SUBSTANCE

Only 29 this year, she not that much older than the 49 other Female Gorgeous People but she has had some remarkable firsts in her life. Merry Riana made her first million at age 26, and later went on to publish her first book. She gave birth to her first child when she was 28, and now she is participating in a personality contest for the first time. When the entrepreneur/ author/ trainer first got scouted by the organiser, she wrote on her blog entry stating that she was very flattered and said: "Never in my imagination or plan would I ever stepped into this side of life whereby I'd be one of the 50 Most Gorgeous People." (But seriously we cannot think of a reason why not?)

When asked to describe herself in five words, Merry conveniently breaks down her five-letter name: Motivating, Entertaining, Remarkable, Radiant, and Youthful. We found out from her blog that while her first name Merry means 'happy', apparently 'Ria', the first part of her last name, actually means cheerful in Bahasa Indonesia. Could that explain why she's always exuding joy and brimming with positivity? When asked if she had a nickname, incidentally it was also 'Merry'.

The live wire told us the reason why people call her that is because she is really a happy person. "It is very difficult for you to catch me not smiling," she adds. But it is not her smile that Merry finds is the most gorgeous body part. "My eyes. I agree with the saying, 'Your eyes are the windows to your soul'. "Through my eyes, others will know, and most importantly feel, who I really am."

Her formula for looking good? The beauty told us that it is "simply by feeling good." Merry also believes that there are no ugly girls, only lazy girls. "I believe every girl can be beautiful, if only they take a little effort on their part. And being beautiful does not have to be expensive too. Even with a simple budget, you'll be able to get a hold of great stuff to beautify yourself. "Most importantly, always remember that beauty is generated inside, and then it flows out. So, make sure you feel good at all time!"

Looks aside, Merry has a purpose for being in the competition. She wants to be of "style with substance" and through blogging, she hopes to positively add value to others by dropping the occassional quotes of inspiration. Get to know Merry better with the rest of the interview below:  

Tell us about your favourite hobby / area of interest.
Previously, my favorite hobby is watching inspirational movies with my husband. But ever since I had my first baby girl, my number one hobby is to spend time with her.  

Name one strength and weakness about yourself.
My biggest strength is my personality. I'm so blessed to be able to enjoy the privilege of making a difference and impacting many lives through my books, seminars, TV shows, etc. My weakness is my workaholic attitude towards life. When I'm doing what I'm passionate about, I lose track of time. I do my best to balance this and maintain my health by always making sure that I have enough sleep and by exercising regularly.  

Tell us about your relationship with your husband.
I am very blessed to have met someone who shares the same faith, believes in the same vision, and has the same passion about life. And at the same time, he really complements me as a person. That to me is the criteria of my ideal partner.  

Tell us about your profession. Is it ideal for you?
I am an entrepreneur, trainer, and author. I'm running my own businesses in 3 different areas: Training & Consultancy, Financial Services, and Non-Profit. At the same time, I'm fortunate to have my book "A Gift From A Friend" which became a best-seller in Singapore and Indonesia when I first published it in 2006. This is definitely an ideal job for me because I have the freedom to do what I love. I always believe that you must do what you love, and then success will follow.  

What is your internet guilty pleasure?
I just started blogging and set up a Facebook account since middle of this year, and I'm now spending more and more time on the Internet.  

Her life motto?
Touching hearts, changing lives.    

Related posts:

1. Style with Substance
2. Audio Interview :)
3. Merry Riana – Female 50 Gorgeous People 2009
4. Merry Riana – 50 Most Gorgeous People 2009 Updates