As I approach 40 and embark on my lifestyle, health and fitness change; some thoughts/ wisdom that I’d like to share with my younger self.
1. You are not fat! Oh how I’d love to have that figure again. Okay so my boobs were never perky but I had shapely legs and an hourglass figure. My legs helped hail a taxi in London one night and guys rarely gazed at my eyes….their gaze tended to focus on my chest.
2. Don’t worry so much. I’ve always been a worrier. If worrying was an Olympic sport, I’d win the gold silver and bronze medals. It gave me abdominal migraines as a child and I’m convinced has contributed to my emerging grey hair.
3. Save money. For someone who thought they were fat, I shopped a lot. Clothes, bags and shoes! I did start a pension in my early 20’s and still pay in to this day but I was more into spending than saving. I never felt ready to commit and put down roots, always rented and so never thought about saving a deposit to buy anywhere of my own. Now I realise that I was short sighted, maybe that’s because I now do feel ready to settle down and put down roots.
4. Have more faith in your own ability. Nobody could ever be harder on me than I am on myself. Ask me for feedback and I’ll give you 50 things I’d like to improve on but you’d need to pin me to a wall or something before I’ll tell you what I feel I did well. I’m a perfectionist so it is how I think. I am trying to change this. After all, if I don’t blow my own trumpet nobody else will!!
5. No matter how much you love them, if you feel you deserve better, then you do! My pattern has been alternating a shit boyfriend with a good boyfriend. With hindsight I’ve put up with more than I should have and less than I deserve. There’s also a lot to be said for right man, wrong time. Thankfully, where I’m at now is right man, right time.
