Self Love Sunday
Self love to me starts with the act of being kind to yourself I believe the way you talk to someone you love is the way you should talk to yourself. It is so important to nourish your mind with the good stuff fill your self love tank with the things that make you happy, that make you feel passion and purpose that give you a WHY…
My name is Simone and I am the face behind @therealsimonemarie 💕
For the last 13 years I have always worked in the Mining and Construction industry in an office environment working Monday to Friday in the Human Resources and Recruitment department.
Since I was a little girl I have always had this beautiful and happy sparkle inside of me that just longed to help people, somehow? 🌸
Now fast forward to where I am today and since joining the 30’s club last year is where I really started to dive deeper in to the person I am and how I can really get my passion and vision out there more….which brings to me where I am now 😊
I share my passions for fitness, food, fashion across my page as well as keeping it raw & real “with no sprinkles” added on feelings of self doubt and breaking the mental health stigma, especially anxiety which I talk about even though it’s really hard at times.
So here is what I do to fill up my own love bucket;
✨I enjoy drinking my warm lemon water and apple cider vinegar every morning to flush out the unwanted toxins and wake up my body.
✨I move my body at the gym most days of the week, even if it’s just a walk. I find this really good for my mental state.
✨Drinking 2-3L of water every day.
✨I celebrate any proud moment I achieve and actually ‘pat myself on the back’.
✨Speaking positive words of affirmation daily – eg. “I am strong” “I approve of myself” “I am proud of the person I am and who I am becoming” “I love and accept myself”
✨Spending time with your loved ones whether it’s a beach day, watching a movie or going for a walk.
✨Making delicious treats in the kitchen and getting creative.
✨On the days you don’t feel yourself – choose to be a little more kinder and gentle to yourself and say out loud “its okay”.
✨Give yourself some time out for you even if its only 30 minutes🙏🏽
✨Go buy yourself a book that really sings to your heart, I really love self-love books.
✨Reminding yourself its okay to say no sometimes.
✨Have a dance off or sing it out to one of your favourite songs, I often do this in the car and shake off any energy that isn’t serving me🙌🏽
xox
This weeks #showtherealyou girl, is someone I have been fan girling over for a while now. Her name is Tahlia Aubusson. If you are not already following her then you should as I know you will fall in love with her as much as I have.
Tahlia runs her Instagram account @housewifestyle and a beautifully, raw, written lifestyle and motherhood blog.
Tahlia is a loving wife to her husband, a gorgeous mumma to her beautiful daughter Ambria, a singer, a self proclaimed for house and fashion, a writer and a photographer. I believe she is also one of the most kind hearted people I follow on social media. She has the most beautiful photos on her Instagram page but her words of honesty truly touch so many hearts.
Put your feet up, make a cup of hot cocoa and take 10 minutes to know the gorgeous Tahlia Aubusson AKA @housewifestyle…
Favourite Hot drink?
Hot chocolate, sadly I am not a coffee drinker.
Who is the Real Tahlia Aubusson?
I am in my element at home, i am such a homebody. I love rainy days where I can get all cosy inside and watch a movie with my husband and daughter Ambria. My true passion is singing and song writing, another reason I love being at home, this is what I do in my spare time. I consider myself quite funny and I’m always the one to make my friends laugh, I absolutely not not care if I make a fool of myself in fact ill do it just to make other people happy, I am down to earth, easy to talk to and genuinely just want to help and connect with others. I am all about uplifting other women and have absolutely zero tolerance for any individual who tries to intimidate or discredit another person, if you don’t have something nice to say then don’t say anything to me at all. I have the most beautiful marriage and I am so blessed to truly live each day with my soul mate, James, he is 100% my best friend whom I love indefinitely. I am fiercely loyal to the beautiful people in my life, once you are in my circle I will support you and defend you no questions asked. I LOVE being a mother and can honestly say I haven’t had one day that I haven’t absolutely loved being Ambrias mother. I hate the gym but I love competitive team sports! Up until I had Ambria I had played rep soccer all my life, I also used to dance and sing professionally in stage shows across NSW. My life now revolves around raising a beautiful human being and immersing myself in my work and passions in my spare time. I have a successful home beauty business which I open 2 days a week (Monday & Tuesday) and I am thankfully booked out in advance. I love having those 2 days to work hard to be able to contribute financially to my family whilst still having the rest of the week free to be with my daughter. If I was to describe myself I would say I am arty, I love my photography, styling, fashion and music, I am a softie, though sometimes I can be head strong I will easily cry. I am happy with the simple life and it will always be enough despite me wanting to always grow and improve I am so thankful for the life I already have, I am a huge animal lover and have 2 dogs, I love food way to much and I’m constantly at war with myself over the amount of my chocolate consumption. I am happy, grateful, fun and honest and believe everything in balance, except maybe chocolate.
Could you please share a day in the life of Tahlia?
Our average day starts by me being woken up from Ambrias chattering in her cot, its the best and sweetest alarm clock ever. We always start the day by playing, ill chase her up the hall to change her nappy, we will put music on and have a dance around while I make her breakfast. We always go daily to buy fresh ingredients for dinner, after our grocery shop we will go for a walk to meet friends at the park for morning tea, I luckily have lots of friends with toddlers so we are always having play dates, I always park on the opposite end of town so i have to walk to get groceries, to the park and then back to the car. During the week Ambria has lots of different activities, kindy gym, swimming, mothers group and now she has also started 2 days of day care and ballet. On the days she has day care I work from home doing my singing, recording, blogging and the good old house work… someone has to do it, I have also started dedicating one of those days to doing something relaxing for myself like getting a massage. Afternoons james will come home and spend time playing with Ambria, we will usually cook dinner as a family and 50% of the week we have friends over for dinner, our home is the hub to all my friends.
What drove you to start your Instagram account @housewifestyle
I love fashion, photography and styling so wanted a place where I could showcase my passions and use it as an artistic outlet. I wanted to connect and form friendships with other mothers to benefit from their experiences. I also wanted to build a platform for me to share my upcoming music. I believe having these social media platforms has helped me maintain my passions and identity since becoming a mum.
What do you think attracts women to your social media platforms?
My page is full of prettiness but my captions and words are full of heart. I love being able to showcase a visually beautiful page that gives people and insight to who I am whilst maintaining a rateable and very real aspect through sharing real feelings and experiences that make people laugh or cry. I try to always respond to every single enquiry or comment for a more personal connection and have made beautiful friendships along the way by doing so.
What advice would you give people wanting to start a blog?
Only do it because you enjoy it, make it for you before you make it for someone else. I started this journey because its an outlet for me, I enjoy the calmness I get when writing and the excitement I get when taking photos, I love it! A following will come naturally with persistence, creative content, heartfelt or interesting words and passion. Dont give in to gimmicks and want quick success, you wont build a genuine community by doing so, be patient, be yourself and just enjoy doing your own thing.
