Helen, The 40 over 40 Women’s Portrait Campaign
Helen, 56
I have been described by my friends and family as…
Loyal, honest, kind-hearted, and generous.
What would you say is your best quality?
Being there for family and friends in their time of need.
I am most proud of…
My greatest achievement and something I am most proud of are my two children, Glenn (29) and Megan (27). They have grown into amazing human beings.
My favourite quotes…
“Life is an echo.
What you send out comes back.
What you sow you reap.
What you give, you get.
What you see in others, exists in you.” Zig Ziglar
Regardless of who you are or what you do, if you are looking for the best way to reap the most rewards in all areas of your life, you should look for the good in every person and in every situation
and adopt the golden rule as a way of life.
What advice would I give my 20-year-old self…
Don’t be in a rush to tick all the boxes. Be kind to yourself and trust your instincts.
We all experience many lifetimes in this one life. What did you find were the most poignant changes as you entered your 50’s?
I entered my 50’s and my husband of almost 30 years passed away. For the first time in my adult life, I made decisions and choices that made me happy.
To be by myself and truly find out “who Helen is”, the good, the bad, and the ugly was absolutely life-changing.
Thoughts on aging…
I am still working on the aging bit. More challenging for me is the physical degeneration and the medical issues this brings.
I absolutely love the wisdom I have gained with age, but could I have that wrapped in a 25-year-old body with no ailments?
A goal or dream I still have is…
I am beyond excited to become Stuart’s wife and I look forward to our life together, wherever that takes us.
Home is wherever he is.
A story I’d like to share…
I met my soulmate, Stuart in January 2019 and these past two years have been filled with joy, happiness, and an utter conviction that the hopes and dreams I sent out into the universe have been exceptional and way much more than I’d ever imagined. Life today is wonderful.
My experience of the 40 Over 40 Campaign
My 40 over 40 experience was incredibly empowering for me.
The reason I wanted to take part in the campaign was to capture who I am, right now.
To show the personal growth in who I have become in the last 2 years.
When I saw my photos at the reveal session 2 weeks after my shoot, I saw mirrored back to me, a woman who is comfortable in her own skin.
Confident in how her life’s journey has led to this moment.
I could see the joy and happiness in my face and how my fiance makes me feel strong, sexy, and desirable.
Even as I turn 57 in December, I actually thought, “damn girl! You look gorgeous!”
Having known Monica for well over a decade, I was immediately relaxed and at ease.
I know she makes everyone feel that way and it’s always great fun to spend time with her.
She gets my sense of humour and there are always lots of laughs.
I would definitely recommend a woman’s shoot to capture where you are in your life’s journey.
You can always remember how it made you feel; And you’ll have something tangible printed and hanging in your home
to remind you just how amazing you are and how far you’ve come.
“I met Helen many years ago at a woman’s book club in Cape Town, which has since ended, yet many of us from the group have stayed in touch and remained good friends. Helen was born in Scotland and has lived in South Africa most of her adult life. Her accent is still very strong and I absolutely love it! Helen always likes a good laugh and the times we’ve connected, we’ve always had an easy-flowing, and fun time. When I first met her, it felt like we had been friends for years! She has that welcoming and carefree way about her. And she is also great with advice. Advice on all sorts of things! We had an amazing time in my studio, with Iza Cloete first doing hair and makeup. Several weeks ago, Helen treated her sister June to the 40 over 40 portrait campaign! (Click HERE to see her shoot), and I’m so glad she decided to treat herself too. Thank you, Helen,’ dahlin’!”
