Self expression is unique. It comes in different shapes and forms. For some, self expression is through the way they dress, for others it may be dance.
This month we’ve teamed up with three Generation Sportsgirls who are expressing themselves through whatever creative medium feels most them.
This is their journey in their own words - this is SG by me.
This month we’ve teamed up with three Generation Sportsgirls who are expressing themselves through whatever creative medium feels most them.
This is their journey in their own words - this is SG by me.
Ruth
Painter and digital designer
@rjdradi.thelabel
How do you express yourself and what does self expression mean to you?
I express myself through multiple creative outlets. From visual arts to design and modelling. As long as I’m being creative it nurtures my soul and self expression.
Self expression to me means being the most authentic version of myself that I possibly can, and being unapologetic about it.
What is the inspiration behind your artwork?
My African cultural background is the main source of inspiration when it comes to my artworks. I like to use myself as my muse as it took me a really long time to like what I see in the mirror due to society’s limitations and attempt to box me in. Now I inspire myself everyday and I’m also inspired by my community and our collective life experiences.
Where do you hope to be in 5 years time?
I see myself continuing to reach for the stars, accomplishing what I used to think I could never do by living the dream as a successful creative soul. Within 5 years I hope to see mayor growth and success with my business as an Artist/Fashion Model.
What’s the most helpful advice you’ve ever been given?
‘’You may think what you do has no impact on others, but it really does.’’
So now I keep pushing myself to never stop creating because it may inspire someone else to do the same.
How would you encourage someone to tap into their creativity?
Even if you think you’re not talented enough to do it, you won’t know how talented you actually are until you try. So try everything and explore your creativity no matter what people say or what limitations you may have set on yourself that may be hindering your ability.
Check out Ruth’s artwork and designs here.
Painter and digital designer
@rjdradi.thelabel
How do you express yourself and what does self expression mean to you?
I express myself through multiple creative outlets. From visual arts to design and modelling. As long as I’m being creative it nurtures my soul and self expression.
Self expression to me means being the most authentic version of myself that I possibly can, and being unapologetic about it.
What is the inspiration behind your artwork?
My African cultural background is the main source of inspiration when it comes to my artworks. I like to use myself as my muse as it took me a really long time to like what I see in the mirror due to society’s limitations and attempt to box me in. Now I inspire myself everyday and I’m also inspired by my community and our collective life experiences.
Where do you hope to be in 5 years time?
I see myself continuing to reach for the stars, accomplishing what I used to think I could never do by living the dream as a successful creative soul. Within 5 years I hope to see mayor growth and success with my business as an Artist/Fashion Model.
What’s the most helpful advice you’ve ever been given?
‘’You may think what you do has no impact on others, but it really does.’’
So now I keep pushing myself to never stop creating because it may inspire someone else to do the same.
How would you encourage someone to tap into their creativity?
Even if you think you’re not talented enough to do it, you won’t know how talented you actually are until you try. So try everything and explore your creativity no matter what people say or what limitations you may have set on yourself that may be hindering your ability.
Check out Ruth’s artwork and designs here.
Nikka
Writer and poet
@nikkaholt
How do you express yourself and what does self expression mean to you?
For as long as I can remember, I've always had a deep love for speaking my truth and expressing myself through writing and movement. It's how I make sense of the world around me, and it forever reminds me to look at my life through the eyes of gratitude. Finding magic in the mundane and deep joy in the simple pleasures life has to offer. It's how I am able to come back into my body, and soak up the present moment. I also whole-heartedly believe that there is so much power in putting pen to paper, as I've always written in a way that makes me feel like absolutely anything and everything is possible. It's where I feel most free to be my unapologetic, authentic, and innermost self, and ignites this burning desire within me, to inspire others to do the same.
Tell us how Every Body’s Bootiful came about?
Back at the end of 2021, I lost my ability to walk due to a very unusual and rare hip injury. During this time, I was running a lot and I had also just taken a leap of faith with my self-love business, E.B.B, and had started teaching my own body-positive dance and pilates workouts five days a week. I was at my peak. I felt strong and powerful, and all of the E.B.B classes had my runs feeling like a breeze. So there I was, on Christmas Eve, running along the beach with my puppy girl, Koa and I remember feeling this tightness in my hip. ‘No biggy. Just a tight hip flexor, I’ll stretch her out when I get home.’
And then the next day, Christmas day to be exact, we went for a walk down the beach with my partner’s mum, and my hip felt really, really stuck and my body started doing this very awkward, slow limp. I knew in the moment that something wasn’t right. ‘I’ll stretch, rest and just do slow gentle walks, until it calms down.’ But every time I went to walk, my movement started to feel more and more stuck. And a week later, I couldn’t walk. Then all of a sudden, the pain started. And I could barely move my body an inch without feeling sharp jabs and excruciating aches. I felt weak, debilitated, and oh so helpless.
