CELEBRITY INTERVIEW
MY LIFE IN HEALTH
Strictly Come Dancing host and mum of two Tess Daly, 54, opens up about motherhood, marriage and mindfulness, and reveals why she hopes her new book will help women prioritise themselves.
All the women in my life are secret superheroes. We’re juggling the balls, keeping them in the air and trying our very best. And it means we have to fight for those windows of time – every womanIknow has a long list of responsibilities and we tend to put ourselves on the backburner. We’re also our own worst critics and we can sabotage our happiness with that “stinking thinking”. We should all cut ourselves some slack and remind ourselves of what we achieve WO on a daily basis.
I love being a mum; it’s the most important thing I do. My eldest, Phoebe, is off to university in September and I’m in complete denial about it. I know the empty nest syndrome is going to be crazy. The centre of my universe has been my kids, so the thought of them ever leaving me feels… wild. I know it’s the future, butIreally haven’t come to come to terms with it just yet. You look back at photos on your phone and they’re blowing out eight candles on the cake and before you know it they’re looking you in the eye as young adults with opinions! But it’s the natural progression of life. I didn’t want to miss out on any aspect of that parenting journey because I’m aware of just how quickly it goes.
The closest I’ve come to burnout was whenIwent back to present Strictly Come Dancing just six weeks after having Phoebe in 2004. I was lucky I had a job to go back to because the industry I work in is incredibly fickle.
But breastfeeding and live television are not the easiest things to manage and on top of that, I was so sleep deprived. The sleep deprivation was intense and debilitating and although I managed to do my job and be a mother to my baby, I was exhausted. Everything was difficult and ready to swing me off kilter. I was operating at such a high level of energy, giving everything to my baby and nothing was being replenished.
Wellness is not a luxury, it’s a necessity. Taking five minutes to stretch before going to bed or breathe mindfully for a few moments to stop the racing thoughts about the “to do” list, is not only valuable for ourselves but for everybody else in our lives. If we keep ourselves topped up with the good stuff, then we’re less likely to burn out.
Every morning I set my alarm so I’m always up before anyone else. It can be a struggle, but I don’t like starting the day on the backfoot, I’d much rather begin as I mean to go on – calmly, mindfully and in control – and getti
