Women Who Inspire Us - Anne B
What are the values that are important to your life?
Living a purposeful life. I joined the Royal Navy as a young woman to give back to my country and work for an institution that gave you real purpose. I was one of the first women to serve at sea, breaking barriers and putting myself into tough situations where it was felt women could not excel.
I still work in the defence industry as a consultant and I am a non-executive director for a financial services company. I want to continue to make a meaningful contribution in everything I do. I have always worked hard, but recently I feel I am working harder and longer hours than ever. I am conscious that I maybe pushing myself too hard at the moment. Things that make life feel important are always having to fit in around work and so I think it will soon be the right time for me to make another transition that better connects my personal needs with my career. I am striving for greater day-to-day harmony and recognise that to achieve it I need to work at building the connections between the different activities in my life.
Why is exercise important to you?
I love being outdoors and being active, whether this is walking or running. Being outdoors and part of nature helps me to feel at one with the natural environment, it energises me and makes me feel great. A special place for me is the Lake District - the vast, empty space and long walks in the hills. If I am not walking in the great outdoors, I spend a lot of time at the weekend in the allotment gardening.
Has it always been important?
Yes, it has. I exercise around 5 times a week doing diverse things such as yoga, weights, running, walking and tend to design my own workouts that suit my needs. I am now going through my menopause and this means my body is changing all the time. And so, I have to adjust my diet and exercise to meet my changing body’s needs.
What are your goals for the next 12 months?
Run a marathon or walk the South Coast Way.
Who inspires you?
Fern Cotton, Carol Vorderman, Louise Minchan and Naga Manchetty
Can you give our readers one exercise tip?
Be consistent – have an action plan of what you are going to do and when and stick to it. Consistency means it becomes part of your routine and you will then miss it when it isn’t there.