Prepare to be empowered.
To mark Marie Claire UK’s 30th birthday we have launched our Womankind campaign, hosting a series of game-changing events throughout the year to empower, educate and inspire the women around us.
This week saw the second event in our Womankind series, an exclusive beauty evening and panel discussion held at our flagship Fabled store on Tottenham Court Road.
Attended by 100 readers, the evening saw Marie Claire Editor-in-chief, Trish Halpin, host a powerhouse panel, including Balance Me founder Rebecca Hopkins, super fitness influencer Adrienne Herbert, and leadership coach Nikki Armytage-Foy.
The four future shaping women discussed the theme of the evening, maximising our energy to reach our peak performance - and to say it was inspiring would be an understatement.
With each panelist bringing a different angle to the discussion, guests came away armed with quotes, exercises and practical advice for reaching peak performance in mind, body and health.
Here were the some of the most inspirational takeaways:
How to maximise your energy to reach your peak body performance
Adrienne Herbert Fitness influencer and global Adidas ambassador
Adrienne is a global Adidas brand ambassador, personal trainer, mentor, motivational speaker and co-founder of worldwide creative women community, Get To Know. She is most known among millennials however for being an online fitness influencer, using her social media platforms to inspire women to celebrate, love and respect their bodies.
Adrienne's inspiration and tips:
1. ‘All women of course have insecurities but you have to respect your body. At 29 you’re focused on the aesthetic and you forget about the fact that your body is working for you 24/7. It needs to be loved. Celebrate your body, your body needs to be lived in, think about yourself with love and don’t focus on changing it.’
2. ‘If we did things only when we felt like them then we would never exercise – feeling motivated all the time is just not realistic, so I don’t talk about motivation, I talk about discipline.’
3. ‘As women we give, and so taking time to exercise is important. That’s us giving to ourselves and prioritising ourselves.’
4. ‘Don’t just think about the top and how quickly you can get from zero to fit. Think about the now - what can you do today?’
5. ‘Don’t underestimate the chemical release of endorphins - it’s not only a high, it also improves concentration and productivity. It is literally win win.’
6. ‘Try to do a 360 approach – something that’s going to encourage cardio, strength, and be restorative.’
7. ‘If you haven’t discovered almond butter you’re missing out.’
How to maximise your energy to reach your peak skin performance
Rebecca Hopkins Co-founder of Balance Me
Rebecca co-founded natural skincare brand, Balance Me, with her sister on a personal quest to find a better work-life balance. Now they’re big time beauty bosses, with their British-made skincare designed to bring skin back into balance and enhance skin’s natural beauty.
Rebecca's inspiration and tips:
1. ‘If you don’t need a product on your skin it’s like if you don’t need to eat something - just don’t do it and keep it simple.’
2. ‘Be kind to your skin and listen to it - often your skin will tell you what it needs and that’s your guide.’
3. ‘Neroli is the queen of oils, it’s very rejuvenating for stretch marks or redness and the fragrance itself is so beautiful, it’s a brilliant essential oil.’
4. ‘If you have sensitive skin, try using rose - it is not only rejuvenating but restorative.’
5. ‘Witch hazel is great for addressing dark circles.'
6. ‘Avoid parabens. They are preservatives with big question marks around them. If you can find an alternative, do, because why put something on your skin that you’re not sure about?’
7. ‘Do what makes you feel good but also remember to start young with good habits.’
How to maximise your energy to reach your peak mind performance
Nikki Armytage-Foy Founder of Electric Woman and leadership coach
Nikki has used her decade's worth of experience coaching female leaders to create her Electric Woman manifesto. Her aim? To support women to embody their most confident and ‘Electric’ self and to lead their lives with vitality and purpose. This according to Nikki, will make them happier, more relaxed and clear in their mission and what they want to bring to the world.
Nikki's inspiration and tips:
1. 'Be an electric woman. An electric woman is a woman in her power – by feeling grounded in who she is and having that kind of self-belief and self-assurance. Every woman has an electric woman in her.'
2. 'How do you find your electric woman? Visualise her. Close your eyes, create a journey to meet her - who is that version of you? How does she dress, how does she show up and how is she living her life? Think about her approach.'
3. 'Lots of women feel disconnected with their bodies – I used to have an eating disorder so I know how it feels to feel disconnected with your body but you need to respect it. Ask how your electric woman would treat your body.'
4. ‘Don’t let misguided voices lead the way – Miss perfectionist, Miss little girl, Miss work horse, Miss punisher, Miss Sunday – let your electric woman lead the way.'
5. Identify what your limiting beliefs are and what kind of things you are saying about yourself. Identify that voice, connect with your electric woman, and notice when and why that negative voice is showing up. Get your electric woman to talk to it like a little child, like "Darling, I hear you, it's not very helpful, what do you need?"'
6. 'Everyone should keep a journal at all times if they can and speak their truths - let it rip.’
7. 'There’s nothing more attractive than a woman who really owns it, whatever age, whatever body size. I want to encourage women who are more mature to step into their bodies and into their "poweress" within.'
Keep an eye out for our upcoming Fabled by Marie Claire talks if you want to experience the empowerment first hand.
