20/06/2024
We wanted to share an interview with our organisers and ask some authentic relating questions to help you get to know the Giddy Garden team better. Here are Eriâs answers:
1. What do you feel most vulnerable about?
Sharing my successes and passions is challenging for me. These days, I find it easier to open up about my struggles and mental health than to showcase my creative work or passions. That feels really brave and vulnerable to me.
2. When do you feel you can surrender yourself completely?
Being with my chosen family and tribe, where I can relax and be myself, knowing I am supported by the wonderful people around me. We have authentic, deep conversations or get silly together, rather than just engaging in small talk. I'm not the best at small talk.
3. What makes you feel aligned with your values?
I feel most aligned with my values when I choose activities, experiences, and social events that involve play, connection, creativity, or growth, especially when they incorporate all these elements together.
4. What is a belief that has slowed you down and held you back in life?
The belief that perfectionism is a good thing has held me back. It created unrealistic expectations and unattainable goals, leading to stress, anxiety, and fear of failure. I often don't finish things because they're not 'good enough,' and I'm overly critical of my work. Though it's still a factor sometimes, I've learned to aim for 75%, which often yields better results in less time. Reading 'Re-inventing Your Life' on schema therapy, recommended by a psychologist, provided great tools to combat my perfectionist tendencies.
5. What does your inner critic love to say to you?
My inner critic emerges when Iâm tired, stressed, or burnt out, or when I struggle to find compassion and self-love. The usual thoughts are:
'You are not good enough...'
'You are a failure' or 'You will fail at this, whatâs the point in trying?'
'You are like a child'
'Why are you so dysfunctional?'"
6. What are 5 things you love about yourself?
1. My playfulness and quirky sense of humor
2. My kindness and passion for helping others
3. My super power empathy
4. My creative brain, which connects random ideas and generates amazing concepts
5. Embracing my uniqueness and the courage to move to the beat of my own drum, even when it's scary
7. What would you be annoyed with if you were dating yourself?
This one feels hard to answer as it is something that I have struggled with and feel shameful about. At the moment Iâm all about sharing shame to make it smaller so here goesâŚ.
My messiness. I have improved the older Iâve got but I still feel a lot of shame around it. I find it hard finding the time to keep things neat and tidy all the time and donât think I value it enough. Itâs often the thing that gets put off. This is definitely one of those things that I get annoyed with myself over.
8. What would you whisper in the ear of your younger self if you could now?
I would tell myself to embrace all emotions, both painful and joyful. Surrendering to pain actually makes it easier to handle, and each experience will teach you a valuable lesson. To fully experience the spectrum of emotions, you need to feel them all, not just the ones you consider 'positive.' Without feeling pain, you'll limit your emotional range.
Having learned to bottle up my feelings, as this was the norm in my family, I've faced the consequences: anxiety, stress, poor health, and explosive emotions that hurt others and damage relationships. Sharing, feeling and moving through your feelings is crucial for emotional well-being.
9. What is something people often misunderstand about you?
People often think Iâm standoffish, but it's more about social anxiety and feeling unlovable than anything else. I can be a bit of a slow burn as it takes me a while to overcome social anxiety. Lately, I've been meeting many new people and have found tools to engage more. Through self-love practices and recognising the love around me, I'm also feeling increasingly loveable which makes me more open.
10. What is something you wish someone had told you about s*x?
That it doesnât need to be taken so seriously. S*x is fun and playful and can be clunky and experimental. Your body will guide you on what you do and don't want. By holding to your boundaries, s*x becomes even better, and you can achieve what you desire, whatever that may be.
