NAOMI
AGE: 26
FROM: London (originally from Wales)
OCCUPATION: Clothing Designer

ABOUT

Naomi is a freelance outdoor clothing designer and is the studio manager of a fashion school in Chelsea but fell in love with the outdoors during her research into creating clothing suitable for extreme environments. As part of her research into what makes a successful outdoor clothing brand, she is often found trekking in extreme weather conditions and taking on challenging expeditions. She loves challenging the stereotype of being a fashion designer who is just as at home in the wild.

Naomi has a three-year-old son who will celebrate his fourth birthday while she is away in Canada. She became a mother in her early twenties and says she is often judged for being a ‘young mum’. This has made her determined to live a life filled with adventure and opportunities.

Naomi is incredibly social and loves leading a busy life. Whilst this is her day-to-day, she loves spending time in the outdoors, alone, to reset and challenge herself.

Naomi grew up in coastal Wales where a love of the outdoors was encouraged.

By taking part in this challenge, , Naomi wants to prove that it's possible for women/mothers to have a career in an industry in which women are underrepresented, roles that have previously been labelled as manly traits, whilst also having a family and career.

Interview with Naomi

Why this challenge in particular?

This is going to be a huge challenge for me. I am always with people, whether it be friends, partners, family. I'm surrounded by people every day and so the main challenge for me is going to be the social aspect; to be completely on my own is not something I'm used to. I'm a young mum, I've got a big family, and I've just never been on my own. But I crave that a lot. I often go out to do an expedition on my own, but I end up mixing with lots of people and making friends. So it will be really interesting to see how I do, just completely alone.

Is that something you're nervous about?

I'm terrified of being on my own. But for me, having that feeling is exactly why I need to be doing it. If I was comfortable being on my own, I wouldn't be here. The fear is what's pushing me to do it.

Why do you think you've got what it takes?

I don't necessarily think I've got what it takes to win, but I think I've got what it takes to give it a good shot. I've definitely got the drive to put myself in an uncomfortable position and to really challenge and test myself. I have a need to better my skills in no matter what area that is. I always want to kind of push the boat a little bit further, test myself a little bit further, and mentally get stronger day by day. So that's the biggest thing for me.

What will this experience mean to you?

This will be the craziest thing I've ever done in my life. I thought having a son in the last year of university was hard, but this is going to be just something I could never compare anything to. I won’t be able to go home and compare it to an experience anyone else has had, because how many people have had to survive in the wild with very little kit without any human interaction? It's not something people do, so the fact that it's unrelatable is what makes it a crazy, wild adventure.

Do you have something to prove to people?

I just want my expectations for myself to be met, and that for me is what matters and should be the only thing that matters.

Why are you doing it now?

I have to do it now. If I don't do it now, it won't happen, this opportunity isn't something that will come around again. It may be wild and I had a thousand reasons to say no but to have the chance to survive in the Canadian wilderness, immerse myself in nature, test my skills and dive deep into myself.. it would be crazier to turn it down.

Which do you think will be more challenging? The mental or the physical?

The mental challenge is going to be the hardest by far. I think for me, just going into an environment where I've got too much time to think, I'm going to get weirder and weirder by the day. I talk to myself enough at home, so I really have no idea how I'm going to be out there. I think it's going to be really important for me to face my mental challenges. The physical challenges will also be hard. It's not an easy thing we're going to do. I'm definitely not the best joiner or fisherman. I have basic skills in these areas, but I'm willing to learn and really dig my teeth into and get to know what it takes to do well in those physical challenges. But the mental challenge is a difficult one to learn, and that will take more time.

Tell me what big moments you’ll be missing.

The biggest moment I’m missing is my son turning four. That’s going to be hard. I never thought I’d miss a birthday and I don’t ever want to miss a birthday but I think he will love to look back and go ‘wow on my birthday, look what Mummy was doing, it was so cool’. So I think I will celebrate it in my own way. Being the control freak I am, I’ve already planned out his birthday at home and sorted his presents and written him letters each week that he can open, so I’ve done as much as I can to be a part of that day for him, despite not being able to be there physically. It will be hard but I hope it’s motivation for me to do well.

Do you feel ready for this challenge?

I don’t think you can ever be ready for this challenge. I personally am not ready for this, not at all. If I had more time I still wouldn’t have been ready for this challenge. I think not allowing myself to overthink it is probably the best thing. I can obviously practice my skills but I don’t think I can mentally fully prepare myself for what I’m about to do, because I can’t compare it to anything I’ve done before.

What are you most scared of?

