Body and soul: Sofie Ysewijn
Sofie Ysewijn (27)Is from Belgium and lives with her boyfriend, Irish International hockey player Stephen Butler. She runs fashion jewellery website www.philosofy.net
My parents were . . . very different from one another and divorced when I was three. They are both from Antwerp, Belgium. Growing up with the influences (good and bad) from a divorce made me look at the world around me differently.
The house I grew up in . . . was in the suburbs of Antwerp. I lived there with my mom and I am an only child. I visited my dad, he lived in Antwerp city centre. I love going home. I try to go at least every two months.
When I was a child I wanted to be . . . a shop owner. I liked the idea of having a till, and wrapping things!
If I could change one thing about myself I would . . . be less afraid of change. From an early age I've been used to strict rules and schedules. So it gives me the feeling of shelter and security when things just stay as they were meant to be.
You wouldn't know it but I'm very good at . . . cooking. I love food and I like experimenting in the kitchen.
You may not know it but I'm no good at . . . gymnastics. Being upside down and on my head scares me. I like my feet on the ground.
At night I dream of . . . different things. Sometimes I just dream of day-to-day random happenings. I dream a lot about losing people too, and that always makes me very sad. I sometimes dream of being stuck in a natural disaster. I think dreams are fascinating.
When I look in the mirror I see . . . my reflection. Some days I like what I see, some days I don't.
My favourite item of clothing is . . . leggings. What a great fashion item, I hope they stick around for a while -- they make you look and feel slimmer. I love heels as well.
I wish I'd never worn . . . braces. I love the way my teeth are straight now, but I wish those two years with braces could get erased. I was so shy when I had them, I felt uncomfortable and ugly.
I drive . . . a VW Polo. I have always liked Polos, they are fun, girly and affordable.
My house is . . . a nice terraced house just perfect for me and my boyfriend, Stephen, and my little Chihuahua, Juniper.
My favourite work of art . . . today would be by Charles Fazzino. He is a 3D pop artist. I love the bright colours in his work.
A book that changed me . . . Le Petit Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupery. It's a beautiful story for kids, but as you get older you understand the meaning. There are beautiful life lessons in that story.
My greatest regret is . . . not being able to play a musical instrument. I would love to be able to play the guitar or the piano.
My real-life villain is . . . Tyra Banks, she annoys me like nobody else on TV. I find her so patronising and over the top.
The person who really makes me laugh is . . . my best friend Dorine. She knows me through and through and every situation always ends with giggling at some kind of inside joke.
The last time I cried . . . was last night, when I finished reading Elizabeth Noble's The Girl Next Door. The story just ends so different from how I thought it would. I recognised a lot of myself in certain characters and that's probably why it moved me so much.
My five-year plan is . . . moving back to Belgium. I plan to catch up with my friends and family. I also want to focus on my jewellery line, settle down with my boyfriend and make the best out of life.
My life philosophy is . . . don't follow the path, leave a trail.
