Celebrity
How the campaigner found her purpose even if a work-life balance remains elusive.
Katie Piper has big plans forInternational Womens Day.
Pipers panel will be about the power of authenticity and self-worth.
But in truth, Piper and her work celebrate women every single day.
Theyve gone on to rebuild their lives.
And you just think, wow.
I never relive it, she tells me of 2008s traumatic events.
Even her partnership work, with Pandora, for instance, has a deeper meaning.
Its really great to work with a brand that gives me free range creatively, she explains.
Im not Photoshopped; Im not edited.
I can actually be authentically myself.
It means a lot, not just to me, but other people watching me as well.
I think its quite powerful, and its an example to other brands.
Its rewarding and really insightful.
Her experiences prompted her to dig deeper.
The ultimate question became: Should a child ever be in prison?
The answer is in some states, that does happen; [theyll stay there] with the mother.
In other states, they are taken away.
TitledAll You Need, the story follows Teeny Mouse and her quest to become braver and more courageous.
Piper sees the fable as a continuation of her work around affirmations.
How do I do it?
Where do I find it?
I thought, You know what, Im going to make something that they can use as a tool.
Thats how the idea for the book was born.
Affirmationsare a big part of my life, she tells me.
I think whether people realise it or not, theyve been affirming all their lives, she says.
I was brought to positive affirmations through a traumatic experience, where I needed to reallychange my mindset.
I knew I needed to go up against something that felt bigger than me.
What it taught me was: Actually, nothings ever bigger than you.
How does she balance it all, I ask.
she says, laughing.
And then you feel like youre doing it wrong.
Im always late to the school run, and Im always rushing to sports day.
Im always replying to emails at 1 a.m.
I can only do one thing really well: either career or home life.
One suffers when the other ones going well.
If anyone has the answer [to balance], just share it!
As for what brings her joy, Piper is clear: Family is a really big thing for me.
My husband, the children, my immediate family, as well as my parents, the extended family.
