Alana Panton

Forties feel so good ✨ An age I once feared… but here I am—more grounded, more confident, more me than ever. I look back at my early 30s and honestly wonder how I got through them… but I did. And I’m proud. Life’s not perfect—I juggle a mix of jobs to survive London lol—but I’ve created a life that fits around what matters most: being a present Mama. 💫 I never thought I’d be modeling or becoming a yoga teacher at 40 or have the confidence to even try —but here I am. Loving it. I still get to build my little business on the side, too. It’s never too late to switch paths. 💫 I do work I enjoy. I left the corporate grind behind long ago for my mental health. 💫 My daily non-negotiables?  Starting my day with Yoga. As muscle mass is important at this age I added body pump, and Hyrox training 3 times a week this year,which I love! 💫 Taking care of my body and mind daily is my top priority. 💫 This year, I finally committed to a journey I’d been curious (and a little scared) about for years—water fasting. I started with daily intermittent fasting, then built up to 24, 36 hours, and eventually a full 5-day fast. 🧘🏽‍♀️ The benefits blew me away—mental clarity, deep healing, and an even stronger connection to my body. 💫 Dr. Mindy Pelz (@drmindypelz ) has been my fasting guru and I highly recommend her book Fast Like a Girl if you're curious. Fasting, detoxing, and nourishing myself from the inside out has truly changed everything for me. I’m solo parenting, dancing often, dreaming big, prioritising peace, joy, and the people who really matter. I’m surrounded by inspiring, strong women—my friendships are important in my life. That saying: “Men come and go, but your friends are forever”—couldn’t be more true. And when it comes to relationships? I’m happy doing life solo. I’m not waiting to be “completed.” If someone amazing comes along and aligns with my soul, amazing but maybe I’ll be waiting until pension age or the next life at this rate (looking at new-age dating culture 😂), but it’s all cool. In a world chasing filters and fillers and injections for everything, I choose to honour my natural beauty and health.... I choose to be real. Always.

My makeup was on point yesterday—I used a MAC primer for the first time, and it made such a difference! I’ve been discovering so much more about makeup since becoming my own makeup artist for live television. Would love to hear your absolute must-have makeup recommendations!

MJ Junior at it again - he's been Michael Jackson obsessed for a couple of years now - he's going to see thd movie for the third time today lol

My die hard MJ fan ❤️

For so long, I believed what society told me about my hair. Being mixed race in the 80s, I grew up hating my curls - wishing I had straight hair. It didn't help that my mum straightened and permed it when I was just 5 or 6. From that moment, I carried a belief that wasn't even mine. Sadly, it took until my early forties to finally want to learn how to look after my afro. The hair that naturally grows from my head. For years I was embarrassed to walk down the street with my natural hair - spending fortunes on extensions that quietly damaged what was already mine. At 43, I had braids for the first time and absolutely loved them. But over the last few months, actually getting to know my natural afro? I'm genuinely enjoying making friends with it. Watching it grow and flourish. This is one of the final pieces of truly loving myself. Just wearing the hair that grows out of my head — proudly. I'm so glad I finally listened to my incredible hairdresser, because some people sadly lose their hair permanently from years of relaxers, weaves, and braids. I still have mine, and I intend to cherish it. Thank you to Paige Lewin for your incredible book and for sharing your journey to help others heal theirs. 🤍 And thank you Luco, Ata at Superb Salon, Natasha at Crown Tricology and thank you Loloita at Umthi- you changed how I see myself. @lucohair @paigelewinofficial @umthibeauty @superbsalon.ldn @crowntrichology #NaturalHair #AFROhair #NaturalHairJourney #HairHealing #MixedRaceHair CurlyHair AfroHair

Over think the good stuff guys - keep striving, keep dreaming, keep working on your goals... your dreams. And enjoy this one incredible life you have, because it is yours to enjoy. DREAM big. Never stop showing up for yourself... turn those visions into reality. You're never too old to do anything. I started dipping my toes into modelling at 40. Last year I became a yoga teacher. I never thought I would be a Mum - if you'd have seen my life 8 years ago, in and out of hospitals, not wanting to be in this world. Now every day is a blank page. I fill it up doing things I love, being with people I love, working hard on my bold dreams... manifesting the things I want in life. It's never too late. Never give up. Keep going... keep showing up for yourself and enjoying this one precious life we have. 🤍 On that note happy Monday beautiful peeps!

