#7 My Body My Story 45 Over 45 - Alicja

In this episode, Alicja tells about her passion for fashion, working in the industry since she arrived in Australia in 1991 from Poland.

She also talks about her biggest accomplishment – coming to Australia in her early 20s, learning English, and making her way in the new country from the scratch. 

INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT (auto-generated): 

 

Hi, you are listening to My Body My Story podcast,

I guess just yeah, just keep doing the things that you want to do. set your own goals and go out and achieve them. Don't define yourself in terms of other people. But just keep your own identity, which was something that was interesting because you know, being married, you find that people tend to relate to you.

This is the 45 or 45 chapter where we celebrate rule breakers and role models, the women who inspire us to live life our way and to show that sensuality, beauty, soul and true essence. Here we talk about what it's like to be 45 Plus, adjusting to the changes that come with time, and will listen to the stories of our participants. If you have an interesting story to share, we would love you to participate, you can email us on info@aleksandrawalker.com or visit our website, www. aleksandrawalker.com

Let's talk about you. So tell us a little bit about yourself.

Okay, great. Oh, where to start? So my name is Julie Osborne. 50 years old, just turned 50 last year and born and bred in the Sutherland Shire. So I work in health services. So at the moment, I manage a small health service. So I guess that's been something ever achieved in my life. So I've started out as the receptionist and worked my way up to manager with a lot of work in project management in between. So it's been quite an interesting journey.

What company is that?

So it's with Southeast Sydney Local Health District. So I've worked with local health districts also at the Commonwealth level in health. And at the state level in health, for New South Wales Health as well. Yeah,

What made you get into that field? What inspired you originally?

So I guess always wanted to do something where you would help other people. So I studied a communications degree. And I thought, I don't want to come out of this. And then just working on something like advertising where you're really just, you know, making more money for people with already a lot of money, I thought I want to do something a bit more meaningful. So I wanted to work in health promotion. So to get a foot in the door with that, I started working just in the office in one health service, which was great, because it gave me an opportunity to learn about how the district worked. So at least then I could apply for other positions. And when people said, what sort of initiatives would you do at least I could say how, how I could implement things that could work across a whole health district and just know how that's structured. So that all worked really well. So yeah, worked on some interesting projects. I started out in BreastScreen, which was great. Such a lovely programme that does a lot of work for a lot of people something that's come under scrutiny. So lately,

What is it?

So that's the free breast screening mammogram. So yes, interestingly enough, I started working for that in my 20s. And now I'm off the age that I can actually go. So I have actually been.Yeah. And now I know just how uncomfortable it really is.

Is it painful or just uncomfortable? I've never had it done.

Yeah, just uncomfortable. Not really painful. I guess if you're really large, it could be a bit painful. Not something you'd go to for fun, that's for sure. Yeah, sure. Yeah. But that was a really fun job. And it was very immediate. So I'd be walking down the street and then a woman who had been to a talk that that I'd been to, I gave a lot talks in the community about breast screening and encouraging people to go and one woman came up to me said, Oh, you came spoke to my group the other day, and we were all encouraged and one of the women went along and she found she had breast cancer. I just thought, Oh, my God, that's so terrible. But was it No, it was good. It was like you said they found it really early. And now she's fine. So she's so happy she went along.

That's right. See was had to you know, like, that's exactly what it's meant to do. Yeah. And it actually caught it early. That's great.

Yeah. So that was very rewarding to think, well, at least you can have that really immediate impact on people where she could have gone for, you know, another 10 years before she found it, then that might have been a bit too late.

And so huge impact. Exactly, yeah. Life and death kind of impact.

Yeah, I think our family be happy with that. Worked on other projects taking, building small health services in small country towns that had like a hospital in a nursing home where neither of them were doing very well. So you'd bring them both together in the bond buildings, so they can share admin staff, nursing staff. And that's a programme that's still going now,

Did you have to win? How involved would you be in that? Like, do you have to move to that town to get it started to, you know, to make those changes? Or, or that doesn't work like that? It's all virtual?

Well, we were based in the city, but did a lot of visits to the local community. Yeah.

What about hobbies. Do you have any hobbies?

