Now is the time to reassess your lifestyle and wellbeing and one reader will win a £1,000 package to help do just that
Earlier this year Cheshire Life met Mindy Cowap who shared her incredible health and fitness journey, losing six stone and undertaking a momentous trek across the Sahara for St Luke’s Hospice in Winsford.
Following her transformation, Mindy joined forces with Emma Wilson, the fitness and nutrition expert who set her on her path, and the pair have now launched My Time for Change, an online fitness and wellness programme aimed at women aged 35-plus.
The cherry on Mindy’s ‘new me’ cake was rediscovering fashion, something she had lost her passion for prior to her transformation. But what to wear? Not only did nothing in Mindy’s wardrobe fit her, but more importantly her old clothes represented her old life. Previously, clothing had been selected to hide behind, but her new bodyshape and new-found confidence triggered a desire to present herself to the world in a fresh, bolder way.
At a networking event hosted at its Cheshire showroom, Mindy was introduced to Olivia May, the clothing retailer dedicated to providing effortless fashion for the contemporary woman. Ann Whorrall, Olivia May’s MD, encouraged Mindy to experience one of their personalised styling sessions.
“Before the session I was feeling a little nervous, but the team were immediately warm and encouraging. They focused on what would reflect who I was, rather than let me drift into the shadows. I am not a heels-and-dress sort of person, definitely not girly, but I didn’t know what I really wanted. The stylists recognised how I was feeling and encouraged me to let my new, more daring, personality shine through, introducing me to the cool, avant-garde tailoring of German designer Rundholz.
“Since I launched the business with Emma I have had real insight into how women struggle with the challenges of managing both a family and a career. While times are changing for the better, women in the workplace still face immense scrutiny regarding their appearance and therefore face the complicated task of attempting to find their own personal style among the pressures of the workplace and their own changing sense of self as they age.”
As Mindy discovered, clothes can be a great way to restore self-esteem and to help you to begin to present yourself confidently to the world. She says: “Previously, standing up at a networking event to talk about ‘My Time for Change’ would have put the fear of God into me.
“However, working with Olivia May has shown me how to allow my personality to shine without neglecting the need to look professional, and to front my business with confidence.”