Favourite Quote or Mantra to live by?
“ Be yourself, people don’t have to like you and you don’t have to care” I love this because since my early teenage years I’ve had more stones thrown at me than a witch in the 17th century! I let it hurt me so badly that for many years I had no clue who I was, who I wanted to be, what I was doing wrong or why I was a target, now as an adult I know the answer to all of those things, I am confident and content with who I am and I don’t apologise for it, i embrace it and share it with others, if they are not accepting I truly do not care.
What is something you practice daily in relation to self love?
When getting dressed I’ve stopped picking apart my body, I now focus on how my outfit looks, not my size or figure, I actively tell myself positive things and don’t focus on my flaws. I buy clothing that is flattering on me and makes me feel good,I learnt what style suits my shape and accept the way I am. I am constantly reminding myself of whats important in life and prioritise what matters. every night I will finish my day with gratitude, no matter how stressed I am ill lay in bed and think about all the things I love about my life, all the things that make me happy, whats important and whats not important and very quickly the things that had been niggling at me making me feel insecure and quickly become insignificant.
How often do you move your body?
Ill be honest here, this could use a little work. I try to go for a walk most days and will do small home work outs while Ambria sleeps, it makes me feel so energised on the days that I do make moving a priority and if you are an anxiety sufferer like myself its so important to make some form of exercise a part of your daily routine.
Favourite items of clothing in your wardrobe?
Can I say two?? I cant decide!!!! Id have to say my flowy elegant Zimmermann dresses and my casual comfy Spell Designs dresses! All are my favourites lol.
Favourite Mumlife moment you wish to share?
How on earth do you pick a favourite mum life moment. There have been so many that have filled my heart with so much love that i never knew existed. From her first smile, first steps, first hug, her crazy dance moves and bursting laughing its hard to pick one favourite but one thing that makes us smile and laugh every single day is when james comes home from work he will yell from the door “Fee Fi Fo Fum I smell the blood of an Aubusson” and Ambria will squeal and run with excitement, james and Ambie will wrestle and tickle for half an hour of huge giggles, its the highlight of my day.
A mumlife moment where you have felt overwhelmed?
For me this was probably before Ambria was even born. I suffered multiple miscarriages and recently shared my personal story about this on my blog. I guess my whole pregnancy with Ambria was a very stressful time for me and I had many moments where I cried hysterically from fear and anxiety. I am so blessed that she has been a dream baby, allowing me to heal and have a beautiful transition into motherhood letting go of sadness.
Do you make time for a date night? If so what do you get up to?
Luckily James and I get to have an uninterrupted evening together most nights, when Ambria goes to bed at 7.30 we will always sit down and have dinner together and talk, usually followed by watching an episode from a series we are hooked by. We actually prefer doing things as a family on the weekends but every so often my mother will take Ambie for the night and we will get dressed up and go out for a nice dinner just the 2 of us. Most weekends we have all out friends over for a get together, whilst we are not alone its still adult time we enjoy together and of course we still ALWAYS have a snuggle at night!
Want more from Tahlia?
Instagram @housewifestyle
Facebook tahliahousewifestyled
So excited to introduce to you all Rebecca Carr.
I first met Bec at White Bohemian when I was working in store. She used to come in store as a customer and one day we really got chatting about her passion and that is naturopathy, yoga and meditation. This naturally beautiful woman glowed health to me, and I was always so interested to know more about her lifestyle.
When Bec decided to start her Instagram I was so pleased as she shares so many useful holistic health and wellbeing tips, her knowledge about yoga and meditation and some delicious nourishing recipes with her followers.
I was so over the moon when she said yes to being apart of my #showtherealyou feature as I know you will love knowing more about this holistic goddess too.
Sit down and put your feet up. Enjoy the interview with Rebecca Carr AKA @becbodymindspirit
I’m obsessed with Pukka Teas at the moment. I have so many favourites. I am loving the Liquorice and Cinnamon blend for a sweet treat after a meal and the Relax Blend to help me unwind at night time.
Actually – what am I saying – I LOVE coffee! I’m trying to cut down at the moment to give my adrenals some much needed rest, but coffee just makes everything more fun!
Oh gosh! Big question. I am still trying to figure this one out myself. I think that I am pretty authentic – what you see is what you get with me. But in saying that, I have had so many labels over my lifetime, I was a corporate lawyer, I was a professional Netballer (I played netball for the NSW Swifts and was a member of the Australian Diamonds Netball Squad),I was a business owner and most recently I am a Mum. A large part of the last two years for me is trying to strip back those labels and re-discover who I am without having to pigeon hole myself.
No day is really the same for me! So this was my Monday last week which is probably more like a typical day for me.
Motherhood is an incredibly demanding time. It is easy to lose our sense of self amongst all the obligation. In some ways those early days of motherhood are like the perfect storm.
I have so many. I am constantly saying little quotes mantras to myself.
Not that I get it perfect, I often am acting from a place of fear. The work one is a huge one for me!
How important is it to you that you find the time to move your body?
The Fit Mummy Project is the complete online guide to post natal fitness and wellbeing. It is broken down into two guides, the Exercise Guide and the Nourish Guide.
Dharma Bums for Yoga Tights.
Hello Monday Active for post-natal activewear that makes you feel effortlessly chic.
If you are setting it up to grow into something more than a hobby then I would really recommend being crystal clear on your “why, how and who”.
Why is it important to you to share this message? Why are you so passionate about this topic? How do you want to feel when you are writing and sharing? How do you want others to feel when they are reading your words. Who do you want to read your stuff? Who do you want to touch or inspire with your words?
Yoga and meditation. I do some form of yoga and meditation every single day. I can feel myself becoming more and more the person I have always wanted to be and it because of my yoga and meditation practice. Some days are amazing and I feel such a shift in my happiness and my stress levels. Other days aren’t so good. I spend my whole meditation thinking of things I have to do. But I think it all counts – it all adds up.
I think it means a lot of things. I think that the precursor to self love is self acceptance. Being able to accept our whole self. The good and the bad. Our light and our shadow. Once we can accept all of ourself, then we can being to really show ourselves the love and respect that we deserve.
We don’t get too many date nights! We had a night away by ourselves earlier in the year. It was our first night by ourselves in 3 years, so that was pretty special. I’d do that again for sure! But not too soon, I miss the girls too much! Such a shocker.
The other day they both refused to have a nap. I was exhausted, so I took them both upstairs and we lay in my bed together and watched Beauty and the Beast. Allegra loves gentle tickles and Samara was tickling her leg. I would have bottled that moment if I could have. Seeing them be kind and loving toward each other just makes me feel like we must be doing something right.