Yep. I really like writing. Uh huh. So that's something else that I do. I guess I've always, always been a writer from when I was little, I was always running stories and poems. And now I'm part of a writing group, which is great to talk to other people who are really interested in writing. And

Would you write a book? Where have you thought of actually writing and publishing your book?

Yep. So with COVID One day, I was thinking, the world is like a disaster movie. This shouldn't be a romantic comedy, is disaster movie. And then I thought, Well, why don't I write the romantic comedy? That's right. So I've written written over half the novel now. So I'm really hoping that I can finish it, maybe around the middle of this year. And it's actually yeah, a romantic comedy setting. So it actually starts at the end of 2019, with the drought just before the bushfires hit. And then we go through all the bushfires, and we think that's great, then there seems to be a bit of news about this disease that's in China or anything will, will be important will not be important. And then there's, of course, we see it, it blows out of control. But it's really a story about how it affects people at the local level. So it's about this girl who's late 40s and single. Really nothing like me. And starts off that her friend wants to set her up with this guy. And they're going to go to this New Year's Eve party down the south coast of New South Wales. So of course, that doesn't. Because the character pulls out thinking, ooh, this could be dangerous. So yeah, the friend and the love interest get evacuated. So of course, that one doesn't work like yeah, bushfires rule, bomber on the on the dating front. And then she starts to get interested in this guy at work. And I have this Oh, no, we can't do it. It's too complicated. Because we're colleagues and they think yeah, okay, well, we'll get together, we'll go out. We'll go out next weekend. And of course, the Monday that's when everything shuts for COVID. Right, right. I like this. So yeah, so then they end up having to be a bit more creative. So they think well, the only thing we can do is that two people can go walking together at 1.5 metres distance. So it's all a bit like, you know, back to the days of Pride and Prejudice. Everybody goes wandering around in the garden, but everyone has to stay this distance from each other. Yeah. Yeah. So it kind of it kind of goes back to that. And like, how do you relate to that in the modern day, when you're just so used to having all these freedoms? That's Sure.

Have you? Have you thought of the ending? I like good endings. Happy, happy endings?

Well, the happy ending, so that it ends at the beginning of June 2020, which was the first end of lockdown. So they actually go on their first date, and they have their first kiss. And then they decided that hmm, maybe we might need to self isolate together.

Juicy

Juicy. But of course, there's nothing for the whole book. It's just that building up of Yeah, yeah. But the tension.

That's right. It gets your imagination going, right?

Yeah. Yes. 16th I'm like, hello. It's about COVID. Of course, there are six scenes that aren't even out

there will be at the end,

they will be at the end. Just

and have you thought of a name for this book?

Not really. Yes. Still thinking of a few.

Okay, because I'll need to find it. You know, you're gonna have to tell us what it's called.

I want to know what I missed out on during COVID.

Yeah, it's such goes through a lot of the simple things as well like shopping and how much of a drama that was during COVID Just how stressed everybody felt just doing really ordinary things. And then half the things you wanted to buy you couldn't even buy.

Yeah, like toilet paper.

Yeah, going through that can't buy toilet paper. I can't buy pasta. I can't buy flour.

I'm still, I'm still confused about the whole toilet paper bit.

It's very weird.

I understand the flour. I understand rice. But toilet paper?

Absolutely no sense at all.

If aside from writing, maybe there is something else that what are you most passionate about? Or what else are you passionate about?

Apart from writing, really passionate about all of the arts. So a couple of friends and myself, we go out to the ballet a couple of times each year. So that's nice. We've got our own little system set up where we go for dinner beforehand, they miss it the ballet, and then we've realised that to get out of the Opera House carpark. There's such a huge queue. So then we have to go to the Guylian Cafe and have coffee and dessert while we wait for all the cars to collapse. That's a nice excuse.

I like that cafe. I’ve been there a couple of times. It is beautiful.

So hard to decide what to have. Yes, yes. So that's a nice little routine. Yeah, like getting up to Sydney Theatre as well. Like going into the art gallery when they've got different exhibitions on

At all with the same group of people like a same same little private club

With different people. So yeah, going to the theatre sometimes I'll I'll take girls, I went to uni with supply that I think they'll like, in a couple of weeks, I'm going to see a play with a girl who was in the scouts with

Oh, wow

Supply thought cheered like to see that I thought Who will I go with? And then she writes on Facebook. Does anyone want to see this play? And I thought fantastic.

