Tessa Sanderson CBE knows a thing or two about defying expectations: she won gold for her javelin throw in 1984, becoming the first-ever British woman to win an Olympic throwing gold medal.
Then, at the age of 54, she adopted twins. From chasing her dreams on the field to becoming a parent for the first time, Tessa feels more empowered than ever. Here, she shares her tips on why your age should never stop you from pursuing what you love.
Take care of your body and mind
“I feel so much better now taking care of my body than when I was competing. Moisturise, when I was competing? I didn't really think about things like that. But now, I'm calm, thinking about me and making myself feel beautiful.
Over the past 10 years, my skin has changed a lot. It’s mainly because I’ve looked after it. My skin feels smoother and softer. It feels better now than it did when I was 30!”
If you want something, go for it
“I adopted twins at the age of 54. I call them my two blossoms. People thought, “Are you crazy? You’re not going to adopt at that age, it’s far too old.”
But it's not about my age. It's about how I felt and what I wanted to do. My twins keep me motivated, fit and healthy. It's a wonderful feeling.”
Never doubt yourself
“I won an Olympic gold medal in 1984. It took me 12 years, and it was a learning curve along the way, but I'm glad I went for it.
I received my CBE in 2004 – thank you, Ma’am. That was for the charity work that I've done over the years.
The lesson I would give to my younger self is to never doubt yourself. Just have a go because you never know what can happen.”
Own your achievements
Now that I've achieved quite a lot of things, it's a massive confidence boost. My age is 66. “So what,” I think. I feel really good – really good.
If you’d like to look and feel your most radiant, why not book a complimentary beauty Service? From bespoke skincare routines to makeup tips and tricks, our Estée experts are ready and waiting.
What does ageing mean to you? For TV presenter Lisa Snowdon, influencer Lolly Streek and Olympian Tessa Sanderson CBE, it means being their best, most confident selves. Ageing? Bring it on.
Don’t listen to your inner critic
Tessa: “I’m more confident now than I’ve ever been.”
Lisa: “Totally! I’ve always had imposter syndrome, but I’m working on that.”
Lolly: “A lot of girls and women are so hard on themselves.”
See skincare as self-care
Lisa: “I love my self-care!”
Lolly: “I actually start my night-time routine straight after dinner. I even have my products in the living room when I’m watching something on TV.”
Don’t let age stop you from doing what you love
Tessa: “I didn’t adopt until I was 54. I remember when [the adoption agency] said to my husband and I, “We’ve found you twins!” They asked if that was okay – because of my age. Now my twins are 11, and it’s just fantastic. They are my world.”
Reflect on how far you’ve come
Lisa: “On the last page of my book, I’m Just Getting Started, there’s a letter I wrote to my younger self. Throwing it all out there – including everything I’ve been through with fertility – was a really nice opportunity to reflect. It was like putting my arms around ‘baby me’ and saying, “It’s going to be okay!””
Lolly: “I can see it. You are glowing!”
Tessa: “It’s because of our age!”
If you’d like to look and feel your most radiant, why not book a complimentary Beauty Service? From bespoke skincare routines to makeup tips and tricks, our Estée experts are ready and waiting.
#BecauseOfMyAge