1. Muay Thai Maven
Crossley is a long-term practitioner of Muay Thai, which she says has both physical and mental benefits. “I don't want to do it professionally but it is something that I want to do for my mental health,” she says. “I fully enjoy it and being able to share it as a space within a community is good for my work and life balance. My mum is from Thailand and I don't think I would be into it if I didn't have that connection. I started practicing it in Thailand before Love Island but it was only after I got more into it I got better. Iit teaches you self-discipline, respect and strength not only in fighting but in your mind. That’s why I want to show as many women as I can how amazing this sport really is.”
2. Positive Thinking
Crossley believes in the power of positive thinking. “I really believe in the universe and positive psychology in that what is for you will come to you,” she says. “This year has made me believe that things are meant to happen for a reason and that any bad thing that does happen is for a purpose. It's sort of a domino effect - trust the time in your life because it happens for sure. Stay true to yourself, and don't let it affect you - which is the hardest thing to overcome because you can let it consume you and let it become who you are. But the most important thing is accepting what’s happened and when you think about it it may be sad but keep looking forward.”
3. Role Model and Entrepreneur
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Crossley sees herself as a role model for young women and wants to use reality TV as a launchpad into starting a business. “I just want to take full advantage of what’s been afforded to me, because of this incredible opportunity I’ve been given to be an empowering role model for young girls,” she says. “I’d love to have my own makeup line in the future. It’s what I’ve always loved doing, so that’s definitely the goal for me. It’s something I’ve thought about for a long time, and Love Island has given me the platform to be able to make it happen.”
4. Encouraging Women To Fight
Crossley started Combat Collective, courses which encourage women to try martial arts. “[It’s] founded by me to empower women to get into combat sports and realize that Muay Thai can benefit both your mental health and fitness,” she says. “I created a space for women to give them confidence as Muay Thai is an intimidating sport especially when you walk into a Muay Thai gym, it is heavily male dominated. It makes me feel good and it is rewarding knowing that the women are benefitting from it and I can share what I’ve gained from the sport myself. It is a way for me to tie the happy Kaz in Thailand to Muay Thai and find a way where I can be the best version of myself in the UK.”
5. Self-Taught Beauty Hacks
Crossley taught herself how to apply her makeup, which was useful in the Love Island villa. "I'm 100 percent self-taught and it's all thanks to YouTube," she says. "I would recommend to any aspiring makeup artists to watch makeup YouTubers. I became good at doing my own makeup and then wanted to turn it into a profession, so I eventually got a job working at Urban Decay on the counter in House Of Fraser. Working on the counter I developed a whole new skill set by doing it on other people. I learnt to apply makeup on different skin tones and ages and it was a great experience."
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