1. What do you think is the answer to all girls being able to accept their bodies for what they are (an ever changing organism capable of anything) at a young age?
I don’t know that there is one answer. The patriarchy exists, we cannot escape that. Dismantling it brick by brick is the work of many people across all areas of life. But I will say that being exposed to different people and a range of bodies as a young person is a positive thing, whether in media or everyday life and relationships. This is what has opened up a sense of acceptance of my body – realising that everyone is different, everyone has their own hang ups, everyone is a victim of toxic body image culture. Also: focusing on what your body does rather than what it looks like. There have been health issues that I have experienced that have made me realise that there is no time for hating our bodies – they literally keep us alive and we need to do everything we can to support them.
2. Do you like your body? Would you say your relationship with your body is considered “healthy”? How have you come to this realisation?
I like my body. I don’t love it, yet. But liking it feels revolutionary, and sort of loving in it’s own, gentle way. It feels violent to force myself to love my body – it has to come from a real place. When I was a child and teenager I was indifferent to my body from the neck down – I took for granted that I was slim and was just content that my clothes fit and didn’t obsess over body image (apart from a few ridiculous thigh hangups). Instead, I was consumed and plagued by my face, which was covered in cystic acne. I couldn’t allow myself to celebrate my young, beautiful body because my face was front and centre; it became such a source of trauma and shame for me. Interestingly, and tragically, after my acne started to clear around 18I developed a short but intense stint of bulimia. There was a sense that I was replacing an obsession with my face with food and body control. I have a lot of compassion for my younger self. As mentioned, I have experienced a number of health issues over the years, and one of them was directly caused by the bulimia, even though it was so brief. That really hit home to me that every action has an effect, everything you do to your body (whether it is thought, speech or action) has an impact. I am glad to say my relationship with my body gets better every day, and it is the healthiest it’s been right now. Awareness around all of this has been everything for me.
3. What do you do to make yourself feel good?
Yoga. Self massage. Dressing up. Sex. Playing around with makeup and skincare. Tarot. Dancing to fun music. Being in or near the ocean. This online workout I do in my room called LEKfit. Watching or listening to comedy. All these things are what make me feel good and bring me back to the goodness of my body.
4. Do you like to define yourself by anything in particular? Like being a good dancer, artist, writer etc.
I default to defining myself by what I do – which is work as a creative producer, writer, yoga teacher and tarot reader – but what I would like to define myself more as is simply a creative woman and fierce friend.
5. What’s the “big thing” you want the world to know about you, if anything?
I write a monthly newsletter called Love Letters and I think you’d really enjoy it ;)
6. What would you deem to be your biggest challenge in life so far?
Going to therapy. Accepting my parents for who they are, accepting my childhood experiences. Allowing myself to be content with where I’m at in life, and not constantly striving for more (this is my ongoing challenge!)
7. Where do you feel most at home, outside of the place that you are currently living?
Anywhere near the ocean or rocks. The homes of certain friends, and my boyfriend’s place. I am semi homeless at the moment, about to go overseas for an extended period, and when I am travelling I notice that I make each place I stay my home in some way – I bring my yoga mat, I lay out my toiletries like a dork, there are these little things I must do to make myself feel settled. I love that there is the potential to feel at home anywhere in the world – this depends especially on the people you are with and how you feel with them.
8. Do you think women have a particularly special bond with nature? If so, how would you describe this bond, and what relationship do you personally have with nature?
I have never really considered this question, but I like it. I definitely feel a special connection to nature, which I do not always nurture. But when I do take time to be in nature (as mentioned my favourite is near ocean or rocks, but I also love a good bushwalk, lookout or hike up a mountain) I immediately feel better. There is never a time that I have felt worse after being in nature. It is like a balm, a medicine, to my anxiety. Being in nature grounds me, calms me, humbles my dumb problems and puts things in perspective. It is also incredible inspiring, and creates a space within me to open up to things I had not considered. It seems to suck the fears out of me like a vacuum cleaner.
9. What song or album can you always put on to bring you back to yourself?
- Rihanna – Anti
- Beatles – Magical Mystery Tour
- 10 Things I Hate About You Soundtrack – it’s a banger ☺
