I’ve been thinking about myself in relation to the community project #ThisIsHowWeLookWhenWeLead and casting my mind over the have bumpy road I have been on with my weight. nourishedcollective.com/community-proj…
The way my weight has fluctuated has definitely played a part in my feelings of success and I can think of plenty of occasions when feeling overweight has hampered my ambition, motivation and confidence. #ThisIsHowWeLookWhenWeLead
When I look back over my dieting history each one is brought into technicolour when I recall how I coped with the diet and my weight loss within the context of a school. #ThisIsHowWeLookWhenWeLead @WomenEd
Refusing cakes and biscuits is always a big thing in a school and so my various trips down the WW or Slimming World lanes were trickier depending on the season. Do leaders eat cake? I think they do but I never felt I ‘should’ #ThisIsHowWeLookWhenWeLead
But I always felt that refusing cakes was a big statement about my new faddy diet. Feeling faddy made me feel as though I lacked determination. This made me think I wasn’t strong enough to lead. #ThisIsHowWeLookWhenWeLead nourishedcollective.com/community-proj…
I remember getting down to my goal weight on one fling with WW. I can recall it changing the way I walked around the school. I felt so in control and this meant I showed up so differently in front of colleagues. #ThisIsHowWeLookWhenWeLead
I loved feeling like I had control of my body (well my eating) it suggested to me that I was entitled to be a leader and that before that I hadn’t been entitled to the role. #ThisIsHowWeLookWhenWeLead 
When I gained weight (which happened all the time – I tell you the struggle was real), I would feel so embarrassed and like I had ‘let myself go out of control’. #ThisIsHowWeLookWhenWeLead nourishedcollective.com/community-proj…
I would try to make up for this by being a better worker. In subtle ways my mind would tell me I needed to work that bit harder. #ThisIsHowWeLookWhenWeLead nourishedcollective.com/community-proj…
I hated weight gain because it made everything harder. It was bad enough trying to find clothes that fit and looked ‘tidy’ – leadershiply! #ThisIsHowWeLookWhenWeLead
But summer, urghhh, hot, sweaty, uncomfortable in my clothes – the seasons that most people love felt like an impossible time to feel like a leader. #ThisIsHowWeLookWhenWeLead nourishedcollective.com/community-proj…
Winter was always easier – tights covering up, long skirts doing the same, layers smoothing over the curves of Christmas and scarves hiding the chunky face. Oh how interesting to look at how the seasons helped me feel more or less the leader. #ThisIsHowWeLookWhenWeLead
When I stood in front of parents feeling too big I always imagined them thinking ‘gosh, she doesn’t look ‘in control’’ How could I be trusted to look after their children if I couldn’t look after myself. #ThisIsHowWeLookWhenWeLead
Me and my thoughts about my weight were good friends. Not so much these days. My leadership kind of outstripped all those thoughts about my body. #ThisIsHowWeLookWhenWeLead nourishedcollective.com/community-proj…
Now I am thankful that my frame has helped me withstand the leadership challenges I have faced. Also – well-done body for birthing a human 6 years ago. #ThisIsHowWeLookWhenWeLead nourishedcollective.com/community-proj…
@threadreaderapp “unroll”
