Woman In Focus: Sophie

This Women’s History Month, we wanted to share a story that’s close to our hearts. Sophie, one of our inspiring community members, opens up about the women who have shaped her, the qualities she has learned to embrace, and her journey toward self-acceptance. Her reflections are honest, heartfelt, and a reminder of the power and resilience found in everyday life.

How do you see the women in your life? What do you appreciate about them?

The most supportive and powerful woman in my life is my mother. She is incredibly strong, independent, wise, and loving. She raised me as a single mum while also living with a disability, and despite her own personal struggles and health challenges, she always put me first. She treated me like her best friend and taught me some of the most important life lessons about advocacy, resilience, and inner strength. Although we have been physically distant for the past 11 years, we have always remained emotionally close. As I’ve grown older, I’ve realised just how much I value her wisdom, guidance, and unwavering support. She will always be my biggest cheerleader, and I feel incredibly grateful to have such a strong and brave woman as my mum.

What’s a quality in yourself that took you a long time to appreciate?

A quality that took me a long time to appreciate is my empathetic nature. Being an empath has been challenging at times. Growing up, my emotional sensitivity often made me feel vulnerable, and I was sometimes labelled as dramatic or overly sensitive. For a long time, I saw this as a weakness because of how deeply it affected my everyday life and relationships. Feeling emotions so intensely, both my own and those of others, can be incredibly draining.

However, as I have grown older, I have started to recognise the strengths that come with being an empath. It allows me to sense emotional shifts, build deep and meaningful connections, communicate with understanding, and genuinely support others. I have also realised how important it is to surround myself with people who see emotional sensitivity as something positive rather than something to criticise. By prioritising self-care and continuing to build my confidence and assertiveness, I am learning to embrace empathy as one of my greatest strengths.

What would you say to your younger self?

If I could speak to my younger self, I would tell her that she never needed to make herself smaller—physically or emotionally—to make others comfortable. For a long time, she believed that staying quiet, keeping the peace, and putting everyone else first was the safest way to be. But the truth is that her voice, feelings, and presence have always mattered just as much as anyone else’s. I would remind her that her empathy and sensitivity are not weaknesses, but strengths that allow her to understand and connect with others in a deeply meaningful way. However, she was never meant to carry everyone else’s emotions or feel responsible for keeping everyone happy. I would also tell her that her worth has never been defined by the number on a scale or by how her body looks. Her body deserves kindness and respect, not criticism. She is allowed to take up space in the world—in her voice, in her presence, and in her life—without apology.

What advice would you give to other women learning to love their bodies?

This is a difficult question because I am still learning to love my body myself. I don’t know if I will ever feel completely confident in it, but I am continuing to work on my self-acceptance and confidence. One thing that has helped me is seeing women who represent my body size. Representation matters. When you see women who look like you wearing beautiful clothing and swimwear, it can encourage and inspire you to be brave and step outside your comfort zone. If I can help other plus-size women feel that same confidence and encouragement, then that is something that means a lot to me. I believe it is incredibly important that all body sizes are represented by brands, which is why I admire companies like Baiia that celebrate diversity and inclusivity. For me, loving your body doesn’t necessarily mean loving the way it looks every day. Sometimes it simply means respecting it and taking care of it.

That can look like exercising regularly, nourishing your body with healthy food, staying hydrated, getting enough rest, and checking in on your health through things like blood tests and medical care. If you are doing those things, you are already showing your body love. There is also still a lot of stigma around plus-size women, with assumptions that they must eat poorly or never exercise. In reality, bodies are complex. Genetics, health conditions, metabolism, and many other factors can influence body size. Loving your body means showing it compassion, caring for it, and recognising that it deserves respect at every size.