Suddenly, a simple act like getting in and out of my car, and putting on my socks and shoes, felt like one of the hardest things in the world. Impossible even. I lost the ability to lift or control my left leg. My walking (limping) pace turned into that of a snail, and even the simplest of tasks felt hard. I cried a lot, and there were a lot of sleepless, pain-filled nights.
Just like that, in the blink of an eye, our world can be flipped upside down in a mere instance. Shifting our outlook, changing the way in which we once viewed the world. And opening our eyes to a whole new perspective.
The very story that had shifted my whole perception that led me to create my self-love business, E.B.B, was happening to me. It was no coincidence. I had to believe it had happened for a reason. And so I told myself that this was supposed to be a part of my journey. Bringing forth a deeper understanding and experience; of that in which I preach so passionately to others. And so I adapted this mindset, as I navigated this new reality.
So there I was, unable to walk. Unable to move. I spent months stuck at home on the couch, isolated from the outside world, writing the words of this book. Words that helped me see the light in my darkest moments. Words that saved me, when nothing else made sense. Words that I hope will have the same impact on others, that they did on me.
Where do you hope to be in 5 years time?
My greatest wish in my lifetime is to live a life that sets my soul on fire and inspires others to do the same. If there's anything I've learnt from my injury, it is that you cannot predict what life is going to throw at you next. But as long as you are happy, living in your truth and being your unapologetic self in the process, then that is what matters most at the end of day. And while I have big hopes and dreams for the future and the impact I wish to have on others, I also like to remind myself to always, always be grateful for all the simple, yet magical pleasure that we get to experience in each given moment. And so, as I practice gratitude, and I say 'practice'- because even after a traumatic injury, you can still get caught in the stress and overwhelm that comes with being human. I will forever strive to inspire others to live their life for them.
What’s the most helpful advice you’ve ever been given?
Since I was a little girl, I've always been a big dreamer, and growing up as a dancer, I always prioritised my passions and my dreams.
My mum always taught me to go after what made me happy, and to never give up on myself or my dreams. She would always remind me to just be Nikka. She taught me to live my life on my own terms, and to always be myself in the process. Since then, I have always reminded myself that my uniqueness is my superpower and to always follow my intuition, and like I mentioned above, I like to remind others to do the same.
I wholeheartedly believe that if we show up as our unapologetic selves, we can do no wrong, and we can do harm. The people who are meant to be in your life, will accept you for who you truly are deep down inside. And the ones that don't are simply not meant to be. When you show up as your innermost self with no pressure, no outside noise, no expectations, you are able to live a life that feels good for you.
It's quite simple really. BE YOURSELF. PERIOD. DO WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY AND DON'T EVER LET ANYONE OR ANYTHING STOP YOU FROM BEING YOU AND FOLLOWING YOUR HEART ON THIS CRAZY ROLLERCOASTER RIDE WE CALL LIFE.
You can purchase Nikka’s book Everybody’s Bootiful here.
Writer and poet
@nikkaholt
How do you express yourself and what does self expression mean to you?
For as long as I can remember, I've always had a deep love for speaking my truth and expressing myself through writing and movement. It's how I make sense of the world around me, and it forever reminds me to look at my life through the eyes of gratitude. Finding magic in the mundane and deep joy in the simple pleasures life has to offer. It's how I am able to come back into my body, and soak up the present moment. I also whole-heartedly believe that there is so much power in putting pen to paper, as I've always written in a way that makes me feel like absolutely anything and everything is possible. It's where I feel most free to be my unapologetic, authentic, and innermost self, and ignites this burning desire within me, to inspire others to do the same.
Tell us how Every Body’s Bootiful came about?
Back at the end of 2021, I lost my ability to walk due to a very unusual and rare hip injury. During this time, I was running a lot and I had also just taken a leap of faith with my self-love business, E.B.B, and had started teaching my own body-positive dance and pilates workouts five days a week. I was at my peak. I felt strong and powerful, and all of the E.B.B classes had my runs feeling like a breeze. So there I was, on Christmas Eve, running along the beach with my puppy girl, Koa and I remember feeling this tightness in my hip. ‘No biggy. Just a tight hip flexor, I’ll stretch her out when I get home.’
And then the next day, Christmas day to be exact, we went for a walk down the beach with my partner’s mum, and my hip felt really, really stuck and my body started doing this very awkward, slow limp. I knew in the moment that something wasn’t right. ‘I’ll stretch, rest and just do slow gentle walks, until it calms down.’ But every time I went to walk, my movement started to feel more and more stuck. And a week later, I couldn’t walk. Then all of a sudden, the pain started. And I could barely move my body an inch without feeling sharp jabs and excruciating aches. I felt weak, debilitated, and oh so helpless.
