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Coping mechanisms are an essential tool in our mental health kit. This week we are featuring someone who had to learn how to cope the hard way and has found her safe space. We are excited to share our platform with an emerging British dancer, yogi and artist from the UK who shares how she dealt with anxiety. Over to Georgie:

“The signs of anxiety were always there”

“As a yoga teacher, I often come across individuals who are searching for something to give them peace of mind and time for themselves. I myself was said person 6 years ago when my mental health really took its first turn. On reflection, the signs of anxiety were always there growing up when awareness was lesser, but it wasn’t until my late teens into early twenties, London living and a dance career when it really became apparent I needed help to find a way to connect with myself and ground into the present. Yoga was the answer for me.

“Now I sit here post power yoga class in West London and find myself being asked to write a piece about finding your own release. This is a topic I am incredibly passionate about and from my own personal experience, as well as witnessing those I teach in the studio in front of me, I can only stress the importance of finding a safe space for yourself, wherever it may be. Caring for yourself by giving yourself the chance, space and time – even if it is 1 hour a week – to release the tension of whatever you are mentally carrying is an amazing self help tool. Turning up and taking time for yourself in an environment where you can be your most authentic self, no matter what state you are in is worth everything, especially when life inevitably gets overwhelming at times. 

Find a safe space for yourself

“Whatever enables you to mentally go to a calmer place than central London at 8am on a Monday morning, do that! Be it running, spoken word, swimming, there is simply no right or wrong. It is all about working on raising the level of self awareness to know where you feel your most peaceful and at your best. 

@yogawithgeorgie_

Self awareness and boundary setting

“What I realise now is that there is no shortcut answer or one size fits all, but rather an incredibly personal exploration to undertake, starting with trying new things and personal reflection. This exploration lets us learn about ourselves, to figure out our comfort zone and also challenge it. This development of self awareness can also be an opportunity to form healthier boundaries. I personally would recommend yoga to pretty much anyone and everyone because it has had such an effect on me, but I know it’s not everyone’s calming cup of tea. 

“I like my feet firmly on the ground”

“Raising your self awareness and diving deep into who you are is the first step to a happier, calmer you. I now know that painting enables me to reach a state of calm I can’t quite achieve anywhere else, whereas outdoor rope climbing rather terrifies me and leaves me exhausted. I know now after a lot of trial and error that I like my feet firmly on the ground to be at my best, and that that is totally fine. Now if I’m stressed I know to go to the art studio, not up a cliff. We do not need to be able to do everything or excel at everything we try. It is simply ok to be average at something and not hate yourself for it. A rather useful, relieving revelation to find when so much of our society is based on achievement and how successful we look on social media.

Painting by @artist.gg

How to identify your safe space?

If you’re struggling to figure out where your sacred mental safe space is, simple physical signs to start noticing when you are instinctively calmest can be if your shoulders are relaxed away from your ears, your breathing is calm, and you aren’t looking like an angry bird holding a load of subconscious tension in your face. Obviously travel, surf, the ocean, sun, is always a good start to unwinding, but can we all sustain a lifestyle that allows a bi monthly tropical surf? No matter how much I would love to, I for one as a freelancer post pandemic, cannot. 

“When it comes to trying something totally alien, a lot of us feel ‘the fear’ that holds us back, but why? No one actually cares how good you are or what you are wearing because they are all too self-obsessed and worried about the same concerns for themselves. No one (sans teacher) is really noticing the new person in the back of the class who is yet to learn the difference between a downward and upward dog, they have bigger things to worry about – no offence. 

“I would simply say feel the fear, and try it anyway, because once you have found ‘your thing’ it will be so totally worth it. Remember, be kind to yourself and others pals! It costs absolutely nothing and you never know what someone else is going through.

painting by @artist.gg

~ REFLECT~

Wise words written by our fabulous guest author, Georgie Hare who you can find on instagram @georgie_hare. Thank you to Georgie for delving into such depth, sharing your experiences and opening the floor to those of us who would love to take a yoga lesson but felt too nervous!

BIO

Georgie is a trained dancer, seen on TV, films and brands like Netflix and Benefit Cosmetics. During coronavirus she pivoted, or should I say pirouetted her skills to become a fully qualified yoga teacher. You can  tune to her Weekly Wisdom on the @empresshouse Riverside radio station every Monday, or on insta @yogawithgeorgie_. Georgie is also an artist who has featured in British Vogue and is inspired to paint by music, movement, feeling and colour. www.georginahare.co.uk

BIO IN DETAIL

Georgie has performed on both live and pre-recorded TV as well as in feature films, working for world renowned choreographers and directors such as Danielle Polanco and Matt Reeves. Georgie has also danced for a number of brands including the BBC, Warner Brothers, Netflix, Agent Provocateur, Spotify, and E! She was also a regular dancer for Lola’s Showgirls at The Hippodrome Casino, Leicester Square and has featured in a number of music videos spanning a range of genres for artists such as Idles, Sigrid and Dusk ft M.O. Alongside dancing, Georgie also models and has worked with companies including Benefit Cosmetics, QVC, Peaches, Penguin Books and Pineapple Dance.

Georgie believes in the power of personal kindness and moving intuitively with your body. She believes feeling good ultimately comes from within and she is incredibly passionate about her yoga teaching and practice. Georgie has over 6 years’ collective experience within the yoga, fitness, and dance industry as a professional dancer and fully qualified (YAI) and insured yoga teacher. She teaches a range of styles including Vinyasa, power, yin and hot yoga, and absolutely loves the connection you can build between yourself and a student in a beautiful setting and the impact this can have on the life of the student and the peace it can bring. Georgie has taught yoga at 5* boutique studios, retreats, hotels, and for corporate companies.

Emerging Contemporary British Painter, Georgie works from her studio in London, England. Inspired by colour, movement and feeling, Georgie hopes to evoke an emotional response within the viewer and was featured in British Vogue 2021. She believes that art and movement is a complete expression of self, using acrylic paint, oil pastel, tape and glitter on canvas to create her work. Georgie has been exhibited throughout the UK, Europe, and most recently Australia.  

At Earkick we are building a free anxiety tracker to follow our great mission in order to make the wold a less anxious place.