Good timing.

yeah, exactly.

Always in. All the things would have been difficult during COVID. Like that.

Well, that's why we haven't done for a whole year. So at least now we've got this massive credit for everything. So over the next three years, I can we can go and see some ballets and things that we've already paid for. Yeah, and I love music. All types of music from sitting in a little pub seeing an obscure little band or one of the 80s bands still going around today. It's quite bizarre, but you can still go out and see you know, John Stevens and pseudo echo, and all these people and they all still sound so great.

It's great that you can you know, yeah,

and also I like Eurovision Yeah, so yeah, so my dad's English, so Eurovision something that he got my sister and I into early on. When SBS first started playing it. He's like, you've got to watch this show. It's really bizarre. My sister and I - Okay, we were really little. So we will watching it in my life. Yep, you're right. This is really strange, but entertaining, but entertaining. always entertaining. So that was our the thing that my sister and I would always do with my dad, we'd sit there and watch Eurovision and yeah, now it's on live. So now I have to get up at five o'clock in the morning and watch it.

That's commitment that at 5:30 to watch it. Yep. Good on you.

And I've actually been in to see it four times. So another one of my friends. He's also really mad keen up for your vision. So after I got divorced, he said to me, right, this is a really good country wins Eurovision, we're going to go. And that was the first year that Sweden won. So we're like, that's it. We're going to Sweden next year. So then we started from virtually the day after thinking, Well, how do we organise this? How do you buy tickets when you're in Australia, so really, it took us the whole year to work out? We could go. So we were we joined every single website that we could join. And then we started when the tickets came up for sale. We tried to buy tickets, and then we couldn't get anything in the public allocation. And then a friend who I go with his gay and one guy, send him a personal message through Facebook because we're all posting going, oh my god, we can't get tickets. This is so terrible. And he said, Well, I've got some tickets that you can use. And we thought okay, well how much is it? And it was expensive enough that we thought oh, okay, I have to think about this but they wasn't so expensive that we're missing out on a lot of money. So basically, we went all the way over there. And we literally didn't know that these tickets were going to work until we went in.

Wow. So that's really having faith.

So anyway, luckily, they did work. And then we learned that there are fan clubs that you can join, and they allocate tickets to members. So then we came back. And this turned out this is club this called like rest of the world. So basically, if you don't live in a European country, there was this rest of the world fan club you can join that was actually run by this guy in South Africa. It was quite crazy. So then we found out that the instructions to join was that, like, you had to send your money to someone in Iceland, who then spoke to this guy in South America, we're like, this is really weird. But anyway, it worked out. So then we're able to get some ticket packages.

So it was actually legit. It wasn't dodgy

Was quite funny. So talking to some other people, and they're like, really, you have to do this. And we're like, yep, just don't think about it. Just do it. It all works. So yeah,

So how was the experience there?

It was fantastic. Like you watch the show, and you think everyone at the front looks like they're having such a fantastic time. And yet everyone is having a great time. It's just like, a big dance party with all these people from all over the world, just getting together because they like the music, where the first one would go to they're playing all the music, and we'd stand there trying to be cool, but everyone's just being complete DAGs and sing along to all the old songs. So you see, realise that wherever you are, where they play the music during Eurovision, everyone just starts singing along. It's quite crazy. Yeah,

Sounds like an awesome party.

It's an awesome party. And then apart from the actual events, they have other free concerts during the day. So you can go to those and see all the performance performing again during the day, and they do different signings. So I went the years that guy Sebastian went in to meet him went, and we're able to see both of them playing in like really small venues. So that was really fantastic as well.

It's a whole event.

Like it's a whole event. Yeah, it's really a whole week activity, because you've got the two semi finals, then you've got the grand final, and all these other events that happen around the place, and also trying to go out and see some do some sightseeing. From being in an amazing town like Vienna, or Stockholm, or being in Malmo and travelling around the area there.

Well, you are really selling Eurovision

It's a lot of fun. It's a lot of fun, a middle, a lot of interesting Australians as well, because of course, to get there, you really need to be a little bit crazy and very committed. Everyone you meet is quite, quite out there.

