Welcome to the [Dis]comfort Chronicles where we're tackling the things that bring us, and our community, the most [dis]comfort. In this series, we're speaking to real people from our community about what brings them the most comfort & how they've learnt to become more comfortable with themselves.

In this instalment, we're so excited to introduce you to Claira – one of the faces of our latest limited edition colours, Matcha & Khaki.

Name: Claira Hermet

Occupation: BBC Radio Presenter and self-love and confidence coach

Location: London

 

TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF, CLAIRA?

I’m Claira, a BBC Radio Presenter and self-love and confidence coach. I spent a lot of my life not liking myself or my body. I then spent many years relearning and reprogramming myself and my mind so I could feel free and at peace. I can now say I love myself.

 

WHEN DO YOU FEEL MOST IN YOUR COMFORT ZONE?

Hmmmm comfort zones are funny things! Comfort zones can be very uncomfortable, they are simply what is known to us. For example the job we hate or the crappy relationship we won’t leave. We stay because we know it and the unknown is scarier than staying in what we know even if it is shit! 

Everything good is on the outside of the comfort zone!

I feel most in mine when I’m stuck it old patterns but luckily I normally realise quite quick and shift myself out of there!

 

HOW HAVE YOU LEARNT TO BE MORE COMFORTABLE WITHIN YOURSELF?

Many ways! I think for me it was really important to understand the following. I am not my body I am existing within my body. That bit of separation gave me the chance to see my body for the gift it is. I used to hate myself and that included my body. I felt like I didn't look how I wanted to and I wasn't who I wanted to be. It seems funny to say that now but that's how I felt. Instead of looking for reasons to be grateful for myself, I was constantly looking for more evidence to prove I didn't look 'right' or that I 'wasn't good enough'. When I realised I was not my body and I started to see my body as the functional flesh suit it is, I was like 'WOW you do a lot for me'. In fact I couldn't live my life without my body! 

I really feel beauty standards are very much man made as a way to make us feel less then and somehow inherently wrong. That means we are a perfect consumer. We are told if we have this, get this or do this our life will change and we'll be better but I think that all a lie to get us to buy stuff we don't need! Once I could see this I started to focus on what I liked about myself, all my body does that's good for and I got really strict with negative self talk. Realising that the things that make us feel bad or stop us from being us are simply thoughts and beliefs that aren't even true is a very freeing thing!

ONE PIECE OF ADVICE YOU'D GIVE YOUR YOUNGER SELF?

GO FOR IT REGARDLESS OF WHAT ANYONE ELSE SAYS! If you know you want to do it, don't let anyone stop you! If you really want it you will find a way to make it happen. When people advise us against things they do it from a place of how they see and experience the world. Very often it's about how they would feel or what they would do because they only have their own experience to draw from. It's about their fears and not about the actual thing. So I say go for it! Be yourself, always, and follow your dreams. Nothing worse than a life full of regret. 

 

HOW DID YOU FIND THE PANTEE SHOOT DAY?

It was a great day. Fun and good energy. I felt super confident and I love the new colours A LOT! It was so nice to prance around in my pants and just feel totally accepted and celebrated. 

 

AND FINALLY, WHICH PANTEE STYLE IS YOUR FAVOURITE?

This is the toughest question. I'm going to say Bikini Briefs and Boxer Briefs (I know that's 2) and The Bralette. Boxer's are good to lounge in and the Bikini Briefs are sexy! It's a mood thing. 

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A huge thanks to Claira for sharing her story with us and for being one of the faces of Limited Edition Matcha/Khaki, which you can shop whilst stock lasts – once they're gone they're goneee!

If you're interested in being the face of one of our upcoming colour launches, please do get in touch by emailing us at hello@pantee.co.uk.