Animals. To be fair, if I saw a bear in the day I would think it’s the cutest thing and I would go out and want to touch it, which I won’t. The animals don’t frighten me in the day. I think the biggest thing that scares me is my own mind. So at night, if I hear a noise, I’ll just go into overdrive. I’ll instantly think it’s the worst thing in the world and, they’re all coming after me. That’s what I need to work on. It’s not necessarily the environment or the things I’m going to be facing out there that scares me, it’s what my brain will do in those situations. That’s what scares me more than anything. I think humans are a lot more scary than animals. I’m very lucky to be on my own in this, but equally as unlucky.

What would you say you’re most looking forward to in the experience?

Just getting time to myself. How many young mums get this? I think having time to yourself, just really getting to know who you are without any outside influence, that’s so rare. You could be at home on your own all day but you’re having all these outside influences all the time and they slowly form who you are as a person. And as great as that is I just want to know who I am on my own.

How long do you think you’ll last?

I have not set myself a goal in terms of how long I’ll last. I mean I see my son’s birthday as a great starting point, but after two days, I could think this is not for me, and question why I am I doing this. I hope I don’t have that experience but it might happen. I hope I go far, I’d love to, but I’ve not allowed myself to think about it. I’ve not allowed myself to think about winning, I’ve not allowed myself to think about a timeframe. I’m kind of just going in and will take it day by day and I’ll have a celebration each day I make it.

What do you consider to be the main competition?

I’ve never looked at this as a competition. Every person out there is amazing and deserves a shot, so I’ve not allowed myself to view them as my competition. I think for me it’s I’m in competition with myself. If I can challenge myself mentally and physically to stay out there, and I do that, then great, I’ve won. If I’ve got through two weeks and that’s longer than I ever expected, then in my mind I’ve won. I don’t need that first place to feel like I’m a winner, I need to know that I’ve got to where I would like to get to, to feel like a winner.

What would it mean to you if you were to go on to the end to win?

If I was to win, oh my gosh, I think I’d be in so much shock I wouldn’t know what to do. I’ve just not allowed myself to go to that place yet. It would allow me to raise my son in a way that I would love to. I love living in London, but I want a houseboat. I would happily live on a canal somewhere and just travel around with him and have even more freedom with life. So winning would allow me that. It would also allow me to potentially pursue the outdoor industry more and show women, and young girls that this is an option for us. I think being a positive representation for women, mums and young girls is amazing. If I can do that, great, that would be a huge takeaway from the show.

Would you like this experience to change you?

I’m hoping it changes me to a degree. I’m very happy with who I am as a person. It’s taken me a long time, but there’s always room to grow, and to get to know my true self. This is going to be a great chance to grow, I'd like the isolation to allow me to gain a deeper understanding of myself.

What happens if you have to tap out?

I won’t be sad if I have to tap out. I think I will be a little disappointed. It depends on the environment. If I’m injured or I feel unwell in myself I will tap out and I won’t question it, because I want to go home a healthy mum for my son, that is so important to me. I don’t want to put myself in a position where I’m going to be a worse-off person. I don’t ever want to do that to my family, they don’t deserve that. So if I tap out for those reasons I’ll be okay, I’ll be very happy with that choice. If I tap out out of fear, that is one I will regret. I often spook myself quite easily, I’ll hear a noise in the kitchen at night and turn the light on because I can’t sleep. So if I tap out because I’ve scared myself silly, I know days later I’ll be regretting that heavily and that is something I’m going to work on a lot out there, to battle through those fears, because that is one of the reasons I do not want to tap out for.

How much tougher is this going to be than previous challenges you’ve taken on before?

This will be the toughest challenge I’ve ever done, because I’m testing a thousand different skills. I won’t have food, or shelter, or water. I’ll have to combine all these skills to the ultimate test. Usually when someone takes on a challenge it’s either a physical one, or a mental one, and it focuses on something specific. This is so broad and you need to know so many different things, and your mind needs to be in the right place. It’s going to be the hardest thing I’ve ever done.

What’s your plan for your first night shelter?

My first night shelter is going to be very basic. If it can keep me warm and dry that’s all it needs to do. I don’t care what it looks like. As long as I’m dry, I’m happy. If I can get a raised bed made, brilliant. I want to try and relax by a warm fire and take in my new surroundings.

How do you think you’ll cope the first few days?

The first few days will be the most mentally challenging of the whole process, I’d imagine. There’s so much to think about – finding my way around, getting to know where I’m going to get my water from, how I’m going to get my first bits of food, my shelter, there’s so much to do in those first days.

Do you have an overall strategy?

I have zero strategy. I probably should have a strategy but I just have zero strategy. I think taking it day by day, every little thing I achieve is going to be the biggest high and I just want to enjoy those moments as much as I can and use those moments to keep me going.