Hi, I’m Jane – a journalist and yoga teacher who writes about wellbeing, retreats and travel. I met Louise on a yoga weekend at Pounden House in Oxfordshire and was interested to hear about her exciting new MindBodyCreative project. Curious to find out more, we met up for a coffee in London to chat all things MBC…

It was great to meet you in Oxfordshire – you’re obviously a big yoga fan too?

Yes, I’ve been practising yoga and mindfulness for 19 years, and I'm a certified Anusara elements yoga teacher. It’s an important part of my life!

So your new venture is called MindBodyCreative – great name! – but what exactly do you do?

I help people ignite their own creative potential... my work is focused around improving mental health, wellbeing and personal empowerment. I want to help people become articulate, passionate and clear about how they want their life to be and to show up in the world by igniting their creativity. In a nutshell, my aim is to help people bring more soul and purpose to their lives.

Sounds impressive! How do you go about doing that?

Through creativity and wellbeing workshops and courses. This year I’m running Vision Board workshops every month in different parts of the UK and in San Francisco in July. I’m interested in people putting technology down to start crafting with their hands.

Great… but… what’s a Vision Board?!

It’s a creative tool to help you get clear on what you want in your life and start taking steps to manifest it… Anyone can do it and it’s a lot of fun!

So how did MindBodyCreative come about?

Well, I’ve had a lifelong love of creativity – and have always worked in creative jobs and run my own creative companies both in London and San Francisco. I’ve been wanting to combine this with my passion for yoga for a while, but couldn’t really see how they fitted together until I needed them both to get through some challenging times in my life.

Seems you’re living proof that this combination works then…

I am! With MBC I’m really drawing on all my past experiences. I have been running all kinds of creative workshops for many years, have attended many self-help courses and have personally used these strategies to pull myself out of post-natal depression. I’ve created bespoke course material that genuinely worked for me. I really want to share what I’ve learnt, to show people the tools and help them apply them to their own lives.

Tell me more about the name you’ve chosen…

It relates to the three elements involved in my work: Mind – I’ve found that yoga, meditation and breathwork can transform our minds and lives; Body – what we put into our bodies and how we treat them has a profound effect on our health, which the correct nutrition and exercise helps; Creative – unlocking your creativity can give you deep insights into who you are and what you want in life.

So who would benefit from an MBC workshop or course?

Anyone who wants to nourish their soul and their body. Anyone who’s into meditation or just curious about it. Anyone who wants to give back to the world by identifying their unique gifts. In fact, anyone who wants an inspiring afternoon with a like-minded group of people!

What type of careers are your clients in?

A whole mixture of different backgrounds… but a lot of people seem to be at a crossroads in their life. Perhaps they want to leave the corporate world or to switch careers because their life feels stagnant. Maybe they want to embark on something new and are seeking clarify about what that is. They’re from all walks of life and all ages.

Do you need to be a ‘creative-type’ to really get it?

Absolutely not! One of the biggest things people worry about is that they’re not creative or good enough, but people ALWAYS surprise themselves. You don’t have to be arty to create amazing work and have insights, you just have to be open.

Is the vibe overly spiritual – or will I gain practical advice?

The work is for anyone who is interested in tools to support the life they want to live. Practical advice is given on all aspects of how to fully nourish your mind, body and creativity. We touch on everything from the power of nutrition and exercise to deep breathing and meditation.

And after the workshop… is there continuing support?

Yes, I offer follow up check-ins, set challenges, there’s a FB group, more courses and FREE downloads to help people keep moving forward on their journey. I also offer 1:1 consultation and yoga tuition.

So, any other plans in the pipeline for MBC?

I’m working on an online Vision Board course that will be launched in Summer 2018 - it will be a self-paced course to help you become articulate, passionate and crystal clear about how you want your life to evolve. It will also include some surprise gifts in the post and maybe some surprise guest interviews!

Thank you Louise – I’m inspired! See you at a Vision Board workshop soon…

Jand Dunford bio

Jane Dunford is a journalist and yoga teacher based between London and Brighton. Her main passions are travel (exploring the world and its magical corners) and yoga (exploring the self and the magic within). She’s trained in yin yang yoga and has seen first-hand the transformative power of the practice.

MindBodyCreative the interview