Suddenly, a simple act like getting in and out of my car, and putting on my socks and shoes, felt like one of the hardest things in the world. Impossible even. I lost the ability to lift or control my left leg. My walking (limping) pace turned into that of a snail, and even the simplest of tasks felt hard. I cried a lot, and there were a lot of sleepless, pain-filled nights.
Just like that, in the blink of an eye, our world can be flipped upside down in a mere instance. Shifting our outlook, changing the way in which we once viewed the world. And opening our eyes to a whole new perspective.
The very story that had shifted my whole perception that led me to create my self-love business, E.B.B, was happening to me. It was no coincidence. I had to believe it had happened for a reason. And so I told myself that this was supposed to be a part of my journey. Bringing forth a deeper understanding and experience; of that in which I preach so passionately to others. And so I adapted this mindset, as I navigated this new reality.
So there I was, unable to walk. Unable to move. I spent months stuck at home on the couch, isolated from the outside world, writing the words of this book. Words that helped me see the light in my darkest moments. Words that saved me, when nothing else made sense. Words that I hope will have the same impact on others, that they did on me.
Where do you hope to be in 5 years time?
My greatest wish in my lifetime is to live a life that sets my soul on fire and inspires others to do the same. If there's anything I've learnt from my injury, it is that you cannot predict what life is going to throw at you next. But as long as you are happy, living in your truth and being your unapologetic self in the process, then that is what matters most at the end of day. And while I have big hopes and dreams for the future and the impact I wish to have on others, I also like to remind myself to always, always be grateful for all the simple, yet magical pleasure that we get to experience in each given moment. And so, as I practice gratitude, and I say 'practice'- because even after a traumatic injury, you can still get caught in the stress and overwhelm that comes with being human. I will forever strive to inspire others to live their life for them.
What’s the most helpful advice you’ve ever been given?
Since I was a little girl, I've always been a big dreamer, and growing up as a dancer, I always prioritised my passions and my dreams.
My mum always taught me to go after what made me happy, and to never give up on myself or my dreams. She would always remind me to just be Nikka. She taught me to live my life on my own terms, and to always be myself in the process. Since then, I have always reminded myself that my uniqueness is my superpower and to always follow my intuition, and like I mentioned above, I like to remind others to do the same.
I wholeheartedly believe that if we show up as our unapologetic selves, we can do no wrong, and we can do harm. The people who are meant to be in your life, will accept you for who you truly are deep down inside. And the ones that don't are simply not meant to be. When you show up as your innermost self with no pressure, no outside noise, no expectations, you are able to live a life that feels good for you.
It's quite simple really. BE YOURSELF. PERIOD. DO WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY AND DON'T EVER LET ANYONE OR ANYTHING STOP YOU FROM BEING YOU AND FOLLOWING YOUR HEART ON THIS CRAZY ROLLERCOASTER RIDE WE CALL LIFE.
You can purchase Nikka’s book Everybody’s Bootiful here.
Nathania
Classical violinist and song writer
@nathaniacamargo
How do you express yourself and what does self expression mean to you?
I find that I can express myself through my ability to turn how I’m feeling into melodic form. Self expression to me is about being able to present who I am and the emotional journey that led me to the present me.
How do you feel when you’re playing music?
When I’m playing violin I feel both at peace and centred. Having this ability has been such a massive portion of my life for so long that it’s become another part of my voice. So yeah, it feels like I’m hanging with an old friend.
Where do you hope to be in 5 years time?
I see myself finishing off a master’s degree somewhere in Europe in 5 years. I also see myself doing the same thing in Melbourne. To me it’s not so much about WHERE I’ll be, but more WHO I’ll be. Either way, I hope to be someone younger me would be proud of.
What’s the most helpful advice you’ve ever been given?
Take time to know yourself.
What inspires you?
Lots of things inspire me. People inspire me, experiences inspire me, even the past inspires me. But right now my biggest inspiration probably comes from working with people who are passionate about what it is they’re doing.
Classical violinist and song writer
@nathaniacamargo
How do you express yourself and what does self expression mean to you?
I find that I can express myself through my ability to turn how I’m feeling into melodic form. Self expression to me is about being able to present who I am and the emotional journey that led me to the present me.
How do you feel when you’re playing music?
When I’m playing violin I feel both at peace and centred. Having this ability has been such a massive portion of my life for so long that it’s become another part of my voice. So yeah, it feels like I’m hanging with an old friend.
Where do you hope to be in 5 years time?
I see myself finishing off a master’s degree somewhere in Europe in 5 years. I also see myself doing the same thing in Melbourne. To me it’s not so much about WHERE I’ll be, but more WHO I’ll be. Either way, I hope to be someone younger me would be proud of.
What’s the most helpful advice you’ve ever been given?
Take time to know yourself.
What inspires you?
Lots of things inspire me. People inspire me, experiences inspire me, even the past inspires me. But right now my biggest inspiration probably comes from working with people who are passionate about what it is they’re doing.