Not me teaching a class to Afro house, who would have thought it hahaha. Thank you for allowing me practice while having lots of fun at your beautiful haven @awaken_london If you live my outfit as much as I do pop into @awaken_london to buy one @flowfitactivewear

My journey to loving the hair that grows out of my head. From the ripe old age of 5, my Welsh mum decided it would be a good idea to chemically straighten my hair. And I continued to do exactly that - my whole life. At 20, a hairdresser introduced me to extensions. What started as a style choice became an addiction. And 23 years later - here I am. Finally learning to love the natural hair that grows out of my head. It's a journey. Especially when your whole life you've grown up believing that curls weren't the look. That straight was always better. I actually had a little cry after feeling so bad when I thought about the awful relationship I have had with my hair from such a young age. I have also have suffered from hair loss and damage from constant tension on my hair with extensions. So I made a decision. Limit the braids. Have fun with wigs. No more extensions or weaves. Just me, looking after my own hair - so that this time next year, I can do my portfolio shoot with MY hair. My real hair. I'm finally finding the courage to grow my afro. To care for it. To be proud of it. To walk down the road and not worry about hiding it away. I know that for every woman of colour, hair is a deeply personal journey. It's not easy to love and nurture what's naturally ours when the world has spent decades telling us straight is better. But I'm getting there. This is all the hair styles I rocked the last 3 days lol...I always surprise the school Mum's and leave them baffled lol With my modeling work all my portfolio photos are me with straight hair so for current work I wear a straight upart from @alistlacehair and a curly one.....after bad experiences of going online I now only go there. And I just wanted to share this - because maybe you're on this journey too. Caramella you are my inspiration ❤️ @carmellamamma First time sharing this raw pics of my natural afro....do I feel a bit vulnerable...yes but i'm showing up and being authentic to my true self hoping I can inspire others. Don't wait to suffer from hair loss and damage before you start looking after your natural hair. Thank @umthibeauty for your amazing products that are helping me.

Feeling so incredibly grateful to be bringing in another year with health, amazing friends, family, and all round a wonderful little life that I'm forever grateful for. 🤍 Thank you to all my beautiful friends who were part of my soul spa day at Awaken - and a special thank you to the incredible Lulu for hosting such a nourishing, beautiful party. Doing the that bday Instagram video was definitely the funniest part haha. It truly was something special. ✨ Here's to another year around the sun - growing, manifesting, learning, and connecting with more wonderful humans. And of course... getting myself back to my beloved Mama Bali this summer. Forever my special place in the world. The place that feels like coming home.

44 let's do this - with a soulful spa for the Soul day @awaken_london .....best way to spend your 40 something birthday 🎂

On the last day of being 43… I just wanted to take a moment to reflect on what I’m grateful for and proud of. This year has been so special in so many ways. I became a yoga teacher and started teaching my own regular class… something that I never thought I was ever capable of. I brought Detox with Alana back to life, built new friendships (my dear Lulu @luludarlingheart 🤍), had the most amazing summer in Bali, made beautiful connections… and even had a little summer romance haha. I finally went to North Wales, reconnected with my sister, and met my soul sister in Bali—then reunited in NYC and had the best time. I gave back where I could - spending Christmas at a local homeless shelter and raising £700 for gifts, and helping raise thousands for the Black Coffee Foundation. I stepped out of my comfort zone, went on live TV in my underwear and felt proud of my body… embracing all of me. Most of all… I let go of fear, self-doubt, and the idea of how my life should look. I’m loving my life. I’m at peace. I know what I want - and I’m not stopping. I could do with some more money haha but I know it's coming.....health is my wealth. I'm incredible grateful for my friends....the women who show up for me in my life and appreciate our friendship . I feel extremely blessed to have my family...my both parents still alive and my wonderful son Theodore who i can't imagine life without. I'm having an soundbath at Awaken on Saturday with my amazing friends - i'm super excited as last year i didn't get to celebrate..was in bed blinded my by scratched corneas.

Healing isn’t a destination… it’s a lifelong journey.....especially living with manic depression. I know that the dark days might come back when a storm comes in life or maybe something will throw me into a manic episode which i'll have to recover from. There will always be new new challenges, new storms - but the power is in having the tools to meet them when they come. For me this is  reconnecting… choosing yoga, detoxing my body, and learning to truly listen to what I need. I used to think I had to escape my environment to heal. But the truth is - healing can begin anywhere. I was lucky that my healing jouney started in a new country which helped...I was in nature too. But now I have the tools to heal from home. In stillness. In the city even if it's not the ideal environment...you can heal from anywhere you are in life...any country, any city...any stage in life - it's all about your mindset. What you feed your body… feeds your mind. What you surround yourself with… shapes your energy. I had to learn the hard way that staying in spaces (and around people) that matched my lowest moments kept me stuck there. Growth meant choosing differently—even when it felt uncomfortable. Protect your energy. Nourish your body. Find your tools. Choose your environment wisely. Your healing is your responsibility - and your power....no one is coming to save you but yourself....let that sink in and hold it in your power. ✨ I chose this song as I listened to it a lot on my healing journey when I was walking in nature ..it's a powerful one and always takes me back to those first feelings of happiness after years of darkness. #healingjourney #mentalhealthawareness #selfhealing #wellness #mindbodyconnection growth energy selflove innerwork