Meet Sophie Hallwright | Sala Studio, Auckland, NZ

Sophie Hallwright co-Founder of The Curve, an educational platform for women to learn about finance and investing, tells us how she keeps motivated when feeling low and some sage advice for beginner yogis.

Hey, who are you? What do you do and where do you live?

Hi I'm Sophie! I am one half of The Curve which is an educational platform for women to learn about finance and investing (in a non-scary or intimidating way). We have a podcast called 'Raising The Curve' that you can find on Apple or Spotify. It's a great place to start if you know you want to learn, but have no idea how. There's zero prior knowledge needed.

What’s your go-to movement to elevate your mood?

DANCING. I rediscovered it over lockdown and it has been l-i-b-e-r-a-t-i-n-g. Nothing shifts your energy and mood like putting on a banger of a song and a good old shake-out.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

It’s not necessarily my all-time favourite, but someone recently shared a quote with me that really sunk in - “Wherever you go, there you are.” I think we’re absolute masterminds at distracting ourselves. Changing the external, in the hope that it will shift our internal dialogues. We change jobs, move countries, dump our boyfriends/girlfriends, and upgrade our wardrobes - thinking that it will make us feel better. I love that quote because it’s such a brilliant reminder that no matter how hard we try, we can’t run away from ourselves. It's through using tools like meditation and movement that are going to be far more effective in creating long-term change. I really love how at SALA every class starts by taking a minute to breathe and connect. It helps me to come out of my mind and into my body.

What’s your advice to someone brand new to yoga who wants to get started?

Persevere. You might not understand the hype of yoga at first. It might hurt, and you might not be anywhere near touching your toes, but that’s not the point. Eventually, the penny will drop and you’ll start to leave the yoga room with a glow on. You’ll feel so much better than when you came in. It’s a misconception that yoga is all about getting flexible, we feel so good from yoga because we’re moving energies around our bodies, we’re connecting with our breath, and finding moments of stillness in our minds.

How do you motivate yourself to get moving when you’re low energy?

Cacao! I am an addict. I don’t drink coffee, it’s the perfect alternative that doesn't give me that weird anxious energy, while also increasing my energy levels. Also music - honestly a good tune fixes anything.

What’s the secret to a happy life?

Not sure! Please let me know if you know the answer to this question. I like to think that it’s enjoying the process, the small things and not always striving for big achievements. But honestly - it’s so much easier said than done. A good start for me has been including as many things I love into each day - so for example if you love seeing the sunset, make an effort to see if as much as you can. Those small moments are so important.

What other practices do you live by that support your mindset and mood?

I LOVE putting little notes to myself around my room. They might be intentions for my week, reminders or little cute messages to myself that I am loved and brilliant.

Wellbeing is…?

Having the energy to live the life you want! It may seem obvious, but I think if our well-being is in check, we have energy and feel vibrant. In my opinion, having energy is extremely underrated.

What’s your favourite post movement snack/meal?

I’ve been loooving a date and almond butter this week. Yum yum yummm! Also, no stranger to a giant bowl of guac.