Extract: A Little Pick Me Up by Kate Portman

Since the beginning of time, women have been made to feel bad about themselves. From our dress sizes to our careers, from our parenting skills to simply having an opinion, modern women come under immense, relentless pressure to look and behave in certain ways.

The stories we tell ourselves can lead to some dark emotions. They can even result in us hating ourselves – and other women.

It doesn’t have to be this way, though. We just need to realise our power, our value and our worth.

In a deeply personal book, award-winning blogger Katie Portman (www.poutinginheels.com) talks candidly about her own challenges as a woman and shares the tools she uses to overcome them. She invites fellow females to open their eyes to the beauty, power and potential that exists within them.

Covering subjects such as self-confidence, self-acceptance, ageing and identity, Katie holds up a mirror to gender imbalance, she lightens the mental load of mothers, and empowers everyone to practice self-love, not self-hatred.

With an ever-increasing focus on mental health, Katie’s messages should be relayed in schools, universities, on relationship apps and in mothers’ groups across the land. The book can be enjoyed in its entirety, or readers can dip into the ‘little pick me ups’ again and again and again – whenever they need a reminder of how wonderful they really are.

Extract

Jealousy

 ‘Learning to not envy someone else’s blessings is what grace looks like.’ ~ Rupi Kaur 

At ten-years-old I was taken over by the green-eyed monster. For the first time in my life, I longed to be someone else. I wanted to be the new girl at school. The girl with the unbelievably shiny hair that swung perfectly, side to side, as she walked through the playground with all the grace of a seasoned supermodel walking the catwalk. She was perfect. I’d steal glances at her and marvel at her cool get-ups that set her apart from the rest of us. She wore ra-ra skirts with sneakers, and I thought she was the most magnificent girl I’d ever known. I absolutely idolised her, and forever longed to be part of her inner circle.

 My jealousy, however, prevented us from ever becoming good friends. 

Whenever I was in her presence, I never felt good about myself. Unsurprisingly, I didn’t like this very much, so I kept a safe and chilly distance from the girl with the perfect hair. At that age, I didn’t really understand why I was jealous of someone I adored so much. But now, as a grown woman, I totally get it. It was the mistaken belief that, because her light shone so brightly, mine had to dim.

It was the mistaken belief that I wasn’t as special, talented, or as beautiful as her. It was the mistaken belief that being near her somehow made me ‘less than’. Back then, I decided that it was better to admire her from afar than ever risk her light outshining my own. I’ve learned to accept the green-eyed monster that sometimes stomps into my psyche and makes herself at home.  

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 Author Bio

Katie is an honorary Yorkshirewoman; she originally hailed from Lancashire and moved to Barnsley with her headteacher husband, Jamie, a couple of decades ago. They have two beautiful children, Elsie and Leo. 

Katie is on social media, you can connect with her there.

Facebook: @poutinginheels

Twitter: @KateLPortman

Instagram: @poutinginheels