I had a conversation with my younger self, she was...
How GoodGym helped women #AccelerateAction - International Women’s Day
March 07, 2025
This year, International Women’s Day’s (IWD) theme is Accelerating Action. Accordingly to data from the World Economic Forum, it will be 2158 before we reach true equality. A key aspect of equality as identified by IWD is “elevating women and girl's participation and achievement in sport”.
GoodGym has an important part to play in Accelerating Action towards equal access to physical activity and increased well being. As a majority female community it’s crucial to amplify our female voices and share their lived experiences engaging with sport and exercise to inspire others to get more involved.
Women from the GoodGym community reflect on their journeys with health, fitness and GoodGym, presenting it as a conversation with a younger self. As you read their stories, consider what you might’ve told yourself given the opportunity.
What would you say? Who were you, what brought you joy and what did you want to achieve? Would you have Accelerated Action towards something you now know is good for you?
Liz, GoodGym Richmond
"I had a conversation with my younger self. She was frazzled from work, giving so much to try and climb the career ladder but not really feeling like she was making an impact. Her world was work and going out with friends but she didn't feel it had a real purpose. She wanted to give back but work deadlines meant she couldn't commit to the regular volunteering that she would like to. She wanted to know whether her desk job was ever going to lead to something more meaningful!"
"I told her that our attention to detail, organising, admin skills, socialising and physical strength were all going to come together to make for a very satisfying part of our life when we get involved in GoodGym. I told her that it took two years between signing up and going to a session but that once we tried it, it filled a gap that we had forgotten we had! We do a wide variety of volunteering tasks that we love and fit them in around all of life: work, family, rest and hobbies."
GoodGym helped Liz find the ‘something more meaningful’ she was after. Her hard work in her career and the gym allowed her to take a leading role in GoodGym when she was ready.
Gosia, GoodGym Camden
"I had a conversation with my younger self, she was coming back home after another long day at work. I said she should consider investing some of these daily overtime hours to do something that embraces who she is and what she stands for in the world."
"Take time to chat with a person who looks sad that day, go for a social run after work and do something good for the community, provide help to someone who needs it, do something small every day that will bring a smile on your face and make the world just a tiny bit better."
"GoodGym will help you with that."
Gosia reflects on what matters most, another hour at work, or making yourself smile?
Ana, GoodGym Wandsworth/Hounslow
"Running has always brought me joy, but much more as I get older. I would love to talk to my younger self and tell her to slow down. Look up, look left and right, not just at the road ahead. Enjoy what's going on around you. Stop to take photos, have a coffee, pat that dog."
"Times don't matter, in fact running slower and longer will improve your running much more than chasing speed. You will run all your pbs over the age of 40 this way! Don't worry about what you look like when you're running, it doesn't matter what people think. Joining GoodGym will introduce you to a fantastic group of people, and bring into your life the joy of running in groups. Stay safe, but go on running adventures. It's the best way to find new places. Take pleasure from running, and hitting your targets will take care of themselves. Run to feel good, to feel strong, to empower yourself."
Sometimes it’s not what, but how. In Ana’s case, running was always a part of her life but she’s found success by not allowing herself to get consumed with self imposed targets. Enjoying the run is the secret to hitting the targets anyway, so pat that dog.
International Women’s Day session
Ana is hosting a GoodGym session in Wandsworth, London on Sat 8th March for IWD and everyone is welcome. You’ll be planting bulbs in green and purple, then heading to a women led charity that saves surplus food from being wasted for a small celebration. Everyone is welcome; this isn’t a women only run, it's a chance for us to get together to celebrate International Women's Day, lift up women around us and to spread the word about equality and opportunity for everybody.
"The session on Saturday is all about celebrating women, having agency over where we all choose to be active, making a noise and finding joy in feeling strong. It's important that we spread the message that there is still work to be done in achieving gender equality but there is huge positivity to be found in shouting about women's achievements. We're going to be doing this with music, fun, an impactful task and in collaboration with some amazing local women."
Read more about International Women’s Day and it’s importance in fighting for equality
Read more about this years theme #AcceleratingAction