Yeah. We'll make friends for life. Yeah,

yeah. Then we now catch up in Sydney with different events around Eurovision.

You had to go overseas to meet some Australians to catch up in Australia.

Yeah, pretty much. Nice one. Yeah, one of those things. But yeah, I mean, catch up with a lot of other people from all around the world as well. Yeah. Yeah. That's a fun.

I really need to add the Eurovision to my bucket list. Oh, I have to experience it.

Yeah, it's a lot of fun.

So Julie, talking about sort of moving into the age part, just to hear your thoughts on this. So everyone knows that with age we change but what positive changes have you experienced as you're growing older?

I think probably the most positive changes that you just, you just don't care anymore. You just think, oh, whatever, you you don't really care about what other people think of you or what they're doing. You just think well, I'm doing what I'm doing. And if you have a problem with that, then that's just too bad. I did a course for work where they gave us these T shirts sort of got think outside the box written on them. And we had to come into the city for our last programme. People like no have to wear something else. I can't wear my T shirt. I'm like, Yeah, whatever. Coming to the city wearing my T shirt. I don't care.

Yeah, it doesn't matter really you stop overthinking little things.

Yeah. Yeah, I think you just become more comfortable in your own skin. thinking well, I'm just gonna wear whatever, go down the street doing whatever. That's all up to you.

So what about if he had to think of a challenge? So what is the biggest challenge that you're experiencing at this age? If any?

Probably Health, which is really annoying. So you do everything that you can to try and stay healthy. And then you kind of get to the situation where you know, there's just one thing after another, that just impacts on you trying to do what you want to do. So I had this problem with my feet called plantar fasciitis. And then that was really painful. So then got better from that going back to the gym for a while, then ended up injuring my hip. So then you get over there back to the gym for a while, had a melanoma and my shoulders and then can't do any upper body weights than already with the hip couldn't do any lower body weights anything, man, you're just trying to, to keep going forward and staying healthy. And all these things just happen. So I guess it's just taking that time to then get back up. And it's not easy. When each thing happens. It takes a while to go, oh my god, how am I gonna get back into a routine again, but I think eventually you do

And you remember how well it used to work. And then you know, your body, the way it used to function things you used to be able to do. And then it changes. It's hard to adjust to that, right. You know, you hurt your hip. And I mean, 10 years ago, probably wouldn't have happened. And going to the gym.

Yeah, I guess you still feel like you probably about 27 I think I got to about 27 and then stopped. So mentally, you're at that age, and then you realise, oh, I can't do these things anymore. Where I had one boss, who when she was 50, she injured her groin in the gym, and I just thought what were you doing? What were you doing? And then I was at the gym doing this spin class the other day? And I'm thinking, Should I be easing up a bit? And it's not like I'm someone in their 50s and I'm like, Oh, crap, that was when I was in my life. But I almost am that person. Awesome. All right. Well, I could see how she could.

Now you get it.

Because you just don't think you that I age. Because I remember my grandma saying I still feel like I'm in my 20s and I'm like you're in your 80s That's just insane. But now Yeah, I do. I do get it.

Why are we thinking?

Yeah, like other people think? Yeah, your ID. Hello. But yeah, clearly you just don't think that.

But in her mind, she's 27?

Yeah, yeah. So I think my cousins still think I'm younger, cuz I've got older cousins and younger cousins. And I've been in that group of younger people. And they're like, Yeah, you're still young, like hello turned 50 This year, like, Oh, my God, what does that mean for me if you're 50?

Because they think because you're in that group, you know, they associate you with the same age as they are so to them, you will always be young? Like them? Yeah, their age is? Automatically she's the same.

Yeah. Or is a bit younger. I'm happy to stay with that.

If you had to describe your greatest accomplishment, what would it be?

