Kim

Image: Kim and her daughter, having fun doing yoga at home.

After finishing maternity leave, I needed something that wasn’t just work and parenting. I love my daughter and my job but mentally, I wanted something that was just for me. So, I joined “This Mum Runs” and began meeting other mothers for a weekly run around Bristol. Chatting to other people kept my mind of how much my legs hurt, and it was always lovely to meet to people who felt like you did.

For me, exercise is also my social time. I find that I often feel guilty for trying to see friends and exercise, so by combining them, I have found friends with similar interests, and I don’t have to pick or feel guilty about how I spend my child-free time.

My enthusiasm for physical activity has definitely inspired my daughter, and now she will often ask to do yoga with me. We put kids’ yoga tutorials on YouTube and she loves to put her “exercise clothes” on, get her very own pink mat out, and we spend some time stretching and being silly together.