You Don’t Have To Shrink To Glow Up
To the woman who's tired of chasing perfection.
Let’s be honest — your body changes in midlife, and it can really mess with your mojo.
Your everything softens. Nothing fits quiet right. You glance in the mirror and think, Is this just how it is now?
It’s easy to believe you’ve got two choices:
Learn to love the changes, no matter how you feel inside
Or go full-on bootcamp transformation mode, trying to “get your body back”
But what if there’s a third way?
What if your glow up isn’t about shrinking, fixing, or pretending?
What if it’s about coming home to yourself — and letting that be enough?
When I Thought I was Too Much
I’ve been curvy most of my life. “Big-boned,” as they say.
Even in school, I felt different — bigger, heavier, more there than my friends.
They were petite and slim. I was… not.
And the message I absorbed early was clear: if I wanted to be beautiful, I needed to be smaller.
By the time I was 14, I was already dieting.
Scale obsession. Constant body monitoring.
Looking back? I wasn’t overweight. I was just a different shape.
But the world didn’t teach me then that beauty comes in more than one shape or size.
Fast-Forward: I’m in My 50s Now — And Here’s the Truth
I’ve recently lost 10 kilos. And yes, I feel better in my body.
I feel lighter, more comfortable in clothes, more me in some ways.
But that’s not the full story — because even before the weight loss, I had days where I felt gorgeous.
Confident. Feminine. Magic.
Why?
Because I’d stopped trying to be someone else’s version of beautiful — and started expressing myself through how I dressed, moved, and showed up.
What Actually Makes Me Glow
It wasn’t the diet.
It wasn’t the smaller jeans.
It was the alignment.
It was:
Dressing in a way that was true to me
Growing out my greys, hello grey hair glow up!
Wearing clothes that made me feel fabulous, not frumpy
Moving my body because it felt good, not because I had to
Reclaiming pleasure — in clothes, in confidence, in the art of being present
The real glow up?
It’s when you start showing up like you believe you’re already worthy.
You Can Want Change — And Still Love Yourself Now
I’m not here to shame weight loss or say you should “just love yourself as you are” if you don’t feel good right now.
Here’s what’s real:
You can lose weight and still not feel confident.
You can weigh more than you used to and still feel sexy as hell.
You can care about your health and be done with self-punishment.
You can desire change without basing your worth on it.
Midlife isn’t a pause.
It’s a pivot — into something deeper, richer, more authentically you.
5 Things That Actually Helped Me Feel Beautiful Again
I let go of chasing the “fantasy body” and focused on how I wanted to feel
I dressed for the woman I am now — not the woman I used to be
I let style become a daily act of self-love
I started to focus on the positive
I remembered to be grateful
If You’re In That Midlife Messy Middle…
If you’re doom scrolling for answers —
If your body feels unfamiliar and your confidence is faltering —
If you’re caught between wanting change and giving in.
Let me tell you something:
You don’t have to shrink to glow up.
You don’t have to fix everything to feel fabulous.
You don’t have to wait until you “get it together” to enjoy your life and love your look.
You are allowed to love who you are right now.
Even if you’re softer.
Even if you’re a work in progress.
Even if nothing in your wardrobe fits quite right.
This Is What Reclaiming Your Power Looks Like
It’s not about erasing your age or flattening your belly.
It’s about expressing your essence.
It’s:
Wearing the thing that makes you feel lit
Styling your vibe like you’ve got nothing to prove
Walking into rooms like your story is your superpower
You don’t need to be smaller.
You just need to be you, fully expressed. Dialled ALL. THE. WAY. UP.
Ready for Your Glow Up Era?
Explore the Glow Up VIP Experience (think the midlife edition of Queer Eye For The Straight Guy)– styling, colour, photos, power, makeover, magic.
Because this version of you?
She’s not too much.
She’s not too late.
She’s exactly right on time.
Photo Credit | Amanda Starr | Selfie-Love