Oh gosh, so many. My biggest struggle was probably finding my sense of self as a Mum. I felt really lost after I had Samara. I think I finally realised that I was a full on Mum. I spent a lot of time really discovering what it was that I needed to feel happy and fulfilled as a woman and as a mother. And then I spent a lot more time trying to find the balance between taking care of myself and taking really good care of my girls.
Chickpea fritters and a super simple salad of rocket, feta, walnuts and avocado. Plus a few little treats! A glass of Rosé and some raw chocolate brownie! Amazing!
Thank you so much for sharing Kimmy! I look forward to what you have in store in the near future. Want to get to know the gorgeous Kimmy a little more?
Website www.kimmysmithfit.com
Instagram @kimmysmithfit
I am so grateful to have Mrs Tahlia Fiedler as my first #showtherealyou feature for 2017. Tahlia and I crossed pathes a few years ago as we went to the same gym, but we never bonded closely to we had our little babes. I always love being surrounded by Tahlia’s positive energy and creatitivity. You can see it rubs of on her beautiful little girl Sunny too. Tahlia is a woman that preaches living a grateful happy life. I feel she sees the light in most things.
Besides being a busy mumma to Summer, a wife to Jesse, Tahlia is Wedding Coordinator three days a week and she runs not just one but three beautiful Instagram pages filled with stunning images you will love looking at in your daily feed.
So I introduce if you aren’t already following her on one of her accounts … “Tahlia Fiedler”
Favourite cold drink?
This is a hard choice its definitely a tie between Kombucha and iced latte. I generally drink about 3 Kombuchas a week. When I first started drinking Kombucha I found it tasted very vinegary but I think I have definitely got used to the unusual taste. My favourite flavour is hibiscus or blueberry. However when I am working I can’t go past an ice latte ( 2 shots of coffee, vanilla almond milk – when possible and lots of ice ).
Can you tell me who the REAL Tahlia Fiedler is?
Behind all the beautiful Instagram photos is just a every day regular mum. I grew up on Brisbane bayside with my beautiful mamma who raised me all by herself along with help from my wonderful grandparents.
When I was 14 years old I met Jesse and instantly fell head of heels for him ( I totally adored him and he wasn’t even interested in me – haha) . After a couple of months of teenage flirting he eventually decided to ask me out over msn. We have been inseparable ever since. I remember my grandpa used to pick me up from school and ask who’s that wooly haired boy ( Jesse had a big fluffy blonde hair ) and I would reply ” just a friend”. The rest is history, Jesse asked me to marry him at “Schoolies” when we travelled to Fiji together and we got married a couple years later.
As a teenager I worked in cafes and restaurants before receiving a scholarship to a hospitality and event management school. Once I finished my scholarship I went into working in hotels around Brisbane. After a few years of working in hotels I landed my current job of wedding coordinator which is what I am doing still to this day! Its so amazing being apart of someones special day. I was I was to sum myself up in 3 words It would be – determined, hard working and a little bit shy.
Tell me about a day in the life of Tahlia Fiedler?
Every day is just so different but heres a little overview of what my days look like when I am off work… because work days a pretty well just filled with work haha.
4am – Alarm goes off
5am- HIIT 1 Hr Muay Thai Class
6.30am- Get home and shower
7am- Sunny wakes up for cuddles and generally we start our day with music and a little boogie –
7.30am- We make breakfast together, sometimes we have smoothies, oats or eggs.
8am- Shower or bath and get ready for the day ahead.
9am-10am- I normally use the beautiful morning light on my days off to shoot some pics of Summer while she plays for my Instagram content. Summer used to rep for a lot of gorgeous handmade/ Aussie brands. Since I have gone back to work part time I have really cut back on the amount of companies I take on because….. photographing a toddler is hard work.
10am-12pm- I normally head out to my local fruit barn every Monday to do our grocery shopping. We save so much money by shopping at our local fruit barn. I used to go to the produce market every Saturday but now I am working I can’t make it there. The fruit barn we go to even has a sweet little juice bar attached that makes the yummiest smoothies ( snack time summer and I love banana and cocoa smoothies ). We also grab our meat for the week from the butcher next door. Its a great way to avoid buying pre packaged food as we only need to go to the main shops to buy things like paper towel and cleaning products.
12pm- Summer goes down for a little nap, which allows me plenty of time to put the groceries away. I will also prep her lunch and plan our meals for the week. We have a thermomix which we invested in before I had Summer and its really amazing it has helped so much with giving us variety to our meals.
1pm- Summer wakes for lunch
2pm- We might go visit my mamma or grandparents. We may go for a swim or play some games in Summers room.
3-4pm- Jesse gets home and we normally take our puppy Luna for a walk.
4pm-5pm- I might have photo session booked in and I normally photograph between 4-5pm at the moment.
6pm- We all have dinner together before the bath and bed routine starts.
7.30pm- Summers goes to bed and I usually will unwind by watching some Kardashians, Creative Live ( photography tutorials ), editing photos or weaving some wall hangings before heading to sleep by 9/10pm.
What drove you to create your Instagram account/business? I know you have three now, superwoman staying on top of them all girl!
Each of my accounts was inspired and came about differently. My personal account @thefiedlerfolk_ has become a place where I can share the beauty of motherhood. Its a place where I can share my style and fashion inspiration for mostly Sunny but sometimes I will post a sneaky pic of myself. I share sneak peeks into our adventures, our home and sometime our meals. I take pride in creating beautiful photos and capturing the beautiful parts of our days together.
@willowandthewoolves is a project I started a couple of months after having Summer. I get a lot of creative inspiration off Pinterest and found woven wall hangings kept popping up so I started making a couple for our home. They received such a great response from family and friends that I decided to open up a shop. I now spend my evenings weaving up a storm while watching TV I find it very calming. It has also given me so much joy creating unique pieces for peoples homes.
@wyldefolkstudio_ has been a long time coming. Photography is something I have been passionate about for a very long time. I had my first photoshoot with Studio 4 Photography back when I was 17 years old and I have had about 6 sessions with them since. it is so special to be able to look back at photos and love what you see, having professional photos taken is such a treat. Its my goal to have a professional photo shoot each year as a family. I hope that I can shoot families and make them feel as special as I do when Studio 4 captures my family There is something so special about about capturing peoples memories. I am so happy I have come out of my shell and opened up to photographing people other than my own family. I can’t thank everyone enough for the amount of support and love people have shown towards my work so far. A big thank you to you Alice for collaborating with me each month and allowing me to photography you.
Oh honey stop it, I love our catch ups!! You are too kind Tahlia! Xx
What do you think attracts women to your site?
I think the majority of my followers are generally mums who share similar values and interests. I share a lot of baby/ toddler fashion inspiration, healthy natural living and snippets of our home life.
What is your favourite quote or mantra?
