Every girl needs a self-love (s)hero... and ours is Claire Thomson. She's bold, she's ballsy and she'll show you the way to body positivity in no time! Her blog, I Love My Lyfie, shares her joy chasing experiences and tips for feeling totally fab inside and out. This week, it's with happy hearts that #OSKEasks...

NAME: Claire Thomson
DAY JOB: Photographer + Blogger
SOCIALS: @ilovemylyfie

WHAT’S THE CLOSEST THING TO REAL MAGIC
The closest thing to real magic is the ocean. When I put my fins on my feet I become one with a new world. My head disappears beneath the waves and as I quietly glide through the swaying under water forests, I am reminded of how beautiful this world is and how blessed I am to be alive.

DESCRIBE YOUR GIRLBOSS MOMENT.
My girl boss moment(s) are when I can look anyone in the eye and shake a hand firmly. It's the ability to say no, cool and calmly without an explanation. It's the ability to get a job done to the best of my ability, without the fear of how I appear to others. It's having confidence in my experience and skills. It’s being me in all scenarios.

HOW DID YOU LEARN WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A WOMAN?
I thought I knew what it meant to be a woman by what I was told in the COSMO and by all the movies I watched as a teen. I only really learnt what it meant in my late 20's by reaching out to other women. We have a tribe of warrior women that surrounds us and we need to join forces with one another. The threat is not one another but out there. It's up to us to teach our girls what it means to be a WOMAN.

WHO TAUGHT YOU WHAT LOVE IS? 
My Fiancé, Jacques. We are all, at our core, made of love. Although love is generally painted as a romantic emotion that is felt between people, it has limitless forms and is more fluid than our human brains can conceive. I don't think we ever truly understand what love is, but we know it's close when we feel it because it feels like home. Jacques has taught me how to feel love in a vulnerable, beautiful way and I am learning each day.

WHAT IS INTIMACY?
Intimacy is the ability to be completely vulnerable and unapologetically human. Only when you let all guards down and accept your imperfections can you really see yourself or someone else in their essence. You may be pleasantly surprised what you learn about one another.

My mother has taught me to live life in wonder. Some things may not last long or only last for a short while, but if you appreciate everything in that single moment, life can be one hell of a ride. The world is cautious of a free spirit but if my mother is ever in your block, although it's only for a while, she makes life just a little more magical.

TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR BODY THAT YOU WISH YOU’D ALWAYS KNOWN?
I wish I had known that my body is an instrument and not an ornament. I am not here to look good, I am here to work. I am here to cause havoc and I am here to give women a roar so loud that all the glass on our patriarchal skyscrapers threaten to shatter. My worth and my skill is not measured by the length of my legs or the size of my jeans.

ULTIMATE MAKE-OUT PLAYLIST
Title: The Curve of Your Spine

WHO SHOULD EVERYONE BE FOLLOWING RIGHT NOW?
People to watch - @estherperelofficial, she's a Belgian psychotherapist who has explored the tension between the need for security and the need for freedom in human relationships. Her TED talk on modern love blew my socks off. She also talks about how to create desire in long term relationships.

Thank you Claire for sharing your thoughts and feelings with the OSKE community. If you'd like to get to know this incredible women a little better then find her on insta or subscribe to her blog, I Love My Lyfie. 

Subscribe below and be sure not to miss the next OSKE Asks, hint: we've got a sustainable living legend on the cards!