When it comes to #GIRLBOSS-ing it, Personal Trainer and blogger Carly Rowena knows where it's at. With hundreds and thousands of instagram followers and a loyal collective of fitness clients across the globe, Carly inspires us on-the-reg to live our best kinda life.
As women increasingly looking to take charge of their working life and build their own brand like Carly, finding your own success is not as complicated as you might think. We caught up with Carly ahead of International Women's Day to discover her golden tips for becoming the ultimate girl boss.
1) BE PASSIONATE
Whatever it is you love, share it. Whether it’s filming, writing or your talking on your very own Podcast, If you love it shout it from the rooftops. And remember you are allowed more than one passion and as time goes by and your interests and audience evolves you might find you have several things you want to shout about. Just remember that not everyone will love everything you love, they might just love a section of what you enjoy talking about. And that’s ok. As long as you share true passion and invite those around you to do the same, you can be sure to watch yourself and your social platforms grow.
2) BELIEVE IN YOU
You are your own worst critic and I believe that this is one of the hardest aspects to overcome when you are trying to boss it. Remember that no one is you and that is your power. So as long as you stick to your guns and are proud of what you are putting out, then that’s all that truly matters. You’ve got this!
3) TAKE YOUR OWN PATH
This is something I really have to remind myself. Nowadays there is very little privacy and we can see the ins and outs of most peoples business. It’s a numbers and a likes game, which that can drive you to feel that you have to behave or create content in a certain way. DON’T, instead remind yourself daily of why you started, what you want and where you’re going. It's fun to join others on a certain path occasionally, but remember the best adventures come from exploring on your own.
4) COMPETITION IS HEALTHY, COPYING IS NOT
It can be difficult not to find yourself influenced by what you read or see, even subconsciously. However directly copying is a massive no-no. I've found one of the best ways to make sure you don’t simply follow those around you is to take a step back from reading or looking at the same accounts all the time. This is incredibly important when it comes to working with brands, as it can be tempting to see what everyone else is doing but it’s only going to make you second guess yourself. They want to work with YOU, remember that.
5) HOLD ON TO YOUR VALUES AND BELIEFS
I believe i’ve been lucky to find this one easier than most and I seriously think it’s down to the fact that i live outside of London and can take a step back. I turn down 80% of the brand opportunities that come my way and it’s not because I don’t need the money. It's because I never want to look back regret a campaign or video. So if a company or brief doesn’t fit your values, don’t feel nervous turning it down. I promise there is always something better around the corner!
6) HATERS GONNA HATE
During my time online I've only experienced a few moments of hate, but man have they stuck in my mind. Unfortunately you can’t please everyone, especially online as there are a lot of keyboard warriors out there. Before you let negative comments upset you, take a step back and ask yourself if what is being said has any truth to it. If it doesn’t, then remind yourself that you would never be friends with people like that in the real world, so don’t let them get you down now.
7) FAILURE IS PART OF THE PROCESS
It's often hard to remember that not everything will always go your way. You’ll get excited for projects that might never happen and have relationships that don’t go as expected but that’s ok, it’s all part of the process and part of learning about yourself and your business.
8) REMEMBER TO LOG OFF
This ones a biggie and my main resolution this year. Being a girl boss is exhausting and with zero hours contracted it means you work ALL the hours. “Burn out" is a real obstacle, so remember to get outdoors, schedule time with friends, book in workouts, meditation, coffee breaks, and so on. You are not a robot, so don’t let yourself become one.
Carly wears Alo Yoga and Splits59 from The Sports Edit. Follow Carly's adventures on instagram @carlyrowena.
