5 minutes with... fashionpreneur and mental health campaigner George Hodgson
Cami Hogg
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Since founding a fashion label in 2017 born from his experiences of anxiety and OCD, George Hodgson has dedicated himself to telling his mental health story. Here, he sits down with us to talk about his mental health journey, and why author Matt Haig gave him solace in a challenging time.
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In a 24/7 non-stop world, the rush to become entrepreneurs and millionaires by the time we’re 25 is incredibly damaging and overwhelming. There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking a step back and slowing down.
George Hodgson
What key things drew you to working with Unmind?
Most importantly, Unmind's ethos and mission. I’m lucky enough to be able to use the platform and I find it incredibly helpful, especially the Check-In feature. It is something that is needed in every company, one of the things that impacts peoples work most is generally their mental health, so having something they can use to keep an eye on it and look after themselves proactively is brilliant. It was a no-brainer that I could be a part of creating something that was helping people in a relatable way and might even save a life.
What does the statement "We all have mental health, all of the time" mean to you? What is your experience with your own mental health?
We all have mental health just like physical health and I think when we refer to mental health, we don't think of it as much as our physical health, however we do have to look after it just as much. We're also all on a spectrum and that spectrum changes every minute of every day. One minute you could be feeling positive about the future and the next you might be feeling slightly negative. That's absolutely fine because you know it's going to change again. it's about embracing this change and understanding that your mental health - like your physical health - isn't always going to be at its best. We need to change the definition around mental health from being necessarily about illness and more about being part of our bodies and us as humans.
What is one way that you take care of your own mental health every day? Why is this habit so important for you?
Firstly, checking in with myself about how I’m feeling and then talking. I find that talking about how I’m feeling, regardless of whether that is good or bad really helps, having a chat with either my family or girlfriend just to get a few things off my mind, not necessarily looking for advice, but just to have a good ‘dump’ as we like to call it. It’s important because it means I can start with a clear head.
What book would you say has had the biggest positive impact on your life? Why?
When I was very poorly, I read a great many books in the hope of finding solace in that I wasn’t alone with what I was feeling, I eventually found this in Matt Haig’s Reasons to Stay Alive. Every page of the book resonated with me in a way that I believe helped in my recovery and eventually made me realise that I wasn’t the only one that suffered, and there was absolutely hope. The most important lesson from it was in fact, that there is always hope, even if you’re really struggling.
If you could encapsulate the key piece of wisdom you've acquired over your life in regards to your own mental wellbeing, what would that be?
I am only 24, so as of yet, the best I have is understanding that it is ok to take a step back. What I mean when I say this is that, in a 24/7 non-stop world, the rush to become entrepreneurs and millionaires by the time we’re 25 is incredibly damaging and overwhelming. There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking a step back and slowing down if you are starting to suffer, the most important part of your life is you, not selfishly, but if you cannot function properly, it will be detrimental for your future self. I never regret taking 3 years to recover, because it made me who I am today, a stronger, more positive and healthier person. Slow down and take a step back if you need to, there is no hurry.
To find out more about George's story, check out his Fireside on the Unmind platform here, or take a look at his website.
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