“A Sunday well spent brings a week of content” Jesse and I get one day off together with our crazy work schedules so we are big believers of spending that day together doing something fun, adventurous, or productive. We love going on road trips to beaches, flower fields, or Byron Bay. If we are not out adventuring we are at home working on our little home.
How often do you find the time to move your body?
I work out 3x a week at HIIT. I love doing Muay Thai kickboxing and I am so happy I have found an exercise I really enjoy. I also love walking along the waterfront near our house.
Favourite activewear?
Lululemon definitely has the most comfy active wear. I own one pair of their tights and they are my absolute favourite luxe buy, every time I put them on a feel so confident and happy. I Also love love love Cotton On Body at the moment. Cotton on have such a cute range of active wear that’s great quality and really affordable.
Favourite clothing brand for your little babe Summer?
There’s just so many gorgeous handmade clothing out there for children now its hard to just choose a few. We love @two.darlings@little.a.handmade and @yoli_and_otis.
Go to healthy recipe?
I love cocao and banana smoothies I just toss in the below ingredients (different amounts of each every time because I am a bad recipe follower:
– 1 x banana
– approx 1/2 cup of almond milk
– 1 tablespoon of peanut butter
– 1 spoonful of cocao powder
– 1 spoonful of LSA
– 1 spoonful of pumpkin seeds
– Ice
– Blend
Your ultimate date night with Jesse your husband?
We are super grateful when my mum watches summer and we go on a date night. Its normally something really casual like a movie or dinner. Coming from a Restaurant background I love trying new cafes and restaurants. I have even written a few cafe blog posts on my blog recently.
What advice would you give to other people out there wanting to start a blog/Instagram business?
I would say just be yourself, write about things you are passionate about and that make you happy. Having an Instagram business can be super time consuming definitely schedule in time to work on your business and time manage. You don’t want to miss quality time with your family, its super easy to get stuck on your phone for longer than you planned.
You are a mumma to the gorgeous little Summer who is beautiful by the way. Just like her mumma. Can you please tell us about one of your favourite #mumlifemoments? I’m sure there are so many!
hehe I am not sure which one to share. I can say Summer rolled off the bed one time when she was about 6months months old. We have a low bed but I still completely panicked and called the ambulance ( crazy over protective first time mum over here ) They paramedics were so lovely and took her for hospital for monitoring. The mum guilt still haunts me to this day.
Could you share one of your struggles as a mumma?
I really struggled like a lot of other mums to breastfeed. ‘I had bleeding, cracked nipples and a very bad case of mastitis but came through in the end as I was very determined to breastfeed. I was lucky enough to be able to feed Summer for nearly 18 months I have only just weaned her off the last couple of weeks.
Favourite meal to cook for Summer?
Summer eats the same meals as Jesse and I each night but at the moment she is loving my Thai Basil Chilli Chicken with rice. She also loves corn on the cob.
You recently started sharing your photography hobby with the world! Might I add you are so talented girl! You have your own style and I admire your work as you make it your own? How long have you loved photography or is it something completely new for you?
Its something I have loved for a really long time however since having
Summer it has definitely encouraged me to pursue it more from a professional side. Last year I was lucky enough to save for a professional camera and a couple of lenses. I have been working really hard the last few months to put together a portfolio of work. My style is very light and bright. I love clear, soft natural light.
I am overwhelmed with the response to my work so far and my heart just bursts with happiness when I people love the photos I have captured of them. It’s a really rewarding job.
Want more from Tahlia?
http://www.instagram.com/thefiedlerfolk_
http://www.instagram.com/wyldefolkstudio_
http://www.instgram.com/willowandthewoolves
Thank you for tuning into this weeks #showtherealyou feature. If you would love to share who the real you is with myself and others I would love to hear from you. aliceinhealthyland@hotmail.com xx
NADINE MULLER AKA @_nadinemuller is you follow this gal on Insta. Remember her name beauties, because this gorgeous woman is a #gamechanger. She is a true inspiration and I LOVE watching this lady chase her dreams and smash some of her biggest life goals (and she is not finished yet). I started following Nadine when I gave birth to Cruz, her little boy Madden is the same age as Cruz. We both shared similar passions, we both preaching our love for nourishing foods, fitness and our boys. We are both also Registered Nurses. I have always found Nadine so easy to relate and connect with to as this she totally keeps it real!
I got to meet this beauty earlier this year, we did a workout together at F45 and then had a cute brunch date with our babes. Such a fun day chatting about motherhood, training and life in general.
I know you will love Nadine as much as I do. Sit down, pop your feet up, have a cuppa tea and enjoy this weeks #showtherealyou feature @_nadinemuller.
Thanks for sharing Nadine.. big love always girl!
Favourite hot drink?
Ohhhh as I type away on this I’m currently sipping on a lemon infused green tea, but there is also nothing better than a warm hot choccie to unwind before calling it a night… In daylight hours I’m a Cappuccino girl on almond milk!
Can you tell me who the REAL Nadine Muller is?
I was born in Melbourne, but grew up on the gorgeous Sunshine Coast in Queensland. I come from very humble beginnings; my family didn’t have copious amounts of money growing up, but in saying that there were no shortages of LOVE in my household. My parents did their very best and worked extremely hard to provide for my older brother and I and whilst I didn’t think it at the time, looking back now we had everything we needed and more, much more. I wouldn’t change a thing.
In true family tradition, I joined the military (Air Force) soon after graduating high school. I’ve been enlisted in the military now for almost ten years and my experiences and exposures have truly been second to none. I’ve made some everlasting friendships and have had a number of career highlights and memories that I hold so very dear.
Despite health and fitness being a cornerstone to my personal and professional life, in my early twenties saw me diagnosed with advanced Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia and Severe Dysplasia to Carcinoma Insitu; in simple terms Cervical Cancer came knocking on my door. When the word ‘potential hysterectomy’ was brought up during one of my many specialist appointments my entire world had come crashing down. When I look back on this testing time I see that I truly am one of the lucky ones who get to share my story, and whose dream of becoming a Mum came true, despite theodds that were stacked up against me. This health scare was a very testing time and it allowed me to re-evaluate my outlook on life and was a real game-changer. Like anything battles are there to be fought and in my case won, and getting the all-clear and becoming a Mum was the utmost silver lining to my journey. (Which reminds me to REMIND YOU who is reading this – If you are due for a papsmear please book in an appointment to get it done).
Anyhow a lot has happened since then, most significantly was meeting the love of my life, my best mate, (also the one who grinds my gears like no one else can) but truly my life’s accomplice – My king -Dane.
