Talking Self Love with Lyd fit

In this latest addition of local girls whom I admire, this one is a little closer to home. Lydia McCartney or Lyd Fit as she is known across socials has become such a good friend to me over the year that I have known her.

What do I love about Lyd Fit?

1. Her positivity and self-love.

2. She exudes such a warmth and positive vibe that it is hard not to be inspired by her.

Primarily a personal trainer Lydia is set for big things, starting with her very own self love masterclass at the end of September.

So, if you’re looking to work on yourself (and everyone should) have a read of my Q&A below from when I caught up with Lydia earlier this month and head over to her site to book your tickets.

There is no one better to invest in than yourself.

• Tell us a bit about yourself, how did you end up with the concept behind your brand?

So, for me self-love is something that just happened haha! Like most girls I experienced a tough relationship that completely destroyed my self-worth, self-confidence and made me question who I was. I’d always seen myself as a strong female who wouldn’t put up s***te and one day it hit me that I was in a scenario where all the power was taken away from me and I was accepting the behaviour of my partner which was creating huge pain and changing who I was becoming.

After the breakup id just had enough of feeling that way so I made some selfish decisions and took some time to work on myself and that’s where the process of self-love came about. Last year I thought I was in a good place but upon reflection I wasn’t, I was suffering with body dysmorphia, I developed anxiety, I was over worked and I was putting a huge amount of pressure on myself in every aspect of my life which made me so miserable. 

The past year I have completely change my outlook after what I believe was a spiritual awakening and now I am in the best place I have ever been in. I have learnt so many tools to help with my personal growth and self-development and I make a conscious effort to be kind to myself every day. For me life is a beautiful, precious thing and I hate the thought of people wasting it worrying about their body or Instagram followers so I decided to spread my message and set up my ‘Self Love Masterclasses’. 

My vision and my aim of Lyd Fit is to educate people on self-love and help them understand its much deeper that our physical appearance – it’s a process of self-acceptance, emotional awareness, growth, vulnerability and celebrating who we are. Going forward to aim to run my masterclasses and teach children in the education system the tools to protect them mental health and self-perception. 

• What do you offer?

I offer a safe space at Lyd Fit for growth and an authentic vibe. I feel self-love is huge at the moment and many influencers are jumping on the bandwagon to suit what fits however I know self-love isn’t something you can fake. It takes a lot of hard work, working on yourself to address pain you’ve been through and how that’s shaped you into the person you are today. Part of the self-love process is accepting your emotional responses, neurological habits, negative associations with yourself and vulnerabilities and integrating habits every day to understand these and re-write them into positive, and kind habits. 

I offer a real view of what we face as women and I talk about issues that we feel we cannot address or voice.

• Do you believe women are becoming as successful in their field just as much as men?

Yes, women are killing the game and becoming successful on their own terms! Discussing what they want and posting what they want. 

• Who inspires you?

My former self. If I ever have a down day I reflect back and think of ‘2015 Lydia’ and that inspires me so much. Self-reflection for me is the biggest form of motivation when it comes to growth. I get inspired every time I receive a message on Instagram or one of my personal training clients tells me she feels good today despite her cellulite, that is the stuff that serves my purpose and keeps me going even when people doubt me or I feel pressure that I don’t have a concrete job. 

• What is your greatest achievement?

Honestly, My Self Love Masterclasses. It is everything to me and I feel so happy I had the guts to go for it and put them together. It makes my soul happy to envision changing people’s mind-set and help their self-worth. 

• What advice would you give to young girls who are struggling with body image?

Hmm, tough one ha-ha I could say a lot! I think the most important thing for me with teenage girls is giving them the tools to understand the impact this ‘never enough’ mind-set is having and will continue to have on them for the rest of their lives. 

• What advice would you give to yourself 5 years ago?

‘Pain is a path for personal reflection and growth. Everything your felling now Lydia is paving the way for your purpose in the future and the positive impact you’re going to make to so many women. Remember this in your times of pain and self-doubt. Smile through the tears and heartache, your self-worth is going to come back and flood your soul with confidence and self-assurance. You have no idea of who your about to become, be grateful for this moment’

• How do you stay motivated and positive?

I refuse to ever go back to the mind-set I was in last year. That for me is my motivation every day to love myself unapologetically. 

• What are your ‘daily struggles’ and how do you overcome them?

Routine and being proactive for my purpose. I find it hard to manage everything and make time to work on myself but this month I’ve invested in myself with a personal trainer and a counsellor to work on my physical and mental wealth! Already I feel happier and invested.  

• What’s next for you?

Honestly my path changes that much I’m not sure ha! I manifest everyday about my masterclass being a success and eventually doing a UK Tour to spread my message which would be insane! I think for me I know my purpose but I’m not sure where the journey will take me. I’m cool with that and open to the future wherever Lyd Fit takes me. 

Follow Lydia on Instagram for more Self Love inspiration @lyd.fit

xx