Bree has been my girl for a while now. I can’t even tell you how long since I feel like it’s been forever. She is without a doubt one of the strongest women I have ever met and is also one of the most confident, embracing her differences with pride ! Bree is addicted to Brunches, Fondue and cool hats… Still wonder why we’re friends ?!
Meet Bree from The Tall Society
I will always be aggressive in the pursuit of happiness and success
BonjourClem: Who are you?
My full name is Brunnhilde Mylène Wijnaar; but everyone calls me Bree. I am a 31 year old Dutch New Yorker. I am a Business Systems Analyst by day and social butterfly by night. The social butterfly part is only on weekends as during the week I am a total grandma. I also happen to be taller than average height for a woman; I proudly stand 6’4 tall. (Yes this is barefoot in case you were wondering). My height has shaped many of my life experiences, and this inspired me to create a blog geared towards tall women called The Tall Society (www.thetallsociety.com)
BC: What makes you proud?
It makes me proud when the people that I love and care about achieve important milestones in life. I am so blessed to have a very talented and inspiring group of people in my life, and it just makes me proud that they are my family and friends. If I look in the mirror, I would say I am proud that I dared to stand out and take chances. From moving to a remote island in the Caribbean for a job opportunity (Yes I was an island girl for 18 months) to deciding when I graduated college that my career was going to be international. This also meant being away from my loved ones; which is at times very difficult. It has been an interesting road thusfar, some bumpy patches along the way, but all and all I am proud that I always took on a new challenge. YOLO!
BC: What is the thing you Love the most about being You?
I love my ambition. Although I can be very hard on myself sometimes, the drive that I have most certainly got me to where I am today. I truly believe you design your own destiny. You’ll often hear me say ‘Make it happen!’ stop talking about it and go do it. “Ambition is the path to success and persistence is the vehicle you arrive in” I will always be aggressive in the pursuit of happiness and success.
BC: Who’s your Woman inspiration? Why?
My woman inspiration would have to be my mommy. Carmen Helene Wijnaar; who moved from my home country of Suriname to The Netherlands at a very young age, she grew up underprivileged, however she managed to build an incredible life for herself and her family. Getting an education while raising 3 kids. Thinking back I just don’t know how she managed to do it all. It is incredibly admirable. She did a great job raising her children to believe they could do whatever they put their mind to and she facilitated a path for us to be successful. When I wanted to go to an expensive international college, she convinced me that I would get accepted and that together we would figure out how to finance this dream. Well I graduated from that college and it allowed me limitless international opportunities. I owe her so much and am forever grateful. Now the ball is in my court to work hard, be successful and allow my mom to enjoy her retirement.
BC: What makes you happy?
Discovering an amazing restaurant and enjoying a good meal, spending time with my loved ones and spending evenings cuddling on the couch with my boyfriend. But above all, traveling makes my heart beat faster. I can’t wait to plan my next trip! I really want to go to Africa! I am also getting a lot of satisfaction out of working on content for The Tall Society. Receiving emails from tall woman all over the world, that express they are appreciative there is a new online platform out there specifically for them. This truly makes my day and makes it all worth it. It was always something I wanted to do, and I am incredibly grateful that I was able to realize this dream and fulfill this purpose. I always felt like I could contribute something valuable to the relatively small community of taller than average woman that I am part of, and now I am doing it.
All pictures by Denisse Benitez Photography.
Meet Bree at www.thetallsociety.com
