A Conversation with Carrie

Your Safe Space comes from a very personal place.

The pieces in the collection were all inspired by experiences either myself or someone in my community has had with mental health. 

One of the most amazing things around this launch has been the honest, unvarnished conversations I've been having about mental wellbeing. I believe it's so important to be open about mental health, and - if we're comfortable to - share our own experiences.

I've shared the incredible expert and community conversations we've been having in these last few weeks, and now I'm delighted to share mine, too.

A conversation with Carrie

Your Space Safe is designed to become part of your mental-welllness toolkit. Every person's toolkit is individual to them - what do you have in yours?

I like to journal, I like to run, and I like to feed myself healthy and nutritious food.

I also find jewellery really helps me through tough times. Sometimes it can be really grounding, and other times it just helps me remember what is most important.

I wear my nan's engagement ring, and I wear Rob and Finley's initials on my wrist. So if ever I'm really struggling, I use my jewellery to help me remember who I love the most.

This was the idea behind some of the personalised pieces in Your Safe Space. The locket, the engravable bar pieces and the plaited bracelets can all be customised with names or other reminders.

Do you have a go-to pick-me-up in times of overwhelm?

If I need a real mood lift or pick-me-up, a bit of old school garage can really lift my mood!

Especially a bit of Dizzy Rascal! I put on Fix Up, Look Sharp, and it can often make me go: come on, you can deal with this.

(I've even got 'Fix Up' engraved on a signet ring - it never hurts to have a reminder, even when there's not a speaker near!)

Inspiration, of a very personal sort

Why is mental health support so important to you?

Mental health has always been really important to me. Trying to put into words as to why is really difficult, but I am an empath and I really care about people - people that I love, but also people that I don't know too. I just have a big heart and I care about people!

I've also been personally touched by anxiety - I've experienced it in some form for as long as I can remember.

Through this, I've learnt a lot about grounding and coping strategies and the importance of turning to other people when you need help.

I realised that I had the tools to offer this support to anyone who needed it, both through my jewellery and the incredible community we've built around Carrie Elizabeth. And that's when I began to design the Your Safe Space collection.

What is the best mental health advice or mantra you have ever heard?

The best mental health advice I have recieved is the phrase: one foot in front of the other.

It sounds so simple, but in those times where you just cannot imagine next week or next month, the most important thing is to just get through the day; hour by hour, one foot in front of the other.

There for each other

What does community mean to you?

For me personally, community plays a huge role in managing my own mental health. I think it can be really isolating when you're going through something difficult, and I personally found that sharing and connecting with others makes you feel less alone.

Often, others can give you help and guidance that helps you get through what you're experiencing. And of course, sometimes the support is celebration! Community is there for you through it all.

How do you reach out for support?

If I'm ever really struggling with my mental health, I make sure to reach out for support.

I talk to my husband, my best friends, and my family - particuarly my mum, because I feel like she really understands me. I pick up the phone and give them a call.

As well as my real-life network of friends and family, I've found the Carrie Elizabeth Community such a source of support.

In the last few years, I've found myself able to be really honest with th community about what I'm going through, whether it's my hopes and dreams for my family or worrying about my son's eating!

Without fail, the community rallies around, offering ideas or empathy, and celebrating together when things work out. It's the same when we share stories from our customers, too.

I think it helps us all realise we're not alone in this.

Finding Your Safe Space

What's your favourite piece from the Your Safe Space collection?

I love this collection and I love all of the pieces in it, but my personal favourite is the little engravable bar bracelet.

What I've done on mine is I've engraved my name, my husband's name and my little boy's name. There's one side blank - and I'm hoping that maybe one day we'll get to fill that in, too.

So it's a talisman of love, support and hope for me. Very personal, very special.