Sue, The 40 Over 40 Women’s Portrait Campaign

Sue, 62

I have been described by my friends and family as…

Kind, generous, loyal and caring

My best qualities are…

Care and consideration for others.

I am most proud of…

Raising two children with the right values, ethics and principles.

My favourite quotes…

“If something looks too good to be true,

It probably is.”

What advice would I give my 20-year-old self…

Make sure you educate yourself for financial independence.

Save as much as you can afford for your retirement – from job one!

It comes around a lot sooner than you think.

We all experience many lifetimes in this one life. What did you find were the most poignant changes as you entered your 40s?

My 60s have been the most thought-provoking years so far.

Time suddenly becomes more finite. Time to do important things that you always wanted to do.

Time to nurture close friendships and family relationships. Let the small things go.

Perfectionism is unimportant – in fact, petty. Negative people engender negativity within oneself, so avoid them.

Celebrate and look for the good in the people you love, and tell them about their good qualities. Genuine compliments are the greatest gift.

People will remember them for a lifetime.

Thoughts on ageing…

Keep nicely groomed…enough to always feel good about yourself.

Overdoing it in the hair, nail, clothing and plastic surgery department can be very ageing. Keep things simple and stylish.

Sue’s good friends in England booked her the shoot for the 40 Over 40 Women’s Portrait Campaign, much to her horror, as she doesn’t enjoy being photographed (at all!)

Donna, Sue, and I actually had such a good chuckle when Sue was saying to us “I can’t believe my friend bought me this. She KNOWS I hate being photographed!” and Donna piped up “Yes! What kind of friend does THAT? haha”

But in the end, I know Sue had fun. The day was so relaxed and her portraits are stunning, and really show her confidence and strength. It was a day of great conversation and lots of laughs.