Kyly Clarke on the inspiration behind her book, True To You

KYLY Clarke feels misunderstood. Sure, she seems to have the perfect life. But you don’t know what she’s been through.

Kyly Clarke book launch at THE ROYAL, PADDINGTON

KYLY Clarke feels misunderstood.

From the outside, the glamorous wife of former Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke looks like she has it all, a picture perfect lifestyle, designer clothing and a beautiful young family.

Four months after the birth of her daughter, she looks incredible too, snapping back into her post-pregnancy body shape in what seems like record time.

But she’s copped flak from some of her fans for it and she wants people to know it hasn’t been all been plain sailing.

“It’s hard when you have people bullying you or making comments,” she told news.com.au at the launch of her new book True To You, “and that’s why I wrote the book, because people think ‘well she must just be going to the gym and someone else is looking after her child’ and I thought ‘if only you knew’. I’m up at 5.45am in the morning running on that treadmill and her play gym is beside me, I’m talking to her while I’m running and the TV is on and we’re singing songs.

Michael and Kyly Clarke with their daughter Kelsey, six months, at Kyly's book launch at The Royal, Paddington.

“Just because I bounced back, doesn’t mean it was easy, it’s been so hard and even for myself I’m like ‘really, I still have a little bit more to go? I’ve been training so hard, how much longer do I have to do this for?’ and people don’t understand.”

Clarke says her life hasn’t always been easy. And that’s one of the reasons she decided to realise True To You, a book which includes a “collection of mantras, quotes and wisdom to enhance your mind, body and spirit”.

The book mixes wisdom from philosophical heavyweights like Ghandi and the Dalai Lama with quotes from celebrities like Larry King and Reba McEntire. Peppered throughout are mantras from Clarke herself:

“No one can make you feel anything. Feelings come from thoughts that you conjure up,” is one memorable Clarke-ism.

“You can either be happy or right: You choose,” is another.

She hopes her positive approach to life will help others.

“No one will ever know the tough times that I have been through and I think that is something that will always stay close to my heart,” she says. “The book’s not about me but it is about how tough my life has been and where I needed to see certain paths, and the affirmations I needed and the light switches that I needed to go off to go ‘hello, there is a reason to get out of bed, to go for that goal, to go to work’.

Kyly, pictured with husband Michael hopes her book will inspire others.

“Life is hard, it isn’t easy, but it is as easy as you make it. But sometimes things along the way make it more difficult and I hope that a lot of people can see that in the book and understand that no one’s life is easy and what you see, that nice coat, don’t judge a book by it’s cover.”

She also wants people to know that she is just like every other mum.

“People have a perception life is easy and a breeze,” she adds. “It doesn’t matter how much you have in life, I think people have to understand the more you are in the spotlight doesn’t mean the more you sit back, the more responsibility you have, the more you want to achieve.”

Clarke, who has also released a candle and diffuser range, says she now wants to focus on spending more time with her daughter.

“I don’t want to do publicity just for the sake of it, that’s not me, I’ve written a book and this is just my little way of trying to give out more positivity and an opportunity to make someone smile.”

Originally published as Kyly Clarke on the inspiration behind her book, True To You