Joanna Halpin | @JoannaHalpin
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How has your environment growing up influenced your perspective?
My childhood was spent in Cornwall, England surrounded by nature, the ocean, and small communities. These are all things I still very much value and appreciate today.
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What does “community“ mean to you?
A small network of people that I know will be there for me with unconditional honesty, advice, love, and support.
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What fosters community in your life?
The incredible relationships I have with those I’m close with. I know I can turn to my network of friends and family for anything and that feeling allows me to feel incredibly secure and supported within my personal community and reinforces the value in these relationships.
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What is your relationship with your creative outlet?
On certain days it can feel hard, but I think this is very much linked to my mindset at that particular time, as I know my creative outlets are very much connected to my happiness and bring me a lot of pleasure. When I’m working on or talking about projects I’m excited about, I can feel it brings me happiness and fulfillment.
Currently reading?
Kudos by Rachel Cusk. And Consolations by David Whyte.
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Currently listening to?
As I write these answers I’m listening to my ‘April21’ playlist. I started making a month by month playlist a couple of years ago, where I add all of the songs (old and new) that I hear and love, or have been sent over that monthly period.
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Album or artist that most resonates with you?
The National. Listening to the album High Violet reminds me so much of my sister who I have endless, unconditional love for. She introduced me to this album years ago when we used to frequently be in a car together driving around Cornwall. Lemonworld, in particular, takes me back to an exact time, place, feeling, and stretch of road where I first heard this song with her.
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Favorite film?
Pride and Prejudice or Notting Hill. Both are films I have seen multiple times and seek out when I want comfort and familiarity.
What grounds you?
My mum. She is so kind and always, always has time for me. I find her opinions and perspective on the world so honest and pure. She always has the best intentions and will tell me what I need to hear, rather than what I might want to hear. For that reason, I always go to her as my moral compass and to keep me grounded.
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Where are you finding inspiration right now?
The change in the seasons - it feels like spring and warmth and golden light are returning and everything is thawing out.
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Who in your life advances your internal expansion?
I seek out different people in my life for different forms of expansion, but my boyfriend is particularly excellent at reminding me that I already have the ability within me to see the light and good in everything. He is also excellent at providing a lot of expansive, thoughtful material and conversations.
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I feel most secure when…
I have been spending time focusing on the things and people that genuinely make me happy and fulfilled. Too much focus can be placed on materialism and wealth as a measure of success and this only leads to feelings of insecurity and inadequacy. I’ve learned to practice being appreciative of people, being present and listening and learning what makes me feel authentically good and secure.
I'm currently working on…
confidently talking about the creative projects I am working on without the feeling of imposter syndrome.
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I'm grateful for…
learning the ability to be present and that everything really is a mindset. Realizing this has allowed me to find so much more happiness, enjoyment, and fulfillment in everything and everyone.
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