We met and hit the ground running….Why wait? We couldn’t have been more sure! After 6 months we were engaged, married a year later (we were 9 weeks pregnant at our wedding) and then just like that the littlest love of our life Madden James entered our world and boy did he expand our hearts and continues to do so everyday J
SO here I am sharing my journey particularly surrounding my chaotic little juggle of mum life, work life as an RN and a PT, my health and fitness, and spreading self-love, confidence and positivity through my social media platforms. Why – because empowered women, empower women (One of my fav quotes!). I genuinely want to prove that absolutely anybody can achieve their fitness, personal and professional dreams, goals, hopes and aspirations despite any challenges that they may encounter along the way. Likewise that what we see everyday in social media isn’t always how it truly is, that raw and honest will always prevail!
Tell me about a day in the life of Nadine Muller?
Well whether I like it or not my little one is much like his Mumma and likes to seize the day and be up at the crack of dawn. To make for a smooth morning, the night before I’ve packed the car, breakfasts and lunches (thanks to weekend meal prep), have everything laid out to a T so our morning rush is ‘less-rushed’ for the lack of a better word. I usually jump in for a morning session at my PT workplace (F45) at 4.45am or at my local 24hr gym and am back home no later than 6am, I quickly trade parenting with hubby so he can then head to work the second I’m back in the door. I breastfeed Madden, I then sneak in as many kisses and cuddles in whilst feeding Madden breakfast and getting us both ready before dropping him into daycare by 6.30am in order for me to get to my nursing shift in the Emergency Department by 7am through to 1530hrs. After that, depending on what day of the week it is, 2 nights a week I put my PT hat on and start at 4pm and work til about 8pm, the other arvo’s/night’s I head straight home from my nursing shift, pick up Madden from day care and have family time until lights are out and we do it all over again for the working week!! Weekends are very much about my boys and I and we try to keep relatively active but with the main focus on quality time together and catching up on housework, grocery shopping and food prepping so we can go in prepared for the week ahead! Days are hectic and nights are short, and I guess I’m very much still finding my ‘balance’, if there is ever such a thing, I’ve sought advice and support from my other working mumma friends on IG and its so nice to not feel alone on the days that I’m JUST keeping my head above water!
Congratulations on becoming a personal trainer! Go girl! What drove you to do the course?
I’ve grown up keeping fit and healthy from a young age and being in the military means fitness is at the forefront of what I do, but particularly since becoming a mum my true passion for health and fitness reached new heights, I saw the strength and tenacity of the human body through pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum which allowed me to wholeheartedly appreciate just how remarkable the human body is and how thankful we should be each day for it. Now as a PT, nothing excites me more knowing that I get to meet, interact with and connect with so many people everyday. I get to apply my ability, knowledge, experience and my sheer love of fitness to help enrich somebody else’s life and that is something I am immensely proud it. I’ve always believed that amazing things happen when your passion, purpose and professions come together and its for that reason that I find it so incredibly uplifting to be a part of someone’s journey in creating positive changes in living a stronger, healthier, happier life.
Since becoming a mumma to that handsome little Madden what have you learnt most about life?
I knew that having a child was going to be life changing, but wow is that an understatement, it’s the most positively life-altering experience one will ever go through – is it not? I cannot agree more on the saying that when a child is born, a mother is too; I’ve loved watching myself evolve as a person and finding myself lifted to new heights and achieving personal goals I didn’t see possible. Over the past year, through my son I have experienced more adventure than I ever thought imaginable. It truly is love beyond measure and with it my priorities have completely changed, my outlook on life and what truly makes me happy, and what matters most has been such an eye-opener for me. Motherhood is not only my life; it’s wholeheartedly my happiness, my passion, and my greatest achievement.
(This photo truly connected me to Nadine! Arghhh I love it).
A favourite #mumlife memory so far?
Oh my gosh, there are so many. I have no idea where to start. I really don’t think I could narrow it down to one favourite… I’d be lying if I said one of the funniest was when Madden decided to rip his nappy off and took a number two in his cot with this most evil laugh to follow – whilst I was trying to teach him to self-settle as I was talking to him via the monitor from another room…. Thank goodness it was the consistency and shape of a soggy chicken nugget (I kid you not!) But no really!! In all seriousness though, one to mention out of many would be Madden’s kisses! How good are kisses from our babies??? When I was pregnant I used to dream of kissing his lips, and during scans I would say over and over ‘I cant wait to smooch those tiny lips’. I remember so vividly the day he was born when I kissed him for the first time – F*** it was a zillion times better than I had ever dreamed of…Now we have this thing where I say give mummy a kissy-wissy, and he does the biggest ‘mwwwwwwahhhh’ as he leans in then it is followed with an open mouthed, super slobbery, super slimey lip-smacker…Nawww!! I treasure every single one, and I literally hang out for one of his kisses after a long day at work especially!!
What do you think attracts women to your social media platforms?
I’m simply sharing my health and fitness journey in relation to my life as a first-time mum, a full-time working mum as a Nurse and Personal Trainer, a devoted wife, how I juggle a career in the Armed Forces, all whilst trying to have somewhat of a social life and attempt to keep SANE as best as I can haha. I pride my social media on being a positive and supportive network and a communication hub to uplift, encourage and motivate other likeminded women – and not just those who are mothers.
I genuinely enjoy sharing my honest experiences and as I said whilst I aim for my page to be mostly motivating, positive and a fun hub, I likewise haven’t hesitated to share it all; the good, the bad and the indifferent. Honesty truly does lead to authenticity and I believe there is something to be said for those who demonstrate courage and strength in telling things how they really are.
It is important for us women to remind ourselves that not all images we see on social media are ‘real’. With the technology we have now so readily available, digital alterations and manipulating images can be done at the drop of a hat. We all have to remember that our reflection in the mirror DOES NOT define our worth and continually comparing ourselves to potentially unrealistic ‘perfect’ bodies, ‘perfect’ mums, ‘perfect’ lives can be toxic to our mental health. I want us women to band together and to feel confident and secure within ourselves, and to know that there is more than enough room for us all to make it in this world!!
I want us all to say goodbye to our inner critics, to be kinder to ourselves and our bodies. To gain a heightened sense of self-worth and self-respect regardless of what ‘ideal bodies’ are thrown in our faces everyday. It’s not about comparing ourselves to one another or about being better than anyone else but being proud of our own journey, owning our own unique story and improving ourselves (in whatever capacity) each and every day.
I’ve made some incredibly meaningful connections from social media and have been fortunate to meet up with a handful of instamums. I’ve been incredibly uplifted and inspired by so many of them (you know who you are!). Like me, they are simply everyday mumma’s, grounded with humble and realistic attitudes to match. I admire women who similar to me get a kick out of seeing other women do well and live by that quote I mentioned ‘Empowered women, Empower women’. Can I get an Ahhhh-men!
What is your favourite quote or mantra?
One of my favourites is ‘Exercise is as much as a gift to the mind as it is to the body’. As a first time mum, especially in those early days, training had been my coping mechanism whilst I adjusted to motherhood and got our routine down pat and my post-partum hormones had leveled out – mine were all over the shop, poor Dane!! It was then that I had also recognised that not only was exercise re-conditioning and re-strengthening my body but it was a total game changer (and free therapy!) when it came to my mental health.
