I decided to start this series to inspire others by sharing the stories of some of the woman who I admire in the creative industry. Creativity comes in many different forms and we can learn so much from each other. I hope you learn something from each of these amazing women and find yourself nodding along when you read through these posts. May these words help you along your creative journey and that you find others who can cheer you on.
♥♥♥♥♥
Today on the Conversation with Creatives series is Keri Bainborough. I first came across Keri on Instagram and was immediately drawn to her strong spirit and how comfortable she was in her own skin. She is an honest woman who is a fierce believer in being kind and supporting woman. Let's see what she has to say...
You recently
started a podcast – which I know a lot of people would love to do too – any
tips for getting started with that?
Today on the Conversation with Creatives series is Keri Bainborough. I first came across Keri on Instagram and was immediately drawn to her strong spirit and how comfortable she was in her own skin. She is an honest woman who is a fierce believer in being kind and supporting woman. Let's see what she has to say...
Can you tell
me a bit about yourself and what you are doing at the moment?
Hi
there! I’m Keri and I’m a mom, a writer, a bit of an entrepreneur and, of
course, a creative (as we all are!). At the moment I’m working on a number of
projects, including curating a community of sisterhood through my moon journal
business, La Luna La Femme, creating and hosting my podcast, Walking with Wildflowers, writing and sharing about my vegan
lifestyle over on my blog, We Are The Wildflowers, writing an online course for new moms
and putting together a small ebook of meals for vegan kids! I have also written
a vegan guidebook called A Guide for
Wildflowers
for newbie vegans, which is available for purchase on my online shop, along
with the La Luna La Femme monthly moon journals. Oh, and I’m
studying behind the scenes too. This feels like a lot now that I’ve written it
down - but that’s just the way I roll. I like to have a finger in every pie.
What does a
typical day look like for you?
We’re
usually up at about 5am with out little girl - she is an early bird like her
mum! We have coffee in bed and then head downstairs where my husband and I take
it in turns to cook breakfast and feed Imogen whilst the other one goes for a
run or to gym. Then Immy is either off to play school for a few hours (which we
also take in turns as she has not settled in by herself yet) or we have child
care so that we can do some work. Then it’s lunchtime - I try to make Immy
something healthy from scratch every day, as she has a big appetite at
lunchtime and I like to cram in as many good nutrients as I can while she’s
hungry! In the afternoons, there is a lot of napping and Peppa Pig watching on
Immi’s side whilst we do more work. Sometimes, we will take Ims out to the
beach or the nature reserve or go for a swim to expend some of her energy
before dinner at 6. Dinner is usually quick and easy food like veggie burgers
and chips or pasta. Bath and bedtime for Immy starts at about seven and after
she has gone to sleep, we pretty much pass out on the couch, bloody exhausted!
In between all of this, a lot of dish washer loading, vacuuming and gardening
happens too.
What gets
you out of bed in the morning? In other
words – what is your “WHY”? (Apart from
a toddler who is up at the crack of dawn!!)
Human
connection. For me, that’s what it’s all about. I love creating and nurturing
that connection through words and images. I have a deep desire to change the
world and help others live a life free from unnecessary pain. And I just really
want everyone to be happy in their own skin and to be kind teach other. (Oh,
and if everyone can stop eating animals, that would be awesome too.)
Can you tell
me more about your vegan journey?
I’ve
been vegan for aaaages now! I think I’m in my fifth year of avoiding animal
products whenever I can. I’m not perfect, sometimes I “slip up” and eat or buy
something with a trace of animal product in it, and I’m open about that.
