Our Kin: Lori Curran | Melbourne, Australia
We spoke with Lori Curran, massage therapist and yoga instructor and at The Humble Nook in Melbourne. She shares her tips on staying grounded and living by your values.
Hard work, and just ‘getting it done’.
"To be honest I can't think of success being overly ‘modelled’ to me as I was growing up. I grew up in a big family of six kids, with a stay-at-home mum and a step-dad working three jobs to support us all. My parents for sure modelled hard work, and we never went without, but we knew we all had a role to play–to chip in. Success was never the forefront of conversation, we just focused on ‘getting on with it’.
In hindsight, my perception of ‘success’ came from magazines and movies and the idea of fame. This definitely influenced me throughout my childhood and my teen years, especially the perception of ‘body image’ relating to ‘being successful’.
Now, I am inspired by many things–so much more–and feel success can happen in many different ways. I feel fortunate to have family and friends that have found their passion and purpose and I view them as successful. In day-to-day life at home with friends and family, we celebrate our successes, big or small."
Things have to change. And we can change them.
I don’t think all that much has changed in how some people view success: it may have just shifted from ‘Hollywood’ fame to ‘influencers’ and the amount of ‘followers’ a person has. Which may work for some, but for others it may be a case of chasing something for the wrong reasons.
To me, a successful future for anyone should be about finding and nourishing what suits the individual, and encouraging that from their early years. It should be taught from a young age that we can be successful in many different ways, shapes and forms.
Globally, equality between genders, in the home and workplace, with no racial or cultural supremacy and ownership of the past, more inclusivity and diversity, and without a doubt full consideration for the environment, should be at the forefront of decision-making–no matter how big or small.
I think for any (and all) of this to happen, awareness and acceptance is the key.
It can be tricky.
For many years I struggled with body image and an eating disorder. I fixated on the idea that skinny equalled successful (spoiler alert, I was very wrong!).
But, the more my weight dropped, the less happy I was, and the worst part was there was little success involved. It was a continual losing battle. Over the past ten years I have spent time and energy working through dismantling the structures that had me believing this and shifting my narrative.
A friend once said to me, ‘stick in your own lane’, and I love that phrase for so many reasons. There’s a big tendency in life to compare ourselves and the path we're on. The path is individual, you pave yours through your intention.
It’s a job that’s never ‘finished’.
I am still working out whether or not ‘balance’ exists. to be honest. But I do think it’s really important to have good boundaries when it comes to work and rest.
Running your own business, it can be really easy to lose track of work hours and time spent resting. If I have a full day in the clinic I do my best to wrap up the day before heading home so I can be present there. I wake early so I can move and meditate before my son gets up. For me, this sets me up for the day and means I can rest in the evening. I keep my phone set on a timer so that it doesn’t alert me to messages or calls after a certain time at night.
The scales of ‘balance’ will shift and change. I have learnt that some weeks may be fuller than others on the work front, so I plan accordingly for this. As I co-parent my son, I choose to prioritise restful practices when he is at his dad’s: this gives me space to rest and recharge. Recharging could look like anything; from reading, having a bath, a slow yin practice or something else that isn’t overly stimulating.
Energy is everything.
If the energy that surrounds what you are producing isn’t right the work won’t get off the ground. It needs energy to carry it. Through bodywork (massage, acupressure, meridian theory and Reiki) we are connecting with the energy of the body.
Being grounded in myself means I can work with the needs of patients. For example, I make conscious choices about my energy. I rarely compromise sleep. A good night's sleep sets me up for a good next day. I am also considerate about what I consume and when; not just food and drink, but also what I am watching, listening to, and what my surroundings are like.
It starts in childhood.
Children are curious about a lot of things and yoga and mindfulness is no different. I have noticed, in teaching children over the years, they tend to move more freely and are less tied to the ‘results’ of the practice than adults.
As the world has shifted pace, children's lives have been pushed into fast forward. We expect a lot from them and are still catching up on how we can best give them the tools they need. Yoga, movement and mindfulness practices assist with this. Through movement and mindfulness we can explore our beings in playful ways but we can also add layers into the classes, be it about the philosophy of the practice, our biology, or our social and emotional wellbeing.
Lastly, keep it simple.
A good night's sleep is my ‘go to’. This is the best way to restore and realign (and the most powerful and underused resource we have.)
If I can’t access sleep right away, but need to re-balance myself, I:
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Take a walk, out in nature.
With no earbuds, no podcast; just me and my surroundings. I might even take my shoes off and stand in the grass for grounding. I am really fortunate to live along the Merri creek which is my haven for regrouping.
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Write it out.
If I’m feeling overwhelmed it’s usually from thinking everything needs to happen right away. Listing all the to-do’s that I have on my plate helps me re-prioritise and make a plan that is more realistic and less overwhelming.
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Take a pause from caffeine, alcohol and/or screens.
I do love my coffee (and a red wine) but if feeling overwhelmed I realise I am playing Russian roulette with my own stability and sleep.
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I practice deep belly breathing
and/or a slow and juicy yin practice with lots of blankets and bolsters to weigh me down and support my nervous system. This helps bring me back to my baseline.
Explore what alignment is for you, as it will vary from person to person. Notice what you enjoy and what helps you feel connected to yourself, and make a plan to weave more of that into life.
I strongly believe that for any change to happen you must want it to. Write down your intention and your ‘why’, and revisit it frequently, especially when you feel less in alignment.
A friend once said to me, ‘stick in your own lane’, and I love that phrase for so many reasons. There’s a big tendency in life to compare ourselves and the path we're on. The path is individual, you pave yours through your intention.
If you’d like more of Lori’s wisdom, help to find your own alignment or to participate in a yoga class or a guided meditation, you can reach out to her at The Humble Nook.