this talk: is about rising above the bullies to flourish in your career - with Simone Charles
When I was younger, I never really gave my mental health much thought. I was bullied all through secondary school for my size (x large), my height (tall), my glasses (worn), and my studies (always in the library). I was bullied so much, I become numb and the fact that it might leave some long-term damage never occurred to me.
I rarely took time to check in with myself mentally, see how I was doing and acknowledge that moment. I just accepted the mental and physical abuse, went about my day and kept it all bottled up inside.
Fast forward 10 years or so and a lot has changed. Not only am I older and wiser, but the very same things I used to be bullied for are the same things that kick started my career. I started working internationally as a plus-size model, working with some great established brands.
I learnt more about myself. My likes, my dislikes, my tolerances and my boundaries. Instead of taking things without question like I did in my younger years, I began to question them. I began to query the norm. I became inquisitive and I started to realise I had a voice and I was in control of what happened to me and the way it affects me.
Mental health is something that has been bubbling under the surface for years, but has only been openly acknowledged in recent years thanks to social media. Social media combined with my career has taught me how to feel. Not just acknowledge, but really feel. Why is this making me sad? Why did this make me happy? I learnt that my mood is largely affected by the weather. I learnt that my happy days are Thursday and Friday. I’ve learnt that I’m happiest when my friends are family are happy.
Tapping into my inner thoughts and feelings has been the most powerful tool I’ve ever developed. I now have a community of 30,000 people on social media who are following my message on body diversity – it’s reassuring to know I am not alone in this. If I could look back to my younger self in school I would tell her “sit tight, you will rise above it and learn so much”
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