That's a big one. Yeah, at work, a lot of people would talk about their children as their greatest accomplishment. But then with myself not having children. And like, I've actually got to think of a real accomplishment to talk about. So. Yeah, I've spoken a bit about work. But I guess, in terms of life, I guess my greatest accomplishment is just being where I am now. So been divorced for a while. And I guess I just took that opportunity to have a look at what I had. And then to, to build up my finances myself, I guess, to work towards a situation where I would still be in a good situation to retire. Because guess that's the thing. We you have your partner and they follow you plans about what you're going to do and where you're going to travel to and what you're going to do financially. And then when that all falls apart, you think okay, well, now I've got to start again, from step one about how do I how do I build myself up financially? Because of course, you always lose something out of that and end up in not a good situation. So yeah, I've really taken steps to get some education, which my ex would never have done, because he always believed that he knew everything, even though he didn't. So I guess I'm willing to say that I don't know. So I've been able to, to learn a lot to really set myself up well financially. So now I'm probably in a spot to retire in a situation to actually retire better than I would have if we were still together. So yeah,

So really, you became even stronger and more accomplished. Being on your own. You've grown rather than being part of a relationship.

Yep. And then could tick off all those bucket list travel events without having to drive to drag someone else with me. So did those four year revisions so travelled off to Scandinavia, Yeah, we're always wanted to go. So I've been to Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, I always really like the Vikings. And see if you have those. There's Viking archaeological sites and the Viking Ship Museum and things that I've always wanted to see. So ticked off those bucket list things, which are New York, or I also really wanted to go there sort of some plays, sort of all the young or winter, Tiffany's and what myself some jewellery and Central Park and just rent all those places that you see in the movies and out to Statue of Liberty. And all of that I managed to have another a couple of trips overseas to see my uncle in England before he died as well. So that was good to have another couple of visits with him. And my sister was living over in Spain. So went and stayed with her and Majorca for a while. So Wow. Yeah.

So what's left on your bucket list? Feels like you've done very well.

Japan, Peru. Right, right. Still lots of places to go. Very held up by by COVID. My travel plans to write

you wrote a book almost

almost written a book. Yeah. So I guess it's taking that opportunity to think Well, I really should now plan the best possible trip to Peru that I could possibly do with all this time. And really save up for that and try and talk to my friends into coming with me. So that'll be

You’ve inspired me. Now I need to think of a place I want to go at least you know, first one on the list and start planning it.

Yep, definitely. We’ve got plenty of time on our hands to start planning.

So if you had to give yourself advice, so what advice would you give your 30 year old self? So think back? What would you give your 30 year old self?

Well, probably don't overthink things. And I guess don't be afraid of making mistakes. Because things will just happen to you. Out of the blue anyway. So like with work, I put all this effort into getting a particular job. And then eight years later, I managed to get that job. And then of course, the whole government doesn't restructure, that particular position goes off to another organisation. So then I had to think again, this because this was shortly after my divorce as well, like, Oh, my God, now I've just lost almost, you know, everything and now losing the job that I had as well. So thinking, Okay, well, what other steps can I take in my career? What else can I get into? So I've been doing a lot of work in mental health, which is a very interesting area, because as you can imagine, there's a lot of little problems to solve in mental health and a lot of work to do there. So then worked in the chronic diseases side, which is what I'm doing at the moment, managing a small health service that helps people who've left hospital with chronic diseases, like diabetes, and heart disease just to, to manage in the community.

Yeah, good on you for not, you know, giving up. You did sort of your life, the way you knew it did fall apart in one moment really.

Once you just get over one thing, and everything else happens, which is kind of nice. I guess that everything happens all at once. Because then you've got all those years in between to just to build up and, and get on with things. Yeah, just get out there and keep having fun.

I like that. That should be your quote.

Yeah. Well, the people who I was working with, whenever we went out at night, they develop this phrase about well, when did you leave? Was it before or after Julie? So you became the Yeah, the funny, like, oh, did you leave BJ?

You started something.

Yeah. started something.

So what advice would you give other younger women who will eventually undergo these changes to the ones that will get to your age? What advice would you give them?

I guess just yet, just keep doing the things that you want to do. set your own goals and go out and achieve them. Don't define yourself in terms of other people, but just keep your own identity, which was something that was interesting because you know, being married, you find that people tend to relate to you in terms in sort of in relation to your husband. And then even when I was married, I went overseas by myself and it was just such, it just felt so different that people talk to you as yourself, not as you know, the partner. And it just really struck me heels how different that that felt where you think it really shouldn't feel different, but it was quite interesting.