I ensure that at least one session a week I leave my phone/ipod in my gym bag and leave my mind and body to train with no interruptions, in a world where we are so attached to our phones, dare to strip it back and be truly present with your training – just YOU and your mind! Do it – I highly recommend!!
How often do you find the time to move your body?
Anyone who knows me would know that training is an essential part of my day and has been for many years! I’ve found it to be crucial for my physical (and mental) health and overall wellbeing. My passion for keeping active and staying fit is something I do for ‘me’ but ultimately for my family too. I know I am a far better person, mum, wife, (PT and Nurse) when I have invested time in making my health and wellbeing a priority too. It honestly provides an outlet from the ongoing pressures of motherhood and any general life stressors that we all encounter along our journey. For me, it brings about a heightened sense of accomplishment and pride. It allows me to sweat out any of my days worries, makes me feel more energized, and overall has a positive effect on various facets of my life including my relationship with hubby, my family, my career, my goals and aspirations. It’s not about how you look (that is just a bonus side effect); it is about how it makes you feel – stronger, confident and well centred J Plus working in the busiest Emergency Department in Australia means that I witness some fairly ‘heavy’ medical emergencies so to shake off a tough or confronting day with my physical training is a must for me. You could say more than ever, my physical fitness and mental health and wellbeing is a necessity as I juggle motherhood and my professional working life.
Favourite active wear piece in your wardrobe?
Oh I wouldn’t be able to choose just one piece, what I can tell you though is that there are absolutely no shortages of Lorna Jane, Lululemon, Nike and Rockwear in my wardrobe… As a breastfeeding active mumma and one who supports home grown small business I’m also digging activewear by the incredible @mummactiv! Jo is another awesomely fit, humble, hard working charismatic Mumma who inspires me beyond words – Check @mummactiv out!!!
Do you and your man get time to go on a date? If so where do you both love to go?
To be completely honest, if we get to squeeze in a gym session together, I feel like that’s a smoking hot date for us! Haha…. Training together everyday is one of the things that I miss the most, he goes hard and I’m pretty competitive so training together is extreme! So when it does happen, I’m on cloud 9! On the flip side of the coin, it is somewhat embarrassing to even say this, but it was only a few weeks ago that hubby and I had our first ‘proper’ date since Madden was born. Surprisingly it wasn’t until we did this that we realised just how much we had become disconnected for the lack of a better word, not at all in a bad way, we have simply been so love struck with our baby Madden that we just didn’t take the time out just for each other and we realised the importance of bringing ‘us’ back. I’ll be completely honest in saying that since becoming parents, our relationship has taken the back seat. Although having a baby has meant a lot of changes for US as a couple, I’ve learnt that incredible things can happen when you learn to change and grow ‘together’. We might not get the time alone as often anymore, but I know that 9/10 times we’d choose family time altogether first, because that is when our hearts are truly at their fullest. Despite that, since that date at the races and a night to ourselves while Madden slept over at his grandparents for the first time, we’ve made a pact to one another that we will take time once a month for ‘date night’… We genuinely love family time with the 3 of us, so once a month seems very reasonable for us both for now J We are next planning a dinner at our favourite restaurant followed by a movie at the cinemas, we may even step it up a notch and go gold class! Go us! Mind you, bedtime is quite early for me usually, so I’ll probably be a DUD! (…..Dud date, Is definitely what you were thinking right?!) Haha…
Thanks so much for having me Alice, and if you are still with me thank you to those that have taken the time to read my #showtherealyou feature!
Spread Love, Nadine xo
Want more from the gorgeous Nadine?
Instagram: _nadinemuller
Snapchat: Search by name: _nadinemuller
Chontel Duncan a name that many of you have heard of in the media for changing people’s lives, teaching them to live a healthier and more active lifestyle. She is a social media superstar, but to me Chonnie is so much more than that. She is a gorgeous friend of mine!
Over 12 years ago I befriended her husband Sam, we were good friends for years and he used to tell me all about the love he had for his girl which was Chontel. My best friend Maria also was good friends with Chontel too. After a few months passed I got introduced to her from our mutral friend Maria. We got along and we shared lots of memories together with our mutual friends. Years later I was grateful to watch my two beautiful friends Sam and Chonnie marry each other. I could be happier for Sam to find such a beautiful, kind hearted soul to marry!
It wasn’t until Chonnie opened Hiit Australia though that we became closer. I completed one of her 8 week challenges and turned my life around for the better. Chonnie and I shared similar interests with health and fitness and she is an absolute ball to be around. She sings at the top of her voice, she is a genuine to her close friends and is an absolute rockstar at being a mumma to her son Miah! If you need Chonnie no matter how busy she is she will always try make time for her friends and clients and that’s what I love about her! Very blessed to have such a beautiful friend in my life.
A little secret.. I started Alice In Healthyland because I was inspired by Chonnie and HIIT, she inspired me to want to live this healthy lifestyle and because if that I created the account to keep me on track with my training at Hiit and my healthy eating and cannot believe what became of it! So Chonnie I have you to thank for introducing me to my world of Healthyland!
Anyway enough about Chonnie and my love story hahaha. Sit back and put your feet up and enjoy this weeks #showtherealyou feature…
CHONTEL DUNCAN
Favourite hot drink?
I’m torn between two. First one being my warm water with slices of freshly cut lemon which I drink every morning religiously due to its amazing health benefits. Second being a Long black (coffee) hot or cold it doesn’t matter, but I just absolutely love the taste of coffee.
Can you tell me who the REAL Chontel Duncan is?
Someone who considers others feeling before her selves, finds pleasure in seeing people succeed & still has to pinch herself every morning because she is exactly where she wanted to be in life.
Tell me about a day in the life of Chontel Duncan?
The day starts when Jeremiah wakes up around 4:30am for his first bottle, into a 5am HIIT Australia workout, I shower & begin getting ready for my day, I pack the car with a full day’s worth of clothes, toys, nappies, food & bottles for Jeremiah & head back to HIIT Australia. I’ll be in at the office working from 7am to 5pm, at 5pm I will head into the HIIT gym to run a class. Jeremiah will usually go in a baby bjorn carrier with our receptionist where he 9 out of 10 times sleeps. Straight after the class (6pm) I take Jeremiah home, he’ll have his solids, a bath, a bottle, read a book & then straight to bed by 7-7.30pm. I’ll then cook my dinner up, put on a load of washing from HIIT, repack Jeremiah’s bags/bottles etc, prep my breakfast, lay out my supplementation & clothes for the following days session, do some house work, clean what needs doing in the house, feed the dog, shower & head to bed which by this time is usually 9:30-10pm, I then catch up on some social media platforms, run over all my branches reports for the day which are sent to me roughly around 8pm, check my calendar for the following day, update any final task in mine & my staff’s “to do” program & then I usually go to sleep at 11pm.
