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Paulina Porizkova’s modeling career has spanned over four decades, with her going from her young adult years to a gorgeous woman in her late 50s. Recently, she came under fire for sharing bikini photos on social media, as critics consider her too old for that. Despite the backlash, she has continued to motivate women to embrace their natural beauty as they age, regardless of societal expectations. “As a model, you were supposed to represent the physically perfect woman,” she said in her recent post. “So, what was it like when I was ‘judged’ to be in my prime of physical beauty?” Opinions then and now Instagram Paulina recalled an occasion when she bumped in on people who were talking about her and comparing her to other models like Elle and Christie. “More like, walk into a room knowing some people are whispering that you’re not all that hot up close or in real life, that Elle has a better body, that Christie has better teeth,” she added. RELATED: Paulina Porizkova Celebrates Body Positivity In Print Bikini Now, she faces a different kind of criticism as a 57-year-old, and the mother of two posted a swimsuit photo addressing such comments on her body. “Combat age. Reverse aging. Rejuvenate. Anti-age," she wrote. "None of this is possible. You know what the only way is to stop aging? Dying.” Instagram In response to a user who again said she was “too old” for swimwear shots, Paulina said women in her age range “have earned our beauty, we understand what it is, and we can see it so much better. There is no such thing as ugly and old. Only shortsighted and ignorant." Paulina Porizkova shares motivation In her recent post, Paulina continued by affirming that she loves her body along with the changes that follow, calling it “the best balance I’ve ever had.” This is in contrast to society’s opinion about her, which she has chosen to address in recent times. “When I finally appreciate what I’ve been given, in society’s opinion, I’m losing my beauty. I feel in my prime now!” she added. Instagram Aside from her iconic career, Paulina has had her share of life’s challenges, including having to borrow money from friends after her late husband and Cars vocalist, Ric Ocasek, cut her out of his will before dying in 2019. She now lives her best life as she embraces herself without filters or modifications online. “I have lost the smooth glow and prettiness of youth, but I have gained character,” one of her other posts read. Why is Paulina Porizkova famous? As of March 2024, Paulina has been recognized as one of USA TODAY’s Women of the Year, an honor bestowed upon women who have significantly impacted their communities and the nation at large. You can discover more about this year's recipients at womenoftheyear.usatoday.com. Refusing to accept "no" as an answer, Porizkova's determination is a natural part of who she is. Initially known for her prominent modeling career that began in the '80s, she has since transitioned into a new chapter of her life as an author and advocate, challenging the norms of an industry that highly values youth over experience. The concept of aging, often stigmatized, is something she openly defies. "At a younger age, I barely gave aging a second thought, seeing it as something that affected others, not me. I assumed that by the time I reached that stage in life, my zest for living would diminish," Porizkova shares. Now, at 58, she has a different perspective on aging. "Entering this second phase of my life, I've come to understand and appreciate the true nature of aging. It's a rich and rewarding period." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Gannett | USA TODAY NETWORK (@gannettco) Is Paulina Porizkova in a relationship? Throughout her modeling career, Porizkova graced the covers of all leading magazines and became the face of esteemed brands like Estée Lauder, Chanel, and Hermes, among others. Following a challenging period marked by her highly publicized separation and the subsequent passing of her husband Ric Ocasek in 2019, she has shifted her focus to a new advocacy. Porizkova's 2022 book, fittingly titled "No Filter: The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful," captures this new chapter of her life, as she inspires others to embrace and celebrate the process of aging. "Life will only get better as long as you're not afraid of it," she said at the time. "This is a fantastic place to be. Don't waste time trying to be younger. Embrace who you are right now because you are at your very best right now. It's not going to get any better than this, so enjoy it while it lasts." Following the death of Ocasek, Paulina shortly found love thereafter with her current significant other, Jeff Greenstein, back in October 2023. Paulina Porizkova with her partner, Jeff Greenstein / Instagram Without a doubt, Paulina has dealt with a lot of loss, grief, and other personal challenges in the last few years, which she was asked about from the USA TODAY team. "We never really know how we're going to react when presented with adversity, right?" she says. "Real adversity is something that you have never encountered before, and so therefore you don't quite know how to deal with it. And I think you usually try all the ways that you're used to." "We are all capable of change (and) leaving yourself open to the possibility that things will change. I know this firsthand, good or bad, you can be having a great day and it can go south like that. You can have a (tough) day and things will look up when you least expect it. So knowing that gives you hope. And hope is the most important thing that we have as human beings. Because if hope dies, you die. As long as there is hope, even the smallest glimmer of hope that tomorrow maybe you'll wake up and the day will be a little easier. Then you keep going." Ric Ocasek and Paulina Porizkova / Evan Agostini/Invision/AP In the same interview, Paulina shared her definition of courage, and it's something we definitely could all aspire to live by a lot more. "Courage to me is not the absence of fear, but rather the presence of fear and doing things in spite of the fear. I think this is a very important distinction," explains Paulina. "When people call someone fearless or whether they've called me fearless, I always go, "Uh-uh, no, I am full of fears. In fact, I'm wracked with fears on a daily basis from going into the subway to elevators. I'm filled with fears." But I won't let them stop me. I just don't like being presented with a challenge that I won't at least try to win."