Veganism is not about perfectionism and unforgiving vegans who try and pretend
that it is just damage the good vibes for everyone else. I know that for a lot
of people, Veganism is a big deal, and a major topic of conversation and
argument, but for me, it’s common sense. You know, in the beginning, I used to
wake up in the morning, and the first thing I would think is, “I’m vegan”. It
was my first thought, because, yes, initially, it was such a massive lifestyle
change, especially for a steak-loving farm girl married to a chef and
restauranteur like myself. But honestly, it’s second nature for me now. There
is nothing left to discuss or argue. The proof is in the pudding. It is now a
fact that we now have only twelve years left to reverse the effects of climate
change and the number one ways we can all do that, every single day, is to fly
less, be vegan and have less children. If you’re educated and privileged enough
to know why eating vegan and living a vegan lifestyle is the single best thing
you can do for our planet, then there really is no excuse as to why you
shouldn’t be vegan, or at least eat a vegan diet 90% of the time. Having said
that, I also know how hard it can be initially to go vegan or plant-based, and
what a mind-fuck it is at first - that is why I wrote my vegan guidebook and
it’s also why I will soon be offering my services as a vegan mentor for people
wanting to make this amazing change to their lives.
I often feel
overwhelmed with all the things I want to do, achieve, start, accomplish and
then don’t because of time constraints – how do you make the time to work on
your business?
I
wish I had the answer for this… I feel like I am always fighting the clock -
especially since becoming a mum. The days fly by and I usually only get one or
two things ticked off my to-do list. It is getting easier as Imogen gets older
and doesn’t need me to be present 24/7, but yes, it is something I struggle
with. I guess the only way to deal with it is to stop beating myself up, accept
it is what it is, and to just get started on the most important things that
need doing every day first. This unfortunately means that I get my admin done
first (because survival) and that my creative processes, such as writing, have
taken a major back seat, which I am very sad about. But every now and then
(usually in the inner spring and summer seasons of my menstrual cycle), I will
be blessed with a big burst of creative energy and will stay up until the wee
hours of the morning writing and working on my projects. I kinda live for those
moments these days! I never appreciated them fully when I was childless, so
there really is a lot to be said about how becoming a mother forces you to stop
being a procrastinator - which I totally used to be.
Ah,
the podcast! I just love this new medium of communication. It’s the new
blogging, isn’t it? People don’t have time to sit and read long blog posts
anymore, but they can listen to a podcast whilst exercising, or communting, or
cleaning their house… I do a lot of podcast listening when washing dishes! As
for getting it started… I just kinda did it! And I did it without too much
thought, as I’m the kind of person who if overthink about something too much, I
will never start it. I read a couple of blog posts about starting your own
podcast (Lucy Lucraft has written a great one), and once I found out how to get a host
(you need a hosting site for your podcast - most people use libsyn.com) and tinkered around a bit on Garage Band, I simply
used my Voice Note app on my phone to record my first episode! Now that I’ve
finished my first season and seen the numbers and found that people besides my
mum are actually listening to my podcast, I’m hoping to be a little more
“professional” with my second season - maybe organise a few sponsors, actually
line up my guests for interviews and use an actual real life editor to help me.
But I would say my number one tip for starting a podcast is to just do it! Put
it out there and see what happens.
Favourite
Instagram accounts at the moment?
@LaLunaLaFemme - yes, it’s run by me and @Amy_Keevy, but I do just love the amazing
community of like-minded and strong women we have created with this account.
@yoga_girl - always! Rachel makes me tear up every
day.
@tribedemama is amazing for empowering women and
mothers and featuring other accounts which do the same.
@verylacey - ah, she is just a dream. In my next
life, I want to come back as Lacey. She is such an inspiration to me.
@underthehood_podcast - it’s all about menstruation,
motherhood and female empowerment - topics I love, obviously!
@the_green_dietitian - Jessica is an amazing vegan
nutritionist in Cape Town and I love her practical, no-nonsense approach to
vegan health. Her five minute meal posts are some of my favourites - great
inspo for a mama like me with not much time to cook dinner!
@bryni - she’s a dear friend and one of my very
first fellow vegans! Her pictures are just so dreamy and I am very envious of
her wonderful Instagram husband, @keanebalt.
When is your
next event/gathering/workshop?
I’m
not sure yet - but La Luna La Femme will probably be holding a new or full moon
gathering in March - sign up to our
newsletter
to keep on top of our latest news and events!
Website link
www.wearethewildflowers.co.za
Podcast: Walking With Wildflowers
Instagram - @keribainborough and @lalunalafemme
Other social media sites you hang out
on?
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