OK! life lessons
the Writer and podcast host, 42, on giving up piano lessons, Worrying far less and her magical lockdown Wedding
My secret talent is…
Being able to touch the tip of my nose with my tongue. It’s very long, what can I say?
The best thing my parents taught me was…
Kindness. My mother told me you can get through anything if you’re with someone kind.
My biggest regret is…
Not keeping up with piano lessons. I got to the heady heights of grade one when I was about eight, but it fell by the wayside when I took up the trumpet instead. I wish I’d carried on with piano, because I love the thought of being that person at a party who can sit down and play a tune. You can’t really do that with a trumpet!
One thing I’d change about myself is…
I’d worry less. A lot of my anxiety is not based on logic or fact. I’d love to be more in tune with the present moment rather than worrying about things that might never happen.
If I had one day left on Earth, I would…
Have an amazing meal for my loved ones. I’d eat and drink all my favourite things and tell everyone how much they meant to me.
If I could pass any law, it would be…
Statutory leave for couples going through miscarriage. Having been through three myself, I know the devastation they cause. It’s important to recognise that, and to take it seriously, rather than seeing it as something that has to be gone through behind closed doors.
I’m most proud of…
Trying again and never losing hope. I got married and divorced in my early thirties and have endured my fair share of heartbreak, as well as the challenges of the modern online dating scene. But however difficult all that was, I never lost my belief in the enduring power of true love. I just kept on trying until I found it. And I did, on 29 March 2018, on a Hinge date. That man is now my husband and I’ve never felt love like it.
The last time I cried was…
Today. I interviewed someone for my podcast and they told me the most beautiful and devastating story about being stabbed and almost dying. It made me realise, all over again, the fragility of life and how often people carry private pain.
The happiest day of my life was…
Getting married last December. It was between lockdowns, and we had a tiny civil ceremony with just my best friend and her husband as witnesses. It was so much more magical than either of us could have imagined.
The bravest thing I’ve ever done was…
Leaving a series of toxic relationships, both work and romantic, in my mid-thirties. It was scary, but my gut was telling me I had to. All the amazing things that have happened to me in my forties, like my podcast and writing a bestselling book, have only been possible because I followed my gut.
‘I kept on trying to find love until I did’
the No7 shecovery campaign is helping women back into the workplace after the Pandemic. access courses at boots.com/no7-inspiration-and-advice/No7unstoppabletogether