For All the Women

Just a small post from me today but I wanted to mark the fact that it is International Women's Day.

To the women who fought to enable my right to vote, to the women who are a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves,  to the women who shout back against prejudice and not blend into the shadows, to the women I read on a daily basis who enabled me to step out from behind my own shadow, to the women in my life that I love:

Thank you.

My body is my own, it will not be governed by others. My thoughts are what I choose them to be and are not what I am told what they should be. I will wear what I want and will not accept your judgement of me.  My head is high and I am worth it.

My mission today is to make another woman feel good today. Compliment each other. You are amazing.

My End of Year Post

I am currently on holiday with my friends for the week of New Year but have scheduled this post to be my end of year post.   Be warned, it is a very wordy post, but a very happy one.

One day, when I am old and grey and I look back over the years, one of the most successful and memorable will be 2013.  2013 has been absolutely amazing. I have come so very far in such a relatively short space of time and have accomplished more in that time than I ever thought that I could.

I started off the year much the same as many years previous. Without direction, unhappy, under confident and searching, but for what I didn’t know. By chance one day I saw a retweet on Twitter linking to a blog and something in the cosmos told me to click on it. It took me to TheRamblings of Mrs Bebe.

My mind got a little bit blown that day.

My journey has been well documented on this blog but I wanted to write down some highlights to remind me of just how fantastic this year has been.  I will be adding to this list right up to New Year's Eve, who knows what will happen between now and then?

-          I have embraced colour and pattern into my wardrobe.

-          I don’t walk down the street anymore worrying about what others think I look like.
-          I have modelled for Plus North (the best moment, ever).
-          I have got changed in a room full of people.
-          I got over a broken heart I didn’t know I had.
-          I have joined a dating site.
-          I have worked with numerous brands and been given a lot of opportunities.
-          I have a wardrobe full of beautiful clothes.
-          I now write a monthly guest post on a fashion site.
-          I feel confident in myself.
-      I received a thank you email from someone who had read my blog and had started to gain
       more confidence as a result.
-          I’ve met some incredible people in the blogging community.
-          I’m not as shy, I feel much more self assured.
-          I’m not afraid to stand up to insult, either to myself or to others.
-          I’ve travelled to London on my own for an event.  Something I would never have had the
       courage to do before. -          My blog is going better than I ever thought it could.
-          I’ve gained more courage of conviction in the way I speak about things I am passionate about.

-     The word fat no longer scares me and is no longer an insult.  It is a part of whom I am.  It has no power over me now 

     

When I read back through all of those incredible things my eyes well up.  There are probably more than I haven’t remembered to put on the list because I have been changing so quickly and so many wonderful things have happened that time has passed in a blur.

I can honestly say that I am happier now than I can ever remember being.  Roll on 2014 and what may happen then.

Happy New Year everyone!