Ursula
“It is important to remember that mothers are also daughters, therefore they may carry the wounds or shame of their own girlhood with them into adulthood. In my case I was able to break the cycle and learn with my daughter about putting down limiting beliefs about our bodies and our worth.”
Ursula leads with grit and determination, immersing herself wholeheartedly into what she is passionate about. After enduring hardship at a young age, the courage and resilience she developed has transformed into a drive to help other women overcome their own challenges. This desire has taken shape in the form of a program she co-created with her daughter, My GEM Power, which provides resources and educational tools that focus on body & age positivity. This platform aims to help women dismantle the societal norms that hold them to unachievable standards, instilling confidence and building a healthy relationship with their bodies. Meet Ursula. This is her story.
K: Please introduce yourself!
U: My name is Ursula Erasmus. Everyone calls me Gucci.
I’m 60 years old according to the lines on my face and the soft areas of my body. Yet my soul is ageless and my brain is pretty chipper! I was born and raised in South Africa. I have lived on three continents and I have been blessed with many opportunities to travel. My core philosophy when traveling is to ‘go local’. This really opens my eyes and my mind. I gifted this philosophy to my children too.
I bought a gym membership once in 2004 and I never set foot in the gym. I am active and physical activity is just part of everyday for me. When I was 10 years old I started horseback riding and continued to compete in equestrian events until I was a young adult.
As soon as I sat behind the wheel of a car I discovered a different sort of horsepower. I love cars and I love driving. My dream day would be driving through the countryside (Italy, France or South Africa) with a good female friend in the seat beside me. Driving and having great conversation sprinkled with laughter and the odd tears. Perfection! My daughter and I do this regularly on a more local scale. We love those meanders...
K: Describe yourself in your own words
U: I’m not a copy of anyone, I am absolutely myself. My favourite descriptive word is grit.
I am also unconventional and my kids tell me I am a bit weird. I realized when I turned 50 that I am a study in opposites. I love a mix of classic (design, clothes, music, cars) and contemporary. This facet of mine is often quite visible in what I wear.
I'm curious. I read widely and love films. I am not a purist and I get so excited when I can integrate different ideas to help myself and others figure out the best way to solve a problem.
And I am passionate about supporting women one their own journeys to body acceptance and age positivity. This is the passion that led to me co-founding My GEM Power with my daughter this year. It is important to me to ensure education and support focused on body acceptance is accessible to women everywhere.
K: What is your favourite thing about yourself?
U: Choosing one thing I like about myself is almost impossible. I am grateful for my high energy and my tiny bit of rebellious ballsy bravery. I have a curious mind and a sense of humour.
K: Tell us a story. Have you had an experience that’s defined you or made you stronger?
U: I am a resourceful and resilient woman. When I was just in puberty my mother experienced a mental health crisis. That experience taught me about my own resilience reserves and how to depend on myself.
It is important to remember that mothers are also daughters, therefore they may carry the wounds or shame of their own girlhood with them into adulthood. In my case I was able to break the cycle and learn with my daughter about putting down limiting beliefs about our bodies and our worth.
I look back now to my childhood and know that, although I was anxious and sad at the time, the lessons have served me so well when I had to navigate other challenges. My eyes sometimes still sting with tears, but ‘I got this,’ as they say. Grit is the gift that keeps giving.
K: What is one piece of advice you’d give to your younger self?
U: From the perspective of my 60 turns around the sun I know I would tell the 20 year old me to spend time exploring everything. Don’t feel you have to run with the pack. It is not easy to take a different route or a detour, but you should do it any way you can. Develop your own belief system and discover insights for yourself.
Remember to be kind and also to practice radical honesty. People will respect you for your integrity.
Most of all, be yourself.
K: What does being a woman mean to you?
U: A woman is capable of being whatever she wants to be. And a woman can reinvent herself, living an interesting life of many chapters. A woman also fulfills many roles.
Woman, you are interesting, capable and a little mysterious ;-)
K: Who is one woman that inspires you? What would you say to her if she were here now?
U: Right now I would like to thank Golda Meir, Prime Minister of Israel from 1969 to 1974, for her habit of having a piece of paper in each pocket - one read For I am dust and ashes and the other For me the world was made. I take this as a coaching message for women to be humble and bold. What a brilliant tension that I try to embody.
Michelle Obama is a class act too. I’d say to her let’s get out for a walk and talk about helping girls see possibility everywhere.
I am also inspired by Denise Boomkens. For the powerful, kind advocacy she is doing daily for women over 40 on her IG and website and.bloom I would say thank you.