So you associated as a whole, like together, not individuals, really when you're in a relationship.

Yeah. Yeah. I was reading an article the other day about this woman going through menopause, it was all about, you know, menopause and working. And I thought, Okay, well, we're at that stage. So I'll read the article. And she's talking about how she writes what her day is. And she's like, I ated cookies. And then I do all the staff and then just talking about how just feeling so bad and putting on all this weight and eating cookies. And just wanting to write more for a start, stop the cookies. Take control of what you're eating. identified. Let's fry it, like, of course, have some cookies, but that's not your, your lot. I just have everything I guess, a bit in moderation. So yeah, just stay healthy. I guess another thing, another tip of other advice for young women. I guess the story that everyone has that I remember my friend talking about her mom getting electrolysis for like facial hair. And at the time, you just think oh my god, that is just so terrible. I will just take that out of my head, because that's never going to happen to me. And then of course, the first hair that you find on your chin, it's like dark, and it's like feels like it's centimetres long and thick. Because you're just not looking for it.

And you start looking for like, what is it electrolysis? When can I make an appoint?

How do I get rid of this horrible thing? And how long has it been there? Because it's got so huge, because it's thinking, that's never going to happen to me. So of course, you don't notice it until it's become such a huge thing. And then you think oh my god, no one told me that was there.

And then you get paranoid. He said checking every day in the mirror is their hair is growing.

Oh my God, that's terrible. And then just when you get to that point, then your eyesight fades, and then you can't see them anymore. So anybody glasses on in the mirror going, Oh, my God, I need to fix my eyebrow… getting older.

Lots of fun. I'm looking forward to it. Thanks, Julie.

But yeah, but yeah, keep going. I just keep going for a walk every morning. So I live near the beach. So I like to just go out and go for a walk along the beach at the moment. It's beautiful, because you've got the sunrise in the morning. And you just get quite addicted to going out and thinking what the sunrise looks like this morning. So it's just different every day. And the waves are just different every day. And even if it's cloudy, it's still still very beautiful. So that's nice. Because I was doing the whole thing of getting up at 5:30. Just try and get to the gym at 6. And I thought this is just crazy. And then I read this article about the celebrity going, Oh, I walk on the beach, and I do yoga. And I thought well, wouldn't that be nice? I thought well, you can do that.

That's right, you live right near the beach. So why not?

Yes, I thought I'll forget this getting up at 5:30 in the morning too fresh to the gym to make sure you can get a bike for the spin class. Now, just now go to the go for a walk along the beach. And yeah, it's exercise and things at home. So that's right,

it's exercise. And it's fresh air. Yeah.

And it's sociable. So you meet little people that you know every morning you say hello to with their dogs.

It's kind of like a train ride. same people every day. I'm back. Okay, yep. Hey,

When it gets dark there are a few people and then people come back anything Hey, you know, you haven't been sticking it out. I haven't seen you the past couple of weeks.

Have you been sleeping in. I know it was a cold night last night but um, he that's why

put your longer tights on you'll be fine.

So where do you think the idea of a perfect body image comes from?

I think it definitely comes from the media. And it's something I guess that changes over time. So we go from that whole you know ever wanting to everyone wanting to be stick thin and slender, and then all of a sudden the Kardashians come out and everyone wants a huge butt, you think that's just so crazy? Yeah, that you really just got to go with what you've got really? I think one of my favourite reality TV shows was that that show with Trinny and Susannah with people in fashion because it really just showed people that no matter what you look like if you wear the right clothes, you look great. No need for plastic surgery and no need for all of that. I mean, if people want to do that, that's fine, but I just couldn't imagine going through all that pain for no reason.

I agree. You just have to find your style. Find what suits you? And then you will look like a million bucks. Yeah, rocking what you have, because no one else has that if you make yourself look like Kardashians or someone else, you're gonna look like them rather than yourself. So it's Yeah, I think those that actually go out there and find their own style. And, you know, bring out their best features. I think they're the most unique and beautiful.

Because we've all done that standing in the dressing room in something that's really fashionable, and you put it on and you go, yeah, this doesn't quite suit. If I lose weight, or if I do this will look any better. And you just think, no, you've just got to learn. Give it up.

