Elle Macpherson’s decision to stop drinking nearly two decades ago affected her life in more ways than one.
Macpherson, aka “The Body,” recalled finally understanding how alcohol was blocking her from realizing her full potential.
“I stopped drinking in 2003 because I felt I couldn’t be fully present in my life, and it was a wonderful springboard of getting to know myself on a deeper level,” she told Australia’s Body + Soul magazine.
ELLE MACPHERSON HITS TWO MAJOR MILESTONES: ‘BEYOND MY WILDEST DREAMS’
Elle Macpherson celebrated 20 years of sobriety earlier this year. (Franziska Krug)
In September, Macpherson celebrated 20 years of sobriety. She shared an image of a tri-plate Alcoholics Anonymous medallion to commemorate her work in recovery.
“20 years,” she wrote before sharing a Maya Angelou quote. “This is a wonderful day. I’ve never seen this one before.”
She added, “The meaning of happiness consists in three elements — freedom, gratitude, and the sense of wonder. Life is not a problem to be solved, but an experience to be had. Alan Watts.”
At times, the Australian supermodel engages with her social media followers with messages of support toward recovery. She insisted each person is on “their own journey,” though.
Macpherson said she realized she “couldn’t be fully present” while not sober. (Stephane Cardinale)
“Everybody has their own journey and I’m not interested in telling other people what to do, but I know that this was a decision that I’ve never regretted,” she said.
“Although it required discipline and persistence, the bottom line is you can’t be well and present in your life if you’re not present and well, and alcohol doesn’t really support that. It’s very difficult to get to know yourself if you’re numbing yourself.”
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Macpherson, who will celebrate her 60th birthday in March, challenged the idea of beauty standards.
“I used to equate beauty with youth and as I’ve matured and as my experience has evolved, I’ve understood that beauty is more closely aligned to wellness,” she said.
Macpherson said “everybody has their own journey” when it comes to sobriety. (Gisela Schober)
“The second part of that concept is that wellness is physical, emotional, spiritual and mental well-being and that they’re all integrated. That was the biggest revelation — that you can’t compartmentalize them and they’re not separate. If anything is out of kilter it affects the others, so the secret to a happy, healthy life is really keeping in balance with all those aspects. It took me a long time to get that.”
In terms of aging? Macpherson lives by the quality versus quantity mentality.
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“I think it’s more important to focus on the quality of the life that you’re living and how you’re living life to the fullest,” she said. “They always say it’s not the years in your life, it’s the life in your years.”
Macpherson, who is dating guitarist Doyle Bramhall II, was previously married to photographer Gilles Bensimon and billionaire Jeffrey Soffer.
She also shares two sons with Arpad Busson from their relationship in the late ’90s and early 2000s.
