Balance July 2019 - 20

o spend time with Fearne
Cotton is to discover
first-hand just why she's
achieved so much in
her life. The author,
presenter, podcast host,
fashion designer and
now festival organiser
positively buzzes with energy and enthusiasm, a
zest and zeal which has helped Fearne remain
such a dominant force across TV, radio and the
media at large for a remarkable 23 years. Her
brain must fizz and bang with fresh ideas every
morning, noon and night, so it's no wonder
she's a self-confessed bad sleeper. It must be like
trying to switch off the Duracell Bunny.
Right now, Fearne is focusing that energy
into guest editing Balance (as you'll see when
you flick through these pages or visit our social
channels at @balanceLDN), and is doing the
sort of thorough, all-encompassing job that
might make one or two in the office want to up
their game. Ask Fearne for input or a steer and,
bang, it's there. She is, as the kids say, fire.
Balance, a title devoted to wellbeing, health
and a balanced lifestyle, is the perfect fit for
Fearne, who has become a pioneer in the
wellness space via best-selling books (with our
favourite, Happy, kicking things off in 2017), her
Happy Place podcast and, up next, her Happy
Place Festivals.
"I've gone from being 15 on the TV to
being nearly 38, and that's quite a lot of years
for someone to develop, change, learn and
experience," says Fearne. "I've been into
alternative therapies and interested in this area
since I was a small kid, because my mum does
yoga and likes Reiki. She's more into the hippie
side of things. She likes the angel cards and the
tarot, and 'look at this orb in a photo that I've
zoomed into 8,000 times, there's an angel in
it'. Y'know, she goes there. I've never seen that
as being alternative, that's just been very much
how it is. I've always wanted to learn more, and
I've been going and having Reiki and all sorts of
different things since I was a teenager.
"But I think, on a sort of personal expansion,
in my life and my career, really, yes, I have
evolved and changed like anybody. And I think
the only real difference is that, as of perhaps five
years ago, I thought it was appropriate, and I felt
confident and comfortable enough to bring that

I'VE BEEN INTO
ALTERNATIVE
THERAPIES
SINCE I WAS
A SMALL KID
20

into my working life. Before, I was still doing all this stuff, but I just didn't feel the need to talk about it,
or I just felt, 'do I want to be me in that arena?'
"It didn't feel awkward or jarring for me to talk about the subjects that I've sort of delved into, and
you get to a place where you go, 'What's the point of all this again? Why am I striving to do the biggest
show, or have the biggest audience,' or whatever it is. What's the point of it? And I think I've realised
that by talking about things that everybody's going through is such a deeper level of connection and
seems to have much more of a purpose, or certainly invites more drive into my life. So, it felt very
natural, and I guess that's where people think there's been a level of reinvention: it's just actually, I've
transferred all the stuff I was interested in into my career, which has made it even better because I get
to do something I love, rather than, 'this person wants me to do this show, how do they want me to be?'
and I just do my own thing."
This, explains Fearne, is the true Fearne. And it's an inspiration to us all to live authentically.
When you live a life with passion and purpose, it feels as though anything is possible. "If you can
just authentically be you, even if it is a job that feels very far away from your hobbies or your natural
passions, maybe there is a way to bring that in to create more joy in the workplace, to create more
connections with people you work with, and maybe there is a way of doing that.
"There are lots of big companies now, certainly, and more independents concerned with people's
welfare and mental health. There's a lot more initiative based around that that I think everybody could
get involved in. Or if it's a charitable arm of what you do; people are feeling more confident to bring
that side of themselves into work, but it does take a level of confidence. Because I could go on the TV
and be the me that's on TV that people think they know, get a bit of abuse or take a knock and think,
'Oh well, that's just the work version of me.'
"But when you are being you, 100 per cent, you are gonna feel more bruised and more sensitive
in those situations. I think you do have to walk into it knowing that you are putting more of yourself

Balance July 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Balance July 2019