Yeah. People sit you people think that are I'll change myself to fit into that. How about you just find different coin that fits you the way that you know, it makes you look and feel great, rather than trying to? Or this isn't a fashion but tomorrow when been fashion. So when would you change yourself for it?

So what does it mean, to you feeling good? And looking good? What do you think comes first?

I think feeling good definitely comes first. So if you're, you know, doing a bit of exercise and eating well, I think that comes across, in, in looking good, as well in terms of not being decent body size. I mean, I see people who are really thin and you think oh my god, imagine being like that. But then you find out that they're eating in a really weird way or they really obsessed with carbs, or there are certain things that they don't eat, and I think now just got to be in. Gotta have everything in moderation. You know, if a friend bakes a cake, you want to be able to eat that, enjoy it with them. You want to be able to go out with people and enjoy a good meal without stressing about every single thing you're putting in your mouth. So I think you've just got to get to the point of going well, probably never going to look like Michelle Bridges, because I'm not going to live that lifestyle or do that many sit ups or eat what she eats. So we'll just have to let that one go.

Yeah, it's all about balance.

Isn't it all about balance? Yeah.

You don't want to think back and think Oh, my whole life. I was on a diet. You know, how sad right? Is it everything were just doing moderation then surely makes you happier

Yeah, definitely.

What makes you feel most beautiful?

I think just knowing that you're wearing something nice and having all your hair done. I think that makes you feel beautiful. But then, I guess I've got other photos of myself that I really like where I'm just having the best time. So there's one of me where I'm on a boat and the winds just blowing my hair, but I'm just having the best. And I think I just looked so happy in that photo as well. So I guess yeah, having the whole the whole hair makeup thing is nice, but I guess just getting out there and enjoying life.

Yeah, that makes the most beautiful. Yeah.

Yeah, cuz I went gonna have my hair cut last week to get all ready for today. And also, you know, and we'll Yeah, we'll talk about colours and petty dyeing as well. And everybody, you know, talking about the clothes and how important they've been and how good they felt in these really great clothes. And, yeah, she said, It really annoys me when people say that looks unimportant, because it's a multi million dollar industry. She's like, it's what I do. She just like, you know, people, it is a fact people do find clothes important and that's right. I do find that they feel different in different clothes and

it changes your mood, you know, it doesn't have to be something in fashion in even in fashion just have to be has to be something that you like personally and it does lift your spirits right.

Yeah, you know, having your hair done having your makeup done. All that's important.

Exactly. Exactly. I couldn't agree more. Yeah. Anyone who likes to get their hair their makeup done?

Yeah, I guess you know, when people see you walking down the street that I go, Oh my God, she's so amazing. She's done like, you know, a degree into postgraduate qualifications. Everyone just judges you on your appearance anyway, and then has to take that time to get to know.

That's right before they get to know you. It's the appearance, isn't it?

Yeah

What is your favourite quote about being a woman if you have one or you you heard something or it's from a song or a movie, it doesn't matter or it's your own.

My favourite quote about being a woman is in a book by an Australian writer called Sue Wolf. And she's written this book of short stories. And one of the stories she talks about watching Tango dance, which is when you watch the tango, the woman looks very fragile. She looks like she will fall over at any moment where the actual truth, but that's just an illusion. The actual truth behind the dance is that the woman is the one with the strength and she's actually directing that dance. I think, Oh, that's a really good metaphor just for women in general.

So even though we seem fragile, we're not

we're not. We're the strength behind everything. We're the ones keeping it all together and keeping the show going.

Yep. Love it. Proud to be a woman today. Thanks so much, Julie, thank you for sharing your story with us. And some beautiful, insightful things and wisdom and quotes. And you need to tell me once you come up with the name of your book, because I'm going to read that book. Thank you so much.

Thanks.

If you have an interesting story to share would love for you to participate. You can email us at info@aleksandrawalker.com or visit our website, www. aleksandrawalker.com

This is the 45 over 45 chapter of MY BODY MY STORY podcast, where we celebrate rule breakers and role models - the women who inspire us to live life our way and to show their SENSUALITY,  BEAUTY, SOUL, and TRUE ESSENCE.

 

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