Letter To My Twenty-One-Year-Old Self - Learn To Love Adventure

Right now, you're full of ambition - eager to make your mark on the world and start building the empires you've got planned in your head. You've worked hard, you've got great business instincts and are going to go far.
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Dear Grace,

Right now, you're full of ambition - eager to make your mark on the world and start building the empires you've got planned in your head. You've worked hard, you've got great business instincts and are going to go far.

That said, I know you feel insecurities you often don't show in public - around being alone, being liked and needing to fill your days to escape a brain that often feels far too busy.

One of the perks, and at times challenges, of running an international beauty brand (Studio10) is the travel. You'll be excited, but also incredibly intimidated to hear that you'll get to visit countries all over the world, sometimes for extended lengths of time as you introduce a wider audience to your own age perfecting makeup range (makeup is something that becomes a major passion for you in a few years!).

You will get to see wonderful places, and when there's time, explore parts of the planet that right now, you don't have the confidence to do. Trust me you should - you won't discover until you are fifty how much you enjoy your own company, and how much more you can do than you give yourself credit for.

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The generation before you would have been aghast at the idea of a lone woman your age, never mind in her fifties a wife and mother, touring the world - stunned at the idea that it would have been not only possible but desirable to criss-cross the globe free from the company of others.

You should embrace shocking people like that, though - the world is your oyster and it's so exciting to discover it.

You might think you don't like too much time to yourself, but relish it - in future years it will be when you really analyse things, working through problems and having your best creative brainwaves.

You'll always adore time with your husband, family and friends, but you'll be stunned discover that you not only love, but need it - no sticking to anyone else's agenda, no carrying luggage that isn't yours and no sharing the lovely, crisp hotel bed!

And there's no need to fear ageing. You'll spend years feeling terrified of what the future faces, but a wonderful, if a strange three-week trip to Singapore, Australia and the US will show you that that life not only begins at fifty but turns into something quite brilliant.

You'll find yourself becoming more comfortable with who you are, with added confidence, not caring so much about what people think. Stop worrying about being liked so much - and focus far more on liking yourself!

Back on the subject of ageing - believe it or not, you'll become so passionate about it that you'll start a business in it.

You already hate the idea that getting older means invisibility, grey clothing and a slow descent into old age.

You'll not only want to redefine beauty for women as they age with your brand, but you'll be on a mission to redefine ageing full stop! You're determined that neither your own daughters or your beautiful god-daughter (pictured) will see getting older as anything other than a fantastic adventure.

Work will be your great love through your twenties and your thirties and forties will be spent in the careful balance between career and family. It won't be till you turn fifty that you suddenly realise who you are - and what really matters to you.

You'll find yourself pushing the boundaries and ageing stereotypes, forcing yourself to try more, do more and step out of your comfort zone - as they say, life is not a dress rehearsal.

Feel excited about the future - new challenges, new places, new friends. Fifty isn't about the old - it's about the new. It's not about middle age, it's about middle youth! If you can think it, do it, that's will be your motto; if it has integrity and doesn't hurt or cause pain or hurt for those around you.

Finally, don't feel afraid to walk away from relationships that bring judgement, pain and feelings of not being good enough.

That's probably the most important thing I want you to know. Life is far too short for fake friends - feeling confident in your own skin and company enables you to distance yourself from relationships that are essentially toxic.

True relationships are not always about complete agreement, but people who really care about you and matter will ultimately understand that neither age nor status define you - and will support your right to make choices for yourself at every age.

Be warned though.... Adventure can be addictive and stepping out of your comfort zone, exhausting.

In three weeks, I finally tried botox (well, I'd written about it so often, I thought I should, expect more on that shortly), debuted on a MAJOR American network and enjoyed some extremely delightful evenings clubbing until the early hours.

Next stop - that tattoo parlour......