What does Queening mean to me?...Feeling fabulous, beautiful and happy on my wedding day - and getting me through a tough year.
2020 has been quite a turbulent year for me, as it has been for all of us. I was put on furlough very early on and I was an OG Queen joining Maeve I'd say in Week 1. What Team Queen gave me at that time was a purpose to get up every day, whilst having the time of my life and geuninely feeling like I was working out with a friend! I did Team Queen every day when Maeve was on Insta no matter what was going on. On 22nd June at 8.34AM I was made redundant from a Senior Marketing Manager role, and even on that day - at 9.30AM I jumped on the Venga Bus, as I had done every day up until that point. Maeve sent me a lovely message that day, showing what a geunine person she is. Since then, I've gone on to launch my own marketing business which is going from strength to strength.
What happened for me over the coming months was a mindset change, which in my view is what Queening is all about. I've been every size from a six to a 12 over the past 10 years. I've done every diet, every food trend, every workout - running, weight lifting, vegan, calorie deficit, counting macros / micros - you name it, I've done it. Queening isn't about that, it's about getting up every day and doing something just for you, whilst becoming stronger - and I mean in a physical and mental sense. For me, I don't believe in progress pictures, or the bitch in the bathroom (as Maeve calls the scales!) anymore as for me my journey isn't about a number or angles - it's about how Team Queen has made me feel.
So when it came to my wedding day, I didn't resort to diet teas, starvation or anything else crazy to look and feel good in my dress - I simply continued Queens Don't Quit. Showing up on average 3-4 times a week in the run-up as my business took off over the past few months. The most ironic thing is my dress still had to be taken in on two seperate occasions 😅 Consistency, having fun and getting stronger meant that I felt fabulous on my wedding - and I hope you can see how truly happy I was on that day.
So here's my message to all my fellow Queens - keep getting on that Vengabus every day as little steps make big changes. And here's my message to any would be Queens, if you're done with fads and exercise or diets that make you feel bad - STOP. Join a community of truly fantastic people who lift each other up whilst having a laugh. Maeve's enthusiasm, zest for life and professionalism is second to none and you can't help but get swept up in the fun. Thank you Queens Don't Quit and @Maeve Madden
P.S I'm actually quite emotional writing this!!