Jeremiah does limit the amount of work I get done throughout the day, but sometimes Sam’s Aunty will look after Jeremiah for 1 full or half day a week which does help us out a lot.
What drove you to create your Hiit Australia business to being with?
I simply just wanted to be a personal trainer, never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would be running an empire like HIIT Australia. It simply all just evolved the harder we worked & slowly we added more & more into our services.
Since becoming a mumma to that handsome little Miah what have you learnt most about life?
That I didn’t truly have a purpose in life until I became a Mum, it was then that I felt like I had found where I belong.
A favourite #mumlife memory so far?
When Jeremiah did his first real giggle. I remember Sam & I absolutely lost it laughing our heads off which then caused Jeremiah to pause and stare at us.
What do you think attracts women to your social media platforms?
I truly believe it’s because of how real I am, 99% of the time when meeting my followers this is what they say. I don’t have someone doing the work for me, I am a full time mum & full time business women. I came from nothing, don’t bash others to get myself to the top & my passion is genuine.
What is your favourite quote or mantra?
It’s not a quote as such, more a way in which I focus & that is to everyday work towards being a GOOD PERSON. My second is The Secret otherwise known as The Law of Attraction. Focus positively & vision everything you want in life, reminding yourself of the direction in which you are traveling so you never lose sight of those goals.
How often do you find the time to move your body?
At least 5-6 times a week.
Favourite activewear in your cupboard to date?
It’s 90% Lorna Jane
Favourite beauty product?
What advice would you give to other people out there wanting to start a blog/business?
First know what your message is, ensure your every move always relates to that message & be aware of the down side to snooping. What is snooping? Following loads of other influences accounts… I prefer not to research absolutely everyone purely due to the fact that subconsciously people do naturally copy & lose their authenticity. They will never realise but it also can prevent you from continuing to produce original ideas.
Do Sam and you get time to go on a date? If so where do you both love to go?
My favourite date would honestly be scoring a training session together; he is the best partner & motivator. But if we had a night without Jeremiah (which is rare) it’d honestly be for an event only. We cannot get enough of our son & find we get the most enjoyment together when our time is spent with Jeremiah.
Want more from Chonnie?
www.instagram.com/chontelduncan
www.facebook.com/chontelduncan
Snapchat – chontelduncan
http://www.hiitaustralia.com.au
Interview by Alice Bingham AKA Alice In Healthyland
I have had the pleasure of meeting this beautiful woman about two years ago. We went to French twist in Bulimba and it was absolutely lush. We talked all things fashion, blogging, food and photography. I started following Megan on Instagram just over four years ago. We both had a love for Samantha Wills jewels and I loved buying Megan’s pre loved pieces.
Megan and I have always stayed in touch, we were pregnant at similar times and our babes are around the same age. Thanks to the world of social media we are able to support one and other when needed. Megan lives in Melbourne so Snapchat and Facebook messenger has helped for us to stay in touch. I know that you will love getting know Megan and her gorgeous daughter Poppy as much as I do.
Get cosy with your bed socks, make a cup of hot tea and enjoy this weeks #showtherealyou feature …
Megan Desmond
Favourite hot drink?
Tea and coffee! At the moment I am loving the Caramelito Nespresso, and the organic Pukka Night Time Tea. I have one every night after dinner, it helps me unwind and actually makes me sleepy, magic!
Can you tell me who the REAL Megan Desmond is?
To be honest I don’t really know anymore! It’s only now one year after having Poppy that I am able to get some ‘me’ time back! And also, everything has changed, including myself. For 11 years I worked the same job, and my interests didn’t really change. I also lived at home! Being a stay at home mum, and now home owner, it has been so inspiring, and I have many new interests including cooking, baking, gardening, plants, interior decorating, as well as my old interests of photography, crystals, and Melbourne in general. So I am excited to discover the new ME.
Tell me about a day in the life of Megan?
Poppy wakes me up (very early at the moment), I feed her in bed and we have a little play, I hate getting up straight away! Then we get up, she plays in her play room and I make our breakfast. We then eat together, and she plays again. I like to get any house work done at this point so it’s done for the day. Then she has her morning tea and a nap, we are just transitioning to one day nap now. When she’s asleep I usually have a cuppa and either keep cleaning, or lay down myself if I need to rest, hang washing out, shower and plan my day!
When she wakes up I get her dressed and we will have lunch, outside if it’s nice weather which we love! We haven’t been doing much lately because of the horrible weather, but as it’s warming up I have been taking her out when it’s nice. We live near Williamstown which is a beach town here in Melbourne, and there are so many great parks, cafes, and of course the beach!
Afternoon I get dinner ready for us all, we always eat together as a family which I really enjoy. Then my partner baths Poppy, I do dishes, she goes to bed and we like to have a cuppa while we watch a show together or a movie. This is when I usually go on my phone and catch up with my friends!
Your little girl Poppy is just gorgeous! How are you finding #mumlife
I love it! I have always dreamed of this and feel so blessed to have her. I have had many struggles, I have recently learnt to think of it more as a learning experience rather than a struggle, with your first you have no idea what it’s going to be like, and when something happens it’s literally trial and error till you find what works for you and the babe!
My main concern was sleep, and feeding Poppy to sleep was the only way I could do it. It was heavily taking a toll on my body and mental health. I think I was so extremely tired that I got quite bad anxiety, possibly even post natal depression. I was up all through the night and doing whatever I could to get her to sleep during the day, I had no downtime at all and was constantly stressed. I always wished she could just be awake all day and I didn’t have to worry about it. Her awake time was so fun and happy, but I would dread nap time.
It’s so hard because you feel all these feelings, but then you are so incredibly happy at the same time. I’m sure I’m not alone when I say it can be daunting to get help, you almost feel like you are failing. But I did and it has been life changing, we all get sleep and are much happier for it.
What is your favourite quote or mantra?
I don’t have a favourite! I find affirmations and quotes detrimental to a positive mind so I have had many, many, over the years when I have gone through different experiences with work, love, life. I will say this one is a good all rounder “A negative mind will never give you a positive life.”
How often do you find the time to move your body? I know it’s crazy busy as a mum! Do you find time at all or is it a challenge?
I have found it a challenge, being so sleep deprived it was the last thing I wanted to do! I love walking, I’m excited now it’s spring and we are only doing one nap I have more time to get out and about with Poppy and move! She will be walking soon too, so I am very excited to chase her around in the near future!
Favourite activewear?
I don’t have much at all! My partner got me a pair of Skins when I was pregnant, I won a pair of Jaggad compression tights, and that’s about as far as my collection goes! Do shoes count? My Reebok X Face Stockholm peach trainers have been life changing, so I’ll say them!
