In October, we were joined by artist, author and choreographer Ella Mesma in our roundtable entitled Self-Care for Creatives.
Resilience
We began by considering what resilience means and how our interpretation and understanding of our own resilience can shape our decisions. One participant described resilience as ‘having capacity’, which I found to a be a quietly revelatory statement. Having capacity to share and give to others contains the implication that you have taken steps to look after yourself first.
Resilience is a double-edged sword – too often, as Ella mentioned, we can equate being resilient with being a ‘hero’ figure who needs no rest. When we consider being resilient in the long term, it becomes clear that we need to address it differently, by being consistent in the work we do and the habits we follow.
Listening
In this roundtable, we trialled using breakout rooms as a way of further connecting to others in our questioning of the topic. It felt important to create time for reflection and the opportunity for people to talk more personally. We didn’t require for participants to report back to the group, but many shared their insights and thoughts generously following the breakout room sessions.
Listening to one another can be easier than listening to ourselves, as we discussed over the course of the evening. It was insightfully pointed out that sometimes our best intentions to self-care can be derailed or ineffective because we haven’t taken the time to listen to ourselves at that specific moment in time. The group concluded that balance is in motion and not a point of stillness – just like walking.
Balance
When we were discussing how to practice self-care my main takeaway was that self-care is best supported by regular habits and practices. Just as many artists visit sports massage therapists or a chiropractor to maintain health and prevent injury, practicing self-care habits proactively can lead to a balanced life – we shouldn’t wait until care is imperative.
Having said that, my favourite tips shared by participants included:
• Rest intended as activity
• Using daily and weekly rituals
• Having breathing breaks as an alternative to smoker’s break at work
I left the event inspired to find flexibility, listen more closely to my needs and to “feed myself with good things”, as Ella says.
Mikaela Livadiotis