RACHEL PERU. Body confidence

I had a great time interviewing Rachel Peru on my instagram live. She is a silver haired curve model and body confidence activist and influencer. 

She told me that when she left school she had no career aspirations and despite loving drama she did not pursue that because of a lack of confidence. She worked in retail for years, had three children becoming a stay at home mother to bring them up. But then she wanted something for herself and started working in nursery school. In her late thirties she got divorced from her husband, who she had been with since she was sixteen. 

She said that for her 40th she did a tandem sky dive to build her confidence and push herself out of her comfort zone. Then she went on to rediscovered herself, by becoming a mature student and going to university and getting a degree. She says it was a period of time she loved. She started embracing life and travelling and saying yes to more to things. She also found love again.

She said that when she was young she never thought she was good enough, she was never part of the cool girl gang but she would now tell her younger self  "you are more than enough, don't try and fit in".

She got into modelling by chance because she helped a friend out at a Macmillan charity fashion show, she says she loved it and felt empowered. One of the photographers encouraged her and when she was 45 she took the plunge and approached a modelling agency and she says it has taken her down a career path she never imagined possible but she is loving it. She said that Empowerment meant "owning your space and knowing that you are good enough, you are visible and you can achieve the things you never thought possible. 

She acknowledged that the menopause can be a hard time for some people but she said that there is also so much excitement about midlife, it can also be a chance for reinvention and rediscovering things you have lost along the way.

She says being a mature model for swimwear and lingerie has become a passion for her and she knows it inspires other women. 

She talked about going grey at 45 and how many people thought it was the wrong thing for her to do, not dying her hair any more but since then everyone loves it.

She talked about her Podcast, Out of the Bubble, which she started to connect with other women of her age group who are doing amazing things. She wanted a way to share the stories and give other women the chance to be more visible and get their voices heard because she knows that it can be scary taking steps to get your story out there. She says we can 'learn from one another and support one another"

 On the 29th of March she is launching a midlife body confidence course called, Rediscover You.  On the 15th March she will also be launching, a free, three day Facebook challenge, for people to find out how she works.

She says it is time for narratives surrounding the beauty industry to change to be pro ageing and she does not want to be put in a box by her age, she loves being in her fifties.

She says she has an affirmation "I am bold, I am brave, I am beautiful and she forces herself to look in the mirror as she says it in her head, to give her confidence and belief in herself.

One thing she would say to her younger self doubting self is,  "don't be scared, you can do it, back yourself, do whatever makes you feel good do it. 

Rachel says that Social media has been great for connecting with fabulous women and added that it is important to use it if you have a message get it out there and you want to share it.

She is currently organising a Silver Sassy event in September at Goldsborough Hall in North Yorkshire, with a friend who started a modelling career at 70. They will be celebrating women who make the choice to go grey and to put the spotlight on them. 

You can catch the full interview with Rachel on my instagram IGTV @shuvonshuvoff

To find out more about the Rediscover You course and Silver Sassy event you can email Rachel 

Email: Rachelperu1@gmail.com 

Instagram: rachelperu1

Twitter: @rachel_peru