How to Sleep Your Way to Success

How to Sleep Your Way to Success

It’s not exactly news that a good night’s sleep can prepare you better to face all the challenges that life can throw at you. I’ve learnt first-hand the effects of poor sleep on my mental health. My positivity and confidence seem to take a hike when I’ve been burning the candle at both ends.

Poor sleep can lead to stress, and stress can lead to poor sleep which leads to more stress and so on. It’s a vicious cycle but through adventure and lifestyle choices, I have managed to break it. 

Here are my tips for a to improve your sleep, overall wellbeing and pave the way for success! 

A Kayaking, Sunset + Whisky Adventure with Talisker...

A Kayaking, Sunset + Whisky Adventure with Talisker...

I love it when a few of my favourites things in life blend into a moment of total magic. On this particular occasion it was a wondrous combination of London, whisky and adventure.

Last week I was invited by Talisker and Secret Adventures (who organise unusual adventures in London and beyond) to take part in a kayaking challenge down the River Thames.

Myself and a group of fellow adventurers set off from St Mary’s Church in Battersea and finished at the historic Mayflower pub in Rotherhithe for a dram of celebratory whisky as the sun set.

The KONA 10 Challenge

The KONA 10 Challenge

I receive a lot of emails asking me to all sorts of crazy challenges, often with very little notice. I had three week’s notice to do World’s Toughest Mudder, a 24 hour non-stop Tough Mudder obstacle race in Las Vegas where I ran 50 miles and did 200 obstacles! This is why I train hard, despite not always having a specific challenge I’m training for; I want to be ready when these opportunities come up and jump on them.

When I received an email asking if I thought I could reach 10 volcanic locations, climbing or cycling to their summits in 72 hours whilst also driving between them in British winter, my first reaction was “We have volcanoes in the UK?” Apparently we do, dating back 450 million years!

10 Steps To Be A TrailBlazer

10 Steps To Be A TrailBlazer

Every day I wake up with a fire inside driving me to crack on with my mission to fight for the change I want to see in the world. It didn’t always used to be this way. Life was the complete opposite for many years. I lived for the weekends. I felt bored and unfulfilled at work. I felt this nagging feeling inside me saying “Is this it? Is this really what you were born to do with your life?” I would spend hours sitting behind my computer, scrolling through the internet, dreaming of another way to live, another way to feel about myself and my life. But for years I didn’t do anything about it because I was too scared of failing and I didn't know how to make the change. 

Last week whilst delivering my 'Be A TrailBlazer' talk and workshop to 150 girls in a school in Kent one of the girls asked “What advice would you give to your younger self?” 

I'm back! Open and honest update to explain why I've not been blogging

I'm back! Open and honest update to explain why I've not been blogging

Last year was crazy. I was dealing with heart-break as the result of splitting from my husband. I built my business from a pipe dream to a sustainable way of living. I focused on my ultimate dream: to use my voice and community as a platform for positive change in the world, by launching TrailBlazers, my youth empowerment initiative. I was travelling away from my home in London for more than 6 months of the year. I partnered with 30 companies creating a wide variety of social media campaigns, I created adverts with Estee Lauder and Hyundai, and even learnt how to take time off - away from social media, blogging and emails - for a few treasured weekends.

Ever since I can remember, I’ve been able to ask for more and more from myself. However, since adding TrailBlazers to my plate in November, I couldn’t do everything and something had to give. It’s been a real struggle to try and manage it all, so I've been making some changes and finding the right people to help! This is why I have been absent from blogging and want to explain...

How to Prioritise Self-Care + Happiness. Do less, achieve more!

How to Prioritise Self-Care + Happiness. Do less, achieve more!

I think I may have been addicted to the feeling of productivity to the point of risking burn out. The culture that I see on my social media feeds and feel (especially living in London) of working 24/7, of relentlessly grafting and hustling towards your business, your dream, your goals… It’s inspiring, but it’s also exhausting, can cause anxiety and it leaves no time for you to be YOU.

If you asked me “who is Challenge Sophie?” I would be able to answer that easily. She’s motivated, ambitious, a go-getter, she delivers her A-Game, she’s a dreamer and a do-er.  

I love being that person. But that person, or rather, that part of me, has had tons of air-time in recent years and it’s been all too easy to forget about Sophie. I see this with my friends and fellow entrepreneurs, especially women; we can put so much pressure on ourselves juggling multiple jobs and projects. It’s become the norm to demand, demand, demand, without giving ourselves enough time off to rest, play and be our natural selves! Busy is the death of productivity and happiness. Guard your time, it's your greatest asset

Dealing with Stress

Dealing with Stress

I didn’t realise I was stressed. Stress seemed like the image of someone pulling their hair out and not being able to manage the demands from life. Yet I feel like (at least on paper and in my mind) I am managing it. Some days, crushing it! I’ve always been ambitious and hard working, but I’ve never experienced anything like the courage and energy these last few years have required. Couple the physical and mental demands, with the pressure I pile on myself, and it was going to be a risky game!

My Struggle With Body Confidence

My Struggle With Body Confidence

Sometimes I get frustrated with myself for letting this whole concept of body confidence, take up so much space and energy in my head. It’s something I worry about pretty much on a daily basis. The shape and size of my body seems to fluctuate constantly, so it's an ongoing challenge.

I literally feel like I’m about to cry writing this. I know that sounds silly, and is a totally silly thing to get upset about. But it’s so frustrating to be working hard at something and not see the results we're hoping for. Moreover, it’s something I find embarrassing, especially given the nature of my job.