Go to healthy recipe?
We are loving zucchini slice at the moment. And it’s great to pack in the nappy bag to have when we’re out.
But we do have marinated chicken thighs and salad for dinner a lot.
Chicken thighs whole (or sometimes I use tenderloins), splash of olive oil, turmeric, pepper, lemon juice, garlic, splash of soy sauce. I don’t really use a ratio!
The summer salad we LOVE is rocket, mango, and walnuts with a dressing of olive oil, lemon and salt/pepper! Or a greek salad.
I have loved following your blog posts over the years! You are a real talent with the camera and such a beautiful writer. Being a mumma is a busy gig do you think you will get back into it?
Thank you!
Definitely! I have slowly started getting back into it, I haven’t had much to share lately, nor did I have the time or energy. I just posted about our sleep training experience, and some family photos. I’m also going to share Poppy’s first birthday party soon which was really beautiful! I always posted about Melbourne and the coffee/food culture, also fashion. I will change the direction of the blog to suit my life now.
Do you ever find time for date night? If so where would you go?
We do now! But because we are so use to not doing it we always forget. I could never leave Poppy as I fed her to sleep and she didn’t take a bottle. We have some weddings coming up which I am excited for. I am also DYING to get to the cinema and see a movie together!!!! We have had a few nice dinners together, but it is definitely something we have to do more often.
Want to get to know Megan a little more?
Blog – http://meganmynameis.blogspot.com.au/
Instagram – @megandesmond
Facebook – https://m.facebook.com/Megan-Melbourne-241073425925522/?ref=settings
Sophie Benbow is one very inspirational lady. With one look at her Instagram @sophieluxe you can see that she is super fit (girl look at that bod), loves to share her creative healthy recipes and has an absolutely amazing wardrobe of activewear and she knows how to style it!
I met Sophie at the Rising Social Star finalist party, she was very welcoming and humble. She gave me some great tips on how to explore are home city, Sydney. I love going on a journey with her on her instsgram feed and snap chat, she welcomes you into snipets of her daily rituals and health an fitness lifestyle. I just know you will all love her too. She inspires me to work hard and chase my dreams no matter how big they are. Thank you Sophie.
I am so honoured to have the gorgeous Sophie answer some questions for us all for this weeks #showtherealyou segment. Sit back, sip on a macha latte and take 5 to read her interview.
Can you tell us a little bit about who the real Sophie Benbow is?
Deep down I am a complete tomboy at heart! I grew up in the Welsh countryside generally having quite an active/outdoorsy upbringing! I was in every sports team at school except for Netball (hated Netball) and I even used to compete in rifle shooting in my teens!
I moved to Sydney 8 years ago and started my Law degree, which I completed nearly 2 years ago. At the start of my degree I met my husband Trevor and now we have been married for just over 4 years.
I’ve got two older brothers one lives in Spain and the other in the UK along with my parents and the rest of my extended family. I LOVE living in Australia but of course I miss my family in the UK, I try and get over to see them around every 18 months!
I love living and breathing a healthy, active lifestyle and I really enjoy other people feeding off my passion. I try my best to come across as genuine and honest on all of my social channels but I’ve learnt that regardless of your true motivation and intention you will always get the occasional critic. There is nothing I can do about that other than just to know deep down who I am and what I am trying to achieve.
I could not live without my blender and recently I’ve been making the most epic frothy matcha lattes.
What inspired you to become a blogger?
After my Law degree obviously the expectation was that I became a lawyer. I really struggled with the reality of this after working in a law firm and experiencing the daily grind and stress. That’s not to say it’s not for everyone, I know many people who revel in this kind of work, I guess it’s just not for me right NOW!
In my final year I had really upped my fitness and healthy food regime and started my own Instagram to help myself stay on track and stay accountable for my goals. Before long I was getting followers asking me for recipes and where I bought my activewear from and so on. So my blog was a way for me to take my Instagram to the next level, to have a deeper connection with my followers and give myself a greater identity that (hopefully) people can relate to.
I notice that you love to stay fit and try new workouts, what inspires you to move your body?
I love trying new things and learning new ways to stay fit! I just really enjoy challenging my mind and my body and I think I’m addicted to the endorphins..haha! Also it’s such a great way to have a laugh and to meet new people. I’ve found the health and wellness community on the whole such an awesome, friendly and welcoming bunch who are all thriving on the same thing…health and fitness! I just don’t think you can beat it!
Favourite natural beauty product on the market?
So…since I launched my blog I’ve been able to work with Swisse Skincare. I don’t want you to think I am obliged to say any of this but their skincare range is so nice. I love their sea salt body polish, micellar make-up remover and their Rose Hip Oil. Incidentally Rose Hip Oil is something that really helped with my Rosacea so I just think it is the most miraculous stuff!
Your favourite active wear piece in your current wardrobe?
Bonds have just sent me their Swimwear range which they are launching this summer. It’s not really ‘active’ but they have got a few rash vests and tops in there which I love and will be perfect for stand up paddle boarding! Also the prints are amazing and they have done styles to suit everyone.
You go to hot drink?
Oh this is constantly changing. Currently I’ve been making hot Turmeric milk. You just pop some nut milk, ground turmeric, cinnamon, grated ginger, star anise and a cinnamon stick in a pan. Heat and enjoy!
What do you think draws people to your social media platforms?
Haha…it’s funny I sometimes get so caught up in my website, producing content and so on I forget what it’s all about. I guess I just really enjoy what I am doing and I hope that resonates with all of my followers. As I said before I try and come across as a ‘real’ person and I want my followers to feel like they are coming on a journey with me. I am constantly falling down, picking myself back up again and growing with health and wellness. I’m no expert and nor do I profess to be so I hope that my platforms come across as down to earth and approachable. I want us all to be healthy, fit and grow together.
Congratulations on winning the Rising Social Star “Fashion” award, where to now for you?
Thankyou!! It was so overwhelming to be recognised as an influencer in such a short space of time so I guess I’ve had to roll with it a little bit. I don’t think I can just do what I’m doing forever so I’d like to add another element to my ‘brand’. Possibly start a business channeling all of my health and wellness dreams.
Dream job?
To have a successful business in health and wellness doing something I LOVE! OR I am a BIG animal lover…I would love to work with and help the baby Pandas in China!
Favourite mantra?
“The greatest wealth is health”
Want to get to know Sophie more? Check out her platforms here…
Instagram here (https://www.instagram.com/sophieluxe/),
Website here (http://sophiebenbow.com),
Facebook here (https://www.facebook.com/sophiebenbowblog/)
Twitter here (https://twitter.com/Sophieluxe)
Youtube here: (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaKL8NhkecGAoiBNUY8zEFQ)
aliceinhealthyland 